Is an 18 year old ROTEL RB-1090 POWER AMPLIFIER worth 850.00?

Tony M

There's a guy selling some stuff locally. He has some very nice CD players I think I'll buy!

I always wanted this amp but it seems $$$$.

Tony M

He also has this pre-amp I suppose he used with it. Seems high also.

ROTEL RC-995 STEREO CONTROL AMPLIFIER WITH REMOTE - $325

Tony M

Check out the guts...

The bottom;

The top;

nooshinjohn

Too high by double Imho...

rooftop59

They tend to go for 500-600 on eBay, which I still think is high but that’s the free market for ya.

I generally think that Craigslist should be cheaper than eBay. Much smaller audience,cash only no returns. I definitely wouldn’t pay over half what he’s asking.

Emlyn

The last one sold on Ebay in March went for $840 plus shipping which was probably north of $100. It's a very heavy amp since it holds two toroidal transformers. There is one up now listed for $1199 as local pickup only.

Personally I found the RB-1090 to be very powerful but also pretty grainy sounding. I'd look for a RB-1080 myself and save some coin.

Tony M

Thanks, guys.

Tony M

Makes the one down the road from me look like a DEAL.

mantis

The RB1090 is a killer amp with loads of power and killer dynamics. I say it's worth the asking price if it Mint.
The suggestion to look for a RB1080 is a good one. It's about 90% of the power of the 1090, it sounds basically the same and it retains most of the dynamics of the 1090. Think of it like the little brother.

Joey_V

I had the RB1090, good amp.

I bought it used in 2006, I bought it for $1000. Just to give you an idea. The price should be around $700 used.

For a few hundred$ I would skip the 1080 and go to 1090

Tony M

Thank you. The ad is still up... so there's still a chance! "J. Seinfeld or J. Carrey or Costanza."(?)

txcoastal1

Make the $700 offer

Next call would be meet in the middle $775...no shipping, no paypal, not a bad deal

Not pushing you

Emlyn

I always thought the wheels on the back for sliding the 1090 into a rack were a nice touch. The 1090 had two versions. The second version had nicer binding posts but I don’t think there were any internal upgrades. An 18 year old one is probably the earlier version.

The RB1090 is not a dual mono amp, even though it has two transformers, so no comcerns with using it on SDAs.

The size and weight make the 1090 difficult to ship and the sheet metal case build quality isn’t all that sturdy. Having the original double box would make it more valuable.

Tony M

I live 3 miles from the seller. I wonder if I did buy it, would they help me load it and also unload it? I've had 4 hernia surgeries and 2 were to repair a crappy surgeon's work within a month and then a year in the other place he was supposed to fix in the leg joint. I need another surgury to fix the entrance wound he created in my belly button that didn't last a month that he re-did about 35 days later.

It's been years now, 13 or so and my belly button needs work again. All because of a S***y doc/surgeon.

That amp would test my weak spots for sure if I handled it myself. I've lifted a lot of heavy things in my life and 84 lbs would be about tops at my age now. My back has been strong thank God. I don't want to push it too much more. Those Church speakers were a true test that I passed thankfully.

I could call in a neighbor if I don't get help from the previous owner to come help me IF I BUY IT.

Joey_V

Don’t lift it

I’m sure he can help you

It’s not too far a drive

Emlyn

Definitely need assistance moving it, which is why it has wheels built in. This is one reason why the RB-1080 is a better amp to live with.

Tony M

I emailed the seller 2 hrs. ago. Nothing yet.

Tony M

A man called me back earlier...Listen to this;

The man's cousin got these electronics from a church member's estate. He's selling them for the widow.

So,
the widow gives it to a man.

that man gives it to another man.

This man said he tested it about a year ago OR his cousin tested this stuff a year ago.

This guy I spoke to is selling it for his cousin who is selling it for the widow...

I'm going to meet him tomorrow just for the fun of it. It looks dusty so the amp isn't pristine. And I don't think it will be hooked up. In a picture of some of the other things for sale, it looks like a basement full of storage boxes and stacked CD players.
Here are some pics..

Tony M

I got to go over to the man's house today. I was expecting something quick and gone in 10 min. .

I spent 4 hours talking to one of the MOST INTERESTING MEN in my life if not THE MOST!

I'm Godsmacked!!!

I saw the equipment and huge solid Rotel amp after talking to him for 3 1/2 hrs. at his dining table, and they looked very clean and organized in a spare bedroom in his condo. The amp was dusty like I thought but looked like 9.7 out of 10. The Pinnacle speakers looked FANTASTIC! 10/10.

All the other gear looked 9.5/10.

But the fact that we talked for almost 3 1/2 hrs. about the MUSIC WORLD and what this man has done in his life is worthy of having it put down in a book! He is trying to write one now per many people telling him HAS TO!

In fact, he has had input and Co-autorship into so many coffee table books made about the Beatles and others, makes me shake my head in amazement. He's owned so many items that were sold to Hard Rock Cafe's around the WORLD!!! that it boggled my brain cells. He was hired to find items for HR cafe' for 11 years.

