ROTEL 1092 vs Ice Block Amplifiers 10001 from Seymour AV

[wettou]

Here is what I am wondering are these different beside the fact that Rotels are made in China vs Seymour are made in the US

Same Ice Power Module.

http://seymourav.com/amps.asp

[PewterTA]

I'm going to say yes, they will sound different. Just for the fact that Rotel has a "sound" that they make all their amps/pre-amps/CDs/etc... sound like. Just because the exact same power module is used, doesn't mean it'll sound the same, there's a lot of other components in them that can change the sound that comes out.

I'm not saying one or the other will be 'better' as that's all subjective...but it'll definitely not sound identical.

[cug]

I'm going to say yes, they will sound different. Just for the fact that Rotel has a "sound" that they make all their amps/pre-amps/CDs/etc... sound like. Just because the exact same power module is used, doesn't mean it'll sound the same, there's a lot of other components in them that can change the sound that comes out.

Which one actually? They use the same power supply, the same ICE module, just different cases, RCA sockets, internal cabling ...

It's in the very interest of every manufacturer to claim that "their" amps sound different - I never found different sounding amps that used the same module.

If you believe in it, you might hear a difference, if you don't believe, you don't hear a difference ... but I guess, if you pay 3 or 4 times the price for a Jeff Rowland ICE amp, you must hear something (!), because if you don't ... complete it yourself.

[wettou]

I would agree the ice module does All the work and the sound. The rest is the skin, envelop, marketing and super high end packaging especially the Rowland!!

You would have to be insane to buy Rowland anyway, I hear they sell very well in Japan!!! The packaging looks cool but they have no technology of their own inside. I have no problem if you use other people good technology but when you charge 200% more then I have a problem.

The Ice module cost $259!!

[gd]

This is all conjecture until someone actually buys a few and does a documented comparison... there are precious few reviews of any Ice or other D-class amps based predominantly on music playback (the critical evaluation), or in comparison to other amps... IcePower seems squarely aimed at the HT crowd.

"Voicing" an amplifier – fine-tuning to achieve a designer's favored tonality – is not unheard of, even if power amps are ideally there to amplify an exact sound signal without alteration... and it seems, if only by marketing verbiage, that some of these digital newcomers are doing just that, for whatever reason.

But the effect can't be known for sure until someone – or better yet, several 'someones' – invests time and money in some head-to-head comparisons.

[mjb]

Well, I've always believed that Rotel "voice" their D amp offerings too, but then they're standard ICE modules churned off a plant somewhere, and probably the scope of fine adjustment is very limited for a number of reasons.

As Greg says, some reviews and comparison tests are needed. You can't gleam much reading the specs these days, and speculation is not definitive.

Who's going to spring the cash?

[beden1]

Here is what I am wondering are these different beside the fact that Rotels are made in China vs Seymour are made in the US

Same Ice Power Module.

http://seymourav.com/amps.asp

Have you listened to these Seymour ice amps? I was wondering how they were, and how they might compare to the Bel Cantos? I've been reading a lot about the Bel Cantos lately, and the reviews on them are extremely good.

It would be great if these types of amps are very good, as their smaller space requirements, weight and power useage is very attractive.

[wettou]

I have no idea that is what I am trying to find out!

[Ferres]

If you're really tight on space the Seymour looks very attractive. But has no trigger...

[beden1]

If you're really tight on space the Seymour looks very attractive. But has no trigger...

The Bel Canto does not either, I think. From what I was told by a Bel Canto Rep last year, they feel their amps should be left on for best performance.

[cug]

The Bel Canto does not either, I think. From what I was told by a Bel Canto Rep last year, they feel their amps should be left on for best performance.

As I said: if you can hear a difference between any ICE amps that use the same module in a double blind test, I'd be VERY VERY surprised. Yeah, companies claim they "voice" their modules, which is just a ridiculous claim if you think about it. They buy ready-made modules from B&O delivered directly to a production plant in China and there they "voice" them? In my opinion that's marketing bs, nothing else.

Also claiming that an input transformer makes soooo big a difference ...

Nevertheless the amps are really nice - the ICE power concept IS the future! If Rotel had a 250W stereo ICE power amp, I probably wouldn't have bought the Musical Fidelity A5 and wouldn't have gotten that nice A5 CD player.

[Carrotman]

Rotel actually adds an input buffer to the RB-109x amps and Jeff Rowland adds power factor correction, input transformer and a few other things to most (maybe all) of his ICEpower-based amps. So, while I agree on principle with the things posted in this thread, you have managed to pick out probably the worst possible examples for making your points


/U.

[wettou]

Rotel actually adds an input buffer to the RB-109x amps and Jeff Rowland adds power factor correction, input transformer and a few other things to most (maybe all) of his ICEpower-based amps. So, while I agree on principle with the things posted in this thread, you have managed to pick out probably the worst possible examples for making your points /U.

Still it would be great if someone would be willing to review all these amps real life. If they all came out similar then I guess Bell Canto, Rotel, Jeff Rowland probably don't want to see that happen otherwise people would buy the cheaper ones.

Marketing is a wonderfull thing it explains why Esquimaux need ice!!!!!!!:T