Hi all, was wondering if anyone has, or is using a 2 channel pre-amp with their HT system. I thought about getting a pre-amp and routing it through one of the analog inputs of my RSP-1068. Then using the bypass mode for that particular input. How much would I have to spend to notice an improvement in sound? I was thinking about one of the older Rotel pre's. One with a phono input.
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Good idea but wrong way round...
Route the rotel into the analogue pre amp.
it's pointless buying a seperate pre-amp then putting it into the Rotel.. just use the Rotel... BUT you put the output from the Rotel into this for Front L&R for movies and patch the rest of the analogue stuff into the Pre amp.
Seriously if you buy a sepearate preamp and run it through Rotel might as well just run the rotel, but the other way round you use the Rotel for processing/decoding movies etc... but the pre-amp for all the stereo sources.
I've done this in the past and it worked fine. Just put the pre-out from the Front L&R into an input on the seperate preamp.
Ideally you will have a pre-amp with a fixed input... So it will always be the same volume on that input. Then it's just a case of using a sound meter to go through the test tones and get the right level. for that. If you don't have a fixed level on one channel. Then what you need to do is make sure you know where the volume knob has to be when you are on that input.
Alternatlvely... get a Power amp that has two inputs one from the Rotel processor and one from the stereo pre-amp. Then just press a button on the Power amp to switch.
No matter how good the bypass mode on the Rotel is you are just wasting the potential of a better pre-amp if you then just put it through the bypass of the Rotel.
Steff
As an example the Arcam FMJ A32 integrated or C30 pre have a fixed level input so you use it in cd / tuner / whatever for those devices plugged directly into the relevent input on the Arcam... NOT the Rotel, and then the pre outs for The FL and FR channels from Rotel go into the L & R on the processor input... Switch to Processor and it runs the front two channels of the Rotel."Whether sad, angry, distressed, eager, or playful, elephants are this in a big way"
"The way in which our society deals with minorities is a guide to our civilisation." -
DOH!!! I just noticed what you said an older Rotel pre... To be honest don't bother I don't think they are any better than the 1068 as a pre-amp. Unless you have it already and just want it for the phono, then yeah I guess your first way is fine.
If you haven't got the phono stage already... can't you just buy a phono amp and stick that into one of hte inputs.
steff
Who wasted my long post because you dont' really want to do what I got all excited and thought you wanted to do
ops:
"Whether sad, angry, distressed, eager, or playful, elephants are this in a big way"
"The way in which our society deals with minorities is a guide to our civilisation."Comment
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I like the 2 channel sound from the 1068. Thought that adding a decent pre-amp might be slightly better. I figured that for the cost of a phono pre-amp I might as well get a 2 channel pre with a phono built in.Comment
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I use a Audio Research (ARC) Tube Pre that has a pass through for HT. Meaning when watching movies, I turn on my Rotel pre/pro and switch the ARC to processor. Works great and is awesome for 2 channel audio. Best of both worlds if you ask me.
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I have separated stereo/HT setup
For stereo I use a Rotel RC-1070 combined with an RB-1070
For HT I have a RSX-1056.
both (output from RC-1070 and front channels from RSX-1056) are connected to a QED IX20 2 way input expander, which is connected to the RB-1070
I just have to push the button on the QED to switch sources, a simple and not so expensive solution.
I'm now saving up to complete my setup with an RMB-1075 (for center, surround and rear channels), an RCD-1072 and an RT-1080.Comment
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n3philim, a ht pass through from a pre-amp, very cool.
bartk, I actually had a rotel pre-anp in mind. sounds like a good idea. Have you noticed any sound degration using the QED?Comment
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Delray,
no I did not notice any sound degradation at all.
The only thing you have to think of is to push the button when you want to switch from Stereo to HT (otherwise you could be watching a movie without the front channels as I have already experienced a few times)
but for me it works perfectly.Comment
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I used to run an Anthem Pre-2L with HT bypass with my old RSX-965. Sold the Anthem before I upgraded to an RSX-1055, but the Anthem was definite upgrade for 2-channel. I don't really follow the logic of sticking with Rotel if you're trying for an appreciable improvement in SQ. Be adventurous and look around. There are several nice preamps (especially tubed) that will give you substantial 2-channel improvement at a reasonable cost.Comment
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Gents,
I haven't spent much time around these parts, but I thought I'd look to the collective wisdom of the 'Audio Hideout'. I'm about to make my first venture into dedicated 2 channel audio and I'm in a search for a quality solid state preamp with a phono input.
My... -
:?:I purchased a Rotel RQ970BX phono preamp to use with my Shure MM cartdrige. Unfortunally the output gain on this phono preamp is very low at ablut 35db. I need to increase it to 40 to 42db. I understand that two resistors need to changed. Does anybody know what resistor need the change and to what... -
I am looking for a phono stage to go with my rsx-1055.
I thought about buying a used RC-8xx or RC-9xx preamp with a phono stage instead of a new RQ-970. The RC's can be bought at a much lower price than the RQ and they include headphone output as well.
Is there any reason... -
anyone who has Rotel1570- how good is the phono stage?
I currently have a Lehman black cube I use with AVR.
Considering the 1570 and curious if I will need the cube.
Also how would you bypass the internal phono stage?
Would I still connect to phono into or do I go... -
I'm going to write a little bit about these 2 Rotel amps from my experience with both in my system at the same time.
Setup:
SqueezeBox3 -> Rotel RC1070 preamp -> Rotel RB1070/Rotel RB1090 -> Martin Logan Summits -> Joey's ears
Build:
The 1070 is...
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