Looking at Rotel Pre/Pro, thoughts? Own?

Ric5811
Ric5811 Posts: 400
edited June 2010 in Electronics
Looking at the Rotel 1098 upgraded with HDMI, not that I care about that, analog is fine for me.

Also the Arcam AVP 700. This will be combined with Carver 505 I have for now. Any synergy problems?

My thoughts are the Rotel will further tame the Rti's even better, not that they are pretty tame now with the Carver.

But the reviews on the Rotel are amazing, also considering the 1068.

Thanks for input guys!
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  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,677
    edited June 2010
    I have an older Rotel Pre with a Sunfire amp and find the Rotel to be Neutral. I have SRS2 speakers and they play the low end with authority with ease naturally.
    I don't know about your speakers sound but I think the Rotel won't tame their brightness/clarity (from what I've read here) without using the treble control. I'm one who doesn't mind using tone controls either. I'd get a Rotel Pre just on experience and their history of quality components!

    I have bass and treble controls on my Rotel Pre and they stay midway 99% of the time. It just sounds right that way to me.
    A man suggested turning my controls to zero but I didn't accept the sound decrease very well even though the volume knob just had to be turned up some more. He said he found more clarity setting controls to zero....he did have great ears though, better than I have.
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.

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  • Ric5811
    Ric5811 Posts: 400
    edited June 2010
    tony millard wrote: »
    I have an older Rotel Pre with a Sunfire amp and find the Rotel to be Neutral. I have SRS2 speakers and they play the low end with authority with ease naturally.
    I don't know about your speakers sound but I think the Rotel won't tame their brightness/clarity (from what I've read here) without using the treble control. I'm one who doesn't mind using tone controls either. I'd get a Rotel Pre just on experience and their history of quality components!

    I have bass and treble controls on my Rotel Pre and they stay midway 99% of the time. It just sounds right that way to me.
    A man suggested turning my controls to zero but I didn't accept the sound decrease very well even though the volume knob just had to be turned up some more. He said he found more clarity setting controls to zero....he did have great ears though, better than I have.


    Thanks Tony!
    Polk RTi A7's FrontPolk CSi A4 CenterPolk Tsi 100's SurroundOnkyo TX-RZ50:)Oppo BDP 83 (Collecting dust)MIT Terminator 3 Speaker CableMIT Terminator 2 IC's (Oppo 2 chan)Signal Cable HT TWOEpson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080Hisense 55 U8GBelkin PF 60 Power Center
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  • Ric5811
    Ric5811 Posts: 400
    edited June 2010
    Anyone else?
    Polk RTi A7's FrontPolk CSi A4 CenterPolk Tsi 100's SurroundOnkyo TX-RZ50:)Oppo BDP 83 (Collecting dust)MIT Terminator 3 Speaker CableMIT Terminator 2 IC's (Oppo 2 chan)Signal Cable HT TWOEpson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080Hisense 55 U8GBelkin PF 60 Power Center
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  • jayman_1975
    jayman_1975 Posts: 672
    edited June 2010
    Well i can't speak on exactly the equipment you are talking about but i have had experience with polks, arcam, rotel, and denon. My denon 3805 sounded decent but a little bright with my Monitor 70's. I thought it was doing a good job at 2 channel until i added a Rotel rb1070 to the mix. Wow.... that Rotel was the little engine that could. It gave some real bottom end tourque and opened up the top end but i still found it to be a shade bright. I sold the Denon and Rotel and bought my Arcam avr300 (which is very close to the avp700 sonically). I found this was a warmer and much more musical combo. No harshness on the top end at high volumes. I think you will dig that avp700 i have heard some amazing things about it and if it's better than my avr300 it will blow your mind.
    Onkyo TX NR 5008 modified by The Upgrade Company
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,576
    edited June 2010
    Ric5811 wrote: »
    Looking at the Rotel 1098 upgraded with HDMI, not that I care about that, analog is fine for me.

    Also the Arcam AVP 700. This will be combined with Carver 505 I have for now. Any synergy problems?

    My thoughts are the Rotel will further tame the Rti's even better, not that they are pretty tame now with the Carver.

    But the reviews on the Rotel are amazing, also considering the 1068.

    Thanks for input guys!

    I think that combination would work great. Rotel makes very nice, neutral sounding gear. Maybe look towards matching it with a Rotel amplifier and move the Carver down the road.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • del44
    del44 Posts: 686
    edited June 2010
    I've been using the 1068 in my system for 6 years or so and haven't had a single problem. No HDMI though. Mainly using it for movies and multi channel music. Sounds great with both.
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  • Ric5811
    Ric5811 Posts: 400
    edited June 2010
    jayman_1975 wrote: »
    Well i can't speak on exactly the equipment you are talking about but i have had experience with polks, arcam, rotel, and denon. My denon 3805 sounded decent but a little bright with my Monitor 70's. I thought it was doing a good job at 2 channel until i added a Rotel rb1070 to the mix. Wow.... that Rotel was the little engine that could. It gave some real bottom end tourque and opened up the top end but i still found it to be a shade bright. I sold the Denon and Rotel and bought my Arcam avr300 (which is very close to the avp700 sonically). I found this was a warmer and much more musical combo. No harshness on the top end at high volumes. I think you will dig that avp700 i have heard some amazing things about it and if it's better than my avr300 it will blow your mind.

    Could it have been a shade bright still because of the Denon? I assume you were using the Denon as a pre?


