RSX-1057 / RSX-1065 for Dynaudio Audience 82?

**Gianluca** · 12 July 2010, 21:15 Monday

Hi I have a RSX-1056, and very happy with it. I am the second owner and have had zero issues thus far. The 1057 is exactly the same appart from the HDMI switching capabilities. IHMO I would go for the 1056 to save some cash since HDMI switching is not important to you. I have it hooked up with a OPPO bdp-83 so I can still injoy lossless codecs. The Bass management is also excelent for the other inputs.

Happy hunting

Luca

**srb** · 12 July 2010, 22:28 Monday

I also have an RSX-1056 which I bought new. It has operated flawlessly for me, and I have used it with 4-ohm speakers (that did not drop below 3.5-ohms). I have had several external DACs, inlcluding the MHDT Paradisea and the Stello DA-100 Signature. The MHDT lacked the detail of the Rotel, and the Stello was only marginally better, so I returned to using the DACs in the Rotel for my music server.

I will most likely get another DAC in the future in the pursuit of 2-channel musical bliss, but I feel I will have to spend $600 - $1000 to get something I feel is more than just marginally better.

There aren't any listed on Audiogon right now, but they come up frequently as people dump them to get something with HDMI switching, upscaling and Dolby TrueHD/DTS-HD Master Audio codecs.

The prices have been in the $400 to $600 range, with the majority between $400 and $500. Be sure to either search for RSX-1056, 1056 or Rotel, as sellers often erroneously put them in categories other than receivers.

Steve

**ribkin** · 12 July 2010, 22:57 Monday

Luca,

Thanks. It's great products like the Oppo that make "old" , "outdated" gear like these receivers still relevant today. At first, I didn't quite understand why they'd release a "Special" version by improving the analog output

srb,

Thanks for your feedback, especially with regards to 4-ohm speakers and dac quality.

I think I got the answers I was seeking. Either that, or both of you are good liars or I am too gullible, or both. :T

**srb** · 12 July 2010, 23:06 Monday

Originally posted by ribkin

I think I got the answers I was seeking. Either that, or both of you are good liars or I am too gullible, or both.

I am a good liar and you probably are too gullible, but in this case the RSX-1056 is simply a solid unit. If you get a good one that hasn't been abused, you should get years of satisfaction from it.

I plan to get a few more myself (years, not more RSX-1056's!).

Steve

**ribkin** · 13 July 2010, 03:31 Tuesday

Originally posted by srb

I am a good liar and you probably are too gullible, but in this case the RSX-1056 is simply a solid unit. If you get a good one that hasn't been abused, you should get years of satisfaction from it.

I plan to get a few more myself (years, not more RSX-1056's!).

Steve

You had me confused there... :rofl:

**Gianluca** · 13 July 2010, 18:07 Tuesday

Yep it is a solid unit...

And HDMI is moving so fast that even recent AVR are outdated...

Luca

**ribkin** · 15 July 2010, 20:59 Thursday

Excited. Upgrading from Logitech Z-2300 2.1 system... lol

**jbreezy5** · 16 July 2010, 00:12 Friday

Originally posted by ribkin

Hi folks. Not so long ago I purchased my first set of speakers, they're mentioned in the title... I had previously considered Arcam electronics to mate them with but my perception of buying used Arcam AVR gear has taken a 180 degree turn after not one, but two negative experiences ... of the DOA variety.

I don't have the money for a pre-pro combo right now and I'm hoping to add a center and two surround speakers in a few months. These speakers will all be rated for 4-ohm and the sensitivity isn't that great. However, upon closer inspection, the impedance curve is not as bad.

I'm looking to spend around $600-$800 ( I've seen them pop up on audiogon and ebay ) and don't really care about HDMI switching or upscaling. I Built a music server so I'd like to try out a receiver ( which has digital inputs ) and dacs that rival some of the ubiquitous standalone ones...

Listening room is medium sized and I live in an apartment so I can't really crank it up, quality at both lower night time listening levels as well as normal listening levels is also a priority...

