Marantz PM8003, Rotel RA 06SE or NAD 356BEE?

[plastic penguin]

tommelitn:

Hmmm you have a point, it was produced from 2001-2004 from what I can find.

If you really like the idea of the Rotel then investigate that one further. Be very careful. There are too many bogus dealers who'll be mor than happy to take your money.

If you're after a very powerful amp one that'll shake the walls, look at Roksan Kandy LIII. It can be picked up on ebay between £350-£400, and it'll sound great with Kef speakers. WHFI gave it awards for about 2-3 years.

 

[plastic penguin]

tommelitn:

Thank you guys for inputs, and concidering Onkyo not beein a good 2ch amp is only good news for me, less to concider.

Right now I found a second hand Rotel RA-1070 for £600 and if this is still available I will take my chance with this one, else Iïm going for the NAD, thats also the cheapest of them all, but in that perspective it gives me the possibility to later add a poweramp without feeling "ripped off"....he,he

I personally wouldn't part with £600 for the 1070. These older 10 series rarely sell above £350, as per this example here:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rotel-RA-1060-Top-range-Integrated-Amplifier-Fantastic-/160538331032?pt=UK_AudioTVElectronics_HomeAudioHiFi_Amplifiers&hash=item2560d48798

Put the 1070 into context: I paid £750 for my Leema, RRP was £1300, and that was brand new price.

Good luck.

Edit - I seem to remember that when my old RCD975 went wonky and looked for a replacement, around 2004, I looked at the 10 series then. I don't think any of the 10 series, whether it was amps or CDPs, retailed for any more than about £650. So I'm not too sure where you obtained the £1,200 figure from?

 

[Anonymous]

Its was what it retailed for here in Norway, these Hifi seperate prices are really different from country to country, like the NAD 356BEE it retails for £500 here and the Rotel RA-1520 for £750, RA-06SE £550 and Marantz PM8003 for £799.

Just to illustrate.

 

[plastic penguin]

tommelitn:

Its was what it retailed for here in Norway, these Hifi seperate prices are really different from country to country, like the NAD 356BEE it retails for £500 here and the Rotel RA-1520 for £750, RA-06SE £550 and Marantz PM8003 for £799.

Just to illustrate.

There's not much difference in prices, based on your figures, between the UK and your country. I would personally be loathed to pay £600 for an that's [possibly] six or seven years old. Something about the price for the 1070 doesn't stack up...

 

[Anonymous]

I can only find one RA 1070 for sale on Ebay and that have a £670 asking price, but I really don't know now, anyway the bloke haven't contacted me again so heïs probably sold it to someone else.

 

[plastic penguin]

tommelitn:I can only find one RA 1070 for sale on Ebay and that have a £670 asking price, but I really don't know now, anyway the bloke haven't contacted me again so heïs probably sold it to someone else.

If it is sold, then the person who bought it for £670 has been conned. Don't get me wrong, the Rotel is a really good amp, but would not pay the price for a second hand amp that's the same price as it was in 2004. I really do think you're better off looking elsewhere.

For example, Roksan Kandy LIII is available at around £350. Include the shipping cost and import tax and you're still better off than going for an old Rotel that's now only worth half that price you've quoted.

The thing that really annoys me is not how an individual spends their money, but these sharks who try and rip people off. It gives the industry a bad name; shame because the majority of retailers are very genuine.

Where did you get the £1,200 figure from on that Rotel?

 

[Anonymous]

I got the price from this Norwegian site: http://www.stereofil.no/produkter/stereo/rotel_ra_1070.html thats Nok 12995 =£1400 actually.

But I donït know what the price was for it in the UK....

 

[plastic penguin]

tommelitn:

I got the price from this Norwegian site: http://www.stereofil.no/produkter/stereo/rotel_ra_1070.html thats Nok 12995 =£1400 actually.

But I donït know what the price was for it in the UK....

Just looked in WHFI? S&V mag from 2005 and Sevenoaks Sound and Vision, which is one of the biggest retailers in the UK, was selling the RA-1062 amp and 1072 CDP for £595.00 each.

 

[Anonymous]

I just found a site that still sells both 1062 and the 1070, the 1062 is Nok 6500,- and the 1070 is Nok 12085,- so that pretty much match £595 and £1200.

 

[plastic penguin]

tommelitn:

I just found a site that still sells both 1062 and the 1070, the 1062 is Nok 6500,- and the 1070 is Nok 12085,- so that pretty much match £595 and £1200.

And NOK is what exactly? Sorry for my ignorance...

 

[Anonymous]

No problem, I shouldnt expect you to know that Nok is "Norwegian Krone" our currency

 

[Helmut80]

plastic penguin:tommelitn:
I just found a site that still sells both 1062 and the 1070, the 1062 is Nok 6500,- and the 1070 is Nok 12085,- so that pretty much match £595 and £1200.

And NOK is what exactly? Sorry for my ignorance...

Norwegian Krone, it's the local currency.

