receiver or separates

glemay
glemay Posts: 574
edited March 2003 in Electronics
Why are separates so much better receiver?
Main System:
Denon AVR-2805, Polk Audio RTi70's, Polk Audio CSi40, Polk Audio FXi50, Paradigm PW-2200 v.2, Toshiba 42XV545U HDTV

Second System:
Denon AVR-1705, Polk Audio R40, Polk Audio CS245i, Polk Audio R15, Paradigm PS-1200a
Post edited by glemay on
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited March 2003
    'The fewer lights and buzzers, the better the gear will sound'
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,781
    edited March 2003
    Originally posted by RuSsMaN
    'The fewer lights and buzzers, the better the gear will sound'

    My Pioneer Elite has a NIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiCeeeeeeeeeeee BBBBBLLLLLLLUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE LLLLLLLEEEEEEEEDDDDDDDD above the volume control......it go FLLLLLIIIIIICCCCCCKKKKKKKKEEEEERRRRRRR! ITTT BRRRRRRRIIIIIIIGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHTTTTTT! :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited March 2003
    Ritalin anyone?
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,781
    edited March 2003
    Originally posted by RuSsMaN
    Ritalin anyone?

    ALL YOUR BASE BELONGS TO US! @_@! Nah for real, It is cool. It has a blue light, and a Stand by/On button with a light. My adcom has 2 leds that light up with distortion. It also has a bright RED power on light. It coooooool! Anyway, For real, that blue light is effin cool.
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited March 2003
    I agree, what do I call you now? Vr?

    Krell 'blue' makes my pants go crazy. Almost to the point I wanted to change my Carver m400a led's from yellow to blue.

    Cheers,
    Rooster
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,781
    edited March 2003
    Originally posted by RuSsMaN
    I agree, what do I call you now? Vr?

    Krell 'blue' makes my pants go crazy. Almost to the point I wanted to change my Carver m400a led's from yellow to blue.

    Cheers,
    Rooster

    How about MX or Sid?
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • phuz
    phuz Posts: 2,372
    edited March 2003
    Lets not hijack this potentially good thread. :)

    Receivers are a sort of "all in one" type of deal. You have a LOT of stuff crammed into a small space, and it's designed that way.

    Overall seperates are designed to provide the absolute best quality for what it is, and individual peice. You don't have tuners or amps messing with the insides of your pre, you don't have your pre-amp/processor messing sitting right next to amps. they are just built and designed better overall in most cases.
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  • abmarsh
    abmarsh Posts: 109
    edited March 2003
    A receiver's big advantage is, of course, its all-in-one design. The best receivers probably don't match the best separate components, but top receivers can and do put out a great deal of very clean power. My receiver will cleanly drive my system to ludicrous volume levels.
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,201
    edited March 2003
    seperates and receivers..........ok

    receivers,This a good to better(almost best)choice for the most part.They have tipically more features,connectability and flexability then most sepreates.They also take up less room.
    Sound quality you get what you pay for in all levels.Flagship receievers of today can sound just as If not better then low end seperates.And offer much more flexability.
    This isn't a cut and dry topic.

    Seperates as noted yield the best overall performance.Sound quality is at it's best due to the fact of simplisity as noted above.Seperates power supplies,less interference,etc.But this all comes at a price.Not many seperates cost Less then receivers.

    It really come down to personal preference.

    I also can name a few flagship receiver that can challenge seperates in the same price class.

    Lets go alittle deeper on just sound quality for a minute.Take the mighty Rotel rsx1065.At 2 grand,what seperate company can build better sounding 5.1 seperates?For sound quality?Answer is none.Your going to spend alittle more to achive that same level.Outlaw is probably the closest in price,and where can you go demo the 2?Now remember you have to factor in balanced or unbalanced interconnect to wire the 2 together(amp and pre).

    I personally believe there are up's and downs to both sides of the fence.I choose to go one last time into the receiver/intergraded market at flagship level.I can say my falgship receiver can rivel the sound quality of my 2 channel seperate system.And in some things actually sound better.A home theater receiver(B&K avr307) and a plain 2 channel seperate rig(Rotel rb960bx,rc-971).

    So the question is just this?What one is better for you?
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited March 2003
    Dan,
    I am glad you are still firmly standing behind the mighty1065 :) surely I can back your testimonial with my satisfaction of its performance. I had upgraded its firmware twice, it is now has the latest firmware, and the process is very straight forward, not to mention the Rotel folks back at Equity International are very prompt, helpful, courteous, and professional. So, after-sale service is top notch! my .02 cents
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • mantis
    mantis Posts: 17,201
    edited March 2003
    I sure do polkatese,
    as I have heard and installed many different receiver,none compare to the rsx1065 at it's respective price point.Sound quality can rivel the ultimate B&K avr307.No other 2k receiver can even dream about doing that.Hell not many if any other receiver made can better it.
    Seperates are great if you have the money,shop smart and find the correct power and features you need for your speakers and the room they live in.Then finding interconnects balanced or unbalanced that are going to perform up to the level of the gear.Not so easy tast.but the results can't be matched by a receiver.........but for all of us non seperate for now people,we can have some faith in the higher quality receivers out there.
    Dan
    My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time.
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  • TroyD
    TroyD Posts: 13,090
    edited March 2003
    I'd be interested to see how an Outlaw separates system (which can be had for about 2 G's) would compare to the flagship receivers....

