Roksan Kandy BT , Rotel RA 1570 or other?

[CnoEvil]

1) Compact size

2) Large dynamic output

3) Easy to drive

Pick only two.

Audio Note speakers get close to giving you all three. They are fairly compact but are designed to work in the corners, so effectively, the room becomes part of the speaker.

 

[Vladimir]

The AX-1?

 

[CnoEvil]

The AX-1?

No.......AN series.

 

[Reijer]

Naim (I forget which one) and the older roksan kandy that didn't have a dac. Rotel clinched it for me due to the included dac (not relevant to your decision) and how close it seemed to sound to monitor mixes when you're listening to tracks back in a studio. I did also try a cheaper rotel, ra12 perhaps? That didn't sound as good, presumably because that really was underpowered.

Thanks for expanding. Actually having the DAC built in is a big deal for me. I think more manufacturers should follow suit,look how popular the new NAD D amps have become on these pages. It sounds like this Rotel has plenty of clarity then, I'm looking forward to hearing it.

Why buy an amp with a Dac if you already have one or don't need one, thats just wasting money. sounds like the NAD dac is not much cop anyway.

Then leave the DAC out. It's an option, nothing else. It can be build in later also, or any other module you want from NAD.

 

[Vladimir]

No.......AN series.

Sorry, misread your post. You said fairly compact and I just thought mini monitors immediatly.

Yes indeed the AN range is high efficiency and digs deep in the bass but not very loud due to single 8" mid/woofer and a tweeter. Thus the trick with the room placement in the corners to increase SPL.

 

[CnoEvil]

The AX-1?

No.......AN series.

Sorry, misread your post. You said fairly compact and I just thought mini monitors immediatly.

Yes indeed the AN range is high efficiency and digs deep in the bass but not very loud due to single 8" mid/woofer and a tweeter. Thus the trick with the room placement in the corners to increase SPL.

I heard some and couldn't believe the scale they produced......amazing. I would say they had an effective bandwith of 18 Hz - 23 kHz (-6dB), and a dynamic headroom above 108 dB. :O

 

[Vladimir]

That is how they did it in the old days. Flea watt amp, speakers in corners, big boxes, few drivers, high efficiency.

I read now that the AN-J has similar volume like the CM8 (only 1.5L apart) but it has 2 drivers less to push. The AN-J is 93dB and the CM8 is 88dB, so add two 8" woofers to the AN-J + the necessary crossover parts and the 93dB melts down.

The room is the final factor which many neglect.

 

[CnoEvil]

That is how they did it in the old days. Flea watt amp, speakers in corners, big boxes, few drivers, high efficiency.

I read now that the AN-J has similar volume like the CM8 (only 1.5L apart) but it has 2 drivers less to push. The AN-J is 93dB and the CM8 is 88dB, so add two 8" woofers to the AN-J + the necessary crossover parts and the 93dB melts down.

The room is the final factor which many neglect.

So would you now agree with my original statement?

 

[Vladimir]

That is how they did it in the old days. Flea watt amp, speakers in corners, big boxes, few drivers, high efficiency.

I read now that the AN-J has similar volume like the CM8 (only 1.5L apart) but it has 2 drivers less to push. The AN-J is 93dB and the CM8 is 88dB, so add two 8" woofers to the AN-J + the necessary crossover parts and the 93dB melts down.

The room is the final factor which many neglect.

So would you now agree with my original statement?

Clearing the corners for 50L speakers kinds defeats the idea of compact design (to women) but yeah, why not. If you ask me personally I don't mind even wall to wall JBL 4355 speakers. It's kinda compact-ish.

 

[CnoEvil]

That is how they did it in the old days. Flea watt amp, speakers in corners, big boxes, few drivers, high efficiency.

I read now that the AN-J has similar volume like the CM8 (only 1.5L apart) but it has 2 drivers less to push. The AN-J is 93dB and the CM8 is 88dB, so add two 8" woofers to the AN-J + the necessary crossover parts and the 93dB melts down.

The room is the final factor which many neglect.

So would you now agree with my original statement?

Clearing the corners for 50L speakers kinds defeats the idea of compact design (to women) but yeah, why not. If you ask me personally I don't mind even wall to wall JBL 4355 speakers. It's kinda compact-ish.

:rofl:

 

[radiorog]

And yes, all solid state amps of decent quality sound the same when level matched in double blind test. The sound quality differences are imaginary due to differences in loudness and FR.

