Video: Rotel A8 Review
Client Name
Living Entertainment
Date
June 2025
Category
Video
Last month, I brought you a video where I talked about pairing the Rotel A8 with the Encel Gelati bookshelf speakers. That video was really all about how much I love that combination. But I do have a few other speakers on hand, and I thought it would be worth doing a follow-up, talking about my experiences with those particular speakers paired with the Rotel A8 as well.
To make things a little more interesting, these three bookshelf speakers are all at very different price points.
First up, we have the Wharfedale Diamond 12.0, a very small bookshelf speaker. Next in line is the KEF Q150 Meta. This was my first time really experiencing these particular bookshelf speakers. Lastly, outclassing both of those in terms of price, was the Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3.
All three speakers were tested with the Rotel A8, and for a source, I used the Pro-Ject Debut Carbon EVO, much like my previous video. We’re talking vinyl all the way.
Wharfedale Diamond 12.0
This is a two-way bookshelf speaker with a traditional bass reflex port on the back. It features a 4" bass driver and a 1" dome tweeter with a sensitivity of 87dB. These bookshelves have a frequency response of 70Hz to 20kHz. So, not the deepest-diving speakers in the world, but nor would you expect them to be. The recommended power rating is 20W–60W, pairing perfectly with the 30W output of the Rotel A8.
Some of you may rightly point out in the comments that a fairer comparison would be the Wharfedale Diamond 12.1, as it’s a more similar size to the other two speakers. But these are my speakers, I own them, and they’re what I have on hand. The experience should be close enough to give you a good idea if you’re considering the larger model.
What really impressed me most with the Diamonds was how big they sounded, a lot bigger than I was expecting. I’m used to using these speakers in a small office-type space, where I don’t play them particularly loud because I’m only sitting a few feet away. So to hear them fill the room came as a genuine shock. I was very impressed with the size and scale of the sound. Not massive, but considering their size, I was like, “Oh damn.” Especially given the rated low end of only 70Hz, the bass felt like it dug deeper than that, which could just be a trick of the mind or the room, but still, I was impressed.
Where these speakers excel in this pairing is in the midrange, no surprise, given Wharfedale's reputation. Strings and woodwinds sounded rich and natural, even with a slight hint of decay. Switching to something more energetic, say, Thin Lizzy’s Jailbreak, there was a surprising amount of bounce and energy. Drums were snappy, bass notes were lively, and the vocals had nice clarity and texture.
These aren’t laid-back speakers, there’s a bit too much energy for that, but they’re still more on the casual listening side. At around $450–$500 AUD, that’s a pretty good place to be.
That said, their limitations are clear. Imaging is relatively vague, possibly due to the smaller cabinet. The larger 12.1s might image better. Treble and detail were also vague. On a detailed track by Aphex Twin, things got a bit muddled, making it hard to pick out individual elements. I know this isn’t a limitation of the amp, because it wasn’t an issue with the Encel speakers or the other two speakers I’ll talk about today.
Not a dealbreaker, I know these speakers are capable of more. I usually run them on an Audiolab 6000A, and that issue is far less noticeable there. This is where system synergy becomes so important. For the casual listener looking to spend $500 on speakers for the Rotel A8, I think sacrificing some detail and imaging in exchange for a non-fatiguing, lush sound might be worth it.
But if you’re chasing detail, don’t worry, because we’re getting all of that with our next speaker.
KEF Q150 Meta
Now onto our mid-range speaker: the KEF Q150 Meta. This is also a two-way bookshelf speaker with a bass reflex port. It features KEF’s signature Uni-Q driver array, in this case with a 5.25" aluminium cone bass driver and a 1" vented aluminium dome tweeter. Despite being KEF’s entry-level model, it includes the Meta material technology that debuted in the LS50 Meta.
Sensitivity is 86dB, with a frequency response from 51Hz to 20kHz. Interestingly, the recommended amplification is from just 10W up to 150W, a huge range. So the 30W output of the A8 has no trouble driving them.
This speaker, to me, had the most interesting characteristics. If the Wharfedale sounded bigger and lusher than expected, the KEF sounded incredibly sweet and airy. Instruments had a lot of space around them, and the imaging was fantastic.
Going back to the Aphex Twin track, the 2023 vinyl re-release of Selected Ambient Works Vol. 2, particularly the orchestral version of Rhubarb, it’s a very complex track, filled with subtle details and backward-played elements. On a good system, you can pick out 30+ distinct sounds across the soundstage. The KEF didn’t quite get to that level, but it got close. Everything had a nice bubble of space around it.
The imaging even had height, something I love and also noted in my Gelati review. If you value detail, these are absolutely the ones to go for. The midrange wasn’t as lush as the Wharfedales, but it was cleaner and maybe more natural. Bass easily outclassed both the Wharfedale and the Bowers & Wilkins. It sounded confident and strong.
Between that deep bass, sweet treble, and excellent imaging, this was probably my favourite combination of the three.
But again, not without limitations.
Firstly, decay, or lack thereof. Nothing seemed to trail off naturally; sounds ended very abruptly. That was odd, and not something I noticed on other pairings. Also, treble could be a little splashy at times, mostly with older vinyl pressings. It wasn’t a huge issue, but it stood out because I hadn’t heard that trait with other setups.
Despite those quirks, I really enjoyed this combo. It was more exciting to listen to than the Wharfedales, even if not as energetic. It’s not a “casual listening” combo, but if you like to sit and really listen, this is the one.
Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3
Lastly, we have the Bowers & Wilkins 607 S3, the most expensive speaker of the bunch. Like the others, it’s a two-way bookshelf speaker, but this one uses a vented box bass port, not a reflex port.
It features a 5" Continuum cone FST midrange driver and a 1" decoupled carbon dome tweeter. Sensitivity is 84dB, and the recommended amplification is 30W–100W, which puts the Rotel A8 right on the edge.
This pairing didn’t quite click for me, despite B&W having worked well with Rotel in the past.
It didn’t have the midrange lushness of the Wharfedales or the sweetness of the KEFs, but it did have a natural, organic sound. B&W have really nailed that in recent years. Strings, like in the Aphex Twin track or in Alan Parsons’ In the Lap of the Gods, sounded absolutely gorgeous, detailed, textured, and realistic.
All three speakers had fantastic midrange, just in different ways. What stood out with the B&Ws was texture, especially noticeable in Thin Lizzy’s Jailbreak and Les Claypool’s Duo de Twang with The Bridge Came Tumbling Down. The slide guitar and bass in that track had this close-mic’d intimacy that sounded incredible.
Vocals on the Aphex Twin track, which have a dreamy, manipulated quality, came through beautifully on the B&Ws, much more so than on the other speakers.
These are detail machines, and they do that without sounding bright, which is impressive. But the rest of the pairing didn’t quite hold up.
The bass just wasn’t there. It lacked weight and body. While they’re rated to work with 30W, I think they need more power to really deliver. When I ran them on my 50W Audiolab 6000A, the bass returned, so this is definitely a power/synergy issue.
Imaging, while technically good, lacked the depth and height of the KEFs. Everything felt flat, like the soundstage was a piece of paper with instruments plotted on it. Vocals did pop forward, thankfully, but that’s not enough.
So, I don’t think the Bowers & Wilkins are a great match for the Rotel A8, and given the price, I doubt many people would pair these two components anyway. This was more a test of curiosity.
Final Thoughts
This whole experience has been really interesting. It reminded me that no matter how familiar you are with speakers, you can’t assume how they’ll sound when paired with a different amplifier.
While the KEF Q150 Meta was my personal favourite, your mileage may vary, and you should always listen for yourself.