My question is which of the older used Rotel receivers are most reliable and offer the best performance in this setup, for those that have had similar experiences. I'm aware a lot of people use B&W gear that's rated at 8-ohms

...

Hi Ribkin,

Good observation about the impedance curve. You will find that while the Dyn's do like current, they are not particularly difficult to drive (contrary to popular opinion). Even though the B&W's may be rated at 8 ohms, they have more difficult crossovers, and often do reach down to around 4 ohms despite their rating. See below (substitute "e" for "3", to go to link):

http://www.st3reophile.com/budgetcomponents/805bw/index3.html

As a heads up, some people complain about Dyn's performance for movies. Sometimes saying they prefer them for music only. I have the 82's, like you, but in a 2-channel set-up. I listen to music and movies through them, but use the dolby SRS 2-channel surround feature on my DVD player for movies. In this mode I enjoy the speakers with both types of playback. Unfortunately, I can't comment about their performance with true surround sound.

If you do end up going full surround sound I would recommend getting a 2-driver two-way for the center (bookshelf speaker), rather than, an M-T-M design. You can lay it on it's side if it's too tall, and it will have better dispersion for surround sound. You may be able to get the same model as your surrounds, for a more seamless soundstage!

Please report how the Dyn's mate with the Rotel if you buy it. I've never heard that combination.

-JBreezy-

**ribkin** · 16 July 2010, 00:42 Friday

Purchased it already...just waiting for it to ship Still need to get speaker cables and a 75ohm digital coax cable. I'll try to do my best with a review as detailed as possible and with a wide range of material.

I'll be using my computer as source and see if ffdshow can help these 2 channels can cope with moves, until a rare 122C pops up on audiogon

**ribkin** · 19 July 2010, 17:28 Monday

UPDATE: Shipment sent... woo hoo

**ribkin** · 22 July 2010, 16:31 Thursday

One more day...

**ribkin** · 23 July 2010, 18:58 Friday

Wow. Will provide the juicy details later...

**Dmantis** · 25 July 2010, 22:30 Sunday

As a former owner of Both Rotel and Dynaudio , the 82's like lots of power. If you do decide to get the 1056 or 1057 , buy a amp for the fronts at least. I would suggest using a RMB1095 for all 5 channel as Dynaudio Audience series reguardless of the curve need power to sing. They can however play nicely off a Rotel RSX1067 or older RSX1065. It has the right balance of power and current( kinda the same but meaning different things) to make the Audience package come alive.
I have Installed Dynaudio Audience the entire line and found Rotel to work very well. I alo enjoy B&K pre and amps on them. If you can find a B&K avr507 this would be a very good match for music as well as dynamics for theater.

As said Audience isn't the best choice for theater , music they are fantastic. What I found was a lack of dynamic range even using the mighty RMB1095 power amp. I was kinda shocked it didn't push them to the last word of peak dynamic range on a explosive power scene . I left Dynaudio in search of a better theater speaker and found them.

Good luck with what you do , I do however miss my 82's and most likely wil buy another pair for a 2 channel system.

**srb** · 25 July 2010, 23:07 Sunday

Dmantis,

If you had read this thread before posting, you would know that ribkin has already located, bought and received an RSX-1057 receiver.

While it is true that further future enhancement and enjoyment would likely be gained with the addition of a 2-channel or 5-channel power amplifier, his previous post prior to yours (I guess you didn't read that either) was "Wow. Will provide the juicy details later...".

I feel uneasy when people feel the need to come forward and rain on someone's parade. Even more so when it is from a forum "moderator".

Steve

**ribkin** · 28 July 2010, 13:07 Wednesday

I had to take some time off from the interwebs to focus on my final exams.

A more detailed write-up will follow... Packing job was first rate and the unit was in excellent condition, as advertised on audiogon so far it's been a mixed bag of results, but bear in mind that I am using an onboard RealTek ALC889A's analog out as the source... connected via a $3 mini 3.5mm to RCA cable I got from a pawn shop nearby...

