“If music be the meals of affection, play on; Give me extra of it,” Duke Orsino mentioned in Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night time.” The soundtrack of my life is full of music that spans genres, so once I hear audio from high-quality tools, I need these sounds in extra (or INXS, as it have been).

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It is usually a stretch to affiliate the time period “finances” with audiophile-level tools, however the actuality is that merchandise able to producing actually incredible audio include a price ticket. Even my trusted private amp, a NAD D 3020 V2, would not be thought of close to audiophile stage, nevertheless it nonetheless prices $500 (and is value each penny).

So, how does the Outlaw Audio RR 2160 Mk 11 Stereo receiver fare for its $950 asking value? Here is my verdict.

My curiosity was piqued for Outlaw’s “finances” amp (we’re speaking about a $1,000 price ticket), so I agreed to take a look. It seems that the co-founder of Outlaw Audio, Peter Tribeman, can be one of many co-founders of NAD, the makers of my private amp and a revered model of high-fidelity audio tools. 

The aesthetic and design philosophy of the RR 2160 Mk II is all about drawing inspiration from the classical designs of outdated artwork deco radios with a glossy, useful aesthetic. Let me inform you, they succeeded.

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After I unboxed the receiver/amp, my first thought was, “this appears old skool.” My second thought was about how huge and heavy the amp is. It is a beast; be ready to use some muscle to get this child arrange. Here is what the specs appear like:

My expertise

It took me a whereas to get this monster all arrange, however as soon as it was in place and related, I positioned Rush’s “Indicators” on my Rega P8 turntable, and dropped the needle.

The sound floored me.

I hadn’t ever heard my KEF audio system come to life like that. Each observe, each intonation, each beat was crystal clear. I may hear a separation between the devices in methods that I hadn’t skilled earlier than. 

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Yeah, it took me all of two songs to overlook about my NAD amp (which is sort of unhappy, as a result of I like that little man). This Outlaw Audio amp is simply on one other stage. I can crank this amp up nicely past 11, and the sound nonetheless shines. It is probably not essentially the most highly effective receiver/amp in the marketplace, however for a 20′ X 20′ room, this child is extra than able to threatening the integrity of my ear drums.

It doesn’t matter what style I threw on the amp, it delivered. Steel, classical, prog rock, shoegaze, you identify it, the RR 2160 Mk II has what it takes to make you smile, dance, headbang, or simply stare on the ceiling, misplaced within the waterfall of sound.

This amp’s bass administration particularly caught out to me. My SVS subwoofer has a built-in crossover that does a pretty good job, however I needed to experiment. For those who’re unsure what a crossover is, it permits you to outline what frequency of bass is shipped to the sub. You may resolve in case you solely need 60Hz for a kick drum punch, or you possibly can enhance it to 80Hz or 100Hz to give the music a beefier backside.

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At first, I allowed my sub to deal with the cross-over and felt the underside finish missing (which was a shock, given how hefty this sub is). Afterward, I made a decision to let the amp tackle the duty, and wow, what a distinction. The bass administration within the RR 2160 Mk II is excellent.

After I might given the amp loads of time to “burn in” (which actually is not essential with fashionable tools), I placed on one in every of my favourite albums of the yr, the “Godzilla Minus One” unique rating by Naoki Satō. I am a huge Godzilla fan, and having this album on vinyl is a actual deal with. In contrast to listening to the rating via the NAD amp, the RR 2160 Mk II actually gave the music a kaiju-like measurement it hadn’t beforehand loved. 

I cranked the sound up to -30 dB and felt like I used to be again on the cinema, seeing the movie for the primary time. It was a wall-rattling, gargantuan, stunning expertise.

ZDNET’s shopping for recommendation

I actually cannot say sufficient good issues about this amp. The Outlaw Audio RR 2160 Mk II has all of the connections and outputs you want, stellar bass administration, bass and treble changes, and a sizable distant, however extra importantly, the sound is basically particular. From the underside to the highest, this amp shines with booming depths and glowing highs. 

The probability of discovering a higher receiver/amp for $1,000 is fairly slim. If you need to get true, audiophile-quality sound out of your tools, you finest get your fingers on one in every of these beauties.

Outlaw Audio RR 2160 Mk II tech specs

• 110 watts per channel, 20Hz – 20kHz, 0.05%
• Seven analog inputs (together with a high-end phono preamp for MM and MC cartridges), an exterior processor loop (such as for an EQ), and a number of digital inputs for high-resolution audio
• Web radio and streaming: Entry to TuneIn web radio and dual-band Wi-Fi for streaming providers
• Constructed-in bass administration with a true crossover system
• Preamp outputs and essential amplifier Inputs
• Major and secondary speaker outputs
• Two sub outputs (with switchable crossover)
• Weight: 36 lbs
• App accessible for streaming

This text was initially revealed on July 23, 2024, and was up to date on Might 7, 2025.