Matching system

[Parsonsk]

How important to you is it that all of your gear matches? I'm considering a rotel 1080 amp, 1070 pre amp and then use my existing sony cd player and a friends tuner....would that bug you?

[Fishy]

Would me. My processor is the black faced, when the rest of the kit is of the silver/black version.

Fish

[RebelMan]

I would say pretty important. It wouldn't have bugged me as much in the past as it would now. I think this is because some manufacturers are capable of producing quality products throughout all of their lines more so now then before.

[benny]

Is your existing Sony up to snuff? I've got a 1070 pre and amp, with a 1070 CD as well as a cheap Sony I'm using as a SACD player. When I have to use the Sony in place of the Rotel, the sound quality crashes. Unless you're using some really nice ES gear, you're not going to get the potential out of your components. It's also nice to gaze at a rack of "matching" gear....

[soundhound]

I just added Parasound T3 tuner and think it blends nicely with my Rotel. Black w/ red led's may not fit so well, but silver/ blue works. Its a matter of personal preference.

[GregoriusM]

GIGO - Garbage in, Garbage out.

I've only come to realize in the last few months how much the input devices, even how they are mounted, have a HUGE effect on the sound.

You can have the best pre-pro, amps, speakers, etc. but if you don't have something at least close, you're not getting the sound that you paid for from your speakers, receiver, pre-pro/amps, etc.

I took the time to listen to a cheap CD player in a mid-fi (Rotel level) system, and then listened to the same, reasonably well recorded, CD using a mid-fi CD player, and I just about fell off of my chair.

Then he added "pads" under the CD player, and the sound was even better - noticeably.

And I was listening to $2000 speakers - just the mains.

I WAS happy with my cheap Sony DVD player and cheap Sony CD player, but not any more.

My next upgrade will be probably a Denon 3910, or if Rotel comes out with something decent before then, I'll see if I like it.

As far as LOOKS, yes, I want my system to look as much as possible the same i.e. all black, etc. BUT, the SOUND is paramount. I can build a decent rack that can hide anything that I don't like the looks of (if I want to), but it's the sound that makes the difference.

I'm not going to hold myself to one manufacturer just for the looks.

However, IF that component from that manufacturer, in my case Rotel, fulfills my desire for better sound, then yes, the looks will come into play.

However, if it doesn't, then I have no problem pairing a Denon DVD player, with a Rotel receiver, etc.

Looks are perception. If looks are important to you, and you can have the looks and the sound, that's perfect.

If I can't have the looks AND the sound, I'm going for the sound (although I really would like the looks too.)

Rotel.... please come out with a Universal DVD/DVD-A/SACD player to match my Rotel components.

My "humble" opinion as always.

Greg

[PewterTA]

That sony CD player would definitely have to go... If you want really good sound (not talking athestics in anyway on my comments).

I'd highly recommend looking into the RCD-1072 or Cambridge Audio Azur 640c (I demoed both for a week and chose the latter). Both of these CD players will make music sound LEAPS AND BOUNDS better over the Sony CD player.

As for a tuner, I agree with soundhound the Parasound T3 tuner or Rotel RT-1080 are phenominal for listening to the radio. I got the RT-1080 to keep looks about the same (plus got it really cheap) and it makes radio stations sound very close to the BEST that Sony CD player will ever output.