RC-1070 vs RSP-1066 for 2ch analog

[TommyV]

I picked up an RSP 1066 as a backup pre/pro to my 1069. It has been in my 2ch rig pulling duty as a stereo preamp for a while now. I think the sound is good. Much smoother and pleasant than the Parasound 2100 stereo preamp that I had before.

I have been wanting to pick up a real Rotel 10 series stereo preamp. The one I want is the RC-1082 but they are getting very hard to find. I keep seeing the RC-1070s going for sale and am tempted to get one. I just wonder how much of an improvement in sound I would get from the RC-1070, if any, over the RSP-1066. Is it worth the upgrade or should I just keep waiting for a RC-1082?

[miner]

When I upgraded from a RC -1070 to the RC-1082 I could not hear a sonic difference. The RC-1070 is very good for the $$ - should be able to snag one for $250 - $300. A nice, simplistic preamp, no frills. I am not familiar with the RSP-1069 'sound'.

[wkhanna]

I can't comment on the RC-1070 as I have never heard it in anything other than a room with poor acoustics at a local dealer.

AFA the RSP-1066, I have had mine for near 5 yrs now. While it serves my needs for TV and the occasional DVD in my 4.0 set-up just fine, I find its 2-ch analog music ability to be modest at best. However, music is a priority for me, & I have a separate pre integrated into my system for 2-ch duty.

JMHO, YMMV

[bigburner]

When I upgraded from a RC -1070 to the RC-1082 I could not hear a sonic difference.

Yup, that's pretty much right (even though I like to think I heard a refinement when I made the upgrade), but the tone controls on the RC-1082 are worth their weight in gold. My advice is to wait until an RC-1082 comes up.

Nigel.

[BWzes03]

I can't comment on the perfomance of either the RC-1070 or the RC-1082, but going from a RSP-1066 to a RSP-1098 an now a RC-1090 (the flagship 10 series pre-amp) the difference was profound. Going from the 1066 to the 1098 was a large improvement in smoothness and stereo imaging.
Going from the 1098 to the RC-1090 was amazing ! More extension in bass performance, better mids and highs, stereo imaging focused to pinpoint accuracy without loss of smoothness.
I'd say, go for a RC-1090 if you can find one ! if not, either one of the 1070 /1082 will do better than the rsp-1066 (which has no stereo bypass, meaning it always digitizes the inputs... thus A/D-> D/A quality loss is incurred ) (RSP-1066 A/D = 20bit/96KHz, D/A = 24bit/96KHz) (RSP-1069 has an analog bypass so it should do better than the 1066)

[hanser]

The RSP1066 HAS analogue stereo bypass. Analogue stereo input sounds much better than digital input IMO.

[Klemens]

Really? I thought the RSP-1066 and the AV receiver RSX-1055 do not have 'real' analogue inputs. That was one of the main reasons for Rotel to upgrade to the models RSX-1056 and RSP-1068.

Cheers Klemens

[hanser]

Really? I thought the RSP-1066 and the AV receiver RSX-1055 do not have 'real' analogue inputs. That was one of the main reasons for Rotel to upgrade to the models RSX-1056 and RSP-1068.

Cheers Klemens

Yes really

I remember clearly that in 2002 when I considered buying this preamp, I made sure that it has analogue bypass. There was a discussion going on here on this forum because first it was not totally clear from the description in the manual, but then it was cleared by a statement from Rotel. And otherwise it could not be explained, that analogue stereo sounds better than digital.

[BWzes03]

The way I remember it, is that the only 'bypass' inputs are the MULTI-IN analog inputs, all the others are going through the A/D->D/A stream.
That is why the 1068 was created. To upgrade the analog stage with a bypass-mode which is infact in the on-screen menu as: 'analog bypass', which the 1066 does not have on the normal 2-channel analog inputs.

[Klemens]

Yes really

I remember clearly that in 2002 when I considered buying this preamp, I made sure that it has analogue bypass. There was a discussion going on here on this forum because first it was not totally clear from the description in the manual, but then it was cleared by a statement from Rotel. And otherwise it could not be explained, that analogue stereo sounds better than digital.

...I would test it by comparing the multichannel input with the bypass mode for 2-channel analog inputs. If the sound quality is equal - relax

Cheers Klemens

[hanser]

The way I remember it, is that the only 'bypass' inputs are the MULTI-IN analog inputs, all the others are going through the A/D->D/A stream.
That is why the 1068 was created. To upgrade the analog stage with a bypass-mode which is infact in the on-screen menu as: 'analog bypass', which the 1066 does not have on the normal 2-channel analog inputs.

No, as I told. The only thing is that even in analogue bypass a copy of the signal is digitized, lowpass filtered and sent to the sub, if you wish so.

Edit: I googled and found even a citation from an now defunct Rotel faq:

http://www.rotel.com/support/faqs/faqs-rsp1066.htm

"When listening to stereo using the analog inputs, the front speakers
which are set to SMALL are still getting bass signals.
All of the analog inputs for the RSP 1066, when used in 2Ch Stereo mode,
are used in a pure-analog bypass mode, bypassing all processing and
digitizing of the analog signal. All crossovers used for bass management
in the RSP 1066 are handled in the digital domain, so in order to
preserve the original signal in its analog state there is no crossover
used in analog stereo for the front speaker outputs. If the front
speakers cannot physically handle a full range signal, it is recommended
that a digital input be used for stereo playback to allow bass
management to be implemented. The only crossover used in stereo is used
to obtain the signal used for the subwoofer output. The analog signal is
split at the input, and while the original signal is routed directly to
the outputs to provide an analog signal for the front speakers, the
subwoofer signal is passed through the RSP 1066’s DACs to reach the
subwoofer crossover and provide a subwoofer output for stereo."

[hanser]

...I would test it by comparing the multichannel input with the bypass mode for 2-channel analog inputs. If the sound quality is equal - relax

Cheers Klemens

I am relaxed for now more than 8 years

here an old link for this discussion:

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=1475&highlight=1066+analogue+bypass