 

[plastic penguin]

tommelitn:

No problem, I shouldnt expect you to know that Nok is "Norwegian Krone" our currency

Ah, right. That's an awful lot of Nok for a 7 or 8 year old amp. You go for it if you think it's really worth it, but you'll be better off, as mentioned earlier, buy an amp here. Even if you factor in the carriage costs and 25% import tax, you'll still be "quids in" as we say here...

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi tommelitn

From the three new amplifiers on your list i would highly recommend you consider the NAD as from a tonal and power point of view the C356BEE will form a far better match with your KEF speakers.

If you are happy to consider used components then Rotel's RA-1062, RA-1070, NAD C370 and the Marantz PM64 are worth a seriously look. From this list in the first instance i'll recommend the Marantz PM64 followed by the C370/RA-1062 (equal) and then the RA-1070.

If you're interested in Rotel amps then the RA-1062 is the one to go for as fwiw i feel the RA-1062 is the finest overall amplifier they've produced in the last ten years. The RA-1070 is also very good. You should find both units on the used market for not more then £350 or so.

From these amplifiers mentioned i would consider them in the following order

Marantz PM64 (a superb amplifier - old is gold

)

Rotel RA-1062/NAD C370

NAD C356BEE

Rotel RA-1070

Rotel RA-06SE

Marantz PM8003

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Rick!

Very nice list for me to work from, now I just have to hit Ebay

And the £600 RA-1070 was sold to someone who could pick it up locally so that one is out of play.

 

[Anonymous]

Could it work out to well if I buy the 06SE now and later add one power amp for bi-amping or would it be wiser just to save up for the the RA-1520?

 

[MUSICRAFT]

tommelitn:
Could it work out to well if I buy the 06SE now and later add one power amp for bi-amping or would it be wiser just to save up for the the RA-1520?

Hi tommelitn

The RA-06SE and RA-1520 are both good amplifiers however the overall star Rotel amplifier of the last decade is the RA-1062. You can also save yourself quite a lot of money compared to the newer models by finding a used RA-1062 for around the £300 - £350.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Anonymous]

Iïm trying to find one, but itïs a bit of a limited marked for used hifi in Norway, and my only other source that I know of is Ebay, there were a RA-1060 for sale though.

And to tell the truth Iïm a bit anxious to get something new in my system, its the famous bug

Regards

Edit: Not new as in never used, but new as of new item in my system... (poor english I know)

 

[MUSICRAFT]

tommelitn:
Iïm trying to find one, but itïs a bit of a limited marked for used hifi in Norway, and my only other source that I know of is Ebay, there were a RA-1060 for sale though.

And to tell the truth Iïm a bit anxious to get something new in my system, its the famous bug

Regards

Edit: Not new as in never used, but new as of new item in my system... (poor english I know)

Hi tommelitn

Funnily enough the RA-1062 is based on the RA-1060. RA-1060 is a good amplifier although not the pocket rocket that is the RA-1062

Alternatively how about a NAD C370? C370's pop up sale from time to time.

If you can't find these used amplifiers and are still anxious to get an amp asap then from the existing models i'll still highly recommend the NAD C356BEE as it is the most musical of the four main models mentioned and will also form a far better match with your speakers.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[Anonymous]

I have been searching for these second hand pieces you recommended with no luck, but this has a happy ending nevertheless!

I took time to go audition a NAD 356BEE, and instantly fell in love, I could only audiotion the NAD on a pair of B&W CM7 so I was a bit nervous when I unpacked and set it up in my system, but there was no reason to worry, its just...wow

I supose the Rotel RA-1520 is better or some other, but this was just what I was looking for and I couldnt be happier!

So next is a CD upgrade, but that can easily wait some months now.

Thank you Rick and the rest of you for inputs and recommendations.

Regards

Tommy

 

[Blackdawn]

Congratulations on your new purchase. Remind us what the rest of your system consits of. Do you find the NAD amp still sounds really good at low volumes as well as high?

 

[Anonymous]

Rest of the system consits of a HK HD970 CD player which I also stream my airport express trough (Spotify/Itunes) and a pair of KEF iQ90 floorstanders.

Iïve only had the NAD for a day and the only real comparison I can do is with my old (*****) Cayin 220Ci but compared to that the NAD also shines at low volume.

Actually Iïm quite impressed with the quality given the price of the NAD.

Edit: Cables; QED something signal and some Van Damme studio (4mm) speaker cables

 

[MUSICRAFT]

tommelitn:
I have been searching for these second hand pieces you recommended with no luck, but this has a happy ending nevertheless!

I took time to go audition a NAD 356BEE, and instantly fell in love, I could only audiotion the NAD on a pair of B&W CM7 so I was a bit nervous when I unpacked and set it up in my system, but there was no reason to worry, its just...wow

I supose the Rotel RA-1520 is better or some other, but this was just what I was looking for and I couldnt be happier!

So next is a CD upgrade, but that can easily wait some months now.

Thank you Rick and the rest of you for inputs and recommendations.

Regards

Tommy

Hi Tommy

Your welcome and i hope you enjoy the performance of your new NAD amplifier for many years to come

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft