Denon AVR-3808CI & Rotel RB991

Jason_k

Recently picked up a rotel RB991 second hand which was in showroom condition. Just a little while I hooked up to my RTI 12's Fronts and just compared them to my normal connection of my denon(not bi-wired). at -16 db there was no diff(not to my ears anyways, or two of my friends). To be honest I did not find much different between normal or bi amp to the rotel. I wouldn't turn it up to high as i didn't want to damage my speakers about 75%of max volume. Check all connections everything looked good, had the rotel set to unbalanced, using high quailty rca cables(Monster Cable Ultra 800 RCA Stereo) and 12 guage speaker wire. Anything I missed? The guy told me the amp was hardly used, could there be anything wrong, or maybe my ears are gone lol. Anyway thinking of just getting ride of the amp as my denon seems to do a fine job without it. Anybody with any experience with this setup would love to hear your opion.

Thanks

mantis

Here is what most people miss.
The Denon amp has the ability to support the ohm load of the rti speakers. So adding a amp has little gain if any at lower volumes. Also the overall sound quality isn't dictated by the amp, it's the preamp so your "Denon" sound will remain.

You don't need the amp with those speakers unless you play it extremely loud and run the Denon out of gas.

Some around here think that the rti's need a external amp, I don't agree. I install them all the time and find they sound fantastic without an amp. We use Pioneer Elite receivers and I find them to sound better then the Denon receivers but thats a personal opnion.

You could always try out a Pioneer Elite vsx94txh and listen to it powering your rti's. You may like it better. It's cleaner and more dynamic then the Denon. In my opnion anyway.

Dan

dave shepard

I have been there and done all that and more when I had the RTi line. You have been at the point of the speakers max ability with the Denon, they will just not do any better or worse going and adding anything (electronic wise) to the system. It is call dimminishing returns and you will be throwing your money away if you try to change things to improve the sound. Do you feel the system is lacking somewhere? If so, where? that would be a big help in getting you to the place you would like to be. For right now I would suggest you not spend anymore money on different electronics and focus on speakers if you want the biggest impact on sound. You can change the room around but without changing the construction of the room for acustics (most including me can't) you have to find speakers that will perform to your liking in that room.

Dave

VXR8

I have the same receiver and same amp, but did have the RTi10s as opposed to the 12s. The big difference I noticed with the Rotel over the Denon power, is the bass at low volume levels. You could be at -62db on the Denon volume control (quite quiet), but the bass was still there very tight and pronounced.

I still have the same setup, but am now utilising the Rotel RB-991 to power my 4 ohm LSI9s. The noticeable difference again is at whatever volume level you may want to go to, the sound is clean and distortion free. This is what you don't notice - it may not "appear" louder, but go outside your house and see how many neighbours are enjoying your music as well?

cfrizz

Precisely VXR. This is what is misunderstood about amplification. And most people don't really know what to listen for, or how to discern the sometimes subtle but important improvements to what they are hearing.

VXR8 wrote: »

I have the same receiver and same amp, but did have the RTi10s as opposed to the 12s. The big difference I noticed with the Rotel over the Denon power, is the bass at low volume levels. You could be at -62db on the Denon volume control (quite quiet), but the bass was still there very tight and pronounced.

I still have the same setup, but am now utilising the Rotel RB-991 to power my 4 ohm LSI9s. The noticeable difference again is at whatever volume level you may want to go to, the sound is clean and distortion free. This is what you don't notice - it may not "appear" louder, but go outside your house and see how many neighbours are enjoying your music as well?

Jason_k

Yeah I've had it step up for a week there now listening to it every day. I do notice a difference in the quailty of the sound, I had a few people drop by and got that same comment outside "Very clear". I have my max setting on my denon now to 0 db it can go to 18. neat little feature on the 3808 only discovered a week ago. All in all I think I'll keep the amp as it has improved the sound quailty. I love my system, Polk rocks!

and Yeah I don't think the neighbours enjoy them as much as I do!

Jason_k

the worst thing about all the purchases I may over the last 6 months and don't get me wrong I love my setup, now I want all LSi series lol. This stuff is adictive...........