1055 plus 1070 or 1066 plus 1075

[Glen1]

Hi guys,
I can't decide which would be the best way to go. I've read that 1066 is much same as 1055 bar tuner and amps. I'm considering 1066 plus 1075 five channel or 1055 plus 1070 two channel for front. Excluding 6/7.1 are there any advantages/disadvantages of either system and opinion of the better combination. I have a medium sized room and listen to movies and music half/half. I will run all speakers in ht as small and music front probably as large.
Ta,
Glen

[apotts]

I'll throw my oar in!

I'm going to guess that the 1066/1075 will sound better, but the bigger point is that it will give you more options and better upgradeability in the future.

But I'd go for the 1068/1075. Then later add a good quality stereo hifi power amp for CD work. Arcam, Cyrus, Roksan - you know the kind of thing!

Andrew

[KhanhLi]

Hi Glen,
I think that depends on your listening profile. Rsx-1055/RB-1070 will give you better sound in 2-ch stereo and you need not buy a separate tuner. If multi-channel is important to you the Rsp-1066/RMB-1075 could be a better choice.

[aud19]

Keep in mind multi-channel might include SACD / DVD-A listening as well. It's a tough call depending on your individual needs and preferences...

Jason




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[Andrew Pratt]

Is there a chance you'll be able to add another amp down the road? Is 6.1 or 7.1 important to you? Is the 1068 a possibility vs the 1066?

[justaboutnow]

Glen I was in the same dilema last summer. My priority was 2 channel music and I was hoping to combine it with a HT setup. My first trip to the dealer I did an A/B comparison of the RSX 1065(a step up from the 1055)to the 1066/1075 in stereo thru B&W CDM 1NT speakers. For my ears there was a significant improvement with the 1066/1075. After reading many posts here in the forum I was hoping the 1055 with a 1070 running the front speakers would give the same performance as the 1066/1075. So it was back to the dealer for another comparison. Unfortunately he had just sold the demo 1066/1075, so I had to do an alternate comparison. I did an A/B of the RSX 1065 to the RSX 1055/1070 as a pre/pro. To me there was little perceivable difference between the two. Certainly nothing like what I had heard previously bt the RSX 1065 and the 1066/1075. Next I compared the 1055/1070 as pre/pro to a strickly 2 channel pre/pro the RC1070/RB1070. For me the latter was a significant improvement, much like the improvement I had previously found with the 1066/1075 over the RSX1065. NUTS! I hoped that wouldn't be the case. It was a big enough difference that I passed on home theater experience for the time being and brought home the RC1070, RB1070, a tuner, the B&W CDM 1NT's, stands and needed cables and wires. I have been enjoying stereo bliss since.
I will say that the A/B comparison I did between the RSX 1065 and the 1055/1070 as a pre/pro (which again I found little perceivable improvement) was based on the assumption the dealer hooked everything up correctly and used the same quality interconnects that would be used to connect the pre/pro 1066/1075. It was all done behind the demo wall and I have no idea what he was actually doing within the mass of spaghetti.

Now my question to anyone who reads this. I am armed with a tax return and plan on upgrading to HT with a 1066/1075 to go with my RB1070. I hope the 1066 will sound as good in 2 channel as the RC 1070. Does anyone have any opinions? If it doesn't I have seen on this forum of running the front speaker pre outs from the 1066 through a dedicated 2 channel pre amp (in my case the RC1070) then to the 1070amp so I can bypass the 1066 when I listen to stereo. Of course when watching movies I would have to set the RC1070 to a predetermined volume level. Does anybody have any thoughts on this?
Sorry this is so long but I hope it helps you Glen in your search. The 1055 sounds very good for a receiver, but I found if you want the performance of separates in 2 channel you need to go with true separates not a receiver as a pre/pro. I'm sure some will argue but that is what my ears told me. If possible find a willing dealer and compare for yourself