Not impressed (yet) with Rotel RB-1080

reeltrouble1

The use of any receiver to drive any musical speaker is a SQ compromise to cost efficiency. The final determinating factor is whether the owner ops for system efficiency as measured in terms of space and dollars or for system effectiveness as measured in terms of sound quality.

Most folks seems to do a bit of both, compromising that is.

RT1

dbaldus

jawhog wrote: »

This thread is aging, but thought I'd weigh in since I've also done some comparing between the 3803 and a rotel amp, albeit an older and less powerful rb-970.
I had my older rx-v795a yamaha receiver in the mix too. And compared all preamp/amp stages one some polk satellites and some towers (maybe my rta-11tls? I don't remember which ones I had at the time).

Yamaha preamp and amp both inferior to any other combination, noticeable on both satellites and full range speakers.

Denon preamp section
1.way better than yamaha, and didn't compare to anything else since that was all I had at the time.

Denon amp section
1. Sounded better than yamaha for both sets of speakers
2. Could not hear appreciable difference between denon and rotel on the satellites running above 100khz at normal volumes
3. Could not hear appreciable difference between denon and rotel on the towers running above 100khz at normal volumes (just did this for fun, not sure why you'd do this in real life).
4. On the towers full range, the rotel just sounded better. On jazz or something without a lot of low end it was noticeable but you had to listen close, more of a clarity realism issue than a clear defiency in the denon's sound. On something with very complex and thick bass (Queens of the Stone Age, Beck, Melvins) are some of my favorites for testing this) it really stood out.

What do you mean by "running above 100kHz" on #'s 2 and 3?

I need to do some more testing between using the Denon alone versus the Denon with the pre-amp outs to the Rotel, but it seems to me that my Rti70s have bass that I did not know they possessed before I had this amp. Unfortunately, at least at this point I have only noticed this at very loud listening volumes (minimum of -20dB), but maybe after I unplug the amp for a bit I'll notice that something is missing

dbaldus

So I've been hearing that a lot of people feel the Rotel will bring out the bass in speakers at higher volumes better than the Denon. I'm just wondering if this means that I should be adjusting my crossover? I currently have it set to 80Hz for my Rti70s, but if the Rotel is going to allow them to reproduce bass more effectively, should I turn the crossover down or even set my fronts to "Large"?

dbaldus

lakesailor wrote: »

If you got into a tube pre-amplifier or a decent used mid-fi S/S pre-amp I think you would find that your Rotel would sing much better.

Just my .02 Good luck.

I think tubes are out for me, but could you recommend a "decent used mid-fi S/S pre-amp" that I should look out for? I've never heard that S/S pre-amp term before, so you'll have to forgive my ignorance Just trying to get a ballpark answer for how much I should expect to spend on something like that if I so choose to do so in the near future...

Ron Temple

dbaldus wrote: »

So I've been hearing that a lot of people feel the Rotel will bring out the bass in speakers at higher volumes better than the Denon. I'm just wondering if this means that I should be adjusting my crossover? I currently have it set to 80Hz for my Rti70s, but if the Rotel is going to allow them to reproduce bass more effectively, should I turn the crossover down or even set my fronts to "Large"?

You should notice better bass if you run them large in 2 channel mode w/o the sub. With the sub you should also notice a difference in dynamics from ~ 80dbs up Rotel vs Denon. Percussion, brass, string crescendos should pop. I'd think more liquidity in the midrange vocals as well. The Denons I've heard are pretty dynamic, but had an edge to the sound.

dbaldus

Ron Temple wrote: »

You should notice better bass if you run them large in 2 channel mode w/o the sub. With the sub you should also notice a difference in dynamics from ~ 80dbs up Rotel vs Denon. Percussion, brass, string crescendos should pop. I'd think more liquidity in the midrange vocals as well. The Denons I've heard are pretty dynamic, but had an edge to the sound.

When you say "with the sub", do you mean with the fronts set to "small" and the sub running or still having the fronts set to "Large" with the sub running as well?

Ron Temple

dbaldus wrote: »

When you say "with the sub", do you mean with the fronts set to "small" and the sub running or still having the fronts set to "Large" with the sub running as well?

Sorry for the confusion. I meant that to notice how the amp improves your bass, you need to get the sub out of the equation...running the speakers large. The rest of the improvements you should notice in either configuration, small or large, with the sub or without. I'd say try running your mains both ways with the sub and see which you prefer. I run mine large w/sub and LFE + L&R with a crossover of 60hz. It gives me the flattest response and a seamless blend. You might have a different preference.

jawhog

100Hz, not kHz, sorry for confusion.

dbaldus

jawhog wrote: »

100Hz, not kHz, sorry for confusion.

So did you mean setting the crossover to something above 100Hz or what did you mean by "above 100Hz"?

dave shepard

Is there something that the 70's are lacking for you? If so you will be in the same boat I was in speading money trying to save the speakers. I liked the speakers they are good speakers but I just wanted more and they just couldn't give anymore I had replaced a Panny. reciever with the same Denon you have and then also placed an amp in the mix only to find that I could have saved alot of money with just keeping the 1st reciever. The sound just would not and could not change, the speakers were giving all they were designed to give and the only recourse was to change the speakers.

Dave

lakesailor

dbaldus wrote: »

I think tubes are out for me, but could you recommend a "decent used mid-fi S/S pre-amp" that I should look out for? I've never heard that S/S pre-amp term before, so you'll have to forgive my ignorance Just trying to get a ballpark answer for how much I should expect to spend on something like that if I so choose to do so in the near future...

Sorry for the confusion. What I meant was to get into a dedicated two-channel pre-amplifier. Even something vintage from Rotel, Luxman would be a nice upgrade. Conversly some of the Cambridge and Arcam pre-amps are also decent.

Or you could go into an Adcom pre/tuner that would be a step up that would help bring out the best in your Rotel amp.

goingganzo

when i upgraded my rt800i from my onjyo 787 amp to a adcom 7607 it was a slight diferande but watching movies at decent levels is where it was awsome.