Rotel RA-04... but with what speakers?

[admin_exported]

Hi,

I just bought a Rotel RA-04 amp, however I am unsure of what speakers to pair it with. I was originally advised a pair of BR2s but in the hifi store I was recommended the B&W 685s (which is what i heard them demoed with and they did sound good but I didn't listen for that long) as a much better match and that it would produce much better sound.

The kind of music I listen to spans from Radiohead to The Pixies to The Fleet Foxes.

However... once I looked in to the user opinion section of the 685 about half of the reviews seemed to really hate them, one person compairing them to "cheap PC speakers". Can this really be true for the award winning 685s? Or perhaps there would be a better match in the same price band?

Many thanks

 

[Anonymous]

If you've got a dealer you go to, definately demo different speakers with your amp.

I heard the BR2s and 685s side by side and thought the BR2s were terrible and the 685s very nice. Sound is subjective so it could be the opposite for you.

Maybe try the Quad 12L2 too.

 

[Cypher]

Try the Dali Lektor 2. I use them with my RA-04 and it sounds very good.

 

[Anonymous]

Ubercooldave, what a great amp. I have the RA-04 paired with the 686s - perfect harmony seeming as Rotel is distributed by Bowers & Wilkins who themselves use Rotel as their reference amps in development of their loudspeakers.

The 686s would be best with the RA-04 as it would be pushing it to power the 685s.

James

 

[Anonymous]

I have listened to the 685 and br2 with the rotel. I hated the br2 finding them really bright with no weight to the sound. I liked the 685 but actually prefer it with NAD amp (I found the rotel a bit harsh by comparison although I think I am overly biased towards the warm side!)

I heard 686 and 685 with a NAD 315 amp which is probably less powerful than the rotel amp and it drove them ok. The 685 sounded much better with a richer sound and much wider soundstage, I liked them so much better than the 686. I heard the 685 with the bigger rotel RA06 amp bit did not appreciate much improvement to be honest.

Any way, that is just my opinion (and i am a bit of novice!)

 

[Anonymous]

I have the RA05 same as RA04 but with remote running B&W 685s on super dreanoughts more than happy with the sound and i listern to same sort of music as yourself.