1066: really 7.1?

[suyver]

Hi all,

I am seriously considering buying a Rotel 1066 pre/pro and a Rotel 1075 amp. I have one question regarding the 1066: is it really a 7.1 output, or is it just a 6.1 with two center-back channels (that have the same signal)?

I am asking this because the manual says:
"Use with one center back speaker (a 6.1 configuration) or two center back speakers (a 7.1 configuration)"
which is confusing to me. It seems to suggest that both channels are center-back's, with the same output. Tell me I'm wrong...

General question: Are you happy with this 1066 and do you think it's a good match together with the RMB-1075 amp (I'm using KEF Cresta2 speakers)?

Thanks,
Freek Suyver
The Netherlands.





Check out my home theater!

[fyonn]

thats a difficult question to answer, how many 7.1 sound formats do you know? dolbly digital ex claims to be 7.1 but is actually 5.1 with a centre back extracted via dolby prologic 2 (I think) and presented over 2 channels. dts-es comes in both a matrixed and discrete 6.1 format where the rear channel can be presented on either 1 or 2 channels.

s yes, it's a 7.1 pre-amp in that it has 7.1 fully independant channels that can have different information flowing over them (rotel's own xs processing puts different info on each surround back but it's similar) but where do you get 7.1 source info from? there aren't any discrete 7.1 sound formats out there. the multichannel input is only 6.1 I suppose.

but thats pretty much the same as almost every other 7.1 amp/preamp out there.

dave

[Brent]

Yes it will give you 7.1. But remember that there is no 7.1 material. What you will get is 5.1 or 6.1 encoded material which will run a matrixed signal to 1 or 2 center rears.

[suyver]

I am aware that there is no 7.1 information available yet, but it'll come (at some point). I just don't want to buy a pre/pro and find out half a year from now that the 7.1 DVD's (widely available at that time... yeah, right!) are only played as 6.1, with two center-back's having identical information flowing over them.

So, if I look at the back of a 1066, then I see two back-channels: (CB1 and CB2). These can supply different information (determined by e.g. DPL2)? Even my Rotel-dealer wasn't sure, and I couldn't find this in the manual.

Thanks for clearing this up for me.

Cheers,
Freek Suyver.





Check out my home theater!

[Andrew Pratt]

As others above have mentioned there is no 7.1 format so what the Rotel does if you tell it you have 7 speakers is use its XS processing to attempt to utilize both rear speakers properly. According to Rotel it isn't simply supplying the same signal to both rears in 7.1 mode but its not discreet either (obviously) so its a matrixed format. How well this works depends on the software but in my HT Rotels XS processing on 5.1 mix's is very well done...actually i like how well it works on all formats (PLII and DTS:Neo as well)

[LEVESQUE]

I use 2 Paradigm Studio-20 for back centers. Before, I was using a Studio-CC with a Yamaha RX-V3200 (can only use 1 back center speaker...so 6.1). I know it's not "really" 7.1, but the RSP-1066 is doing a fine job. For people with 7.1, just listen to the LOTR scene when they first hear the Balrog coming (Gandalf close his eyes and...fell the pain coming...). That scene sold me to 7.1. To hear the Balrog on the back of my neck make me shivers...

This effect was not impressive at all with the Yamaha back center.

Another good scene to "fell" the 7.1 in full glory is in Gladiator, when he throws a sword at a pretorian. My wife jumped 1 feet because she tought something was falling behind her, when the sword "sound" came from behind then swap to the front.

But the best was my father-in-law. We were listening to Brotherhood of the Wolf in french DTS, and 5 times, yes 5 times, in the movie, he stand up and look through the basement window. LOL. He was hearing "people talking in the backyard"... So funny. It was in the film. He really tought someone was in my backyard... :LOL: