New member. 10 year Rotel owner, have new Rotel items and not sure what to keep?

[CellarMan]

Ok, serious help needed if possible please.

I have just acquired quite a bit of Rotel gear, all about 18 months old supplied to me in mint condition with all boxes, manuals etc and original receipt.

I have owned for about 10 years a Rotel RB-990BX, RC-990BX & RCD-965BX, still immaculate and going strong. Never let me down.

I would like advice on which would be the best to keep, as I will sell some of it for sure, it is just too much in total.

I am a big stereo fan, but now wish to use what I have to also move into Home theatre, but NOT lose the wonderful quality I have for stereo.
I cannot accommodate two systems.
I don’t see myself ever having more than 5.1 set up.
So
2 x RB-1080’s
1 x RB-1070
1 x RMB-1075
1 x RSP-1098
1 x RT-1080
1 x RCD-1072
1 x RC-1070
Plus my original gear as 1st mentioned.

My area of confusion is really twofold, which amps to keep for the best possible results? and how good the RSP-1098 will be for feeding a CD player through, will it not be as good as the dedicated stereo pre-amp?
Is it possible to still use a stereo pre-amp fed by the CD, which then feeds into the RSP-1098, some form of bypass? Or is this a nonsense idea?

I have been too fortunate I think; please help if you can.

Thanks
CellarMan

[aud19]

You can run your 2-ch system via bypass through the 1098 so that's solved :T

Man to have your problems!!!!! :P

So keep the RC1070, RT1080, RCD1072 and RSP1098 for sure. As for amps.... That depends on whether your speakers are bi-ampleable or not and also how many amps you'd like to keep.... You could power your mains/surrounds with the 1080's and bi-amp the centre with the 1070 in a 5.1 setup ditching the 1075. You could use the 1075 for your surrounds and have 2-ch's to spare if you ever go 7.1 (or for a second zone) then use one (or two :P) 1080's for your mains and ditch the 1070... Lot's of options really...

:drool:

[aud19]

Oh and you can send the "leftovers" to me!!!! :P :P :drool:

[CellarMan]

Oh and you can send the "leftovers" to me!!!! :P :P :drool:

Hi, I feel I got a very good deal ops: and I am so grateful for such an early response , genuinely i am, but I cannot give bits away

First the news on bypass is fantastic for me to hear :T , the rest of your comments I will slowly digest

Thanks again, I only stumbled on this forum, but already I am so thankfull I did. ;x( ;x(

CellarMan

[Kevin D]

All right, I'm calling Rotel to see where the truck got robbed! Since most would compare the bypass on the 1098 to the RC1070, ditch the RC1070. Tuner and CD keep. Then it's just down to the amps.

Really need more info on your speakers, but really you have an odd set of amps you would't normally assemble. I would sell the 1070, one 1080, and the 1075. Take that money and get a 1095. That would give you a nice 1080 on the fronts and equal wattage on the other channels with an extra two for *possible* 7.1 or a lot of multiroom speakers.

Of course you have enough there you could probably get rid of all the amps and pick up a RB1090 and an RMB1095 and have a killer 2ch setup with awesome home theater.

Now if you could just find a B&W truck...

Kevin D.

[aud19]

CellarMan, Kevin brings up some good points. I think to know what amps will work best for you, we'll need more info on your speakers

Seen as how you already have the gear too, it will be easy for you to hook up the 1098/RC1070 and confirm to your ears which sounds better (if either). As Kevin mentioned the difference is likely small to none. So while you could run both, it might be easier not to and sound no worse

[gianni]

CdellarMan,

If you decide to sell the RB-1070 amp, I may be interested.

[gd]

In addition to describing your speakers, also let us know if you're interested in hi-res multichannel music (DVD-A, SACD)... yet another factor in amp recommendation to resolve your 'predicament'.

[scient]

CellarMan, what I wouldn't give to have problems like yours h:

I think Kevin has a really good point. If you want as few amps as possible I would suggest that you sell the other stuff and go with RB1090 and the RB1095. You could keep the 1072 that should be an excellent transport and the 1098 should serve as a great processor.

Info on your speakers would be real helpful though.

But anyway you decide to go you should have a kickass system :T

[H.Donald]

Sorry,but I gotta ask....how do you get all this at once....did a truck flip over?

[CellarMan]

Overwhelmed, Thank You to All

Hi, to everyone, the response is rather overwhelming.

I was lucky to purchase the whole lot off someone who ran two systems and then ran into money problems. I bought the whole lot as it was an excellent deal and I got the original receipt, so no truck involved :T

My front speakers at present are KEF Model Three Two's, rears KEF Model One's and 200C centre.

