Rotel RMB-1095 Vs. Bryston 5 Channel Amp

[BKSinAZ]

Experts, compare the Rotel RMB-1095 to a Bryston 5 Channel Amp.

OK, before you guys get mad at me.....I am leaning toward the ROTEL.

Obviously, I could look up the specs myself and compare them, However I am more curious about the SOUND QUALITY between the Rotel RMB-1095 and the Bryston 9B SST THX. I understand the Bryston is a more serious unit, but does the sound quality of the Bryston warrent the extra price tag?

[greggz]

The Bryston's are very neutral amps. They don’t really add any sonic signature to the output path. The 1095 is often described as warm. It can tame bright speakers, but may veil the highs if your speakers lean toward warm as well.

For HT, I doubt you could really tell much difference between the 2 amps. The 1095 does have a bit more power if your speakers are inefficient. For critical music listening, you could probably hear a difference between the amps given capable speakers.

Personally, I think that the price difference between the two amps is justified. Bryston’s design is a little less economical (it’s really 5 mini monoblock amps in a single enclosure), they have some better performance specs (dampening factor, THD, etc...), and then there is that 20 year TRANSFERABLE warranty. A nice feature is that if you ever send your Bryston in for service work, they will upgrade any components that have changed since you bought your amp.

You can't really go wrong buying either of these amps, but the Bryston could be described as a better long term investment. Rarely do you hear of any speakers being described as a poor match for a Bryston amp.

Now, if money was no object, I’d be looking at the Theta Dreadnaught or the BAT VK-6200 8)




Gregg

[craigdcan]

Ok, to begin, I'll say that it is a tough choice, but I will point out a few things, just in case you weren't aware.....the difference between the 9B THX and the non-THX version....the THX version has a 12 volt trigger, and costs $1000 more.....pretty costly trigger if you ask me...this may factor into the decision.
The Rotel is rated 5x200, while the Bryston is 5x125, I believe. Now I know that Bryston consistently outperforms their specs, but so does Rotel, and maybe by a larger margin. The are is no questioning the Bryston warranty....best in the industry...maybe any industry.....They are top-notch. Maybe 12 years down the line you'll question your decision, if you choose the Rotel, but maybe you won't. As for the 5 channel amp vs the 5 mono amp setup....The Rotel has a massive power supply...larger than all the Bryston's combined. While there are advantages to the way the Bsryston is set up(ie. easy and quick to repair), I prefer one larger power supply to multiple smaller ones that equal the same size(Krell also agrees with this theory). My one example, may or may not be right, but here it is......If listening to 2 channel material on the "shared power supply" you still have that enormous reserve of power that is normally shared among 5 channels.....with the Bryston setup, you still only have access to 2 channels of power supply....the logic - the channels that need the power can "suck" it from the massive power supply.
This is not to say anything of the sound quality of the two, but just my observation. I have listened to both and absolutely LOVE both. For my money, I would get the Rotel.....ask me 19 years down the orad, and I may have a different answer(20 year warranty is amazing). If you do decide to get the Bryston, which is a very good choice, I would seriously consider not getting the THX version, and saving the $1000(CDN, I'm speaking).

[craigdcan]

Out of curiosity, what is the price difference between the two?

[Ricky]

Best about the Bryston warranty is that it really benefits the 2nd/3rd/4th owners....total peace of mind on any mechanical issues. In other words, why not buy a used 9b-st or 9b-sst? I don't think the sonic differences between the two brystons would be nearly as great as either compared to the Rotel. The 9b-st started shipping around 1999? That means you would get 16+ years remaining on any 9b-st amp (they are going for $1900-2100 used).

Monoblocks also mean no crosstalk between channels. Transformer size differences are also determined by how much the amp is biased in pure class A (ie, less efficient and need a larger transformer to produce the same wattage to the speakers).

[wanderso]

Experts, compare the Rotel RMB-1095 to a Bryston 5 Channel Amp.

OK, before you guys get made at me.....I am leaning toward the ROTEL.

Obviously, I could look up the specs myself and compare them, However I am more curious about the SOUND QUALITY between the Rotel RMB-1095 and the Bryston 9B SST THX. I understand the Bryston is a more serious unit, but does the sound quality of the Bryston warrent the extra price tag?

If you have the money, the Bryston is the only way to go! 20 year warranty, 5 x monoblock design!

Wilson

[greggz]

In the Feb '01 SGHT, the 1095 was reviewed in direct comparison to the 9B THX.

http://www.rotel.com/introduction/pdfs/reviews/poweramps/rmb1095-sght-feb01.pdf

Gregg

[BKSinAZ]

That was a very informative review. Thank you.