Visiting an old friend

mantis

Hello everyone,
Just breaking out old gear and playing with it. Just for fun I pulled out of the basement my Rotel RMB1075 amp. It's the smaller version of my older amp RMB1095 which I sold many years ago.

It's a nice amp, it has plenty of power in 120w x 5 all channels driven which is rare anymore especially with internal amps in most AVR's offered today.

I only have it set up to drive my main channel speakers as I didn't feel like re wiring my system to have the Rotel power the 5 floor level speakers but I plan on doing that this weekend when I have more time. I replaced my Niles SI2125 amp that also have a very good natural sound, plenty of head room and sounds great.



I didn't realize the bottom shelf was a mess LOL, that is so unlike me. I put that Blu Ray player down there as it use to live on the Shelf where the power amp is and I didn't straighten it up, Actually I have not put a disc in it in months. Since I sold my Oppo UDP-203 , honestly I haven't really watched UHD Blu Ray Discs. We usually stream everything.
It's a Sony UDP-700 player which is an ok player at best. It works, plays disc's but has the Dolby Vision issue where it locks everything into that container when activated, it's stupid it doesn't automatically switch formats correctly, I don't like that and it's like a cheap plastic prop looking player , I don't like that either. It does however play SACD and DVD audio disc which I also haven't done since owning the Oppo.

audioluvr

mantis wrote: »

I didn't realize the bottom shelf was a mess LOL

We forgive you. (This time).

daddyjt

That is the first Sony player I’ve ever heard of that plays DVD-Audio… I was told Sony refused to incorporate DVD-A into their players because they were behind the SACD format, and did not want to support the competition. Perhaps they have “buried the hatchet”, so to speak. Good news indeed.

mantis

daddyjt wrote: »

That is the first Sony player I’ve ever heard of that plays DVD-Audio… I was told Sony refused to incorporate DVD-A into their players because they were behind the SACD format, and did not want to support the competition. Perhaps they have “buried the hatchet”, so to speak. Good news indeed.

They had a UBP-X1100es , UBP-X800 and the newer UBP-X800m as well all play DVD audio SACD .
I picked up the UBP-X700 when I was waiting to get my Oppo 203 .

msg

I like breaking out old stuff from time to time, too, but it's usually if I have a need for it, not so much curiosity or nostalgia as much, but I don't have as much time in this hobby as some of you all.

I will say that sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised at the differences and/or synergy shifts from what I remember of gear's previous impressions.

Parasound Model 2100 preamp with the D/AC-800 is a really enjoyable combination in the spare room/gear repository. I remember that stuff being edgy before. Pairs nicely with a B&K amp - very smooth, full and relaxed presentation with LSiM speakers.

Another neat experience was LSi7s with a Musical Fidelity integrated and a sub. I'd previously written off the LSi7s and they sat for 3yrs, because with all previous gear, they seemed a bit thick/slow/veiled, almost as if they were holding back somehow, like a carbed motor with timing slightly retarded? They always seemed like they needed a lot of volume before they would get going. Just wasn't a convenient, comfortable level. There was just something about pairing them with the MF front end that worked, even at lower listening levels. The sub really sweetened that setup, and was when I started getting into exploring better subs to enhance 2ch. I must have run those for a uear or two in my main 2ch before that first promo on the Legends.

But this is how you end up hoarding collecting gear - something that didn't work previously may work nicely in a different setup. It's fun to play around, sometimes. Sometimes I think I should get rid of everything I'm not using, but then I think about this sort of thing, and I put it off for another day, another year. I think I might wind up building a cottage in Wilmington or dedicated NH gear repository like my hoarding collecting mentors...

mantis

msg wrote: »

I like breaking out old stuff from time to time, too, but it's usually if I have a need for it, not so much curiosity or nostalgia as much, but I don't have as much time in this hobby as some of you all.

I will say that sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised at the differences and/or synergy shifts from what I remember of gear's previous impressions.

Parasound Model 2100 preamp with the D/AC-800 is a really enjoyable combination in the spare room/gear repository. I remember that stuff being edgy before. Pairs nicely with a B&K amp - very smooth, full and relaxed presentation with LSiM speakers.

Another neat experience was LSi7s with a Musical Fidelity integrated and a sub. I'd previously written off the LSi7s and they sat for 3yrs, because with all previous gear, they seemed a bit thick/slow/veiled, almost as if they were holding back somehow, like a carbed motor with timing slightly retarded? They always seemed like they needed a lot of volume before they would get going. Just wasn't a convenient, comfortable level. There was just something about pairing them with the MF front end that worked, even at lower listening levels. The sub really sweetened that setup, and was when I started getting into exploring better subs to enhance 2ch. I must have run those for a uear or two in my main 2ch before that first promo on the Legends.

But this is how you end up hoarding collecting gear - something that didn't work previously may work nicely in a different setup. It's fun to play around, sometimes. Sometimes I think I should get rid of everything I'm not using, but then I think about this sort of thing, and I put it off for another day, another year. I think I might wind up building a cottage in Wilmington or dedicated NH gear repository like my hoarding collecting mentors...

My wife agree's with your Hoarding comment over your fixed Collecting comment. I have to much gear and even though I sold off a ton of it, like my cables, I still had a mad man amount.

I picked up recently which I rarely do is a pair of used Focal Chorus 826v's and I have been playing around with them. I even picked up a used Thorens Turntable as well as an older Sony. I have been putting amps in and out just wanting to see how they respond to different power. I have had 3 different AVR's in and now4 different power amps. It's just fun to play around sometimes.