Rotel - Conservative Power Ratings

[Mike Hayes]

I have read in numerous posts that Rotel's power ratings are conservative. Has anyone got any real world measurements on the 1055, 1070, 1075, and 1095?

[Legairre]

Sorry double post.




"What do you mean it's too loud? My ears aren't even bleeding yet!"
Radden Home Theater

[Legairre]

Mike,
Here's one of my favorite 1095 reviews that graphs the amps true power rating.

http://www.rotel.com/introduction/pd...udio-mar00.PDF

Rotel also has lots of amp reviews on their site.
http://www.rotel.com/reviews/reviews_amps.html




"What do you mean it's too loud? My ears aren't even bleeding yet!"
Radden Home Theater

[Danbry39]

Here's a listing of many popular brands of receivers and their actual power ratings, as tested by Sound and Vision, when driven into 5 channels. You'll see the Rotel 1065 results and be able to clearly see that Rotel outdoes the majority of competition in this regard., especially more recent models. If you scroll down the column indicating actual five channel performance, you'll be amazed at how truly anemic some amps are when comparing listed and actual power.

http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Hollow/3401/ratevsac.htm

Keith

[Mike Hayes]

Thanks Leguirre & Danbry!

The receiver true output ratings are enlightening. My Yamaha RXV-1200 is listed at 50 (47 x 6). Unless I'm misreading the specs, going to an RMB1075 for 5 channel amplification rather the using the Yamaha's amps should lead to at least double the Yamaha's output level. Are you kidding me!!!! 8) :twisted:

[Mike Hayes]

I think I should have said that the 1075 will have at least double the wattage going to all five speakers as compared to the Yamaha RXV-1200, at least according to the S&V measurements. Will the extra wattage make a difference at all volumes or just higher volumes?

[sndtowne]

Rotel rates all of their power amps with ALL channels driven at the same time, from 20Hz to 20KHz (the full audio bandwidth), into an 8 Ohm load (standard, but some companies fudge and rate their power into a 6 Ohm load), at a distortion rating specified for that particular amplifier (usually 0.09% or less). This method of rating power is very conservative.

Yamaha and Sony, for example (and I own a Yamaha receiver in one system) state their power (on their 5.1 and 6.1 receivers) with only TWO channels driven. This results in a higher (advertised) power output than you will likely realize in real world use (doesn't mean the receivers are bad, it just means they don't have as much power as you might assume).

In a previous year's review of the Yamaha RX-V2200 receiver, Stereophile Guide to Home Theater reported that the power output with all five channels driven at the same time was only 74 WPC even though the stated power rating is 100 WPC. When the same magazine reviewed the Rotel RSX-1055 it was measured to have 76 WPC. So the Rotel was more powerful than the Yamaha even though the Yamaha was advertised as having 25 WPC more power.

Anthem, for example, makes excellent power amps. But if you study their power rating method, they state power with only ONE channel driven, at 1KHz (not full audio bandwidth), at "less than 1% distortion" (which is pretty high for a quality power amp.). When you dig further in their literature you will find that their 125 WPC power amp is really 100 WPC using the same rating method as Rotel. (Let me hasten to say that this does not meant the Anthem amps are bad - they are fine - it's just that they are not rated as conservatively as Rotel.)

This is why it is a good idea to throughly investigate the METHOD a company uses to rate and advertise power. You may, or may not, be getting what you THINK you are getting.




Bruce

[Danbry39]

Mike,

I strongly believe that you'll find it will make a difference at all volume levels. Although, my amp is Parasound, not Rotel, I've heard the Rotel amps and they're extremely clean sounding. By getting an outboard power amp and not cramming everything into the receiver's casing, it should sound cleaner still. In my eyes, an outboard amp is usually going to sound a lot better than most any receiver, although I have heard a couple of brands of receivers, Rotel, B&K, and the high end Pioneer, that do a much better job than most mass market receivers I've heard.

You're probably in for a sonic treat. Just make certain whoever you buy it from has a good return policy just in case.




Keith