Wow, the RCD-1072 is good!

[DUCKY]

After having had a NAD 502 CD player for over 10 years and loving it to bits, I went back to an all Rotel set. I first got the RDV-1060 but after some initial problems I chose to change it for an RCD-1072. The first one I got had a broken transport mechanism. The exchange was painless however and I am now the proud owner of a brand spanking new RCD 1072. Hooked it up to the RSX-1056 and RB-1080. Easy peesy :T

The first hours of listening have gone and I must say, I am impressed. Very clean involving sound, perhaps not quite as neutral as the NAD 502 which I think is a phenominal player for the money. In the lows there is much more weight in the RCD-1072. I put some damping material in the bass pipes of my speakers to tone it down just a bit, since my listening area is not that big.

I hope the RCD-1072 will serve me as well as the old NAD 502 has. If so, I will be a happy camper for the next 10 years (or will I )

Do you guys think that a RC-1090 would bring much improvement in the 2 channel sound, taking into account that I currently use the bypass option on the RSX-1056 and allready use the RB-1080 to drive the speakers?

Cheers,

Lennart

[gianni]

Though the 1090 will be an inprovement over the 1056, I don't think it will be huge (I too considered this) - the 1056 sounds pretty good in bypass.

I would do 2 things:

See what is announced at the CES in January - rumor has it Rotel is coming out with a replacement for the now discontinued RC-1090. It is supposed to be a step up from the 1090 sonically.

Otherwise, I would search for a used truley high end 2 ch preamp - Classe, etc. if nothing new interests you.

I too am really happy with my RCD-1072.

[grit]

Chalk up one more for "very happy" with my Rotel RCD-1072

[chinets]

Very Happy with my RCD-1072 ,probably the best CD for its price anywhere in the market and superb sound!!!! A High end player that should be considered equal or if not better than most of the expensive CD players in the market IMO.

[Orange Peel]

I've been thinking of getting one of these, my CD listening hasn't been that great through my Denon DVD 1600, I wonder if it's worth it?

[wca156]

Add me to the list of happy RCD-1072 owners. It sounds great with my 803S's.

[PewterTA]

The sound quality of the RCD-1072 will blow you away Scott... It's going to be a night and day difference. I only have the Cambridge Audio Azur 640c (slightly less quality than the Rotel 1072) and it's a huge difference over the 1600 when using the DACs of the CA or Rotel.

[Orange Peel]

The sound quality of the RCD-1072 will blow you away Scott... It's going to be a night and day difference. I only have the Cambridge Audio Azur 640c (slightly less quality than the Rotel 1072) and it's a huge difference over the 1600 when using the DACs of the CA or Rotel.

Well I really don't need to hear this

[mr mink]

RCD 1072 - how good? only OK until Minimax

living in Oz it is interesting how much the RCD1072 has been lauded in the US as a mid-fi bargain - whereas in the UK the response has been generally more muted, as they have a better selection of English gear that competes with it at the same price level - Musical Fidelity, Mission etc. In the US people seem to pay silly prices for high end gear, which seems to depend more on price prestige and esoteric "engineering" - so the 1072 is way better value. In Oz I paid A$1100 for my 1072 when I bought it when it had just come out over a year ago - equivalent English CD spinners were way more expensive at $1800-2000, so my sensible buying decision was price based. OK it was an improvement over what I was then using - an earlier Pioneer DVD bought with a view to possible DAC extension. However it did not blow me away as I had hoped. I felt that the CD player was effectively still the weak spot in system (at that time NAD 114 pre, 2 x RB1050 and Castle Avon speakers, vdH cables) - I just thought it was a little harsh/hollow. Then I bought a Minimax valve preamp (probably the best improvement in any hifi component I have ever bought)- and the 1072 was "smoothed out" and I did not have to think about its qualities any more, as the valve sound made such a mellow difference without making it marshmallow. I now fully enjoy CDs again. I also have bought a Pioneer 676 DVD/sacd player (model number 533 in US?) and the sound from that is hardly a disgrace compared to the 1072, 3 times its price.

I have also been impressed by the sound of certain HDCD discs I incidentally have - I especially recommend: Beck- Sea Change, Emmylou Harris, Malian guitarist Djelimady Tounkara-Sigui

[abqnmusa]

I have two RCD-1072's. One with RB-1080 amp and B&W 802's and the other with RA-1070 integrated and CDM-7NT's. Both sound excellent sound and reliable operation.