So, how is everyone's Rotel system these days?

[Lex]

How many of you have bought in the last year or two? Are you happy with your products? What all did you get? what speakers did you mate them with?

I am just curious, Rotel has been such a heavy hitter here at the forum in the past, like to know what people are doing these days with Rotel Systems.

Doug

[Blindamood]

Both of my Rotel systems are doing just fine, thanks!

I use an RA-1062 in the bedroom, paired with B&W CWM-650 in-walls. In the main system, I've got the RSP-1570 mated with the RMB-1565, driving B&W 805S, HTM4S, and SCMS in a 5.1 system.

I purchased the integrated amp used on Audiogon several years ago, and purchased the 15-series components new in the fall of 2010 (pics here: http://www.htguide.com/forum/showpos...ostcount=1166).

[madmac]

Being a man of modest means, I'm using a Rotel RSX-1057 receiver hooked up to Infinity IL series speakers utilizing metal ceramic drivers (Same one's a used in the 'prelude' series). The main left and right are powered towers each incorporating a 250 watt powered sub. The bass is equalized and the 5 channel system is calibrated to the 'n'th' degree.

The Rotel basically destroys these speakers and drives all 5 of them effortlessly (loudly if I want) without any clipping or distortion.

Although there have been some issues with Rotel products as listed here on the forum, I cannot ever imagine ever NOT having a Rotel to drive my system ever again!!. I simply love this receiver and the sonic presentation it produces!!.

Is there better out there??. Absolutely!!. But for the size of my pocket book, this is as good as it's gonna' get for me and I'm a happy man!!!

[srb]

I've had a Rotel RSX-1056 since 2004 and it has driven 4 ohm 89dB mains, 4 ohm 86dB center and 4 ohm 91dB surrounds. Since there have been perhaps more failed digital boards on that series than 'normal', I feel a bit bad if some of the people I've recommended it to (as a good-buy used piece) have had any trouble.

But mine has been rock solid and sounds pretty good. I also previously had an RB-1080 power amp that performed well with no fuse blowing issues and it was replaced only to get a 5-channel amplifier.

I also have an RLC-1040 power conditioner, and although I can't really say it made audio or video sound or look any better, it has been through some brownouts, sudden blackouts and all the connected equipment still works well (well, except for a large direct static finger spark to the front flourescent display on my HTPC which killed it!), so I assume it is performing its protection duties.

Steve

[Fishy]

Due to a change in working hours, it's rarely used now. That and the fact I dont use the 1098 for video processing makes it almost redundant. Still using some great cables from someone on here.... cant remember his name though... Silverpussy I think. :T

Fish

[PewterTA]

All my Rotel stuff is going strong. I do have an issue with the 1098 not selecting inputs with the knob on the front... I don't know how long it's been like that since I never used it. lol I did replace the select switch that drives the knob, but that didn't seem to fix it...so I'm not exactly sure what's wrong with it...but I never use it...so it's not any big deal to me.

Course now that I've soldered all the connections inside all of my Rotel equipment, it's all been taking to another level of quality that comes out of it...so I have no real urge to upgrade any of it (except the 1098 to get HDMI & hi res formats).

All in all, it's Love through and through, now to just upgrade the Speakers!

[Lex]

Well, sounds like things are going ok for you guys, mostly. Fishy, your so funny. I used to sell a ton of cables to Rotel guys, and a lot paired with BW. Those were the days for CAT. I'd like to find that combo again someday, it was a great match up.

[mickster1972]

After some popping/shutdown issues late last year being resolved by Rotel tech support (past warranty and they honored the repair at no cost to me other than shipping), my RSP-1068 and RMB-1075 combo is still going strong. I have it mated with some Paradigm Atoms, a DIY sealed 10" subwoofer, and an Oppo Blu-Ray player (BDP-93). At this moment I am enjoying some Zeppelin on DVD in 5.1 surround, along with a fine home-brewed Pale Ale. Couldn't be happier! Rock on, good people. :T

[mick_hut]

Like madmac I am also a fellow of modest means...

But my "1986" system is still going pretty strong, even as the office HiFi driven mostly by the sound card on an HP PC. That's the RA-840BX integrated amp, with a Dual 505-2 turntable, the RT-850L Tuner, a Teac V-530X Cassette deck, and Heybrook HB1 speakers with Mk3 upgrades. It was astonishingly good value in its day too.

My more recent "2005" main system is the rather wonderful RSP-1098 and RMB-1095 combo, mostly driven by an Oppo 83 NuForce, or an MSI Media Live PC, or a Panasonic P50V20B plasma. Speakers are Monitor Audio GR60s, GR20s as surrounds, GR centre with dual FB212s on bass. It might be humble but it works for me.

Mick

[brody]

I purchased a rotel 1550 preamp, 2 1552 amps. I'm running 2 pair of speakers (1 on each amp) B&WCM9s & B&WCM5s. The system sounds absolutely fantastic!
Currently looking for an amp to drive my magnepan 1.7s. Demo'ed a $6K McIntosh MA6600 driving B&W CM9s the other day. To my ears, the Rotel 1552/1550 combo smoked the McIntosh (the McIntosh sounded like a muffled, muddled mess).
Perhaps it was just the amp/speaker pairing or something in the dealer's setup, but the difference was obvious.

