Emotiva BasX A1 vs Rotel A12 Detailed Comparison

Emotiva BasX A1 vs Rotel A12

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Emotiva BasX A1

Power Amplifier | 200 watts RMS into 8-ohms

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Rotel A12

Integrated Amplifier | 60 watts RMS into 8-ohms

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Emotiva BasX A1

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Rotel A12

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Emotiva BasX A1

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Rotel A12

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Emotiva BasX A1 vs Rotel A12 Integrated Amplifier Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing two different types of amplifiers. Emotiva BasX A1 is a Mono Power Amplifier speaker whereas the A12 is a Integrated Amplifier with built-in DAC speaker.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Emotiva BasX A1 and Rotel A12 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	Emotiva BasX A1	Rotel A12
Power	200 watts into 8 ohms and 325 watts into 4 ohms, per chassis. This is a monoblock: a stereo system needs two	60 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms
Amplifier class	Class A/B	Class A/B
Damping factor	500	—
Built-in DAC	No	Yes
Phono input	No	Yes
Headphone output	No	3.5mm
Bluetooth	No	Yes
Weight	9.98kg / 22lbs	8.00kg / 17.6lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	4" x 17" x 15-1/2" 101.6 x 431.8 x 393.7 mm	3-11/16" x 17" x 14-7/8" 94.0mm x 432.0mm x 378.0mm

What size room are the Emotiva BasX A1 and Rotel A12 Amplifiers good for?

The size of the room in which you are planning to use these amplifiers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their max power parameters:

Listening Environment	Emotiva BasX A1	Rotel A12
Near-field	Are you nuts?	Average
Small Room	Bad	Good
Mid-size Room	Poor	Average
Large Room	Good	Poor
Very Large Room	Good	Bad

The sections below take each area in turn: power output, inputs and outputs, features and physical size.

**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Emotiva BasX A1 over Rotel A12

MSRP Price(*)	569USD vs 722USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
Watts into 8-ohms	200 watts vs 60 watts	Delivers higher power into 8-ohms speakers
Signal to Noise Ratio	112 dB vs 100 dB	Higher ratings results in cleaner sound

Reasons to choose Rotel A12 over Emotiva BasX A1

Handheld Remote	Yes vs No	Control the amplifier by the included RC
Buil-in DAC	Yes vs No	Connect digital sources without an external DAC
Bluetooth	Yes vs No	Stream music via Bluetooth devices
Total Analog Inputs	4 vs 2	More options for connecting Analog sources
PhonoInput	Yes vs No	Connect a turntable directly to your amp
USB Input	Yes vs	Connect Sources via USB
Headphone Output	3.5mm vs No	Connect your headphone to the amplifier
Base Surface Area	1633.0cm²/ 253.1inch² vs 1700.0cm²/ 263.5inch²	takes less space in your room
Height	94mm vs 101mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces

Inputs and Outputs

The input and output selections that are offered is an important factor when comparing two amplifiers. Here you can find how the I/O selections of the Emotiva BasX A1 and Rotel A12 differs from each other.

Emotiva BasX A1 Inputs

Total Number of Analog Inputs: 2
XLR Input Port

Rotel A12 Inputs

Total Number of Analog Inputs: 4
Phono Input
2 Optical Digital Input
2 Coaxial Digital Input
USB Input:
- USB-A front(Connects to iOS devices)
- USB-A rear (Charging only)
- USB-B (allows connection to your Windows PC or Mac computer)

Outputs

Stereo RCA Preamp Outputs
3.5mm Headphone Output

Rotel A12 Back View (Click the image for the larger version)

What's in the Box of Rotel A12?

Here are the items that come with the A12:

Stereo integrated amplifier
58-inch AC power cord
Remote control (RR-AX1400)
2 AAA batteries
38-inch Stereo RCA cable
40-inch Mono-minijack cable
40-inch Stereo minijack cable
Owners Manual on CD-ROM
Warranty Information
Important Safety Instructions