power amp for proac response d two

[audio amateur]

I've never understood why there is mention of 'rolled off' highs. As far as I'm concerned, manufacturers spec there machines to play the full spectrum of frequencies from 20 to 20KHz and often times well beyond these with no more than 0.5dB of variation.

[02audionoob]

I've never understood why there is mention of 'rolled off' highs. As far as I'm concerned, manufacturers spec there machines to play the full spectrum of frequencies from 20 to 20KHz and often times well beyond these with no more than 0.5dB of variation.

I was looking at some test data on my speakers and there appeared to be a variation from the specs in the lows. Although they could produce frequencies as low as claimed, they seemed to be at a lesser SPL.

Does Rega have rolled off highs?

frenchmon

Although I loved what I heard of the Saturn, I thought I was hearing something a little less detailed way up high. But I don't know of a trend.

[audio amateur]

I was looking at some test data on my speakers and there appeared to be a variation from the specs in the lows. Although they could produce frequencies as low as claimed, they seemed to be at a lesser SPL.

I was refering to amps/CDPs.

[02audionoob]

I was refering to amps/CDPs.

Makes sense. If I'm listening to a complete setup I suspect I'm not going to really know what's causing what sonic characteristic, anyway. My ears aren't that trained.

[frenchmon]

I was looking at some test data on my speakers and there appeared to be a variation from the specs in the lows. Although they could produce frequencies as low as claimed, they seemed to be at a lesser SPL.



Although I loved what I heard of the Saturn, I thought I was hearing something a little less detailed way up high. But I don't know of a trend.

Is there a chance it could have been the speaker?

frenchmon


edit: Never mind...I see you answered it in the question from AA

[audio amateur]

Makes sense. If I'm listening to a complete setup I suspect I'm not going to really know what's causing what sonic characteristic, anyway. My ears aren't that trained.

Speaker specs are a completely different matter. I agree that speakers' responses aren't 100% flat.. But when one says 'are the highs on the Rotel rolled-off?' I start asking myself questions.

[frenchmon]

Speaker specs are a completely different matter. I agree that speakers' responses aren't 100% flat.. But when one says 'are the highs on the Rotel rolled-off?' I start asking myself questions.

Who asked that? I know there is not such a thing especially with Rotel being a owner.I asked about the Rega because I had the same concerns as you.

frenchmon

[audio amateur]

Who asked that? I know there is not such a thing especially with Rotel being a owner.I asked about the Rega because I had the same concerns as you.

frenchmon

Well I suppose I was refering to you but if you say that you were asking because you thought the Rega may truly roll off the high frequencies then what I said is moot. However, it's not the first time I read about 'rolled-off highs' concerning components other than speakers and technically there is no such thing, unless of course, the unit is faulty...

[RGA]

RGA...what is it you like about Rotel? I've heard you say that more than once. I have the 1080 amp and I like it a lot. Its not bright like a few of the reviews I've read, and its not boring either. And for the price they seem to do a good job of doing what they do, but I've heard others say they don't like the Rotel sound...what is that ? I suppose they where talking about the CDP.

frenchmon

Rotel is not taken seriously I suspect because of price which is a shame - they're a lot better than they get credit for. Take the NAD bee amp that got piles of press - I directly compared that integrated to the Rotel RA-02 which got considerably less press but IMO sounded vastly better - and I try to avoid words like Vastly these days but there you go. The Nad Bee sounded broken in comparison. Recently I auditioned several units from Rotel - a power amp and preamp (RC 1082 - which I bought over an ARC). Rotel hangs in with gear it has no business hanging in with. yes it's still SS - yes Rotel had some hit and miss stuff over the years but they seemed to have gotten their act together and are back on track. I can't speak to their cd players which I have not auditioned recently but their pre/power amps are very good in their price range. My nearest and favorite dealer actually prefers the power amps to the new Brystons that cost a lot more - and they're a Bryston dealer. They have a slightly softer sound which while not as technically gutsy as a bryston they also don't sound fatiguing after 30 minutes.

Brightness in rotel power amps is a strange complaint. I suppose it depends on the model. If anything the one's I have heard lean the other way.

[daspaceman]

So RGA, in your opinion i should just buy a dedicated rotel poweramp to power my new proacs. What model do you recommand, the proacs are not as easily driven as my older b&w Dm602.. 91db Vs 88db... The Rotel RMB1075 drives them OK, but I think I can get out more out of them .. What rotel power amp do you recommand?

Thanks

[RGA]

I am not recommending a specific power amp - or that you necessarily stick with Rotel.

I personally would create two systems - one for home theater and one for 2 channel music. Power WILL NOT be an issue - the response 2 is something like 85-87db sensitive however according to what I have read never dips below 6ohms making this a very very easy speaker to drive - a 10 watt amp like mine would have no trouble at all with this speaker.

