New-to-me Rotel RB981. Am I missing something?
ROHfan
Posts: 1,014
I found an amazing deal on a pair of Rotel RB981s so I picked them up and couldn't wait to get home to give each one a test drive. Having SDAs, I've been looking for something that would power them properly and was resigned to having to wait and save up some dough for a proper amp. I couldn't pass up this deal so I thought maybe I would luck out and these would fill my needs. I have been using my HK3490 as the external amp hooked up from the pre-outs from my Marantz SR5004 and the sound has been heavenly. Sublime, smooth and mellow, slightly laid-back and I looked forward to listening to them every day.
So I swapped out my HK for one of the Rotels and the sound becomes very forward, bordering on harsh. A little fatiguing, in fact. The HK sounded three dimensional, the Rotel sounds two dimensional, like a wall of sound and decreased "SDA effect" (yes, the Rotel is common ground--checked with a meter). I tried the other Rotel and same thing. I begin to get that sick feeling in my gut. There is a noticeable difference in power, low end and punch but I expected--at the very least--similar quality of sound to my HK and was hoping for exceptionally better.
What are the chances of both these amps being bad? Maybe the Marantz doesn't play well with the Rotels? Maybe I need to upgrade to the RDO 194 tweets in the SDA 2As? This is my first forray into separates so perhaps I'm not used to all this power. I would really appreciate some feedback as I'm completely at a loss here. These two amps might have to go on CL.
So I swapped out my HK for one of the Rotels and the sound becomes very forward, bordering on harsh. A little fatiguing, in fact. The HK sounded three dimensional, the Rotel sounds two dimensional, like a wall of sound and decreased "SDA effect" (yes, the Rotel is common ground--checked with a meter). I tried the other Rotel and same thing. I begin to get that sick feeling in my gut. There is a noticeable difference in power, low end and punch but I expected--at the very least--similar quality of sound to my HK and was hoping for exceptionally better.
What are the chances of both these amps being bad? Maybe the Marantz doesn't play well with the Rotels? Maybe I need to upgrade to the RDO 194 tweets in the SDA 2As? This is my first forray into separates so perhaps I'm not used to all this power. I would really appreciate some feedback as I'm completely at a loss here. These two amps might have to go on CL.
TV: 65" Samsung QLED 4K
Fronts: Energy RC70 --- Center: Energy RC-LCR
Front Heights: Polk RC65i --- Rears: Polk RC85i --- Sub: Power Sound Audio XS15
Pioneer VSX-1120K --- Parasound HCA-1000A --- Oppo BDP-103
Vincent Audio SA31 preamp --- Teac UD301 DAC
AIYIMA Tube T7 preamp --- Nobsound 12AX7 tube preamplifier
Fronts: Energy RC70 --- Center: Energy RC-LCR
Front Heights: Polk RC65i --- Rears: Polk RC85i --- Sub: Power Sound Audio XS15
Pioneer VSX-1120K --- Parasound HCA-1000A --- Oppo BDP-103
Vincent Audio SA31 preamp --- Teac UD301 DAC
AIYIMA Tube T7 preamp --- Nobsound 12AX7 tube preamplifier
Post edited by ROHfan on
Comments
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If you have the old SL 2000s in there, it is quite possible that you're hearing more revealing details on the top end and it might be time to, yes, upgrade that tweeter, which can sound quite harsh with a lot of very GOOD amps!
cnhCurrently orbiting Bowie's Blackstar.!
Polk Lsi-7s, Def Tech 8" sub, HK 3490, HK HD 990 (CDP/DAC), AKG Q701s
[sig. changed on a monthly basis as I rotate in and out of my stash] -
If you have the old SL 2000s in there, it is quite possible that you're hearing more revealing details on the top end and it might be time to, yes, upgrade that tweeter, which can sound quite harsh with a lot of very GOOD amps!
cnh
maybe..