I'll try to get a decent coaxial digital cable before I start a serious analysis, but I really, really hope that with the DACs in the RSX-1057 the difference will be night and day....

Dmantis I've rubbed shoulders with on different forums, when I was still doing research - I don't think he came with bad intentions. But, then again, this is a Rotel forum, and I've just joined the club - suggesting 'better' amplification to match my speakers is a little uncool

Anyway, probably have to invest in either a APC H15 or PS Audio Quintet or Duet... and some cables from Blue Jeans cable. Maybe after another semester of work-study in the Fall I'll be able to purchase a 5-channel Rotel Power amp, an Oppo disc player, and an Audience 122 center... Sucks, but for some of us, we can't just snap fingers and make stuff appear

And before I forget, just want to thank a few of you for advice.

**jbreezy5** · 28 July 2010, 22:41 Wednesday

I like your set-up. Nice job matching the cherry/black. In two channel you've got 100 wpc for your Dyn's . . . that's plenty.

My first system was a $50/pr of Pioneer speakers from Circuit City and a JVC stereo receiver (50 wpc chip-amp). It sucked!! Thankfully, the speakers blew; lol.

-JBreezy-

**Gianluca** · 29 July 2010, 21:07 Thursday

I love the set up...I suggest a APC H15 really good in my opinion, does what most don't, Actually rectifies voltage output.

My 2 CAD cents

Luca

**ribkin** · 30 July 2010, 17:34 Friday

First Draft

First choice: Music, or Movies/Games, or Both

Second Choice: Floorstanding vs. Bookshelf...
I kept going back and forth with this one. I was almost convinced by arguments such as:

Originally posted by interwebs

i-some bookshelf speakers sound pretty big for their size
ii-they're better suited to small/medium rooms and image better
ii-even if you buy floorstanders you still need to buy a sub... etc etc

Anyway, I had all but ruled out 4 ohm speakers and Paradigm and B&W became my primary targets. I had pretty much decided to go against conventional wisdom and save up for a 3-way, even if it meant that I was going to have to keep saving more and more cash before a used 703 or Studio 100 v4 popped up within my <$1500 price range. I just like bigger speakers and I don't know why. Maybe, it's because $1500 is not just chump change for some of us, and if we're going to drop that much cash on something, then it out to be something of considerable dimensions

For months, I checked audiogon, trying to get a good feel for what kind of products were in high demand, how quickly certain models ( like the 805 and the 804 in particular ) got picked up, and what prices they usually sold for. I spotted a Dynaudio Audience 82 for a price that was significantly lower than what I expected to pay for the Paradigm, B&W 683 or 703. I was intrigued. I got in touch with the seller, and he sweetened the deal by offering to cover shipping costs ( he is located in a neighboring State anyway ) and reduce the original price even more. I thought it was too good to be true, but I did my due diligence and there were no red flags. Nothing but positive references. Not only did the seller cover the cost, his packing job was first-rate. Cherry with a black baffle to match my Salamander Designs stand - and there you have it, I was no longer an audiophile virgin!

For a long time, I had my mind set on an Arcam AVR but kept being outbid on ebay. Time was passing and it was quite frustrating after while, not being able to hear what the speakers sounded like, or whether they even worked at all... Suddenly, the supply of used AVR280 and AVR350 receivers dried up. I considered the B&K 507, and some rarely popped up in the $750-$800 range... I just didn't like it. There you have it, not a very intellecual way of deciding whether or not to purchase a component, I know.

After consulting with some members here, I became convinced that Rotel receivers were more than capable of driving my Dynaudios to moderate listening levels. I don't think I got the cheapest deal on a Rotel receiver,in fact, moments after I had purchased mine, I saw one snatched off ebay for slightly less, but without the original packing material and remote... I waited for one to appear on audiogon, had just one original owner, purchased 2 years ago and looked pampered. Again, excellent packing job.

I wanted to get decent cables, and usually I'm a patient person, who makes calculated moves. Instead of waiting for fancy cables, I went to a pawnshop nearby and got some $0.25/ft 10 AWG speaker wire and a 3.5mm to RCA cable. Real High End stuff.