Seriously?! If that's the case you shouldn't be saying that Marantz sounds boring and sweet in comparison to your Roksan in the other thread. Both should sound the same, and your opinion of the Marantz's sweetness must be purely imaginary.

Questions regarding which amp to choose would become much simpler to answer..."It doesn't matter because they're all the same. "

Those are not actual qualitative differences but subjective impressions from differences in loudness and frequency response. Quality is more in the spectrum of low distortion, clean output without clipping etc.

If one amp has brighter sound and another has warmer sound, neither is better based on that. If one is louder earlier on the volume knob than the other, it is not better, just louder sooner on the knob.

Am very well interested in this statement...a bit of a wtf moment for me.

So are you saying amplifiers don't alter in any way the qualities of clarity, separation of instruments (and 3d imaging), or timing? I'm sure I've read reviews in whf contrary to this.

Cheers

 

[Vladimir]

Am very well interested in this statement...a bit of a W*T*F moment for me.

So are you saying amplifiers don't alter in any way the qualities of clarity, separation of instruments (and 3d imaging), or timing? I'm sure I've read reviews in whf contrary to this.

Cheers

Yes.

Take a $50,000 amp and a $500 amp and level match them -/+0.1dB to play a pair of speakers without clipping and in a double blind test you will not be able to tell which one is better.

http://matrixhifi.com/ENG_contenedor_ppec.htm

What you pay for with the $50,000 amp is to drive big and difficult speakers to concert SPL's, also for the visual design, the name, the exclusivity etc.

To us humans louder is better and going louder without distortion is even better. It comes at a price though.

 

[Mac135]

Not long ago purchased the Rotel RA1570. Pleased to have done so as I was never really satisfied with the orginal pairing of the CM9's and the Cambridge Audio 840A amp. The 840 arrived before the CM9's, the CM(9s representing the first of this round of upgrades.

At the end of the day I'm not sure I could really hear much difference between the Rotel and other amps that I tried. I thought I could at times during the audition but I'm not convinced. The Rotel was the choice in the end because I was committed to the B and W's and the two brands are connected and some might suggest synergistic as a result.

Anyway, I don't think you could go wrong owning the Rotel or for that matter a number of other similarly specced products

 

[CnoEvil]

Double post.

 

[GCE]

Other... 8)

 

[Cypher]

If I had to buy a more expensive amp right now...........I would probably go for a Marantz Pearl Lite or a Marantz PM8005.

 

[jimmy1973]

My experiences with Rotel are similar to Cambridge kit, ear fatigue and asleep on the couch within 30 minutes. One man's drink is another man's poison etc etc but just unbearably bright for me. Roksan all the way, rounded, rich and warm

 

[boshk]

Wondering here too. Finally got the CM1 with their stand and now amp time. I can just go easy way and grab the RA-12 and be done OR if I consider the RA-1570, so many other options with similar spec.

Primare i22 dac

Marantz pm8005 with arcam irdac

Ra-1570

Arcam fmj a19 with arcam irdac

Roksan k2 (non BT) ....forgot if this has dac

Musical fidelity m3i

 

[Vladimir]

Rotel RA-1570 would be the safe way to go.

 

[ISAC69]

Rotel RA-1570 would be the safe way to go.

+ 1

Rotel and B&W in general are a classic match .

 

[MaxD]

Hehehe I know this is not exactly technical then Roksan Kandy BT look sooooo ugly. If I do have to spend something like € 1000 for an integrated amp it also need some eyes candy. :rockout:

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi boshk

Also consider Hegel's H80 Amp/DAC. The H80's excellent control of low frequencies should help firm up the CM1's bass just nicely.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[boshk]

Hi boshk

Also consider Hegel's H80 Amp/DAC. The H80's excellent control of low frequencies should help firm up the CM1's bass just nicely.

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

thanks. Looking at my options now.

Went to test the Primare i22, but they could only hook it to Primare cdp to KEF R300 bookshelf........I liked the sound.

Called the Hegel dealer in Hong Kong but no reply, theres only 1 dealer.

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Hi boshk

Your welcome.

Can't you take your speakers to the dealer or the amp home?

All the best

Rick @ Misicraft

 

[Vladimir]

Hehehe I know this is not exactly technical then Roksan Kandy BT look sooooo ugly. If I do have to spend something like € 1000 for an integrated amp it also need some eyes candy. :rockout:

Says the man with NAD D 3020. :rofl: