Should I stick with Rotel?

[Alex Tang]

Hi,

I have a pair of cdm 9nt, and I used to use a Rotel 1055 receiver. But a year ago, I change it to a Denon 2808 because of the speaker A/B and DTS HD decoding. But I found out the sound changed .. it is not as warm and full as the Rotel. The Denon has 110W wpc, while the 1055 has about the same when playing the 2 Ch.

Now, I am thinking what should I do .. Should I buy a Rotel Amp, preout from Denon? Or should I buy a Rotel receiver? Or buy an amp with more power (like Adcom GFA 555 with 200 wpc)? Does the difference in sound likely coming from the processor or from the amp?

And BTW, what do you think about upgrading to Nautilus 802?

[Blindamood]

I would first try adding an external amp. I used to have the CDM 9NTs, and loved them. But, they definitely need more power (IMO) than what they'd be getting from your receiver.

[htsteve]

Alex Tang,

You pose a great question: which makes more of an impact, the amp or the pre-amp. Both have a great impact on the sound. My opinion is that the amp make more of a direct improvement in a system. And especially if one is using a receiver, then an external amp has great bang for the buck. Long term you will want to replace the reciever with

For your specific situation, I tend to agree with Blindamood. I would suggest something like a Rotel 1080 or 1582. Both will have pleny of power and current to make your N9T's sing. I had a 1080 running a pair of N804's before, and was quite happy with them. The N804's love current, so a 1080 will handle the 9NT's with gusto.

You also mention N802's. That would be an awesome upgrade from the 9NT's. The speaker is the frontline piece of the audio puzzle. If you have a chance to get these, it's definitely something to consider. However, be aware that the N802's are power hungry speakers, with low impedance loads. I would not advise using the Denon. Underpowering speakers can damage the drivers. I would suggest at least 200 watt channels for something like this. Again, a 1080, 1572 (class D, 250 watts X 2) or the 1582 would be a good place to start.


Hope this helps.

[DM3000 Owner]

A quick note; do not buy the Adcom. I heard one with M801's and it was so harsh it was painful to listen to.

If you go N802's, you will need to replace just about everything, just be ready. I had some good equipment and when I bought N801's, I replaced my entire system.

[Alex Tang]

thank you very much for your comments. I will add an Rotel amp then. :T

And yes, I sort of know I will need to upgrade my receiver and amp if I upgrade to N802 .. It is a very beautiful, but I think it is out of my budget now. A pair of used N802 cost about $4500 on Audiogon.

[Alex Tang]

I looked into the RB 1080, it is 200wpc .. And I forgot to mentioned, since my Denon is 7.1, I am actually bi-amping my cdm 9, which means I am already putting in 200 watts ... does this make a difference in our discussion? Is the recommendation still add a Rotel amp?

And if I am looking for used equipment due to budget, is it the RB991 is the previous generation?

Thanks.

[leej]

I have 703's (close) and a Denon 3808, with similar output. I didn't think adding a Rotel 1080 would make enough difference for the cost. Wrong!
I am very pleased with the 1080 and thankful to the members who suggested it.

[htsteve]

I looked into the RB 1080, it is 200wpc .. And I forgot to mentioned, since my Denon is 7.1, I am actually bi-amping my cdm 9, which means I am already putting in 200 watts ... does this make a difference in our discussion? Is the recommendation still add a Rotel amp?

And if I am looking for used equipment due to budget, is it the RB991 is the previous generation?

Thanks.

Even in a bi-amping mode with the Denon, each set of drivers is only getting what the receiver can put out, 100 watts to bass and 100 watts to the mid and highs. If the draw form the 9NT's goes up (and it does), the receivers power supply will have trouble keeping up. With a dedicated, well built amp like a Rotel 1080, the problem is pretty much solved since the 1080's power supply can deliver lots of current all the time with low distortion (Rotel amps have quieter noise floors than most recievers). That's why really good speakers like the 9NT's love dedicated amps.

Yes, the RB991 is a previous generation, but I would still get one versus using the Denon.


Hope this helps.