Rotel VS Arcam

[nick.h]

Hi,

Im looking at upgrading my a/v. I currently have a HK AVR5550 (7x75watts)

Option 1:

Rotel RMB-1095 RRP: $3,199.00 (5x200watts)
Rotel RSP-1068 RRP: $2,399.00


VS

Option 2:

Arcam DiVA P1000 $4,998.00 (7x135watts)
Arcam DiVA AVP700 $4,998.00 (HDMI)

Which one would you choose?

[fordster]

Seeing as you're in the Rotel forum I'm guessing that most (but probably not all) people will vote Rotel! I'll back up my own statement by saying that every time I've listened to Arcam equipment I've not been impressed and have chosed Rotel every time. This even includes equipment way more expensive than the Rotel kit I ended up buying. Having said that I know some people prefer Arcam so you need to listen to both for yourself.

[grit]

For the cost on the Arcam stuff, I'd pick a different brand. I personally think you're doing an apples/oranges comparrison here, simply because you're talking about $5500 of electronics vs. $10,000 of electronics.

So, if you want to stay at the Rotel price point, I think Rotel is great stuff. If you want to spend more along the lines of $10k, I'd look at Ayre, Classe, and Krell.

[shadow]

In the US, the Arcam duo is only about 10% more than the Rotels you are looking at. If it were me at US prices, I would get the Arcam pre and the 1095. At your prices, the differences in sound are not worth double the money IMO.

[kurtholz]

I agree, i would shop online, but consider something different, at the $10,000 range you could do a Krell HTS 7.1 processor and a HTS 5 channel that will blow either of those choices out of the water,( used but like new)

i do really like the Arcam dv29 as a player though, they are a big bang for the buck here in the USA

good luck

Kurt

[shadow]

I think the original post was in Aussie dollars and I do not know what the exchange rate would be to make it in US dollars, but I suspect Krell is way more than Arcam or Rotel in Australia.

[AM4966]

My wife and I have been Auditioning Rotel and Arcam, and it looks like we are about 99% sure that we are going to go with Arcam(Just auditioned it on Monday). However, we are not going to go with Arcam Seperates, but with the AVR 350 and if it was Rotel it would have been either the 1057 1068 and 1075....Since here in the states the $$$ are very close between the two and in our opinion the Arcam just sounds better. This does not say that the Rotel does not sound good, just we like the Arcam more.

AM

[slowrey]

My wife and I have been Auditioning Rotel and Arcam, and it looks like we are about 99% sure that we are going to go with Arcam(Just auditioned it on Monday). However, we are not going to go with Arcam Seperates, but with the AVR 350 and if it was Rotel it would have been either the 1057 1068 and 1075....Since here in the states the $$$ are very close between the two and in our opinion the Arcam just sounds better. This does not say that the Rotel does not sound good, just we like the Arcam more.

AM

I too looked at the Arcam however with the lack of HDMI vs. the 1057 and over double the price it wasn't worth it to me.