OR
maybe you just like the HK more. That HK is pretty well thought of. I don't have any experience with either piece, but it doesn't appear that the Rotel should necessarily sound any better. Lateral move type thing.2-Channel: PC > Schiit Eitr > Audio Research DAC-8 > Audio Research LS-26 > Pass Labs X-250.5 > Magnepan 3.7's
Living Room: PC > Marantz AV-7703 > Emotiva XPA-5 > Sonus Faber Liuto Towers, Sonus Faber Liuto Center, Sonus Faber Liuto Bookshelves > Dual SVS PC12-Pluses
Office: Phone/Tablet > AudioEngine B1 > McIntosh D100 > Bryston 4B-ST > Polk Audio LSiM-703's -
Just to be sure, you should check that something did not get inadvertently switched when hooking up the amp so that something is out of phase or that left and right are backwards.
You will want to upgrade the tweeters. -
anonymouse wrote: »Sorry, but the 981 is not a very powerful amp.
In a nutshell, yep. Get an amp with some current to make those puppies sing.HT SYSTEM-
Sony 850c 4k
Pioneer elite vhx 21
Sony 4k BRP
SVS SB-2000
Polk Sig. 20's
Polk FX500 surrounds
Cables-
Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable
Kitchen
Sonos zp90
Grant Fidelity tube dac
B&k 1420
lsi 9's -
A shot in the dark, but there is a chance that the impedance between the receiver's output to the amp's input is not a good match.
I've had something similar happen to me. I ended up with flat and bright sound with that particular combo. -
A shot in the dark, but there is a chance that the impedance between the receiver's output to the amp's input is not a good match.
I've had something similar happen to me. I ended up with flat and bright sound with that particular combo.
This is interesting. Flat and bright is exactly how it sounds. I never thought of an impedance mismatch between units but it kind of make sense. Thanks for all the input, gang. I think I'm gonna sell of these two 981s and bank the dough for something much better. I guess this was a classic example of "too good to be true."TV: 65" Samsung QLED 4K
Fronts: Energy RC70 --- Center: Energy RC-LCR
Front Heights: Polk RC65i --- Rears: Polk RC85i --- Sub: Power Sound Audio XS15
Pioneer VSX-1120K --- Parasound HCA-1000A --- Oppo BDP-103
Vincent Audio SA31 preamp --- Teac UD301 DAC
AIYIMA Tube T7 preamp --- Nobsound 12AX7 tube preamplifier -
This is interesting. Flat and bright is exactly how it sounds. I never thought of an impedance mismatch between units but it kind of make sense. Thanks for all the input, gang. I think I'm gonna sell of these two 981s and bank the dough for something much better. I guess this was a classic example of "too good to be true."
Rotel makes great gear, just step up to a more powerful Rotel and you will be fine.Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2 -
That amp is dated. We have piles of them at my office. Look at maybe a Rotel RB1070. 130w x2 and you can bridge it (internal) to get 330w x1.
Sounds awesome too. Im using one to power a set of B&W CM9s.B&W CM9Classé Sigma -
You can't use bridged amps with his speakers.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Its just an option on the amp. makes the amp good for the future if the user wants to reuse it in another system down the road.B&W CM9Classé Sigma
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You can't use bridged amps with his speakers.
Precisely. Pretty sure I'm done with Rotels for now. Anyone in the NY Metro area can make offers. Maybe I'll get that Emotiva you guys talked me out of in another post :cheesygrin:TV: 65" Samsung QLED 4K
Fronts: Energy RC70 --- Center: Energy RC-LCR
Front Heights: Polk RC65i --- Rears: Polk RC85i --- Sub: Power Sound Audio XS15
Pioneer VSX-1120K --- Parasound HCA-1000A --- Oppo BDP-103
Vincent Audio SA31 preamp --- Teac UD301 DAC
AIYIMA Tube T7 preamp --- Nobsound 12AX7 tube preamplifier
