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A week ago I took the opportunity to audition Rotel's newest power amplifier member, the RMB-1077. It was a first impression that... well... didn't impress but it didn't unimpress either. This stands to reason as the competition was rather unfair to start with. The results were hardly surprising given that a mostly audiophile grade lineup was going up against a mostly HT grade lineup, which consisted of the RMB-1077. (Both cases utilized all Rotel gear.) Hence, it was not only appropriate but necessary that a second demonstration consisting of a more controlled setup be given.
As many of us know, most dealerships are not conducive to conducting controlled listening tests. Not surprising, as most are in the business for selling equipment and not testing it. Be that as it may, the salesman, whom I worked with before (last week) accommodated my desire to conduct a more controlled audition by enlisting one of their custom installers to assist.
The enclosed room was standard fair replicating typical sound damping materials one would find in an average home such as carpeted floors and several moderately sized paintings scattered throughout the room. The room measured about 20Wx15Lx10H feet and the listening position, consisting of a leather couch, was centered about ten feet away from each speaker.
A wide equipment rack, waist high, was situated to the left and several pairs of stand mounted bookshelf speakers were to be had on the right. Immediately in front of the couch sat a coffee table. Flush against the wall and sandwiched between the two speakers sat a credenza that supported the equipment under test. No windows or other highly reflective material was present in the room other than the double glass doors that led in from the back and to the right.
The equipment for review included Rotel's RMB-1077 and RMB-1095 and Classe's CA-2200 power amplifiers. Each working in tandem with Classe's CDP-100 CD player and CP-500 pre-amplifier and B&W 803S's speakers. The music of choice was Fourplay's Fourplay, Track 1 "Bali Run" , Track 5 "Max-O-Man" and Track 10 "Wish You Were Here." Other than the power amplifiers that alternated between the rest of the gear, nothing changed. Not the inputs, not the controls, nor the speakers. Only the power amplifiers and manually at that. No switching devices of any kind. All equipment and speakers met or exceeded their respective break in periods. The speakers sat about 4 to 5 feet from the back wall and were spread about 8 feet apart.
The session began with the RMB-1077. As before I wanted to distinguish if this amp lacked any air. All three tracks consist of good use of piano keys, cymbals and tambourines. Like before the upper details were all there, perhaps a tad bit dry but present. Though it didn't turn me off I just noticed it. However, what sent me wheeling was the power and authority of bass produce from the same tracks that are also littered with percussion and bass guitar. I have seen many people comment on the strengths of Class-D amplifiers when it comes low end delivery and the RMB-1077 was no exception. It was impressive. In fact it brought to life the 803S's in such a way that I insisted that the installer had the 803D's hooked up and not the 803S's. I questioned him about this on several occasions. Still unwilling to take his word, I checked for myself. It was in fact the 803S's!
Next stop was the RMB-1095. I noted nothing spectacularly different between the 1077 and the 1095. However, I got the sense that the 1095 was a little more expressive on top. Slightly analytical sounding but not harsh. Bass seemed ample but not quite as pronounced as with the 1077.
Going back and forth between the 1077 and 1095 several times afforded me a consistent impression of each amps relative strengths and weaknesses. Now was the time for Classe's CA-2200 to enter the picture. My first reaction to the CA-2200 seemed to be its ability to capture my attention in a way that neither of the other two amps did or could. The CA-2200 embraced the qualities of the music and set it free to be one with the listener. The sound was simply put smooth and pleasant. It seemed to take and improve upon the best elements of the other two amps, the 1077 for its prodigious bass and the 1095 for its presentation of sound-staging.
Bearing in mind that these subjective observations "seemed" to hold true, and my descriptions of each distinguished, I realized that the differences while noticeable really weren't that... well... different. It was mostly a different "feeling" that I got when listening to each not that the music reproduced was that much different. I spent considerable time carefully listening to each and to be honest I suspect I would be hard pressed to differentiate one from another had this been a double blind A/B/X test. It was that close. (This coming from a person that recently scored a perfect hearing test.) Which leads me to conclude, and what I always believed, that next to the quality of the recording, room acoustics and speakers, the pre-amplifier and source device take precedence in-terms of accurate sound reproduction under normal listening conditions such as these.
Therefore, I conclude that the RMB-1077 would make a fine addition to ANY system!
