RSP-1068: Deal or No Deal?

[rhubarbe]

I found a couple of ex-demo RSP-1068s (I'm in the UK) which I can get for £450 each (about $900) complete with a Rotel two year warranty.

Now, I am well aware that this model is due for replacement, maybe as soon as Q3 this year, but most likely later than that. Right now I don't need hdmi switching but I may well do in six months time when I would have to buy an hdmi switch, or hope that the RSP-1069 might be avilable by then.

I'm looking on this purchase as a stopgap, and teaming it with an RMB-1077 (I am more keen on getting the 1077 than the 1068 if I am honest; I like the small size, suits my available space) because I like the idea of any future upgrade only needing to be the pre/pro rather than the amp too.

My choice of pre/pro + amp is being dismissed by a bunch of Naim fanboys as second rate, and though I accept that Rotel doesn't charge the Naim Megabucks, I thought I'd enquire on here to redress the balance.

The Naim AV2 pre/pro is even older a design than the RSP-1068.

Have I gone mad? Is the RSP-1068 so bad as to make me (and I have ordered one) a laughing stock?

The kit I ordered is costing me $2900 whereas the equivalent Naim (even second hand and quite old) will be $6000.

Anybody care to set my mind at rest?

[gianni]

At that price, I would not hesitate, especially considering your position that this will be a stop gap. The 2 year warranty makes it that much more attractive.

The 1068 is no slouch and upgrades from here are incremental rather than quantum leaps. Since it will likey be 2008 before we see a replacement for the 1068, you are in good shape on that front.

I'll bet that once the 1068 is in your system you will not be in a big hurry to get your hands on your next upgrade unless of course you are one of the few that are obsessed with HDMI. Let your Naim friends say what they want, the 1068/1077 is a nice combination. I'd wager that in your sytem, you'd hear little difference between the Rotel and the Naim gear.

My vote: DEAL!

Ignore the Naim fanboys.

[rhubarbe]

Thanks gianni

That's what I thought when I decided to buy it. Personally I don't see the need to drive video through my pre/pro at all though - that's how I ended up with the Naim boys: the AV2 doesn't process video.

The store has some 1098's ex-demo, two years' warranty @ $1900. Is this a better deal than the 1068? I think not but what do you think?

[bleeding ears]

Another Rotel option is to buy a rsp 1066, very similar to the 1068 but heaps cheaper esp on ebay audiogon etc. (try to get one with the later remote)

Around $950 Australian used, not sure what that equates to in your land but the 1066 is a very reliable unit and by most reports sounds great. :T

[gianni]

rhubarbe,

As for the above suggestion for the 1066, I see the following downside on purchasing a used 1066:

1) you won't have the warrranty
2) the 1068 sorted out the bass management quirks in the 1066 and added a few features.
3) the 1068 will be easier to sell down the road.
The 1066 is a good unit too, but the improvements to the 1068 plus the warranty IMO point to the 1068 as the better path.

Regarding your question on the 1098, it is a matter of needs and personal preference. Personally, I'd go with the 1068 as I'd be more than satisfied feature wise. Compared to original price the 1068 ia a better deal and the differences sonically, from what I have heard, are not huge.

Let us know what you decide and how you like it.

[rhubarbe]

I can get an ex-demo 1066 with two years' warranty from a dealer for £299 ($600)....

How bad is the bass management??

[gianni]

It's not that it's bad. Search the forum here and you'll find that it has a double bass issue using the analog inputs. There is also a fix for it - this may or may not be an issue for you. In short, w/ analog inputs when running small (actually all) speakers, a full range signal will still be sent to the main speakers as well as the sub. With digital inputs and newer firmware there is no issue. There is plenty written on this topic here. Search RSX-1055 or RSP-1066 double bass or bass management. Rotel also has an explanation for this on their website (it was designed this way) if you look under support>discontinued models>FAQ.

