Rotel RMB 1095 & B&W DM604s - Overkill?

[PewterTA]

I'm curious on all your opinions if getting the RMB-1095 is too much for my speakers.

Right now I have a Yamaha RX-v1400 running a B&W DM604 S3/LCR600/DM602 S3 with a SVS PC+20-39 sub. I'm upgrading the sub when I get a chance to the SVS PB12-Ultra/2...which was next... However, I've stumbled across a good deal on the Rotel RMB-1095.

I'm thinking I might pick up the RMB-1095 now and couple it with my Yamaha RX-v1400 and use that as the Pre processor. Now the reason I'm looking at the 1095 is some day I'd like to move up to the B&W 800 series (maybe in a year or so)...but until then I have to definitely keep with the DM600 series I have.

Do you think that the 1095 would do justice with the 600 series? I know it's always said that more is better than not enough...so I think it would work fine with this setup (as it is currently). But I just wanted all your opinions...

The only thing I'm thinking is that this would put me into a good position for when I switch to 7.1, just add the 1080 (I believe) and that would be a good match to the 1095.

Thanks for any info you can provide!

[ht_addict]

1095 is a fantastic amp, and with using a 1400 as a pre/pro you could always passive bi-amp you front left/right with 4 of 5 channels and the remainder for the center. Run your rears using the 1400.

ht_addict

[PewterTA]

I hadn't thought of doing that... I like the sounds of that!!!!

Thanks ht_addict.

I'm hoping too that the RMB-1095 won't have any ground loop issues when I hook everything up...I've heard of the issues with that. Luckly this is a new one with the clear binding posts...so hopefully I won't have an issue.

Now I just have to check to make sure it'll fit in the cabinet that I have.

[jimmyp58]

I don't think you can ever have enough power....

[Bing Fung]

Dan, I have 603's which are the smaller brother of your 604's and they definetly benifitted from biamping :T.

More power is always good!

Here is a thread I had on it

Your 604's will love it!

[PewterTA]

Bing, thanks for the thread, that was a really good read!!!!

So now I'm pretty much thinking I"ll run the L/R/C off the 1095 and leave the Rears to the RX-v1400 (which is pretty much ~110wpc)...but with it not running the L/C/R it should -- I would hope -- push just about that amount to the rears.

Through reading that link, I'm excited to hear what the 604s will sound like through the 1095.

Now, one thought I had, would be benefit or degrade (as per your opinions) if I ran the bass through the 1095 and the mid/highs through the rx-v1400? I'm thinking I'd get a better over all sound by pushing the bass/mid/highs of the fronts all by the 1095. Your thoughts?!

[Bing Fung]

I would try to push the LCR all through the 1095, just to keep the power consistent.

You could also experiment to see which configuration is best.

I use to run unbalanced power using my Denon 3300 receiver to power the mid/highs (105 watts) and the Bryston 3B to power the Bass (120 watts), it still sounded better to me than just using a single amplifier.

The surrounds won't need a lot of power unless you playing multichannel audio, and even then, it still doesn't always require all that power, but it is nice having it. My surround 601's really sing better with 200 watts fed to them, than the 120 watt monoblocks. The Main 603's biamped with the 1080/1095 really rocks the house much better than with just a single 200 watt amp powering them.

My centre channel is the weakes link in my system however. I even biamped that speaker once before, however I seldom play movie material so loud as to benifit biamping the centre, not with the CC6 anyway. I may try it again just for 6.1 DVD-A & SACD for something to do.

Experiment

[NMG]

I don't think you can ever have enough power....

My thoughts exactly

[Claude D D]

I would just use the 1095 to run you speakers and forget about bi-amping with the 1400.The Rotel has plenty of power and awesome sound quality.I've listened to your exact speaker combo with a RSP-1068 and RMB-1095 and it sounds great. :T

[ht_addict]

I would just use the 1095 to run you speakers and forget about bi-amping with the 1400.The Rotel has plenty of power and awesome sound quality.I've listened to your exact speaker combo with a RSP-1068 and RMB-1095 and it sounds great. :T

Since he has the extra channels why not try it? At most it'll cost an extra $50 for the speaker cable/banana plugs, interconnects and splitters.

ht_addict

[Claude D D]

Since he has the extra channels why not try it? At most it'll cost an extra $50 for the speaker cable/banana plugs, interconnects and splitters

For one the 604's are rated for 200 watts.Bi-amping the 1095 would input 400 watts.Secondly the 1095 sounds better and has much better dynamics than the amps in the 1400 and there would be an appreciable difference in sound quality with movie surround tracks and especially multi-channel music.
I sell this stuff for a living and get to play with it on a daily basis and can assure you that the 604's perform quite admirably when powered by 2 channels from a 1095.But hey! It never hurts to experiment. :T

[PewterTA]

Thanks for the info Claude & ht_addict!

I might try the bi-amping just to see what happens, all it will really cost me is the splitters on it...I can just use some of the extra cable I already have (as a temp set up) to see what the differences are and which setup I like better... Now I just have to wait for the 1095.

I appreciate it, you guys have helped out a lot, I wasn't sure about getting the Rotel, but now I think I definitely will since it's such a good price.

[Claude D D]

I appreciate it, you guys have helped out a lot, I wasn't sure about getting the Rotel, but now I think I definitely will since it's such a good price.

