Why dont Rotel make monoblocs anymore?

[bleeding ears]

Hi guys, I am wondering why Rotel dont make monobloc amps anymore?

(I am talking solid state amps here not Class D amps)

Is it because there is no sonic advantage with monoblocs over stereo amps?

My reason for asking this is that I am looking at a pair of Marantz mono blocs
MA6100 which are 2 x 125watt @8ohm.

These Marantz mono blocs usually sell used for a similar cost to the RB1070's new price, so I suspect they may actually be a bit better.


When new the Marantz blocs were around $1600- $1800 Australian which is a similar cost to what a new RB1080 now is.

Anyone compared monos to stereo amps? Particularly the MA6100s to a Rotel stereo amp?

Any comments or info would be helpful.

I suspect that I may get comments in favour of the Rotel stereo amps here, but I would expect the comments to be genuine and unbiased as most appear to be here at Htguide forum.

Thanks guys

Pete

[Aussie Geoff]

Bledding Ears,

Before I joined the world of Rotel I was very temped by the MA-6100s which are nice amps indeed... I ended up with the RB-1080 for the same price as I liked its transparency more.... But it is personal taste they sounded quite different.. The MA-6100 we a little valve like and (for my ears) made things "sweeter" than I liked..

Listen to both if you can!

Geoff

[DUCKY]

Pete,

I just yesterday purchased 2 second hand Vincent SP-T100 mono blocks (see attachment) to replace my RB-1080. New these blocks are about 25% more expensive for a set than the RB-1080.

These blocks are rated 100 W instead of the 200 W of the RB-1080 but I feel they are a significant sonic improvement. I just love them :T

The comparison isn't quite fair though since I am now driving the mono blocks with the Vincent stereo amp instead of the RSX-1056 (in bypass mode). I could hook up the mono blocks to the pre-out of the RSX-1056 to even out that difference.

Bottom line is I moved to a dedicated stereo set and the mono blocks perform excellent (and as a bonus, I think they look sooooooo cooool 8) )

Lennart

[bleeding ears]

Geoff, would that sweeter sound you described be the warm Marantz sound some talk of?

Also what speakers and pre are you using? I know you have a 1072 cd player.

Would you say that the Rotel amps, 1080 and maybe the 1070, are actually 2 monoblocs just in the same box?

Would this be why Rotel dont bother with a single mono amp? or are there some other differences?

What would one call 2 mono blocs in one box?

A bi box or something? LOL :lol:

Hope I havent confused anyone too much.

Thanks
Pete

[bleeding ears]

Ducky, awesome looking setup, those orange coloured lights or gauges look funky!

I bet that setup set you back a few Euro's

If you happen to try out the amps with the Rotel receiver let us know what you hear it would be a very interesting comparison.

Lastly wont the amps get a bit hot with the pre on top stopping air flow?

Pete

[DUCKY]

Bleeding ears

The orange lights are actually lighting a tube in the inner of the amp. The Vincent amps are hybrid (tube and transistor). It is Vincent's try at using the benefits of tube amplification and the advantages of 'regular' amps. Nice try I say :T

The 2 mono blocks and the pre amp set me back 1900 euro (for the complete 2 year old set second hand). My (new) RB-1080 in The Netherlands cost me 1500 euro. I think I made a good deal

Still running my RCD-1072 with the Vincen't amps and using the RSX-1056 with Oppo DVD and Panny AE900 for HT. My finite elemente spider rack is getting a bit crowded though.....The wife won't let me buy another level Damn this WAF......

Lennart

[DUCKY]

Bleeding ears wrote:

Lastly wont the amps get a bit hot with the pre on top stopping air flow?

That was a pre-install snapshot. I now have everything in my spider rack with plenty of room between the mono blocks and the pre.....

Lennart

[bleeding ears]

Lennart, well done a great buy no doubt.

Are you finding the attraction of 2 channel exceeds your need for home theatre?

I could see many people going back to good quality 2 channel setups, I think it may take some a while for the home theatre novelty to wear off though.

I have found the novelty of how much the house shakes with movie explosions etc to be fading and my liking of good 2 channel to be increasing.

It is also a lot cheaper to run 2 channel only.

It sounds like you also have the upgradeitis bug I spoke about in Audio Hideout under "Amplifier sound degradation"

It seems that our other half (wife) is the only ones that can stop this upgrade bug. LOL

Pete :lol:

[DUCKY]

Bleeding Ears wrote:

Are you finding the attraction of 2 channel exceeds your need for home theatre?

