what to do : rsx-1055 or rsp-1066

[eelco74]

Hi guys....

I am looking to simplify my system.

I now have a Rotel rc-972 pre and rb981 power amp combination
I also have a Denon 3801 for DVD and my Xbox games.
The Denon drives all channels except for the fronts
The front-pre out of the denon goes via the rc972 to the rb981, to drive the front channels.

Initially I wanted to go for a rsp1066 and a 1075 power amp. These would replace my pre-amp and the denon. I would still use the 981 for the fronts.

How decent is the 1066 in stereo. Is it as good or even better than my 972 ?

However the rsx-1055 would be a nice option too. It could replace my pre-amp, the denon and the tuner. I could still connect my 981 amp to the front channels and use the "redirect" function to drive the surround back.

How does the pre-amp in the rsx-1055 differ from the 1066. It uses the same software.

ps. why does no Rotel pre-amp have a headphone socket. I use it in my current system. Since rotel in the past also never did headphone sockets on their tapedecks and cd-players, I hate to lose the socket on my pre-amp.

[Lex]

Hmmm, you ask tough questions. All I can tell you is, if one way is separates, that's how I would try to go. Tough break on the headphones. I hadn't noticed that, but I guess it must be so...

Lex

[Andrew Pratt]

Well I'm the guy to ask since I've run both models in my system. The 1055 and the 1066 are very close siblings and in my system they sounded identical when used as pre amps. According to Rotel there are some minor difference between the two and that the 1066 should sound slightly better then the 1055 but as I said I couldn't hear it. Now that I'd got my better speakers installed I might hear it but truth be told I'm not positive I would. The 1055 and 1066 use the same internal software so the firmware that's made available for one works for the other so upgradeablitity will be the same. I am now using my 1055 to drive my side speakers which free's up a couple of channels to allow me to bi amp my mains which really helpped so having those extra channels available allows more flexibility. So all that said IMO the 1055 makes for a more flexible pre amp and it should sound very similar to the 1066...but I can't rule out for sure that the 1066 wouldn't sound slightly better IF you have very revealing speakers and high end sources etc. For what its worth though I don't regret keeping the 1055.

[eelco74]

thanx for repying,

I must say that I really wanted the 1066, the "problem" I had is that I wanted it to comine with the rb-985MkII. But this one is discontinued, and replaced by the 1075. But costs a lot more than the 985.

I don't need all that power, so 2x a 1050 or 2 x a rb-03 might do the trick.

But when I saw the RSX-1055, I was very curious how it would perform. I fits perfecty for my purpose, but I do not want to lose quality in stereo performance.

Only one way to find out, I will ask my dealer to get me a rsx-1055 to test it.

thanx.....

[eelco74]

The missing headphone socket still annoys me a bit.
Nor my Rotel tape deck, Rotel DVD and Rotel CD has one. The pre-amp has one, but if I switch it for a 1055 or a 1066 I lose it.

I can buy a seperate headphone amp. A bit silly if had just bought a pre-amp of 1650 euros, and needed to buy a separate amp for my headphone. Even my Denon 3801 has one.

I will try to get a 1055 from my dealer for a demo. I am still waiting or my new JM-lab electra 906 speakers (Just awarded EISA loudspeaker of the year) to arrive. After that we will see what upgrade is next.

[Arnold van Oostrum]

Hai Eelco, nice to see another enthousiast from The Netherlands.

I wonder why you would want to spent so much money, just to simplify your setup.
Your present setup has decent performance on stereo and HT. I think it's smart to keep the RC-972 for stereo, because that's the week spot on the Denon.
But switching to the RSX-1055 would give you not much benefit on both stereo and HT. I even think the RC-972 is better with stereo. The RSX-1055 will outperform the 3801 on HT, but the difference is not hugh, certainly because you will keep the RB-981 as amp for the fronts. And as you have said yourself, you will lose the headphone connection.
So, my opinion if you like your stereo sound and would like to keep the headphone and your main reason is simplifying the setup, don't change and stay with the setup you currently have.

[eelco74]

I agree it is a lot of money, but remeber it is a big pile of equipment. And it is sometimes confusing to my girlfriend.

I tried to use the denon in stereo (with the power amp front, but it is no match for my current pre-amp. I agree that the 3801 sounds a lot better by using the poweramp for fronts. This is a really remarkable difference. But just not good enough to replace the pre-amp.

Thats why I looked for the 1066. I seems to be quite good in stereo as well as HT.

Anyway, I will see what the future brings....

[Arnold van Oostrum]

Keeping stereo and HT seperate is the best way to go. I agree it's not ideal in terms of operating. I too use a seperate pre-amp and poweramp for stereo with an AV-receiver for HT. The AV-receiver is connected with the fronts pre-out onto the pre-amp.

The disadvantage of two volumeknobs is minor to the enhanced quality I have in stereo this way. Keeping the stereoquality at this level will mean buying a real expensive pre-amp processor. Maybe the RSP-1098 will do the job. In about six months we can tell.

Regarding Andrews reply about the 1055/1066 comparison. Keep in mind that in Canada for some strange reason the 1055 is cheaper than the 1066. That's not the case in Europe.
The 1066 with a seperate 5-channel amp will always be better than the 1055. The quality of amps really does mean a big difference. I compared the 1055 with the 1065 and heard a big difference in terms of details and impact in favor of the 1065.

[gil]

Eelco,

I would appreciate your thoughts on the Rotel 1055 used as a preamp when you evaluate it.

I have used the Denon 3801 and 3802 as a preamp with good results especially using the Denon's hybrid analog/digital crossover. I have the 3803 right now for evaluation and I am not happy with this one as the sound is bright and mids are thin.

One problem I noticed on the Rotel 1066 is that there was double bass but don't recall if that's an issue for bookshelf speakers (Sonus faber) that I use set to small. Andy?

Form what I recall at the dealer demo, the 1066 was very good with HT but did not sound right with bass integration with some small Revel monitors and a velodyne sub. Could very well have been the setup and placement though. The Revels were mounted on the wall (ugh!) and the dealer would not change the setup so ...

Also, what is US the retail price on the 1066 an 1055? And is the Rotel considered to be better than Outlaw pre/pro and it's clones?

[dali]

There are of course a lot of opinions about using a HT processor for stereo. My personal opinion is that it works quite well and that most people that say "I would never use a HT system for music" probably haven't listened to a RSP 1066 in stereo mode. Or that thay are comparing apples and oranges; a $2000 HT pre/pro to a $2000 dedicated stereo pre-amp.

My suggestion is that you try the RSP 1066 with a Rotel amplifier (1066, 1075, 1095), you might be pleasantly surprised when you hear the stereo performance.

RSP 1066 has been tested in several swedish HT/Hifi-mags and has so far always come out on top, in stereo also (when compared to products in the same price range). One mag even compared it to pre/pros that were twice as expensive (Classé, Audionet, TAG McLaren) and said that the RSP 1066 is an incredible bargain, performing in the same league as the more expensive ones (not beating all of them, but being in the same ballpark).

Try it out ...