    Thanks for the info! Good review.
    Polk RTi A7's FrontPolk CSi A4 CenterPolk Tsi 100's SurroundOnkyo TX-RZ50:)Oppo BDP 83 (Collecting dust)MIT Terminator 3 Speaker CableMIT Terminator 2 IC's (Oppo 2 chan)Signal Cable HT TWOEpson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080Hisense 55 U8GBelkin PF 60 Power Center
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  • Ric5811
    Ric5811 Posts: 400
    edited June 2010
    dorokusai wrote: »
    I think that combination would work great. Rotel makes very nice, neutral sounding gear. Maybe look towards matching it with a Rotel amplifier and move the Carver down the road.

    Yeah, I may very well eventually. I am Carver fan though, well I was years ago when I was deep into this. So when I decided to get back into the game now, I went with what I knew.

    And I really do like this amp, but I will eventually upgrade the power, dont know if it will be a Sunfire, Rotel or something a little "higher" end. Not doing much research right now on amps. Heard the Arcam amps are good too.

    Of course I know you hate Carver...:D
    Polk RTi A7's FrontPolk CSi A4 CenterPolk Tsi 100's SurroundOnkyo TX-RZ50:)Oppo BDP 83 (Collecting dust)MIT Terminator 3 Speaker CableMIT Terminator 2 IC's (Oppo 2 chan)Signal Cable HT TWOEpson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080Hisense 55 U8GBelkin PF 60 Power Center
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  • Ric5811
    Ric5811 Posts: 400
    edited June 2010
    del44 wrote: »
    I've been using the 1068 in my system for 6 years or so and haven't had a single problem. No HDMI though. Mainly using it for movies and multi channel music. Sounds great with both.

    Thanks, Del, I was thinking about the 1068 also, I won't be using HDMI either for sound. Just purchased the Oppo bpd83, and will be using the analogs, I run my HDMI straight to my tv or projector.

    I would rather let the player decode than a pre/pro. Except for Dolby Digital from Sat.

    Thanks for your input.:)
    Polk RTi A7's FrontPolk CSi A4 CenterPolk Tsi 100's SurroundOnkyo TX-RZ50:)Oppo BDP 83 (Collecting dust)MIT Terminator 3 Speaker CableMIT Terminator 2 IC's (Oppo 2 chan)Signal Cable HT TWOEpson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080Hisense 55 U8GBelkin PF 60 Power Center
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,576
    edited June 2010
    Ric5811 wrote: »
    Yeah, I may very well eventually. I am Carver fan though, well I was years ago when I was deep into this. So when I decided to get back into the game now, I went with what I knew.

    And I really do like this amp, but I will eventually upgrade the power, dont know if it will be a Sunfire, Rotel or something a little "higher" end. Not doing much research right now on amps. Heard the Arcam amps are good too.

    Of course I know you hate Carver...:D

    It sounds like you're progressing in solid steps....keep on rocking. I'd suggest starting to really pay attention to the pre-amp stage.

    You'll find no Carver fan here but your rig is a nice benchmark for you sonically....go with it and tweak it from what you know by ear. If that amp works for you, outstanding.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • Ric5811
    Ric5811 Posts: 400
    edited June 2010
    dorokusai wrote: »
    It sounds like you're progressing in solid steps....keep on rocking. I'd suggest starting to really pay attention to the pre-amp stage.

    You'll find no Carver fan here but your rig is a nice benchmark for you sonically....go with it and tweak it from what you know by ear. If that amp works for you, outstanding.

    Yeah, that's what I am doing, I know it's my weak link right now, it's good sounding, better than just a straight mid fi avr (aka. New Denon's, Oinkers and my god..Pioneer):D

    Man, this market wasn't so convoluted back in the 80's! Choices were much easier back then!

    One of the best sounding systems I heard for the money was some Counterpoint power and pre, the original Energy Ref Conn's(the solid one piece of wood jobbies) and I don't remember the TT. That was my reference points for many years until I had to give it up for almost 20 years until now!

    God this is going to be addictive...:)
    Polk RTi A7's FrontPolk CSi A4 CenterPolk Tsi 100's SurroundOnkyo TX-RZ50:)Oppo BDP 83 (Collecting dust)MIT Terminator 3 Speaker CableMIT Terminator 2 IC's (Oppo 2 chan)Signal Cable HT TWOEpson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080Hisense 55 U8GBelkin PF 60 Power Center
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 51,899
    edited June 2010
    It's funny you mention the Arcam AVP 700 as I was just doing some research on it. From what I found I wouldn't hesitate buying it for HT purpose.
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  • Ric5811
    Ric5811 Posts: 400
    edited June 2010
    F1nut wrote: »
    It's funny you mention the Arcam AVP 700 as I was just doing some research on it. From what I found I wouldn't hesitate buying it for HT purpose.

    Yeah, I have found nothing but stellar reviews, comparing it to gear 3x the price.

    The only issue that concerns me is when switching either formats or inputs is a white burst noise, can't remember which one it was. Now that's some old skool shi* right there...:D

    Not only HT, but the 2 chan is outstanding also, since I won't be venturing into a dedicated 2 chan anytime real soon...
    Polk RTi A7's FrontPolk CSi A4 CenterPolk Tsi 100's SurroundOnkyo TX-RZ50:)Oppo BDP 83 (Collecting dust)MIT Terminator 3 Speaker CableMIT Terminator 2 IC's (Oppo 2 chan)Signal Cable HT TWOEpson PowerLite Home Cinema 1080Hisense 55 U8GBelkin PF 60 Power Center
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