1075 or 1085 paired with a 1068?

[roscoe5250]

Hi,

I'm jumping up from a HK receiver to separates, so I know I'll be happy with either choice, but I'm freaking out over which amp to buy. I have an onix rockets surround setup for speakers.

I've read through a bunch of threads on here comparing the class A/B vs. D amps, but there don't seem to be too many threads on the 1085, so I was hoping since more time passed maybe there would be some more feedback on them. I can get the 1075 or 1085 for about the same price (1075 is $50 more)...but unfortunately no dealers around me have any Rotel class D amps to demo. I really like the small size of the class D, but I've stumbled across a few user reviews that scare me off...mostly complaining about lack of punch on the low end...or a little harsh on the high end.

All the dealers I've called try to steer me towards the A/Bs. Most say they just like the sound better...but they never go into detail why. Does anyone have any experience trying both with the same setup, or at least getting to demo it in a store? I tend to like more of a laid back/warmer sound, and sibilance is like fingernails on a chalk board to me. Would that stare you towards one or the other?

Thanks!

[bnieman]

I have had a 1075 and a 1085 paired with a 1068. Currently I am running the 1068/1085 combo and believe it is superior to the 1075 in all regards. It's plays louder and clearer and to me the sound staging is a notch above the 1075.

If you can get a 1085 for $50 LESS than a 1075, it's a no brainer! To me the 1085 was worth a $200 premium for me (which is what it ended up costing me).

If you buy the 1085 and don't like it, you can sell it and get a 1075 and make some money in the process.

What are you waiting for!

EDIT: The low end on the 1085 is as good if not better than the 1075 (in my humble opinion)

[roscoe5250]

Thanks for the response.

I'm pulling the trigger on both the 1085 and 1068 today, I can't wait to get everything setup

[bnieman]

Awesome! You won't be disappointed

Please let us know what you think once you have it up and running.

[roscoe5250]

Well I have everything hooked up, and the biggest difference to me over my old HK receiver was how much bigger the soundstage was. It also has a little more on the bottom and top ends, and everything sounds cleaner. The soundstage is crazy though, I couldn't get over the difference.

The dealer had a bunch of new 1075s in stock, so he's letting me audition both the 1075 and 1085 at the same time now. At this point, I don't think I could tell the difference between the two in a blind test.

I keep reading different things, but is there a break-in period for the amps? My 1068 is a demo unit, so I'm guessing it's fully broken in. I only have about 4-5 hours on each amp, but I start to get listener's fatigue (usually a headache) on both amps with music after about an hour of listening. Movies/TV doesn't bother me at all though. Is this normal in the beginning? The HK seemed to have a warmer sound, but granted not anywhere near as detailed, so I'm hoping I just need my ears to adjust.

Thanks