In short...Yes.
Good HT will thrill me but good stereo will put a tear to my eye

No really, I can get mighty involved in a movie but little disturbances in sound don't seem to bother me that much when I am watching a movie. When I listen to stereo I close my eyes and the main sense I am using is just 'hearing'. The other sense would be feeling vibrations for example from low notes played on a cello. From this perspective it adds up that I am much more aware of little sound disturbances at that time than when I am using 'sight' as the other main sense in HT. Stereo seems more focussed and HT is a combination of different stimuli. The one not less than the other, but just different.

I am definately 80% a stereo kind of guy

[DTK]

if anybody is interested there is a pair of rotel RMB-100 monoblocs for sale going quite cheap
currently 120Eur

http://www.huuto.net/fi/showitem.php3?itemid=27473531

Finnish version of ebay, I do not know who the seller is.

[mpeak]

Essentially two separate amplifiers sharing only a chassis

Rotel still makes mono amp, it's just that it shares one case. It's called the Rotel RB-1090, but totally separate inside. Truelly a great amp at a great price, you will have to pay 8x the cost to surpass it!

Here is description and specs:

The RB-1090 stands as the premiere example of Rotel's award- winning prowess in amplifier design. At 9.5" tall and close to 100 lbs. in weight, it is a truly formidable power source for the most demanding systems. Essentially two separate amplifiers sharing only a chassis and power cord, the RB-1090 is capable of putting out 380 watts per channel RMS (both channels driven into 8 ohms from 20 Hz to 20 kHz with less than 0.03% THD).

Each of the RB-1090's two totally Independent power supplies is based on two large 1.25 kVA custom made, multiple-secondary toroidal ransformers and four 22,000 µf Slit Foil storage capacitors. This enormous potential feeds an output stage with four pair of power transistors, each rated at over 200 watts with more than 17 amps current capability. (Remember, these are figures for only one of the RB-1090's two channels!) The result is truly prodigious output, making the RB-1090 more than able to meet the worst speaker-induced torture tests. The RB-1090 is stable down to 2 ohms and delivers peak power in excess of 1000 watts under these demanding conditions.

But the RB-1090's real worth lies in its flexibility and sound quality. With both balanced (XLR) and single-ended (RCA) inputs and dual sets of heavy duty, "biwire-ready" 5 way binding posts, the RB-1090 easily interfaces with an encompassing range of system components. The RB-1090 also features a detachable power cord.

Sound quality, the raison d'etre for this amplifier's existence, is stunning. Authoritative bass response extends to below the limits of hearing while mid and high frequencies emerge with a supple liquidity. The result is absolutely involving. You'll literally feel the spirit of whatever source you choose.

S P E C I F I C A T I O N S
Model RB-1090
Power Configurations
Watts/Channel
all channels driven,
unbridged, 8 ohm load,
20 to 20k Hz, 0.03% THD 2x380 watts
-
-
-
-
Total Harmonic Distortion
(20 Hz - 20 kHz) -
-
cont. rated power
one-half rated power
one watt per channel
0.03%, maximum
0.01%, maximum
0.02%, maximum
Intermodulation Distortion
(at rated power, 60Hz:7kHz = 4:1 )
0.03%, maximum
Damping Factor (8 ohms) 1000
Input Impedance/Sensitivity 1.8V / 33 kOhms
Input Overload Level 5V
Frequency Response 10Hz - 100kHz (+- 1dB)
Signal to Noise Ratio (IHF A)
125 dB
Power Consumption: 1200 Watts
Dimensions (W x H x D): 440 x 240 x 398mm
17 3/8" x 9.5 x 15 3/4"
Power Requirements:
115 volts, 60 Hz (U.S. version)
230 Volts, 50 Hz (European version)
Weight (net): 38 kg, 83.6 lbs.

[bleeding ears]

mpeak, yes an awesome amp no doubt.

The only thing you left out was the price. LOL

Never mind I know this baby is out of my price range for now.

How about the 1080 and the 1070 are either of them constructed in the same manneras the 1090?

ie 2 x mono amps inside one box?

Pete

[mpeak]

Yes, the Rotel RB-1090 is the only mono design except for the new Rotel digital mono amps that is out now but they will cost you even more than the RB-1090.

I bought my RB-1090 for $1600.00 from the dealer brand new but this price was given because I also at the same time bought a lot of other Rotel gear. I've seen the Rotel RB-1090 sell used any where from $800 to $1300. You could look at Ebay, Audiogon, or Audioweb for used.

[BWzes03]

The RB-1080 is basically dual-mono that shares the chassis, the powercord and the Toroid Power Transformer, but it has seperate Power trains, seperate rectifiers and seperate buffer elco's on the output stages.
All of it is located on the same PCB though.