I do own some DEF-Techs, but other than the centre (which is great I think) I have never really tried them. They are BP10's, CLR1000 and BPX 1.2 (I think)
I was going to have two systems but now that is not possible, which is why I started accumulating everything.

I appreciate the comments so far, and I like the suggestions of the bigger Rotel gear, but feel I have enough of a headache now, without selling all to replace again, but I may I expect now I will be advised that all my speakers need to go to get something more compatible ops:

I have not been too impressed by multi-channel music when I have had a demo, I think I just prefer straight stereo for music.

No one has mentioned poor old 990's :E , I suppose that will just go on aesthetic grounds as much as anything, has a great phono stage though :T

Look forward to some more thoughts and advice

Cheers

CellarMan

[aud19]

Nothing wrong with Kef's my man, great speakers :T However if you did decide to upgrade to something newer/better, you'll get no arguments from anyone here! (We're upgrade junkies...:lol: )

But based on that info and your preference for 2-ch music I'd definitely concentrate on some juice for those mains. I'm guessing you've pretty much got all the peripherals and pre/pro's decided and it's mostly the amps to decide on now. I'd say it depends on how many you'd like to keep. Your speakers are bi-wire/bi-ampable so you could use every last amp if you like. The two 1080's biamping your mains, the 1070 biamping your centre, the 1075 biamping your surrounds and still have one channel left for a centre rear surround. The obvious and likely easiest would be the 1075 and one or two 1080's for your mains, you could always keep the 1070 for a second zone or sell it off (for a really good price to your friend aud19 :P ) Too many options really for us to decide what's best for you

[gd]

I have not been too impressed by multi-channel music when I have had a demo, I think I just prefer straight stereo for music... No one has mentioned poor old 990's :E , I suppose that will just go on aesthetic grounds as much as anything, has a great phono stage though :T

I'm less enthusiastic about bi-amping than others here... so I might be inclined to suggest maintaining a more streamlined system: 1072, 1098, 1075, one 1080 for the mains -- and the tuner if you need it... you can still tinker with bi-amping the mains this way, if you're curious to do so.

But with so many amps at your disposal, and a lingering possibility to change speakers, I'd also hang on to all the power amps and take the opportunity to try different hookups to see which does sound best, before sending anything out to pasture.

Myself, I enjoy multi-ch music and would keep all three 200w x 2 amps, and would be very unconcerned about the cosmetic differences.

The 900 series... well, they are great (the only Rotel I currently own is a 900-series integrated and CDP, and they won't be replaced anytime soon), but all the new stuff you've acquired has kinda superceded them... especially if you won't keep two separate systems (like I do)... phono section? -- since you're a 2-channel guy, I say sell off the 900-series and treat yourself to a nice new phono pre.

Have fun.

[CellarMan]

Thanks to all who have contributed so far :T

On reading the vast amount of info available hear, i am comcerned about my 1080's, i.e the much talked about fuse issue.

The person I bought them from said they have never gone, but to be fair it had very, very little use.
As I am the second owner and assume I will have no claim with Rotel if I get a problem (I am correct there?) can they be easily replaced by a competent TV engineer?

Is the fault within a batch of serial numbers so i can check?
Does the load presented by various speakers play a part in whether the problem occurrs?

Would appreciate comments please.

Thanks

CellarMan

[soundhound]

CellarMan, the 1080 is a fine amp. Many of us have run them for some time w/o issue. I believe the "problem" is the exception, not the rule. One of the mods here, or vets, had posted recently about staying away from his 12v trigger and that alleviated his problem, rather than sending it in for the fix.

[CellarMan]

Hello to all.

Well I have done a lot of listening and a lot of testing.

Apart from being impressed with everything I have made some decisions I think :E

All was going well 'till I started reading the thread on the 1077 :

Here is what I have decided, I think, please shoot me down if it sounds wrong.

I could tell no real difference between my old 990BX amp and the 1080's

I think I am going to sell the 2 x RB-1080's, the RMB-1075, the RB-1070 and the RC-1070.

I am going to buy an RMB-1077 as soon as it is available in the UK.

I will keep the 1098 and RC-990BX/RC-990BX just in case I am not satisfied with the two channel performance.

Does anyone think I should keep one of the 1080's

Thanks

cellarman

[aud19]

If you can afford to keep one to compare..... I don't see why not? You can always sell it later... or send it to me... I'll even pay shipping!!! :B :yesnod:

[billy0544]

CellarMan,
If you decide to sale the RMB 1075, please let me know, I am very interested. Thanks!

[CellarMan]

CellarMan,
If you decide to sale the RMB 1075, please let me know, I am very interested. Thanks!

Of course.
I am trying to find somewhere that has a 1077 set up at the moment to demo it.

Cheers