That's JUST a spec in this man's career that continues on and on.

He worked closely with the Beach Boys also!

If anybody owns the newest Box sets from the Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band and the Beach Boy's Smile sessions, he was instumental in providing items for those two sets to be photographed and included in the Books that come with them.

He showed me photos of the items in his hands or a story about an item or two or more. Back stories and PERSONAL experiences flowed from him like a proffesor explaining how things came to be through fate and chance circumstances. I was STAR STRUCK for 4 hrs..

AMAZING afternoon with a HUMBLE and very VERY SPECIAL MAN that was in the midst of HISTORY being made and documenting everything he could. He had GOLD RECORD ( the framed presentation type), from a Beatles Record that the beatles didn't even get. I think it was for the Sgt. Peppers album. Yea, the picture of his Gold record is in the back of the book. That was his! They weren't into those things in those days he said. He had it and somebody found out and one of the Beatles got in touch with him ( years and years later) I believe, and wanted to buy it back. He got it to him. He still has one Gold Record for a single 45 that was presented to "The Beatles" for some song but I've forgotten the name. It was in the original frame and starting to show it's age. But it was COOL!!! He had sooo many original posters of sooo many artists and this was just his local collection. He has a warehouse someplace else like New York with some very Important documents and memorabilia.

But he was sooo Cordial and relaxed and LOVED talking to me about his life's experiences being around the Music World in it's Prime and then buying and selling million dollar items ALL the TIME!

Paul Allen was one of his financial backers. How cool is that?!!! He IS VERY WELL KNOWN around the country and London also! He visits people from his past fantastic life around the USA all the time.

That's enough for now.
Sorry for another rant but this rant just had to be typed. I was blessed to be in his presence!

Tony M

I forgot to mention, He has more CDs and records that I do. That's saying something!!

I'm still giddy? about meeting him!

He helped carry out the old mixing boards from Abby Road Studios when they remodled back in 82 or 89.. I think. How cool is that?!

EndersShadow

........ but did you buy the amp??????

Tony M

LOL...I ran out of time in a way.

I told him I got some friends to give me some advice and told him the truth. I said one said 700, one said 500 and another said 400. I asked him if I bought it, could he help he get it to my house. He lives on the second floor...LOL. He said it was about his LAST heavy lifting events in his life to get it up the stairs 2 years ago. He really doesn't want to help going DOWN the stairs. It scares the heck out of him. I don't blame him. He's about 68 I guess but in GREAT health and shape..But come on, 84 lbs.

He told me he just listed them since he visited his family for a while and even though the phone isn't ringing off the hook, he wanted to wait for a discount. He stated some sales over the past year or more on the Amp and Pinnacle speakers and from what he stated, he was giving a good reduction already. So it got a little tense in the room for 10 seconds and i said, I did come prepared and was dead serious about interest in the amp and speakers but since they're not hooked up and have been sitting for a while, I'd like to pay a little less if I could. He said he understood but he will advertise in Raliegh and Charlotte next.

I said, oh..so it'll be a while but that's ok, I'm not going anywhere and if my 401K grows fast, which it went down 168.00 today, I'd call him as soon as I felt like I couldn't hold out any longer. But I'm thinking I'd be spending a lot for something I don't need. Only want.

txcoastal1

Boooo, that was a crappy ending

Tony M

Tell me about it.
As we were leaving the room, I joked and said:

My luck, we'd trip and the amp would fall. But it would fall on my head and be cushioned from any damage. He chuckled and said he'd call an ambulance.

I said an ambulance wouldn't help. Just call the funeral home just 1/2 block from his condo.

We started to laugh pretty hard!

Joey_V

Interesting beginning
Cool middle
Sad ending

Sometimes you can’t judge people by their cover, sometimes the most interesting and coolest people are those we don’t expect

nooshinjohn

...

Tony M

Well, it hasn't ended yet.

I just hope he decides to discount them sooner than later. Maybe he'll come over here or invite me back to talk discounts and removal strategies!

His picture taking is what led me to believe the gear wasn't as nice as it was. Man was everthing in his condo ORGANISED to a T.

But after seeing his condo music-related collections, I completely understand why he didn't want the walls or surrounding areas shown either. Those boxes beside the speakers have something in them that belies their common appearances. I'll keep that private from the web.

He's ex-military also. His aircraft collection is pretty darn awesome too. Small metal replicas of the Blue Angels and The Thunderbirds along with other jets. And he has a liking for B-52's. His father was a crew member in one and had a story or two about them and his old baseball fields in Long Island I think. The base was downsized in the 80's I think and the military turned the ball fields in aircraft display areas. A B-52 was placed on his old field where he played as a child.


I think I understand your DJABBIC theory as that he is so cool and calm yet had SOOO much that he could brag about but doesn't. No braging at all! Just some talking that led to other memories from the both of us. It would be like sitting down with you John. Seriously.

I've always known not to judge a book by it's cover but I didn't get a chance to see the cover of this book in the beginning. Just a small close-up of one area. Just the boxes beside the speakers.

I'll tell you now, I'd take those boxes over the speakers and Amp every time.