Rotel RSX-1056 VS. RSP-1068 for my B&Ws

[JimTW]

I'm thinking about the 804S for half HT and half stereo music use.

However, I'm wondering if anyone has had experience with these 2 setup
and curious if there are any audible differences in sound quality.

Setup 1:
RSX-1056 with RB-1080. 1080 for 2 main fronts. 1056 for center, left
rear, and right rear.

Setup 2:
RSP-1068 with RB-1080. 1080 for 2 main fronts. No center or rear
channels. If add in future, will have to look for a 3 channel amp.

I'm thinking Setup 1 would be great for the future, all I have to do is
add center and rear speakers and I've got a HT system. Ofcourse add
a sub.

But, I'm wondering if Setup 2 will offer me a better quality sound when
used in stereo mode. Is the RSP-1068 an inherently better processor
than the RSX-1056?

Thanks!
Jim

[JimTW]

Actually, I should have asked this in the Rotel forum, but it's related to
B&W speakers, and I'm sure there's a big group of you who are knowledgable
in Rotel gear, so I'll wait to see what you guys have to say.

[NonSense]

Jim

Many would say that the RSX-1068 is a better sounding piece than the RSX-1056, but everything is relative. If you are constructing a new system, and your buget is limited, the RSX 1056 is still a very good piece and offers great value. Five channels of amplification, built in tuner and 7.1 surround with redirect. The five main channels have pre-amp outputs for connection to external amps for future upgrades. In North America the price difference is minimal. The funds you save from having to purchase a 3CH amp later could be put to purchasing better center and surround speakers. Then, once you are enjoying your home theater, you can always add a dedicated center amp. Some would argue that the power output to the surrounds from the RSX-1056 will be sufficient for most HT applications and you would likely not need to make this upgrade.

If HT and surround is not your thing, and you are looking to concentrate on 2CH stereo performance, I would consider looking at a dedicated 2CH pre-amp and not a processor. This will give you the best stereo playback. Many 2CH pre-amps now have an HT bypass input to allow connection to a HT receiver. That way you can add a mid level receiver to handle your center and surrounds for reasonable good surround at a lower cost and feed you pre in bypass mode to handle the 2 front mains.

Back to your original question. Most of the components are shared between the RSX1056 and RSX1068. Especially with regards to the processing electronics. Where the RSX1068 will be superior is with regards to the power supply and isolation. Since the 1068 doesn't have a tuner or amplification sections, the noise within the chassis will be slightly less and the power supply will generally be a little quieter. You will need to decide if this incremental increase in performance is worth the extra investment at this time, vs. putting those funds toward other components that would offer a better overall improvement in performance.

It is hard to enjoy your HT without a center and surrounds. Many would suggest that you should go for the RSX-1056, 805's and add the center and surrounds now. Enjoy the HT right away. The 2CH performance would suffer a little for now, but at least you can enjoy both. Then add the 1080 when you can, to increase performance.

Lots to consider