Help save me my fellow Rotelians!!

[Orange Peel]

I was at my local Ultimate Electronics last night (even though I own my own HT company), and I was looking at new racks, and I just happened to catch a glimps of the Sunfire Cinema Grand stuff, and I'm now debating on whether to sell my Rotel gear and try the Cinema Grand and Theatre grand combo. I was looking at that before my Rotel purchase. I love the 1098/1095 combo I have, but the damn blank screen of my 1098 just bugs me to death, I bought it because I loved the way you can view the movie on it, but with my progressive scan player I can't.

The Sunfire stuff looks VERY nice, they make good stuff last I heard, and I wonder if I would like them better. I'm BIG into looks along with sound quality, I LOVE the silver finish of my Rotel gear, but like I said, ugh, that blank screen just gets to me.

I have also thought of B&K Ref 50.2 as well along with their 5 channel amp.

What should I do????????

[gd]

Save your money... paint the TFT display silver.

[Orange Peel]

Save your money... paint the TFT display silver.

Have you compared the Sunfire to the Rotel personally?

[LikeCoiledSteel]

As far as sound, Sunfire is considered a step above Rotel. I have not personally compared the 2, but other I know preferred their Sunfire to Rotel, especially in the bottom end. Looks are up to you. I go with sound over looks. In the dark it makes no difference, but thats me.
Steel

[Orange Peel]

This is a tough decision, I REALLY like the looks of the Rotel, I would love to have all Rotel components, but their DVD players aren't up to par with what's out there I think. I may just try a new high dollar DVD player and hope it outputs component and composite at the same time so I can utilize the screen on the 1098. It may even sound better and help save me from going to the dark side

[gd]

Have you compared the Sunfire to the Rotel personally?

Was just making a funny... (or maybe not).

I've heard the Sunfire -- at a show -- but have not done a direct head-to-head with Rotel, which I've auditioned in a handful of other environments... the Sunfire sounded great hooked up to JM Lab speakers, but I'd be skeptical whether it would outperform your Rotel kit for the money and effort... of course you know much depends on your room and your personal preferences.

If your current upgrade bug is driven by looks and/or the 1098's TFT, maybe the prudent money move would be to move sideways to a 1068, and lose the TFT in the process.

Or, a bottle of silver model car paint will only set you back $3 or so.

[Race Car Driver]

I was at Ultimate Electronics last weekend, and they had Sunfire stuff marked like 40% off. Was VERY tempting, but not needed.
I have an old Sunfire Theater Grand II, and I like it, but it will probably be sold this spring when I find something to upgrade too.

[Orange Peel]

I was at Ultimate Electronics last weekend, and they had Sunfire stuff marked like 40% off. Was VERY tempting, but not needed.
I have an old Sunfire Theater Grand II, and I like it, but it will probably be sold this spring when I find something to upgrade too.

Yeah I get corp. pricing there, and maybe just for fun I will take one home and return it if I don't notice any difference, probably get rid of my noises though

[soundhound]

Has Mr. Carver changed the sonics of the Sunfire vs his own labeled older stuff? The reason I ask is I have had numerous Carver amps, and head to head they sound thin compared to Rotel.

[DrJRapp]

Scott

Just get a small wireless TV cam/receiver setup and put the cam in the baby's room. Hook that to the 1098! We`watch our pool that way, to make sure strangers stay out.

[audiofan]

Have you also looked at Krell or Arcam? I think Arcam is a bit better in the low end.

[Aussie Geoff]

Hi,

Not much "saving" happening here... :twisted:

Upgraditis is a serious disease... 8O

Seriously though - I have found the Sunfire range to have a lot of "oomph" in the power stakes for HT but to lack musical subtlty, especially for stereo.... You'd need to think carefully about what you were trying to achieve.

Geoff