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RSX-1056 - A review
As promised, here is a more detailed review of my RSX-1056. I've had it over two weeks, and have spent most of my free time listening to music and watching DVDS using the 1056. That's perhaps testimony enough to the overall sonic quality of the 1056 - I'd rather listen through it than spend my free time in almost (almost) any other way.
I've owned a lot of electronics over yhe last 30 years (!) in the eternal quest for sonic nirvana - Apt/Holman, Denon, Kenwood, Luxman, Sansui, Sherwood, Sony, Yamaha. Of all those and numerous other brands I have listened to in stores, the Rotel RSX-1056 comes closest to accurately and completely conveying to me the heart and soul of the artists, whether music or movies. I could talk about sonic stuff like bass, midange, treble, "black" background, accuracy, detail, soundstage, depth, authority, slam, etc. ad infinitum. IMHO, the Rotel excels in all those areas, compared to the other electronics I have heard. However, the real point is, listening through the Rotel, I hear more, I hear better, and I am more emotionally involved with the sounds on a CD or DVD when conveyed through the Rotel. Isn't that what great audio gear should do?
Having said that, here are some pluses and minuses for those more inclined to focus on features:
Looks/feel - high end, IMO.
Set up / customization: very thoughtful and complete, geared towards more prectical/useful stuff. I like the ability to custom-label the dsiplay of inputs. The flexibility in customizing settings separately for different inputs and sound modes is outstanding and really allows the user to tune things to suit their equipment and setting.
7 channel flexibility capabilities. Very intelligent - an excellent balance between features and cost. The ability to add a higher-end stereo amp, in combination with the pure bypass mode, is a great compromise between high-end two channel audio and home theater.
Phono input - None! some of us more mature audiofiles (read
ld farts) have hundreds of LPs, and would like to listen to them without having to buy an outboard phono preamp. This seems to go against Rotel's other audiophile leanings.
Inputs/outputs: sufficent for my needs, now or projected into the future, I do not run video through the 1056, believing a more direct path should result in a higher quality picture.
Remote - the weakest part of the Rotel package. Non-intuitive, difficult and time-consuming to set up as a multi-component controller. Also mine seems buggy - the remote doesn't register some button inputs reliably, especially the menu/setup buttons. Rotel could and should do better in this area.
In sum, I find the Rotel RSX-1056 really excels at the holy grail of being a "straight wire with gain" - it does an oustanding job conveying the whole of the musical instruments and sonic effects (individually and together) and the artists' performances, both in music and movies. As a home theater controller it is very well thought out overall. Sure, you could spend much more, but at anywhere near this this price point, I cannot imagine you could find a more sonically involving and rewarding component.
I've owned a lot of electronics over yhe last 30 years (!) in the eternal quest for sonic nirvana - Apt/Holman, Denon, Kenwood, Luxman, Sansui, Sherwood, Sony, Yamaha. Of all those and numerous other brands I have listened to in stores, the Rotel RSX-1056 comes closest to accurately and completely conveying to me the heart and soul of the artists, whether music or movies. I could talk about sonic stuff like bass, midange, treble, "black" background, accuracy, detail, soundstage, depth, authority, slam, etc. ad infinitum. IMHO, the Rotel excels in all those areas, compared to the other electronics I have heard. However, the real point is, listening through the Rotel, I hear more, I hear better, and I am more emotionally involved with the sounds on a CD or DVD when conveyed through the Rotel. Isn't that what great audio gear should do?
Having said that, here are some pluses and minuses for those more inclined to focus on features:
Looks/feel - high end, IMO.
Set up / customization: very thoughtful and complete, geared towards more prectical/useful stuff. I like the ability to custom-label the dsiplay of inputs. The flexibility in customizing settings separately for different inputs and sound modes is outstanding and really allows the user to tune things to suit their equipment and setting.
7 channel flexibility capabilities. Very intelligent - an excellent balance between features and cost. The ability to add a higher-end stereo amp, in combination with the pure bypass mode, is a great compromise between high-end two channel audio and home theater.
Phono input - None! some of us more mature audiofiles (read
ld farts) have hundreds of LPs, and would like to listen to them without having to buy an outboard phono preamp. This seems to go against Rotel's other audiophile leanings.Inputs/outputs: sufficent for my needs, now or projected into the future, I do not run video through the 1056, believing a more direct path should result in a higher quality picture.
Remote - the weakest part of the Rotel package. Non-intuitive, difficult and time-consuming to set up as a multi-component controller. Also mine seems buggy - the remote doesn't register some button inputs reliably, especially the menu/setup buttons. Rotel could and should do better in this area.
In sum, I find the Rotel RSX-1056 really excels at the holy grail of being a "straight wire with gain" - it does an oustanding job conveying the whole of the musical instruments and sonic effects (individually and together) and the artists' performances, both in music and movies. As a home theater controller it is very well thought out overall. Sure, you could spend much more, but at anywhere near this this price point, I cannot imagine you could find a more sonically involving and rewarding component.
I think it's a conspiracy to boost the aftermarket universal remote market :lol: 
: ).
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