[rhubarbe]

Ho hum. I haven't heard a peep out of my sub in months. I guess the wiring through the loft is too complicated and I can't work out where the break is. Fortunately, my Polks are full range enough so that we don't notice. Most of the time.

[greenjudas]

I can get an ex-demo 1066 with two years' warranty from a dealer for £299 ($600)....

How bad is the bass management??

At that price it's a steal ! As Gianni said,if you don't want to use Dvd- Audio,SACD then there wont be a problem.
For general use such as cd listening[2ch,5ch,Pro logic2 etc] or dvd[DD,DTS etc] it is fine and there are no double bass issues.
For that price,I would imagine you will be able to get most if not all of your money back in a year or so's time when the new gear comes out.Although its about 4 yrs old now,it still does a mighty fine job and I have no thoughts on replacing my trusty ol' 1066

[lotones]

The 1068's dacs are 192 khz, and from specs I pull up on the net the Naim AV2's dac are only 96 khz. That's a big difference. Also, the 1068 decodes HDCD, and as far as I can tell the Naim doesn't. Unless the Naim has been upgraded since those specs were published, I don't see how the Naim could possibly compare to the 1068 sonically.

Of course, "fanboys" will hear what they want and tell you differently.

[rhubarbe]

'Bout the only other advantage I can see for the Naim is that it's not very tall, thus giving me more space in my rack for other gear.

I s'pose that the 1066/1068 are the height they are because of all the legacy video connections. And I don't want to use it for video.

[gianni]

Regardless of any differences, at the prices you are quoting, all are good deals. You can't go wrong with any of them.

[rhubarbe]

Right. I'll get my tape measure out.

[rhubarbe]

No feet?

Can I run the 1068 in my stack with no feet fitted? It'll be on the bottom of the stack, it'll have no video sources running through it and if I can't I haven't got room for it.

[gianni]

I would not think it would cause any issues. I'd give it a day or two and see if someone around here has a more definite answer. Better yet, call Rotel tech support and ask them the same question. They are always pretty helpful.

[calmac]

I have the 1066 and this runs very warm for a pre amp.The 1066 is only used for audio.The 1068 is said to run less warm however if it has ventilation slots on the bottom as my 1066 does removing the feet will impede air flow particularly if you have another component sitting on top of it.
You can download the manual fro the 1068 from the support section of the Rotel website and have a look at the ventilation requirements.
Gordon

[rhubarbe]

Thanks. I'm clutching at straws here. If only I had been at home the day our TV arrived. I could have built the stand. I wouldn't have cared that it's now too small and needs replacing. My pride woudn't have been hurt.

But no. My wife was there alone. She spent five hours with the screwdriver and now the stand remains sacrosanct, like her own private testament to Isembard Kingdom Brunel.

Pah!

[gd]

the stand remains sacrosanct... testament to Isembard Kingdom Brunel.

I'll storm the castle.

I don't post too often here anymore, and when I do it seems like it's always as an argument against home decor.

The biggest hurdle to good AV performance is AV furniture... when budget is a factor (and ain't it always?), choices need to be made between audio performance and a room's visual appeal.

But this case is easy – do not remove feet or otherwise impede ventilation to the 1068... most prepro's run warm-hot, and the Rotel is no exception... even if you don't remove the feet, it sounds like you're trying to squeeze it into a small space where overheating will be inevitable... all in the interest of retaining The Stand.

One of 'em has to go...

Gear like this requires at least a couple inches clearance all around, or serious fans in a small space (adds noise), to work properly.

Just a fact of life.

[rhubarbe]

I thought I had found an alternative stand the other day. I printed out a photi and showed it to my wife over lunch. She liked it too.

Glum faces all round when we got home and measured our space (790mm) and looked vainly several times at the page that bore the stand's dimensions, hoping for a mirage, that remained at 900mm.

If I leave on the feet I'll have a nice two inches above the 1068, because nothing else will fit on the shelf. How I wish that I could get a CD to play on the HTPC without booting Vista.