“If music is a food for love, play with it. The soundtrack of my life is full of genre-wide music, so when you hear audio from high-quality equipment, you need those sounds (or INXS).
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It’s stretch to associate the term “budget” with audiofan-level equipment in many cases, but the reality is that products that can produce truly great audio come with a price tag. Even my trustworthy personal amps NAD D 3020 V2it’s not considered close to audiophile levels, but it still costs $500 (worth all the pennies).
So how do you do it? Outlaw Audio RR 2160 MK 11 Stereo Receiver Prices at $950 asking price? This is my verdict.
My curiosity was peaked due to Outlaw’s “budget” AMP (we’re talking about a $1,000 price tag), so I agreed to take a look. Co-founder of Outlaw’s AudioThe Peter Tribe is also one of the co-founders. nadmy personal amplifier manufacturer and respected high fidelity audio equipment brand.
The aesthetic and design philosophy of the RR 2160 MK II is to draw inspiration from the classic designs of old Art Deco Radio with sophisticated functional aesthetics. They were successful.
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When I put the receiver/amp in the box, my first thought was, “This looks old school.” My second thought was about how big and heavy the amplifier was. It’s a beast. Be prepared to use your muscles to set up this baby. Here’s what looks like a spec:
My experience
It took me a while for all of this monster to be set up, but once it was connected in place, I placed the lash “signal” on the REGA P8 turntable and dropped the needle.
The sound was hanging me on the floor.
I’ve never heard a Kef speaker come back to life like that. All notes, all intonations, all beats were transparent. I was able to hear the separation between instruments in a way I had never experienced before.
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Yes, it took all two songs to forget my NAD amp (this is a bit sad because I like that little guy). This Outlaw Audio Amp is on another level. I can go well beyond 11 this amp, but the sound still shines. It may not be the most powerful receiver/amp on the market, but in a 20-inch x 20′ room, this baby can threaten the integrity of the ear drum.
No matter what genre you throw into an amp, it was distributed. Metal, classic, prog rock, shoegaze, you give it a name, the RR 2160 MK II has what you need to smile, dance, headban, or just stare at the lost ceiling at the waterfall of sound.
Bass management on this amplifier is especially troublesome to me. My SVS subwoofer has a crossover that does a pretty good job, but I wanted to experiment. If you don’t know what the crossover is, you can define which base frequency to send to the sub. You can determine if you only need 60Hz for a kick drum punch, or boost it to 80Hz or 100Hz to bring your music to a stronger bottom.
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At first I allowed the sub to handle the crossover and felt it lacked in the bottom end (this was a surprise given how many of this sub is). After that, I decided to take on the task to the amplifier. The bass management of the RR 2160 MK II is fantastic.
After giving the amplifier plenty of time to “burn” (this is really not necessary on modern equipment), I put on the original score of one of my favorite albums, Godzilla Minus One. Sato Street. I’m a huge Godzilla fan and having this album on vinyl is a real treat. Unlike listening to scores via a NAD amplifier, the RR 2160 MK II really gave the music a size like Kaiju, which I didn’t enjoy before.
I cranked the sound to -30 dB and saw the movie for the first time and felt like I was back in the movie. It was a huge, beautiful experience, struck by a wall.
ZDNET purchase advice
I really can’t say enough about this amp. Outlaw Audio RR 2160 MK II There’s all the connections and output you need, star bass management, bass and treble adjustments, and quite a remote control, but more importantly, the sound is really special. From bottom to top, this amplifier shines deep and at a glowing height.
The chances of finding a better receiver/AMP for $1,000 are pretty slim. If you want to make audiophile quality sound true from your equipment, then it’s best to get one of these beauty.
Outlaw Audio RR 2160 MK II Tech Specs
- 110 watts per channel, 20Hz -20kHz, 0.05%
- Seven analog inputs (including high-end phono preamps for MM and MC cartridges), external processor loops (such as EQ), and multiple digital inputs for high-resolution audio
- Internet Radio and Streaming: Access to Tunein Internet Radio and Dual-Band Wi-Fi for streaming services
- Built-in bass management with a true crossover system
- Preamp output and main amplifier input
- Primary and secondary speaker outputs
- Two sub-outputs (with switchable crossover)
- Weight: 36 lbs
- Streaming apps
This article was originally published on July 23, 2024 and updated on May 7, 2025.