From Stereophile's measurements: "The Response Two is one easy speaker for an amplifier to drive, as can be seen from its plot of impedance magnitude and phase (fig.1), which only drops below 8 ohms in the lower midrange." http://www.stereophile.com/standloud...ac/index4.html

Now that opens up a whole pile of options for you. Tube integrated amps from Grant Fidelity, Antique Sound Labs, Rogue Audio, Tri Audio, Audio Note, Mystere, and lots more. Or low power but excellent solid state amps from Heed Audio or Sugden. I should think many Brits have Sugden/Proac pairings.

[02audionoob]

I might be splitting hairs, but daspaceman's Response D Two speakers are a little more efficient than the Response Two described in the comment from Stereophile. ProAc's published number for the D Two is 88.5 dB. I think this further reinforces RGA's point about power.

[RGA]

Sugden was making 10 watt amps for a great many years from the late 60's through the 80's with a lot of those British speakers. Some tube amps are certainly "wussy" in that they start to sound like mush but Rogue and Grant Fidelity are in the 50 watt range and sound more like 500 watts. Rogue was driving Wilson Sophia IIs to very loud levels and would have no problem with most of the stuff on this board. I'd rather pay for quality watts than quantity watts. But this seems to be a tough notion for many to accept - two and half decades of marketing to overcome.

[daspaceman]

RGA.. what i can do is this.. buy a rotel Rc-1082 , and use it for 2 channel duties. The rc-1082 has an HT Bypass funtion which I can use for sharing the 2 proac speakers while watching music.
This way I leave the Rotel Rc1082 for 2 channel duties, and The RSP1069 (which is not a receiver by the way, it`s just an A/V preamp) for movies. But the question is this :
Is it worth it to use the rc1082 , as the RSP1069 preamp is very good already. Will there be a better performance by doing this?

[frenchmon]

RGA.. what i can do is this.. buy a rotel Rc-1082 , and use it for 2 channel duties. The rc-1082 has an HT Bypass funtion which I can use for sharing the 2 proac speakers while watching music.
This way I leave the Rotel Rc1082 for 2 channel duties, and The RSP1069 (which is not a receiver by the way, it`s just an A/V preamp) for movies. But the question is this :
Is it worth it to use the rc1082 , as the RSP1069 preamp is very good already. Will there be a better performance by doing this?

I think the RC 1082 is very much the brother of the RC 1090 which the 1082 replaced , The 1082 has the treble, bass and the HT controls which are not on the 1090. I believe these are two of the best preamps that Rotel made. I have the 1090 and it is a very good preamp.

frenchmon

[daspaceman]

Thanks Frenchmon... What I would like to know is whether there is adifference n performance is using an rsp1069 or a rc1080 preamp for hifi duties, and if it`s worth it or not!

[RGA]

I have not heard the processor 1069 so I can't say. If the 1069 does sound the same or very close then the problem may not be with your preamp. The 1082 is a pretty clean open sounding unit - I am using Shengya PM 150 tube hybrid monoblocks with good success - these are ridiculous high quality build mono block amps 150Watts (300Watts 4 ohms) and sound very good for the money ($2400 pair). I have seen very little at the price that has the uber construction quality - the pictures do not do them any justice.

I have also tried the preamp with SIm Audio and Rotel power amps and the sound with those were nice as well. Perhaps the problem you have is source or room related - or the speakers. http://www.grantfidelity.com/site/Shengya_CV15_PM150

[daspaceman]

Hello Rga...
I have no problems with my current setup... I really enjoy it
All I need is to upgrade the power amp as my current 5 channel amp has all it`s 5 channel used and I need a new power amp to power my new speakers
My current power amp is powering: the centre, two rears and a left & right speakers in a bathroom, so either I buy a very small power amp for the bathroom or I prefer to buy a gutsy amp for the proacs!
Am i clear now?... I know my english sucks , sorry!
So... for now I need a good dedicated power amp for the proacs and later on, I will buy a good dedicated stereo preamp with HT bypass to integrate both sysytems, sharing the front speakers.

Cheers from malta,
Kevin Brian

[frenchmon]

Hello Rga...
I have no problems with my current setup... I really enjoy it
All I need is to upgrade the power amp as my current 5 channel amp has all it`s 5 channel used and I need a new power amp to power my new speakers
My current power amp is powering: the centre, two rears and a left & right speakers in a bathroom, so either I buy a very small power amp for the bathroom or I prefer to buy a gutsy amp for the proacs!
Am i clear now?... I know my english sucks , sorry!
So... for now I need a good dedicated power amp for the proacs and later on, I will buy a good dedicated stereo preamp with HT bypass to integrate both sysytems, sharing the front speakers.