P.S. On another note. The Classe' setup (source device, pre-amplifier and power amplifier) breathed new life into the 803S's in such a way, and I am NOT exaggerating, that it may completely negate any immediacy to upgrade my speakers to either the 803D's or the 802D's, it was that damn good. I believe I have FINALLY found the enveloping sound that I have been searching for so long from my 803S's. As many of you probably know by now how overly impressed I am with Bryston. I say without hesitation that they now have some serious competition on their hands.
As many of us know, most dealerships are not conducive to conducting controlled listening tests. Not surprising, as most are in the business for selling equipment and not testing it. Be that as it may, the salesman, whom I worked with before (last week) accommodated my desire to conduct a more controlled audition by enlisting one of their custom installers to assist.
The enclosed room was standard fair replicating typical sound damping materials one would find in an average home such as carpeted floors and several moderately sized paintings scattered throughout the room. The room measured about 20Wx15Lx10H feet and the listening position, consisting of a leather couch, was centered about ten feet away from each speaker.
A wide equipment rack, waist high, was situated to the left and several pairs of stand mounted bookshelf speakers were to be had on the right. Immediately in front of the couch sat a coffee table. Flush against the wall and sandwiched between the two speakers sat a credenza that supported the equipment under test. No windows or other highly reflective material was present in the room other than the double glass doors that led in from the back and to the right.
The equipment for review included Rotel's RMB-1077 and RMB-1095 and Classe's CA-2200 power amplifiers. Each working in tandem with Classe's CDP-100 CD player and CP-500 pre-amplifier and B&W 803S's speakers. The music of choice was Fourplay's Fourplay, Track 1 "Bali Run" , Track 5 "Max-O-Man" and Track 10 "Wish You Were Here." Other than the power amplifiers that alternated between the rest of the gear, nothing changed. Not the inputs, not the controls, nor the speakers. Only the power amplifiers and manually at that. No switching devices of any kind. All equipment and speakers met or exceeded their respective break in periods. The speakers sat about 4 to 5 feet from the back wall and were spread about 8 feet apart.
The session began with the RMB-1077. As before I wanted to distinguish if this amp lacked any air. All three tracks consist of good use of piano keys, cymbals and tambourines. Like before the upper details were all there, perhaps a tad bit dry but present. Though it didn't turn me off I just noticed it. However, what sent me wheeling was the power and authority of bass produce from the same tracks that are also littered with percussion and bass guitar. I have seen many people comment on the strengths of Class-D amplifiers when it comes low end delivery and the RMB-1077 was no exception. It was impressive. In fact it brought to life the 803S's in such a way that I insisted that the installer had the 803D's hooked up and not the 803S's. I questioned him about this on several occasions. Still unwilling to take his word, I checked for myself. It was in fact the 803S's!
Next stop was the RMB-1095. I noted nothing spectacularly different between the 1077 and the 1095. However, I got the sense that the 1095 was a little more expressive on top. Slightly analytical sounding but not harsh. Bass seemed ample but not quite as pronounced as with the 1077.
Going back and forth between the 1077 and 1095 several times afforded me a consistent impression of each amps relative strengths and weaknesses. Now was the time for Classe's CA-2200 to enter the picture. My first reaction to the CA-2200 seemed to be its ability to capture my attention in a way that neither of the other two amps did or could. The CA-2200 embraced the qualities of the music and set it free to be one with the listener. The sound was simply put smooth and pleasant. It seemed to take and improve upon the best elements of the other two amps, the 1077 for its prodigious bass and the 1095 for its presentation of sound-staging.
Bearing in mind that these subjective observations "seemed" to hold true, and my descriptions of each distinguished, I realized that the differences while noticeable really weren't that... well... different. It was mostly a different "feeling" that I got when listening to each not that the music reproduced was that much different. I spent considerable time carefully listening to each and to be honest I suspect I would be hard pressed to differentiate one from another had this been a double blind A/B/X test. It was that close. (This coming from a person that recently scored a perfect hearing test.) Which leads me to conclude, and what I always believed, that next to the quality of the recording, room acoustics and speakers, the pre-amplifier and source device take precedence in-terms of accurate sound reproduction under normal listening conditions such as these.
Therefore, I conclude that the RMB-1077 would make a fine addition to ANY system!
P.S. On another note. The Classe' setup (source device, pre-amplifier and power amplifier) breathed new life into the 803S's in such a way, and I am NOT exaggerating, that it may completely negate any immediacy to upgrade my speakers to either the 803D's or the 802D's, it was that damn good. I believe I have FINALLY found the enveloping sound that I have been searching for so long from my 803S's. As many of you probably know by now how overly impressed I am with Bryston. I say without hesitation that they now have some serious competition on their hands.
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