[Mikael]

I have this Rotel setup. RC1550, RB 1552 , RDG 1520 and RCD 1520, and I love the way it sounds. But I am considering to swap my RC 1550 with an RSP 1572, to get the 10 band eq, my room have some problems with an overly boomy bass. Have anybody compaired the RC 1550 with the RSP 1572 in stereo mode? I would love some feedback.

Mikael

[madmac]

I have this Rotel setup. RC1550, RB 1552 , RDG 1520 and RCD 1520, and I love the way it sounds. But I am considering to swap my RC 1550 with an RSP 1572, to get the 10 band eq, my room have some problems with an overly boomy bass. Have anybody compaired the RC 1550 with the RSP 1572 in stereo mode? I would love some feedback.

Mikael

"boomy bass" is mostly the result of a bad room setup and 'standing wave' issues. Are you using a sub woofer?.

[Mikael]

No Sub, just one 7" midwoofer in each speaker, it is my room that is the bad guy. I have a crawlspace under my woodened floor, infact my whole house is made out of wood. So I need an EQ of some sort to taylor the bass output to my room.

[PewterTA]

Room treatment over EQ would work better for you I think!

[mpauline]

I am still happy with my current set up of a Rotel 1098 fed by a OPPO 95. Amps are 1080 and 1095. Speakers are the current 803D and HTM2D. I must admit that at low volumes I feel like the speakers don't really perform well. Not sure if it is the speaker of the amp. At higher volumes I find my system a little bright.

[miner]

My RC-1090 and RB-1092 are doing just fine. I do have plans to replace them with a McIntosh MA-7000 integrated. When I do these items will show up in the Pawn Shop.

[madmac]

I am still happy with my current set up of a Rotel 1098 fed by a OPPO 95. Amps are 1080 and 1095. Speakers are the current 803D and HTM2D. I must admit that at low volumes I feel like the speakers don't really perform well. Not sure if it is the speaker of the amp. At higher volumes I find my system a little bright.

All speakers don't perform particularly well at low volumes. Speakers need a certain amount of power to operate at their best. It's just the nature of the beast really. That's why in the old days, amps used to have the dreaded 'loudness' button to boost bass and treble volumes. This feature would 'help' a speaker's deficiencies at low volumes.

Speakers have a 'hot' zone power wise. When you reach that zone volume wise (Not higher...not lower), you achieve the hot zone of that speaker/amp combination and the system is singing along at it's best. More volume and it gets messy....less volume and you lose some of the transparency in the sound. Besides, more often than not, when you are playing a system with low volume, your probably not really listening to it anyway and are using it for background sound right?.

[Kurtiss]

My RA-840BX is performing flawlessly. I drive a set of Magnepan speakers with it, which are know for being very low impedance and difficult to drive. But the 840 unit with a "mere" 40watts, lets my Maggies fill my room with sound.

(In another thread on this board) my RB-870 is not doing so well. Something is causing it to blow the rail fuses on one channel. I'm still optimistic I can fix it, and keep it in service. I've done a lot of research on Rotel's amplification circuitry, and I'm convinced this "old" unit can be just as good as a new one (after replacing some of the old electrolytic capacitors). Rotel uses the same driver & power circuits in nearly all their units, whether they are old or new. Parallel pairs of complimentary D1047 + B817 transistors. So I intend to keep my RB-870 until the wheels fall off ;-)

Best,
Kurt

[Nuthed]

I am using some 9 series gear in my main room. An RSX-972 feeding an RB-980BX powering some Paradigms with the receiver driving the center and surrounds. Coupled with an SVS sub.

I have an Integra receiver that I bought for the HDMI switching and lossless sound but I never liked the sound as much as the older Rotel gear so I switched back. :T

Couldn't be happier.

[will1066]

I'm a lot more music than movies nowadays, so my RMB-1075 doesn't get used a whole lot. But it's still there and is working fine.

[bigburner]

Hi Lex,

I've owned my Rotel RC-1082 stereo pre-amp for three years now. I'm more than satisfied with its performance and have no plans to change.

Nigel.

[Mark_C.]

For HT, my RMB-1075 has been in the same place for almost 11 years. And I'm still using the RSP-1066, which I've had for more than 9 years. Not having HDMI is a minor inconvenience, but the multi-inputs with my Oppo blu-ray player is just fine.

[PewterTA]

My Rotels are getting happier and happier by the day knowing that they get to soon drive B&W 802Diamonds. LOL Does that count? I've been telling them all about the new babies.... Is that weird??!?!? LOL

[jyj]

My Rotels are getting happier and happier by the day knowing that they get to soon drive B&W 802Diamonds. LOL Does that count? I've been telling them all about the new babies.... Is that weird??!?!? LOL

Hell no that's not weird. :T Congratulations! I've read nothing but good things about the 802 Diamonds. That is the purpose of why we all love music and/or movies. I have been happy with my Rotel RSP 1069, RMB 1077 and a pair of 802Ds that I've had for about 4 yrs. I can't describe how much joy and relaxation I get out of listening to music. Even after all this time, I still have as much enthusiasm about turning on a movie, a ball game or a concert. It's been one of the best experiences and investments that i have made.

Jerry

[june]

hello all,

my 1068 & 1075 combo is great. but i got a great deal on an anthem 30, so i swapped out the 1066 for the anthem. still using the 1075 amp with the anthem with energy speakers. love my rotel stuff, it's been very good to me