    The comments about separates containg better parts and so forth are also true, one thing to consider that I have heard about and read about is that having the tuner and the amp in such close proximity is a bad thing because of the noise bleedover from the tuner to the amp. That would explain why you will see preamp/tuners and pream/amp (integrated) amps in higher end gear...

    BDT
    I plan for the future. - F1Nut
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  • wallstreet
    wallstreet Posts: 1,405
    edited March 2003
    Originally posted by TroyD
    I'd be interested to see how an Outlaw separates system (which can be had for about 2 G's) would compare to the flagship receivers....

    The comments about separates containg better parts and so forth are also true, one thing to consider that I have heard about and read about is that having the tuner and the amp in such close proximity is a bad thing because of the noise bleedover from the tuner to the amp. That would explain why you will see preamp/tuners and pream/amp (integrated) amps in higher end gear...

    BDT

    My take on the Outlaw is the amp (770) is nice, but the pre/pro is you get what you pay for.
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  • shack
    shack Posts: 11,154
    edited March 2003
    My take on the Outlaw is the amp (770) is nice, but the pre/pro is you get what you pay for.

    Have you actually heard the 950? I have not heard it but have talked to folks that have it and they RAVE about it. I have yet to see any bad press about this one other that it was delayed coming to market and had some background hiss that was corrected. Consensus seems to be that it is a huge bargain at $899.
    "Just because you’re offended doesn’t mean you’re right." - Ricky Gervais

    "For those who believe, no proof is necessary. For those who don't believe, no proof is possible." - Stuart Chase

    "Consistency requires you to be as ignorant today as you were a year ago." - Bernard Berenson
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  • TonyPTX
    TonyPTX Posts: 545
    edited March 2003
    polkatese,

    I've been looking at upgrading to the Rotel RSX-1055 and wanted to know a bit of info about the firmware upgrade process. (I can't find much on Rotel's website) What software does it use? Do I need to buy a special cable? Where can you check for updates?

    Thanks,
    Tony
    Damn....8 lines...I've gotta put my sig on a diet now....
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  • goingganzo
    goingganzo Posts: 2,793
    edited March 2003
    i have a queston what kind of performance will i get my adding a b&k ref 200.7 to my onkyo787 pre outs to drivethe b&k
    on my 800/400/500 speakers. vs staying with my stock 878 bult in amp.
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited March 2003
    Tony,
    here is the link to Andrew's homepage with the details on firmware upgrades, including how to make the cable:

    Andrews Pratt's Page - Rotel RSX-1055 Information

    Also, an exclusive Rotel freaks hang out forum, in case you need more Rotel specific information, troubleshooting, etc.

    Club Rotel - HTGuide Forum

    Hope it helps....
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • TonyPTX
    TonyPTX Posts: 545
    edited March 2003
    Polkatese bringing his learn on to the table.......thanks man. Looks like good stuff. And all within 16 minutes of my post....man who else is a forum surfing junkie? :D
    Damn....8 lines...I've gotta put my sig on a diet now....
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited March 2003
    Gonzo,
    you might want to repost your question over at HT Forum, there seems to be a lot of B&K owners hang out there:

    HT Forum - Receivers/Separates/Amps

    it's a killer power amp, you might also want to consider Shearbourn 7/2100 (200 watts x 7 @ 8 ohms)
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited March 2003
    Tony, it's hard not to when you are on DSL and strapped to your laptop 12x6 :D
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited March 2003
    Tony, btw, isn't it like almost midnight in Dixieland?....
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • TonyPTX
    TonyPTX Posts: 545
    edited March 2003
    Shhhh...I'm heading west in the morning....not much further, but Galveston, TX has some nice beaches....and hey I need to do my research on the Rotel 1055. My Onk 600 is priced to sell on EBay and it's out the door on Sunday.
    Damn....8 lines...I've gotta put my sig on a diet now....
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  • polkatese
    polkatese Posts: 6,767
    edited March 2003
    One last thing, there is a review of 1055 on this month "Perfect Vision" (since you are doing research....)
    I am sorry, I have no opinion on the matter. I am sure you do. So, don't mind me, I just want to talk audio and pie.
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  • TonyPTX
    TonyPTX Posts: 545
    edited March 2003
    Originally posted by polkatese
    One last thing, there is a review of 1055 on this month "Perfect Vision" (since you are doing research....)

    Cool beans... will download a copy and read it while I'm on the plane today.
    Damn....8 lines...I've gotta put my sig on a diet now....
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  • BeginnersLuck
    BeginnersLuck Posts: 213
    edited March 2003
    I find that seperates offer more flexibility. The nice thing about them is you can find an amp that you really like and keep it forever, adding on as necessary. And when your preamp can no longer be upgraded, just go buy a new preamp, becasue you already have a amp that you like, it saves you some cost in the long run. I also agree that there are some sound advantages as well.

    -BL
    TWFTPQ
    Receiver: Outlaw 1050
    Amps: Outlaw M-200 x 3 (Powering Mains and Center)
    Mains: RT800i; Center: CS400i; Surrounds: F/X500i
    Sub1: 214L Vented Tempest
    Sub2: 122L Sealed Tempest
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