Rotel components and universal remotes

[Jeff Hartford]

Perhaps the wrong forum but figured could tap into the Rotel think tank. How does an Amp such as my RMB-1095 get "controlled" by a universal remote (just bought the Harmony 659) if it does not have a remote control? Does that screw up the overall ability to control the system? Can something be done through the "12V trigger" (mysterious and I know nothing about it). I have a second amp that I biamp- same problem?

Jeff

[Andrew Pratt]

You can't control a power amp with a remote since there's no IR sensor on them. What the amp triggers are for though is to allow the pre amp to turn the power amps off and on as needed which means you can indirectly control their state with a remote. To do that all you need to do is run a mono 1/8 cable from the amp trigger on the pre amp to the input on the power amp and then flip the trigger switch on the amp (assuming the 1095 has one like my 1075 does) Once that's done powering on and off the pre amp will send (or stop sending) current to the power amp via the trigger cable which will cause the amp to turn on or off.

[Jeff Hartford]

Andrew-

Unfortunately my 1095 is a few years old and the older ones do not have the 12V trigger. I could plug my biamp amp(NHT) into a switched outlet on the back of the Prepro to control it that way, but there is no way the 1095 could be hooked in. Is there some mechanism to control the amp by remote? Otherwise, how does my universal remote work?

Jeff

[Andrew Pratt]

Jeff you could plug the power amp into a powerbar that has a switched outlet. The parasound Scamp is one such device and I believe rotel makes one as well. Basically what they do is have a remote triggered device plugged into one outlet and power amps (etc) plugged into the other outlets. Then when ever the main device is powered up the other's will be turned on as well (after a short delay).