Michi Prestige X430 & Q430
Michi is Rotel's luxury sub-brand, positioned from the outset as the more ambitious and more overtly audiophile branch of the company's catalogue. Its components have typically stood out for their carefully judged industrial design, high power output, refined internal architecture and a strong emphasis on build quality, so the arrival of the new Prestige Series feels like a logical next step in the brand's development. With this new range, Michi appears to be opening the door to a broader group of listeners. Two components join the portfolio at launch - the X430 integrated amplifier and the Q430 CD player. Both are presented as products that bring together the engineering discipline, visual sophistication and key technologies associated with more expensive Michi designs, but at a lower entry point. That sends a fairly clear message about where the brand wants to go next - preserving its high-end identity while creating a more realistic way in for listeners who may previously have admired the Michi catalogue from a distance rather than from a buying position.
