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ANY NEW surround sound processor circa-2021 is bound to have a heap of demands placed upon it. Along with support for the latest immersive audio formats—Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, etc.—there’s music streaming, Auto EQ/room correction, and HDMI video switching of the latest 4K/high dynamic range video formats. And because a surround sound processor serves as the main user interface in an A/V system, ergonomic considerations are paramount—how easy is it to switch between sources and tweak audio settings like surround, subwoofer, and center-channel levels on the fly?

Rotel’s new RSP-1576MKII surround sound processor ($3,499) arrives ready to meet the needs of the contemporary home theater with support for 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos and DTS:X processing, along with full-bandwidth Dirac Live Full room correction. Rotel puts emphasis on the audio side of its A/V preamp, citing the RSP-1576MKII’s “audiophile-grade” 24-bit/192kHz Wolfson DACs and “in-house manufactured toroidal transformer, with low distortion/noise-rejection circuit layout.” It also offers a moving magnet phono stage and the higher-quality apt-X Bluetooth variant for direct wireless streaming from a smartphone or tablet. Does the RSP-1576MKII check off the other boxes on our circa-2021 surround sound processor wishlist? Let’s dig in and find out.

Available with a silver or black brushed aluminum faceplate, the RSP-1576MKII has the elegant, uncluttered look characteristic of Rotel products. The large,