Question Rotel RA-1592 Vs AVR

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Hey all,

I'm looking for a new amp for my B&W 705...it seems Rotel RA-1592 pairs very well. Does anyone have any recommendations if I wanted an AVR instead so I can use for home cinema as well as music? I might move to 5.1 with 702 S2 at a later date.

Thanks all for your help!
 
If you choose a stereo amp with HT Bypass and an AVR with Pre-outs you can still use it to drive the fronts in a surround sound set up. HT Bypass is sometimes called other things by different manufacturers (e.g. Arcam use processor mode) but basically it turns one input into a fixed level input (can’t control volume). Connect stereo sources to the stereo amp for music and surround sources to the avr for movies.
 
If you choose a stereo amp with HT Bypass and an AVR with Pre-outs you can still use it to drive the fronts in a surround sound set up. HT Bypass is sometimes called other things by different manufacturers (e.g. Arcam use processor mode) but basically it turns one input into a fixed level input (can’t control volume). Connect stereo sources to the stereo amp for music and surround sources to the avr for movies.

Unfortunately the Rotel doesn’t have HT bypass, so it will make things challenging and not as simple.
I might just settle for this AVR and hope it does justice for music.

anyone have any thoughts on this?

thanks
 

Page 15, Fixed gain setting - this looks like HT bypass in disguise using AUX1 input.

Thank you, looks like I’ll go down this route. I’m still confused weather I should spend £2k on a Rotel or £3k or an NAD AVR. How much difference the audio would be between the two for music?

In a year or so, I probably will get an AVR to power the rears once if I get the Rotel instead of an AVR this time round.

would be keen on your thoughts?

Thanks m so much!
 
The big difference is in the preamp section of each. I suspect the AVR will turn all inputs to digital, process them and then turn them into analogue before the power amp circuits. The stereo amp will keep them analogue all the way through.

This is why you connect stereo inputs to the stereo amp (cd, tuner, streamer, turntable etc) and surround inputs to the AVR (Blue Ray, dvd, PlayStation, cable/sat box etc). For stereo playback you do not need the AVR on.

The other issue is that the AVR channel are likely to share a power supply so often in the specs of an AVR the power drops the more channels you use, this is obviously not the case for a stereo amp.

For Music from an AVR I would look at Arcam as well, these are known for half decent music playback, have beefy power supplies (sometime with two transformers) and some have individual cards for each amp channel (bit like a multi channels of dual mono stereo amps).
 
The big difference is in the preamp section of each. I suspect the AVR will turn all inputs to digital, process them and then turn them into analogue before the power amp circuits. The stereo amp will keep them analogue all the way through.

This is why you connect stereo inputs to the stereo amp (cd, tuner, streamer, turntable etc) and surround inputs to the AVR (Blue Ray, dvd, PlayStation, cable/sat box etc). For stereo playback you do not need the AVR on.

The other issue is that the AVR channel are likely to share a power supply so often in the specs of an AVR the power drops the more channels you use, this is obviously not the case for a stereo amp.

For Music from an AVR I would look at Arcam as well, these are known for half decent music playback, have beefy power supplies (sometime with two transformers) and some have individual cards for each amp channel (bit like a multi channels of dual mono stereo amps).

that settles it in, Rotel for stereo and later buy an AVR for 5.1. I assume once the Rotel is connected to AVR via pre-out the AVR will handle 5.1, Dolby and Atmos if I ever go down that route?

would there be an imbalance in the sound from front and rears because the stereo amp is powering the fronts and sent to the AVR?

Thanks so much for your detailed response, ive spoken to so many stores and no one could explain this to me properly like you 🤘🏼
 
With the stereo amp set to fixed gain it effectively acts as a power amp. You set the volume you want from the power amp (say 75/100) then run any AVR setup routine to set speaker volume and delay and whenever you want to use the avr choose the AUX1 input on the stereo amp and off you go. The AVR then controls the system Volume.

Manufacturers all call it different things, some use HT Bypass, Arcam use processor mode, Audiolab use Processor Mode etc. So you have to dig through the manuals to see if it is possible to set a fixed volume for one/any input. Typically this is only available on the higher models though (e.g. rega, not available on Brio and Elex but is on Elicit).
 
With the stereo amp set to fixed gain it effectively acts as a power amp. You set the volume you want from the power amp (say 75/100) then run any AVR setup routine to set speaker volume and delay and whenever you want to use the avr choose the AUX1 input on the stereo amp and off you go. The AVR then controls the system Volume.

Manufacturers all call it different things, some use HT Bypass, Arcam use processor mode, Audiolab use Processor Mode etc. So you have to dig through the manuals to see if it is possible to set a fixed volume for one/any input. Typically this is only available on the higher models though (e.g. rega, not available on Brio and Elex but is on Elicit).

This is perfect Rotel supports Fixed Gain. I think it’s time to spend £2k on a Rotel. Cant wait to hear it with my B&W 702 S2. So excited.

once again, thanks so much for your response, I’m extremely grateful.

on another note, can you recommend any cables? I don’t know where to start!
 
No problem, glad to help. Do let us know how you get on.
 
Fixed gain has been covered above by @Ugg10 and does the same job as HT by-pass. With Rega it is called 'Direct Mode' but is only available on the amps from the Elicit-R upwards. Extremely easy to use on the Rega, basically plug and play. HT by-pass by whatever name is simple to use and very effective.
 
I am planning to upgrade my Marantz PM 14 S 1 integrated amplifier which allows Home theatre out by using Integrated amp on Direct Amp mode.
My two channel speakers are connected to Marantz amp and rest of the channels such as Centre sub woofer , Atmos and surround are connected to my AVR Denon 7200 W.
I am using PMC twentry 23 tower speakers and centre and surround also PMC.

I am considering Rotel RA 1592 can you please advise whether I can continue use the same set of speakers in dual purpose as the way I am doing with my Marantz PM 14 S 1 ?

Is there any other recommendation of Integrated Amp which would have this facility and better results from my PMC twenty 23 ?I would also like to add subwoofer to my Integrated amp.
 
I am considering Rotel RA 1592 can you please advise whether I can continue use the same set of speakers in dual purpose as the way I am doing with my Marantz PM 14 S 1 ?
The Rotel has HT by-pass capability.
 

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