I used my onboard Realtek 889A's analog out and foobar. Empire of the Sun - We Are The People. It sounded weird, I realized I had messed with the foobar equalizer, and then made sure it disabled any kind of dsp. Ahhh, better. With the analog, some stuff sounded good at low volumes, but the distortion would creep in, in a hurry. Bass was lumpy, high frequencies were totally out of control, and the mid-range was recessed.

A few days later, I picked up a $20 digital coaxial cable from Radio Shack and came home almost bursting with anticipation.

Much better. As with the analog, the noise floor was amazingly low. With my KRP-500M, images emerge from a total blackness and the Rotel does the same with sound. No humming or buzzing or hissing. There were some minor improvements here and there, as the volume got louder, there was still a sense of order, unlike before when things got rough there was a cacophony of random sounds just popping out at the frequency extremes. At this stage, I was extremely happy with the sound, but I had a feeling something was wrong, and it had nothing to do with crappy cables.

In an inspired moment I went searching for a composite or s-video cable in the apartment and found one. When I fired up the OSD, I noticed that crossover, delay and other settings were not at default!... I set the front speakers to large, and tried again...

Now we're talking...

Verdict:

The Good:

Very versatile combination that can do a lot of things very well, from sound effects to female vocals. Oh, did I mention this setup just loves female vocals? It loves female vocals. Sade, Patsy Cline etc... It loves Jazz, Reggae and maybe Classical more than anything else. When I watch TV Shows the dialogue is easily intelligible even at low volumes at night ( you just have to play around with ffdshow audio - some might think this is "cheating" but whatever :B ). I'm sure the ambience will be great when NBA and NFL get underway.

The Bad:

I don't think Rotel and Dynaudio appreciate Realtek as the primary source, or crappy cables but for now it will just have to do. In this regard, several members here have pointed me in the right direction.

Also bad, sometimes, there is too much enthusiasm at the frequency extremes with the Dynaudios. It makes the mid-range sound recessed. Again, there are tricks on the receiver side, and on the computer side to improve the issue. Sibilance can also be a problem but that brings me to....

The Ugly:

The recording, Amigos. I have a very good FLAC collection. This is not anywhere as forgiving as my Logitech Z-2300! Most of the recordings out there can best be described as average

There are few truly great recordings out there, and you know them immediately when you hear them. Whether it's FLAC, vinyl or whatever. A bad recording is a bad recording and this sytem is garbage in:garbage out.

I have very eclectic tastes in music, but having attended boarding school in Africa I grew up listening to rap and hip-hop. For a while I even believed that most of the anti-rap sentiment in the audiophile community was simply a form of racism. Rap doesn't sound great in this setup. Electric bass especially sounds crappy, lumpy, muddy. The exceptions to this rule are few and far between, but they're there. Just a variety of these homebrew mixtapes sound okay in vehicles, headphones or 2.1 computer desktop systems but don't shine in this setup.

I'm happy with Rotel-Dynaudio. In the long term, more power is a no-brainer but I'm happy - probably a cliche by now but I'm rediscovering music right now. And deleting a lot of files.
=================================================

I still need help with ffdshow because the only thing I can get to work is PCM 2-Channel. And I don't know if I should let ffdshow audio downmix ac3 or dts to stero or if I should pass-through and make the receiver downmix to stereo...

I'll revisit the review after I upgrade the cables, get power conditioning, maybe a better source.

Building a 3-way is hard. And building a crossover that allows such a speaker to be easily driven is even more awesome. It's a dynamic performer with full range and masculine looks. Sometimes, it makes me ask myself "How much better can it get?", I think you can pay much more but you won't get more. You will get some improvements in some areas and have to make sacrifices in others. I think my setup is right at the threshold of diminishing returns and it won't be cheap for me to make big improvements, but I look forward to tweaking it here and there!

Thanks for the help so far.

RSX-1057 / RSX-1065 for Dynaudio Audience 82?

RSX-1057 / RSX-1065 for Dynaudio Audience 82?

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