Rotel RT-1010 Tuner Review

The Rotel RT-1010 AM/FM stereo tuner features digital-synthesis tuning with a choice of auto or manual scan modes, memories for seven FM and seven AM stations, and a segmented LED signal-strength indicator that also serves as a multipath-distortion indicator. The all-black RT-1010 has a large “dial window” with a centered frequency-readout section containing bright yellow 1/2-inch-high numerals and identifiers for FM/AM and MHz/kHz. Below the digital display are scanning buttons marked up and down. A line on the panel indicates their functional relationship to an auto/manual pushbutton. In its auto (out) setting, the tuner frequency steps in one-channel increments at the touch of a scanning button until the tuner acquires a signal strong enough to overcome its muting threshold. At that point it stops scanning and unmutes (the tuner’s audio outputs are silenced while it is tuning).

When the auto/manual button is pressed in to manual, the tuner frequency changes in 200-kHz increments for FM, or 10-kHz increments for AM, each time it is pressed and released. If it is held in, after a few seconds the tuner scans rapidly in the selected direction, stopping only when the button is released. Other buttons include moment hold (which function is not clearly explained anywhere in the instruction manual), mode (stereo or mono), hi blend for stereo-noise reduction, mute, and multipath (which converts the signal-strength readout to a multipath indicator).

A row of buttons controls access to the station memories. They include a memory program button and seven numbered buttons. Pressing memory program lights a LED on the dial face for about 5 seconds, and a touch on any of the numbered buttons while it is lit stores the received frequency for later recall by a touch on the same button. The selected memory is indicated by a row of LEDs above the buttons. The only other front-panel controls are the power button and the FM and AM band-selector buttons.

The rear of the RT-1010 contains the antenna binding posts, a ferrite-rod AM antenna, and the audio-output jacks. The Rotel RT-1010 tuner is 17 inches wide, 11-3/8 inches deep, and 3-7/8 inches high. It weighs 9-1/2 pounds. Price: $325.

Laboratory Measurements

The measured performance of the Rotel RT-1010 generally agreed with its ratings (within the limits of normal measurement error). Its IHF usable sensitivity was 13.2 dBf (2.5 microvolts, or μV) in mono, and the stereo sensitivity was set by the switching threshold of 31.2 dBf (20 μV). The 50-dB quieting sensitivity was 15 dBf (3.3 μV) in mono, with 0.7 per cent total harmonic distortion (THD). In stereo it was 37.2 dBf (40 μV) with 0.5 percent THD.

At a 65-dBf (1,000-μV) input, the signal-to-noise ratio was 73.5 dB in mono and 68.5 dB in stereo. The distortion at 65 dBf input was 0.18 per cent in mono and 0.17 per cent in stereo. The capture ratio was 1.25 dB at 45 dBf (100 μV), and the AM rejection was 60 dB at 65 dBf; each of these figures is a “worst-case” measurement in accordance with IHF (now EIA) standards. At the other signal level (either 45 or 65 dBf) each was slightly better.

The image rejection was a good 76 dB. Selectivity was average at 58 dB for alternate-channel spacing and 5.7 dB for adjacent channels. The stereo and muting thresholds were identical at 31.2 dBf (20 μV). The 19-kHz pilot-carrier leakage in our sample was unusually high ( -39 dB relative to 100 per cent modulation at 1,000 Hz), but the 38-kHz component was down 70 dB. While it is possible that the high pilot-carrier level could interfere with the operation of Dolby systems or cause “birdies” with a recorder’s bias oscillator, this is less likely to happen with recent recorder models, which are well filtered. The hum was 67 dB below 100 per cent modulation and was mostly at 60 Hz.

We measured the IHF intermodulation distortion with equal-amplitude modulating signals, at 14,000 and 15,000 Hz, whose combined peak amplitude was equivalent to 100 per cent modulation of the signal generator. In mono, the third-order distortion at 13.000 Hz was —45 dB (referred to the modulating tone at 14,000 Hz) and the second-order distortion at 1,000 Hz was —55 dB (relative to 100 per cent modulation at 1.000 Hz). In stereo, the respective distortion levels were -46 and -50 dB, but there were a large number of additional spurious products at levels between -60 and -70 dB. This characteristic is typical, in greater or lesser degree, of all FM stereo tuners.

The FM-tuner frequency response was flat within 0.5 dB overall from 60 to 13,000 Hz and down about 1.5 dB at 30 and 15,000 Hz. The channel separation was about 50 dB at 1,000 Hz, falling to 35 dB at 30 Hz and 31.5 dB at 15,000 Hz. The AM-tuner frequency response was down 6 dB at 40 and 3,500 Hz.

Comment

The Rotel RT-1010 functioned smoothly and quietly, delivering an audible quality that was essentially limited by the FM stations and their programs. The scanning tuning mode worked well and was easy to use whether one stepped in single-channel increments or scanned rapidly across the band (this took about 11 seconds for either FM or AM). There were never any modulation bursts to interfere with the silent scanning. In auto, the muting is always active, but in manual it can be disabled for detecting weak signals.

The multipath indicator seemed to do its job better than many we have used. We normally experience considerable multipath distortion on some stations in our area, and they caused the LED display to fluctuate unmistakably.

The button marked moment hold puzzled us. Even with the help of the instruction manual (which is written in seven languages and is profusely illustrated), we were never able to make the moment hold button have the slightest effect on the tuner’s operation.

The AM tuner, whose tested frequency response was at least average for the genre, nevertheless sounded much better than most AM tuners we have used. It was notably free of the buzzes and noises that plague AM reception in our particular locality. Since very few of the AM tuners we have tested have provided even marginally listen-able quality, the RT-1010 stands apart in this respect. Although this tuner lacks an audio-level adjustment, its output is about 0.6 volt for 100 per cent modulation, which is compatible with practically any amplifier we know of. All in all, the Rotel RT-1010 is an attractive, easy-to-use, and fine-sounding tuner. Though not featuring any unique modes of operation or advancing the state of the art for tuners, it impresses us as a competently designed product.

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