Different RB-1080?

[RebelMan]

My RB-1080 looks different. It has the Lucas THX Ultra logo on the front and the back has two pairs of binding posts, (four posts for each channel). Does this seem right to anyone?

The logo was a big surprise. Even the picture on Rotel's web site doesn't have this. And I wasn't expecting the extra binding posts either. Again Rotel's back panel pdf only shows one pair for each channel. Did something change?

By the way, what do I do with the extra binding posts? Seems to work without them.

Thanks.

[Kens1]

Mine has the exact same thing as yours. I bought mine in February so I'm not sure if this has changed recently or not?

[Radec]

The 4 posts were added so you could bi-wire if you like. Mine has 4 posts as well. I'm not sure when this was changed but it was a while ago.

As for the THX logo, you can do searches as I beleive it has been discussed, but I'm sure Rotel paid a pretty penny to get that fancy logo. My $199 PC speakers are THX certified, so I sure hope my 1k amp is :wink:

[RebelMan]

The 4 posts were added so you could bi-wire if you like. Mine has 4 posts as well.

I have the speakers bi-wired using a 2-way(amp) to 4-way(speaker) cable. Should I have a 4-way(amp) to 4-way(speaker) cable? Does it really matter?

[Radec]

I have the speakers bi-wired using a 2-way(amp) to 4-way(speaker) cable. Should I have a 4-way(amp) to 4-way(speaker) cable? Does it really matter?

Tough question. I'd imagine you can/will get many different opinions on Bi-wiring in general. In fact, here's a few good arguments.......

FOR Bi-wiring:

http://www.soundstage.com/synergize/synergize031998.htm

and AGAINST Biwiring:

http://www.cobaltcable.com/product/single_speaker_cable.htm

I guess you have to make a decision on whether or not it is worth it.




To the mods: The article is on a "brand X" speaker wire website. I linked it as I didn't want to copy/paste a huge article, but if you would like me to, I will replace the links with the text. Thanks.

[RebelMan]

FOR Bi-wiring:
http://www.soundstage.com/synergize/synergize031998.htm

According to this article it would seem that the extra binding posts on my RB-1080 are a matter of convience and nothing more.

My speaker cables were specifically designed for bi-wiring. The amp end has one positive and one negative connector. The speaker end has two positive and two negative connectors. I suppose if I bought two separate speaker cables (instead of a custom bi-wire one), each with two connectors on both ends, connecting them to an amp with four binding posts (per channel) would be much simpler than an amp with only two binding posts (per channel).

I could connect each positive end and each negative end (four connections for each channel) to the correspond binding posts on the amp, without having to twist the (unterminated) postive ends together, likewise with the negative ends, and then "craming" them into a single (corresponding) connection.

It would seem, in my case, that the "extra" connections on the amp can go unused.

Please correct me if I misunderstood.

Thanks Radec.

[Radec]

I think I agree with you that according to the article your setup will give you the same advantages if you were to use both. Maybe someone with more a more elecrical background can help, but I'd say no need to change anything. However, YOUR ears will be the determinig factor in the end.

[Mitchell]

My 1080 that i got in Sept 04 has the THX logo. Biwiring is supposed to half some sonic advantages. Perhaps some of the more experienced members can chime in with the answer but it is not just for convenience. Better bass I believe is one of the supposed advantages.
Hope this is helpful

[RebelMan]

I understand that bi-wiring may have some advantages, but this is not my concern as I have chosen to do so. In this particular case, however, it would seem that there are two ways to bi-wire.

One way is by using two speaker cables (per channel), and thus using all four binding posts on the amp. The other way would be to use a specialized bi-wired cable (which I have), and thus only "needing" to use two binding posts (per channel) on the amp. Am I correct in assuming this? Or do you "have" to use all four posts, regardless of the type of cable being used? Does my bi-wire cable (amp side) need to be split in two (for four connections)?

[soundhound]

True bi-amping has sonic advantages, bi-wiring will net you nothing unless you have inferior wire and/ or speakers to begin with.

[RebelMan]

Curious, soundhound, do your speakers support bi-wiring?

[srb]

There is no difference electrically whether you use a bi-wire cable assembly connected to just one set of speaker outputs on the amp, or use two separate speaker cables connected to both pairs of outputs.

The "2-pair" of posts per channel amplifiers are just more versatile - you can use bi-wire cables if you already own those, or if you have a standard set of cables already, you can simply buy a second pair to bi-wire.

For the "tweakers", though, it does allow you to try a different type/design/material of cable for the tweeter as opposed to the woofer.

[Kens1]

I have custom bi wire speaker cables as well. Two sets at the speaker end with one set at the amp end so I only use one set of binding posts on the 1080 and the sound is fine. I am not going to change to bi wire on each end speaker wire because it is my opinion that the sound will not change much, if at all. I could see there being a sonic difference if you had two different amps and you wired one set to one amp for the bass and the other set to the other amp for the highs.

[soundhound]

RebelMan, yes they do. I had bi-amped them, and it makes a noticable difference. My only problem was trying to mix the best ht set-up along with the best 2 channel audio system I could would have required 2 racks in the room. 1 rack with everything on it next to the t.v, furnishings, 8 speakers including sub, in a 15x16x7 room gets a tad crowded. And I have to many other things to spend $$ on this time of year instead of building a complete 2 channel set up from scratch for the dining room.

[RebelMan]

FYI: Rotel tells me the THX Ultra logo is (still) there because they already paid for the certification years ago and continue to have the right to use it on "legacy" products like the RB-1080, which has been around for about 6 years now. New products will no longer carry the THX logo, and I believe this fact was already mentioned in another post.

By the way, the extra binding posts were added on about a year and a half ago, as part of a "refresh" to the line. According to Rotel, they were added for (bi-wiring) convience, and there is no effect on the amp's performance if they are not used.