Rotel DX-3 review

Rotel is known for its functional, no-nonsense approach to hi-fi design. It doesn’t do gimmicks or prioritise style over performance. Never has and never wi… hold on. What’s this?

The new DX-3 headphone amplifier and DAC doesn’t resemble any Rotel product we’ve come across before. To our eyes, it is stylish, modern and features visual flourishes on the volume dial and casework sides that serve no other purpose than to make it look nice – very un-Rotel. Even the packaging looks more like something Apple would offer rather than the effective yet plain efforts most in this industry produce.

But don’t worry, dear reader, amid all this reinvention, Rotel hasn’t forgotten its heritage. The Rotel DX-3 is simply a determined effort to move with the times and produce something that not only performs well, but also engenders a feel-good factor that the brand hasn’t traditionally tapped into. The company’s traditional rationale of ‘handsome is as handsome does’ can only take you so far, it seems.

Features & connectivity

The DX-3 is a pleasingly versatile unit. It is a DAC, a headphone amplifier and can also function as a perfectly serviceable preamp. Partner it with a pair of active speakers, and you have the makings of a neat, clutter-free stereo system.

Its DAC section is compatible with 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256 hi-res audio files thanks to the ESS Sabre ES9028PRO chipset sitting at the heart of its digital circuitry.

There are the usual trio of digital inputs (USB Type B, optical and coaxial) along with the added convenience of Bluetooth aptX HD streaming. Unusually, for what is essentially a digital product, the DX-3 also has a stereo RCA analogue input, turning it from being just another digital hub into a full-blown analogue/digital preamp. Useful.

There are single-ended and balanced XLR outputs on the rear panel, and those are echoed on the front with 6.3mm and balanced 4.4mm headphone outputs. Also on the front is the neatly styled volume control and a small slider that switches the DX-3’s headphone output between three gain levels.

This gain switch shows that, despite the new emphasis on appearance, Rotel has taken the headphone side of things seriously. Such a switch makes matching a breeze and ensures plenty of volume travel, even with the most sensitive of headphone designs.

Take a look inside the DX-3, and you will find that it is beautifully made with a generous power supply arrangement that uses a large, shielded toroidal transformer. The main board is neatly laid out and populated with good quality components.

Build

The DX-3 is a premium-priced unit, and pleasingly, everything about it reflects that. Its aluminium casework feels reassuringly solid and is finished with care. All the controls, but particularly the volume, work with positivity and precision.

If we do have a complaint, it is that the font used for the set-up menus is on the small side and hard to read from any distance. None of us is getting younger, you know. The display itself is full-colour and pleasingly crisp.

Even the metal remote handset is good. It is nice to hold and simple to use. We can’t ask for anything more than that from a handset.

This Rotel comes in at an interesting price where there aren’t many natural rivals. Cheaper alternatives such as Audiolab’s D7 (£449 / $699 / AU$1099) come in at less than half the price, and while talented, don’t get close to the DX-3’s sonic ability. Chord’s mighty Hugo 2 (£1795 / $2595 / AU$4500) is a clear step above in transparency and insight, but is pricier and less well equipped.

Sound

For this test, our main source is an Apple MacBook Pro loaded with Audirvana playback software and plenty of high-res music files. We also use our reference Naim ND555/555 PS DR music streamer to test out the DX-3’s analogue and coax digital inputs, and a Cyrus CDi CD player to provide the feed for the optical. Bluetooth duties are carried out by our trusty iPhone 14 Pro Max using the Tidal and Qobuz streaming apps.

The Rotel’s headphone section is tested out with Austrian Audio’s The Composer, the Grado RS1x, Sony’s MDR-Z1R (in balanced guise) and, for fun, Yamaha’s high-end YH-5000SE. We also plug the Rotel into our reference system of Burmester 088/911 MkIII amplifier and ATC SCM50 speakers to see how it behaves.

The fresh new look of the DX-3 may suggest a change of direction for Rotel, but the excellent sound quality proves that the brand’s values haven’t changed all that much, and we’re glad about that. On the digital side, we are pleased to note a consistency of character between the various inputs.

Regardless of the one we choose, this Rotel sounds clean, crisp and impressively detailed. It delivers a slightly etched presentation, one that highlights low-level detail but doesn’t go as far as to become tiring over long listening sessions.

As we listen to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, it is hard not to be impressed by the control and authority on offer. This is a demanding piece of music, and the Rotel never sounds ruffled. It delivers the music’s savage dynamic swings with enthusiasm and plenty of punch, particularly the famous cannon sequence at the end.

Tonally, the Rotel edges towards leanness but never strays into thinness. Still, this gives the DX-3 a slightly analytical character, which some will like. It still sounds balanced, though, with no part of the frequency range grabbing undue attention. There is plenty of refinement, even during the 1812’s frenzied ending.

Given a good recording, we are pleased to note that this unit delivers a spacious and focused soundfield. There is a pleasant lack of clutter and impressive stability in the way instruments and sounds are locked in place.

Comparison with the pricier Chord Hugo 2 shows that the DX-3 misses out on a degree of natural warmth and a bit of dynamic subtlety, but given the price difference and the more versatile nature of the Rotel, these are acceptable losses for us.

There are no complaints about sonic authority or the DX-3’s ability to grip low frequencies. We play Soul II Soul’s Keep On Movin’ and really enjoy the Rotel’s taut and articulate lows. It isn’t easy to combine muscle with tunefulness, but the company’s engineers have managed it.

As we shift from the 16-bit/44.1kHz of Soul II Soul’s debut set to Michael Jackson’s Off The Wall on DSD, we are pleased to note that the Rotel DX-3 switches between file formats without skipping a beat, or at least it did once an early incompatibility with the Audirvana software had been fixed by a firmware update. Originally, our review sample didn’t lock onto a DSD signal reliably and suffered frequent dropouts.

Bluetooth pairing is swift and painless, too, with the DX-3 retaining its clarity and character through the wireless connection. While Bluetooth will never be our first choice for absolute sound quality, there are times when it proves useful, so we are glad that Rotel has implemented it here. Detail levels and musical cohesion remain pleasing, despite the shortcomings of the wireless link.

In our experience, analogue inputs on digital products usually prove disappointing, so we are pleased to find that the DX-3 continues to retain its charm when connected this way. There is a slight drop-off of absolute transparency and a gentle damping down of dynamics, but on the whole the results remain likeable.

This Rotel is as happy to be used as a standalone DAC in our reference system as it is driving a pair of headphones. Regardless of role, its inherently balanced and informative nature comes through. This isn’t a showy performer that delivers sonic fireworks to grab your attention, rather it takes the more measured route, underpinned by real talent when it comes to delivering the structural elements of music.

In other words, the DX-3 is happy for the music to take centre stage rather than trying to hog the limelight for itself.

Verdict

In some ways, the Rotel DX-3 marks a new dawn for Rotel’s products. It places more emphasis on style, design and cosmetics than the company usually does, but thankfully, it doesn't throw away the commitment to great performance that has been so much a part of the brand’s tradition. For that, we are thankful.

Review published: 13th February 2026

SCORES

• Sound 5
• Build 5
• Features 5

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