6 replies to this topic

[Bus_Boy]

Just spent some time looking into Rotel's line of AVR"S and Pro/Pro's, i'm going through just about everything i can find within my budget since cancelling my order on the Yamaha unit due to stock and order times.

I'm looking at the rsx 1550, which is a 7.1 avr however with a 5ch in-built amplifier (note i am only looking at the class AB products not their newer class D designs) However one thing that i can't seem to find any info on is whether the in-built amplifiers output channels are assignable?

The smallest matching class AB 2 ch external amp for 7 ch operation is rated at 100wpc. The 1550's amps are also rated at 100wpc, however drops down to 75wpc when all channels are driven. The total power output isn't really of a concern to me, what is though is the fact that the external amp would probably sound better than the 1550's in-built ones. If this is the case then it makes me wonder about the best quality amp in the system being used to power a set of surrounds? Ideally the external amp would run the L/R ?

I'm looking to also add a 2 ch pre amp, which will handle cd and vinyl play back, and simply use a pair of 1 male into 2 female rca splitters to keep the avr and pre amp both connected to the external 2 ch amp driving the front left and right.

But if you can't assign the output channels on the AVR then this of course can't be done, in which case would i be better of going a separate processor such as the rsp 1570/2 and using 2 seperate power amps? With the 2 external power amps i actually end up with 8 channels, because the multichannel amp is a 6 ch. Is there any harm in spitting the rca signal from the processors centre channel output into 2 of the 6ch amps inputs in order to bi-amp the centre channel?

[Perth-Ed]

BB,

If ur going to add in a 2ch pre you don't need the RCA splitters for the front L/R signal paths i.e. connect the AVR front L/R pre-outs to one of the source inputs on the 2ch pre. Ideally the 2ch pre has a input designated as "HT bypass" (HT thru-pass) which by-passes the volume adjustment in the 2ch pre i.e. movie volume is set purely by the AVR master volume. However you can also feed the AVR front L/R into a 2ch pre and just be careful every time you switch over to watch a movie, and swicth back to listen via the "stereo chain".

That only addresses part of your query but hope that helps somewhat.

Cheers,
Ed

[Bus_Boy]

Hi Ed,

To be honest i'd actually rather the stereo pre amp control the volume than the avr for analog, playing vinyl and using the avr at the same time just wouldn't "feel right"

[jel]

Hi Ed,

To be honest i'd actually rather the stereo pre amp control the volume than the avr for analog, playing vinyl and using the avr at the same time just wouldn't "feel right"

Yes, you are confused. When using HT bypass, your AVR is nowhere in the signal chain of your pre-amp.
For analogue, it's TT -> pre -> power -> speaker.
For movies, it's DVD -> AVR -> pre -> power -> speaker (for your front L&R)

HT bypass is a feature on your preamp, not the AVR

[SteveC]

I have an Emotiva USP-1 and it will do all this for you. It has HT Bypass. Also has a phono stage for your vinyl but I don't use it.

I have it set up using 5.1 through AVR for movies and 2.1 via pre to power amps/sub.

AVR is switched off when playing music.

[:) al]

Hi Ed,

To be honest i'd actually rather the stereo pre amp control the volume than the avr for analog, playing vinyl and using the avr at the same time just wouldn't "feel right"

yes as others have commented a ht bypass in a combined system is a must. for 2ch only the 2ch pre comes into play and you use as a conventional system. its only for ht that a ht bypass is engaged and it bypasses the vol knob on the 2ch pre so L&R pre out from your avr or processor goes straight through to your power amp.

if you buy a quality 2ch integrated you can utilise the 2ch of its power amp for ht which bypasses the vol knob of the integrated and the power amp built in the integrated is used to drive your mains. for 2ch you simply have the source feed your 2ch integrated which drive your mains

re your original question please buy the latest gen rotel processor or avr. the previous generation were still a touch buggy !

I'd suggest the processor as it will mean you can buy power amp of choice. eg a 5ch multichannel amp and partner that with a ht bypass capable 2ch integrated of choice. or alternatively a 7 ch multichannel amp and a 2ch pre amp with ht bypass. beauty with this approach is down the track when the processing is superceded you can keep your power amp and just upgrade the processor.

obviously the avr route will cost you the least. and they can be got depending on what you buy with decent power stages and processing on board.

[Emral]

Totally agree with Al, if you have the budget, separate power amps are the way to go.

I had a chance to demo the Rotel 1570 processor and it was definitely a step up from my Onkyo 905. The 1570 HT performances was about 15% better, but for 2ch i heard a big improvement at least 50%
Now it still did not compare to my pre/DAC for 2ch, but if i had not heard my DAC before i wouldn't have been disappoint with the sound.
In the end i when with a Marantz AV7005, it just out classed the 1570 for HT,but for 2ch they were about on par.
I do have a soft spot for Rotel as i run a 1575 for my surrounds, really happy with the sound.