Cheers from malta,
Kevin Brian

Seeing that you have the preamp, just go and get a used Rotel amp...the 1080 would be good for you and not to expensive

http://cgi.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/srch...ng=rotel&B1=go


frenchmon

[02audionoob]

Well, Kevin...Your English certainly doesn't suck. ...and I'd like to ask this: What do you hope to hear from the ProAc speakers that you don't, already? I ask this because I think we've established you don't need more power. If anything you need better power. Right? That was the gist of an earlier RGA reply and the main reason I mentioned low-powered options, although RGA went even lower. I thought that's what I was reading into your first post.

[daspaceman]

Well, Kevin...Your English certainly doesn't suck. ...and I'd like to ask this: What do you hope to hear from the ProAc speakers that you don't, already? I ask this because I think we've established you don't need more power. If anything you need better power. Right? That was the gist of an earlier RGA reply and the main reason I mentioned low-powered options, although RGA went even lower. I thought that's what I was reading into your first post.

Hey audionoob..
My wife says my english sucks, but she`s an english teacher hehe

Exactly.. I need a better more refined power amp, but I dont want a tube amp. A quality power amp. I want more detail than the detail i`m getting from the rotel. Also i need a dedicated stereo preamp with an HT Bypass like the primare PRE30 which allows me to share the proacs while watching movies.
*I was recommanded the rega exon.. but i think it`s a tad shut in.
*Was recommanded a bryston ... whih i think i like from what i`ve read.
*Also i was recommanded a primare, but i`m afraid it`s too laid back, and a little shut in too.
* was also recommanded a densen
Any solidstate power amps that go with proacs and also have a stereo preamp which allows an ht bypass (to buy in the future)

Thanks

[frenchmon]

Hey audionoob..
My wife says my english sucks, but she`s an english teacher hehe

Exactly.. I need a better more refined power amp, but I dont want a tube amp. A quality power amp. I want more detail than the detail i`m getting from the rotel. Also i need a dedicated stereo preamp with an HT Bypass like the primare PRE30 which allows me to share the proacs while watching movies.
*I was recommanded the rega exon.. but i think it`s a tad shut in.
*Was recommanded a bryston ... whih i think i like from what i`ve read.
*Also i was recommanded a primare, but i`m afraid it`s too laid back, and a little shut in too.
* was also recommanded a densen
Any solidstate power amps that go with proacs and also have a stereo preamp which allows an ht bypass (to buy in the future)

Thanks

I want more detail than the detail i`m getting from the rotel.

Ok that makes no sense to me. Rotel not detailed? Explain please. Are you say the Rotel has less detail? Than what? IS your Rotel dull? The 1080 while not a very expensive is a very fine amp.


frenchmon

[daspaceman]

Ok that makes no sense to me. Rotel not detailed? Explain please. Are you say the Rotel has less detail? Than what? IS your Rotel dull? The 1080 while not a very expensive is a very fine amp.


frenchmon

For the price the rotels are very good amplifiers. I`m looking into amps like Classe audio and bryston , if you know what I mean. I want a small upgrade , and I need a new power amp. The brystons for example are a little bit more detailed with a little bit authority on the bass.

There is realy nothing wrong in rotel Amps. In fact I`m keeping my rotel rsp1069 + Rb1075 as I do love them.

[frenchmon]

For the price the rotels are very good amplifiers. I`m looking into amps like Classe audio and bryston , if you know what I mean. I want a small upgrade , and I need a new power amp. The brystons for example are a little bit more detailed with a little bit authority on the bass.

There is realy nothing wrong in rotel Amps. In fact I`m keeping my rotel rsp1069 + Rb1075 as I do love them.

I understand, hears one small positive opinion for you.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/foru...0#post_1424139

Levesque,

I also have the Studio 100s and had them with the Rotel RMB 1090 for a year. Last month the power switch started to act up, so my dealer let me borrow a bryston 4BST while the 1090 was being repaired. I like the way both amps sound with these speakers. I can't honestly tell you I heard a big night and day difference between the 2, especially at lower levels. What I did like more about the Bryston is that the amp is dead quite. With the Rotel I could hear some low level hiss through the 100s.
When the Rotel 1090 came back, my dealer let my trade it in for a Bryston 6BSST (3x300) I got this amp instead so I could power my Studio CC with it. I plan to trade in my Rotel RMB-1095 later(it powers my 4 surrounds right now) and get a 9BSST(4 channel version) or two 4BSSTs.
Since you can get either amp at the same price I highly reccommend the Bryston. The build quality is incredible and you can't beat the 20 year warranty!

frenchmon

[daspaceman]

I understand, hears one small positive opinion for you.

http://www.hometheaterforum.com/foru...0#post_1424139





frenchmon

Thanks brother