Looks like another Rotel addict is about to be born. About 3 months ago a buddy of mine got his first Rotel piece(a RMB-1075) to run off his HK receiver.Then he bought a RSP-1068.While it was on order he picked up a RDV-1060,a RCD-1072 and a RB1080.Then he got new cabling for his whole system.Added a pair of B&W N804's and has a HTM-2,a pair of N805's and ASW-800 on order.
As you see this hobby can be quite addictive. :T Have fun.

[Bing Fung]

I sell this stuff for a living and get to play with it on a daily basis and can assure you that the 604's perform quite admirably when powered by 2 channels from a 1095.But hey! It never hurts to experiment. :T

And they'll perform even better powered by 4 channels from the 1095 :T

If my 603's can sing significantly different like this, his 604's will be grunting in Tim "Tool Man" Taylor fashion

[Spookyslow]

PewterTA, I'm contemplating a similiar move to a 1095/1075 to run my 604's. Once you have everything in place, I'd love to hear your thoughts/opinions on the set up.

Thanks.

[ht_addict]

For one the 604's are rated for 200 watts.Bi-amping the 1095 would input 400 watts.Secondly the 1095 sounds better and has much better dynamics than the amps in the 1400 and there would be an appreciable difference in sound quality with movie surround tracks and especially multi-channel music.
I sell this stuff for a living and get to play with it on a daily basis and can assure you that the 604's perform quite admirably when powered by 2 channels from a 1095.But hey! It never hurts to experiment. :T

I'm pretty sure when bi-amping its 200watts to tweeter and 200watts to mid/bass not 400 watts total. Not to mention the tweeter would never come close to sucking back 200watts and I doubt the mid/bass would either unless driven an outrageous volumes. Also since he'd be using the 1400 to power the rears which amounts to maybe 20% of what goes on in a movie, I highly doubt he'd hear any difference. I know when I bi-amped my Paradigm Studio 40's(v3) with my 1095 the speakers really opened up. Running my Studio 20's(v3) off the 1400 made no difference in sound when watching movies.

ht_addict

[PewterTA]

Spookyslow, I will definitley post my thoughts and let you know what I find out.

I bought all the cabling to run with either all speakers through the 1095 or to bi-amp the 604s. I'm definitely excited with how you guys are liking the bi-amping...so I imagine I will try that config first...and probably not change it. I just bought more cables, running all Bluejeans cables with Cobalt Cable Ys. Currently have Monster 12 guage to all the speakers (got it for free), but I bought a spool of bluejean's beldin cabling to try it out as well... What I might do is get the 1080 to run the back speakers, and then sell the Yamaha and go for something like the 1098.

Just have to see what happens in the future.

[Claude D D]

I'm pretty sure when bi-amping its 200watts to tweeter and 200watts to mid/bass not 400 watts total. Not to mention the tweeter would never come close to sucking back 200watts and I doubt the mid/bass would either unless driven an outrageous volumes. Also since he'd be using the 1400 to power the rears which amounts to maybe 20% of what goes on in a movie, I highly doubt he'd hear any difference. I know when I bi-amped my Paradigm Studio 40's(v3) with my 1095 the speakers really opened up. Running my Studio 20's(v3) off the 1400 made no difference in sound when watching movies.

ht_addict

Last time I checked 200+200=400 unless I'm missing something.Oh well whatever floats your boat. :roll: Basically I'm just saying the 604's sound great when running off 2 channels from the 1095 and will still play very loud and clean.

[ht_addict]

Last time I checked 200+200=400 unless I'm missing something.Oh well whatever floats your boat. :roll: Basically I'm just saying the 604's sound great when running off 2 channels from the 1095 and will still play very loud and clean.

Sorry I don't have a boat to float :rofl: Look at it this way. The tweeter see's only 200w and so does the midrange/bass driver because they are fed by seperate wires. They don't see each others 200w because you disconnected the plates joining the binding posts in a single wire run.

You are correct that the 604's will sound great with just 2 channels from the 1095, but they are bi-amp capable so why not use that feature. We all tweak our system to get the best sound out of it, bi-amping if even passively is one of these tweaks.

ht_addict

[Kevin D]

Just for clarity, they are rated for 200watts for the speaker. If you split them apart, the mid can still handle 200watts and the tweeter can still handle 200watts. So even though you are sending 400 watts to the speaker, each driver still only see's 200 watts each.

That said, I generally throw out the speaker ratings. Pretty useless if you ask me. Get enough power to get the output you need on dynamic music without distortion and you should be set. I'm all about more power. Our demo wall uses a RB1090 (390w x 2), and every speaker we have can take it no problem, from $100 in-ceilings to Naut 802's!

Kevin D.

[PewterTA]

You can send me the Nat. 802s to test out to see if they can handle it... :W I promise I'll thoroughly test them!!!! :rofl:

The wait is killing me though...Hopefully the 1095 will ship today or tomorrow and will be here beginning of next week if I'm lucky! Waiting is definitely the hardest part!

[PewterTA]

Well it looks like I'll never get a chance to find out how the 604s do with a 1095. The guy selling it to me can't get it to power up, so he's figuring it's dead. At least I got my money back, which is good.

But at the same point it sucks, I was really looking forward to this amp.

I don't know if I can afford to go out and buy it from the only retailer in town. :cry: :banghead:

[jimmyp58]

I just sent you a PM.

[PewterTA]

Jim, that's a really great deal you have, if anyone is looking for an amp, I would highly suggest talking with Jim!!!

I wish I could afford to do something like that as that is a great deal! I just don't know if I can wait to save up the extra money or not...

Hee hee.

Just sucks when things don't work out and you get your hopes up for nothing. :M