WishTree said:
I moved from RMB 1075 to Arcam P7 and I noticed that a lot of top end harshness is removed.
Do you have some inputs on RMB 1075 vs 1575 on high frequency performance?
The Arcam amplification will always be smoother in the top end than Rotel. I feel Rotel is more neutral, and for me, the Arcam is a little too restrained for my tastes. Rotel amps do need some warming up before use, otherwise they can be a little bright.
The 1075 and 1575 are quite different. The 1075 is a conventional Class A/B amplifier, whereas the RMB1575 is a Class D amplifier. You can Google the technical differences, but basically, the 1575 is a high efficiency amplifier that runs cooler and uses less electric than Class A/B. There is a sound difference though. I was introduced to Class D amplification by Pioneer's SCLX AV receivers, and found that they sounded more neutral then Class A/B amps, and possessed more grip too, being able to drive more awkward loads (4ohms in particular) better than equivalently priced AV receivers. When I upgraded from my SCLX85, I didn't want to move away from the sort of sound I had, so decided to stick with Class D, although there wasn't a great choice. The Rotel fitted perfectly and wasn't silly expensive, and with 500wpc on tap into 4ohm loads, that was way more than what I was used to, but I like to prepare for any eventuality
Tonally, as I say, the 1575 is more neutral, lacking the warmth and fullness that the 1075 will have in comparison. The 1575 is quite 'fast' in comparison too. This can come across to some people that the higher frequencies are a little more prominent, which some people will class as bright, some might even say harsh, but for me it just sounds more accurate. Because there's no whacking great transformer either, it tends to reduce the noise floor, making music sound particularly clean and clear. If you're susceptible to higher frequencies, the 1575 may not be for you, but there should be enough adjustment in any quality processor to tame that, even if the room EQ doesn't.
As I am considering the Rotel RMB 1565 only for other channels (beyond Front L & Front R).
Also, last question,
I noticed that in Stereo performance I am getting better results with a dedicated stereo amp when compared to a multi channel amp (I compared the P7 stereo performance against PM-Pearl from Marantz and the Classe CAP-2100)
Do you think this is a normal possible situation or one of a case?
It'll partly depend on how the amplifier has been designed. Some multi-channel power amplifiers will use a single large transformer to supply all channels, whereas you'll find the more 'higher end' ones may be of a mono construction - so they'll have five individual amplifier modules (boards) each with their own transformer. This type of design tends to sound better than the former, but as we know, there's the theory, then there's the practice. A dedicated 2-channel power amplifier may well have more current on tap than a multi-channel one, hence the fact it was probably driving your speakers better. In a mutli-channel system that needs to be top notch for 2-channel, I would install a dedicated 2-channel power amplifier for the front pair, and add in a multi-channel power amplifier for the rest of the speakers, as long as space isn't a consideration, of course.
I am guessing the main reason is the asymmetrical speaker set up (front L & R floor standing) apart from the dedicated amplifier for Stereo means more tolerances are built into the amp for peak handling when compared to a multi channel amp? (just guessing)
Yes, the two channel amp may well have greater headroom and current delivery.
I read some where that you use the R300 for all channels (please correct me if I am wrong) and that automatically makes me read your posts with great interest! (as I have noticed that my center channel speaker not being exactly identical with Front L & R, there is some missing synergy - if I am listening to critically. Though after a while the movie engrosses me to forget this)
Yes, I use identical speakers all round, as this is the only way to guarantee a consistent soundfield, and exact timbre matching - of course, youre then down to the mercy of your room
Some people don't really hear the sound issues caused by so called 'matching' centres, and if you don't, that's great, as you've saved yourself money and probably space! Not only is there the issue of different cabinet volumes and quite possibily different sized drivers (sometimes different drivers altogether!), but there's also the issue of dispersion. In a system like mine, all five speakers have exactly the same dispersion patterns, but in most systems, dedicated centres lie in their side for convenience purposes, and because the mid/bass drivers are either side of the HF unit, this will have different dispersion to a normal speaker where the mid/bass drivers will normally be above and/or below the HF unit.
You are right that once you are engrossed in a movie, little things can be forgotten about or not noticed, but when they're addressed properly in the first place, they'll probably never be noticed, unless you find your mind wondering because the film is a little boring. But once you notice an issue...
Hope this helps
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