Rotel RB-1070 Amplifier Review

[fpitas]

1. The second harmonic is -80dB. The rest of the distortion is at, or below -94dB.

2. The dynamic range is very good.

3. The bandwidth is very good.

4. You get a lot of power for the money.

5. It's 20 years old, and not only does it still work. It still measures ok.

And I bet in a blind test it would sound just like an amp with better SINAD. Human ears can only discern so much, especially with music. Even Golden Ears

Plus, I daresay most loudspeakers have much more than -80dB second harmonic distortion.

 

[Sokel]

And I bet in a blind test it would sound just like an amp with better SINAD. Human ears can only discern so much, especially with music. Even Golden Ears

Plus, I daresay most loudspeakers have much more than -80dB second harmonic distortion.

Archimago's 67 people test backs that up just fine.
And we are talking he was shameless enough to include 30db (?) SINAD files.

Edit:Not SINAD,only distortion (THD),(the force of habit,you people have burned me here!)

 

[Mtbf]

I guess we got your point.
But let us also appreciate good engineering from the past.
Besides, there are a lot of examples of brand new amplifiers which perform worse than this Rotel. So, give it some credit.

Yes, and let's wait and see whether the Topping will still function in 20+ years, like the Rotel, or if it will have long gone to the dump by then.
I’ve owned a Rotel RB-1582 with accompanying preamp for many years, rock solid.

 

[dualazmak]

Hope to see a newer model on test, something like RB-1582 MKII

In September 2020, I subjectively tested RB-1582 MKII (unbalance and balance input available) as shared here and here (I tested only balance XLR input).

I found it powerful solid stable enough, and a little bit of warm-side sound characteristics compared to Accupahse E-460 (integrated amp) and Benchmark AHB2 in good conformity with the independent subjective review here.

I too hope to see airm's intensive measurements on RB-1582 MKII.

 

[Thomas_A]

A few Rotel RB-1582 mk2 measurements:

faktiskt.io • Visa tråd - Rotel RB-1582 II, mätningar on popular demand!

 

[Palladium]

Archimago's 67 people test backs that up just fine.
And we are talking he was shameless enough to include 30db (?) SINAD files.

Edit:Not SINAD,only distortion (THD),(the force of habit,you people have burned me here!)

3% THD being dead last in preference is not a surprise, the real one is how close it is to the rest.

 

[Sokel]

3% THD being dead last in preference is not a surprise, the real one is how close it is to the rest.

Isn't that natural?
But how natural is that all of the listeners detected really small differences amongst them?
(we all read the test -I hope)

Interestingly the first in preferences is not the best one

 

[Thomas_A]

1. The second harmonic is -80dB. The rest of the distortion is at, or below -94dB.

2. The dynamic range is very good.

3. The bandwidth is very good.

4. You get a lot of power for the money.

5. It's 20 years old, and not only does it still work. It still measures ok.

And I would add due to its age: if you recap, the measured performance would increase substantially.

 

[fpitas]

And I would add due to its age: if you recap, the measured performance would increase substantially.

You might indeed reduce some of that PS noise that Amir measured.

 

[pma]

And I would add due to its age: if you recap, the measured performance would increase substantially.

This is not sure at all. Rather a myth, spread through forums and popular magazines. You would get better ESR of the caps, capacitance is usually untouched.

 

[laudio]

So, the reviewer decides that 80 dB SINAD justifies a recommendation. I can’t see the justification. Of course a fifty year old guy running the 100 meters in 15 seconds does great. Would you consider lining him up in your relay team for the Olympics? I don’t think so… I don’t understand why everyone is hammering on SINAD score being the value most important to base judgement on and still saying; wow, nice score… I can’t help from seeing some biased recommending here. Please explain how this amp will help getting a great listening experience. Or is there some magic I’m not aware of? Imagine going through lengths to finally find that refurbished Denon AVC x3700h with AKM DAC’s, investing in proper cables and the best speakers, subscribing to TIDAL and deciding to get this amp to get your so desired 7.1.4 Atmos setup with driving your front left and right for the perfect stereo setup…. Only to find out through this review that, yes it is recommended, but also yes, it took your SINAD score down to making it useless for your lossless hires files to play.

Anyway, I still belief these measurements are great and wouldn’t hesitate one second to buy this 2nd hand myself as well, as these are widely available where I live and am more relaxed about SINAD. But I will not understand why it is recommended if it fails to run the 100 meters in, let’s say, about 10 seconds… And of course so many people cheering and not wondering what that fifty year guy was doing in the relay team even if he looked great and admired by the guy holding stopwatch….

Well one person just prior to your post replaced the Rotel with Aiyma amps. That probably measures about the same as the Rotel did on SINAD (see the A-200 review). The recommendation is fully justified. This Rotel is a relative youngster as far as amplifiers go anyway.

 

[Bleib]

So, the reviewer decides that 80 dB SINAD justifies a recommendation. I can’t see the justification. Of course a fifty year old guy running the 100 meters in 15 seconds does great. Would you consider lining him up in your relay team for the Olympics? I don’t think so… I don’t understand why everyone is hammering on SINAD score being the value most important to base judgement on and still saying; wow, nice score… I can’t help from seeing some biased recommending here. Please explain how this amp will help getting a great listening experience. Or is there some magic I’m not aware of? Imagine going through lengths to finally find that refurbished Denon AVC x3700h with AKM DAC’s, investing in proper cables and the best speakers, subscribing to TIDAL and deciding to get this amp to get your so desired 7.1.4 Atmos setup with driving your front left and right for the perfect stereo setup…. Only to find out through this review that, yes it is recommended, but also yes, it took your SINAD score down to making it useless for your lossless hires files to play.

Anyway, I still belief these measurements are great and wouldn’t hesitate one second to buy this 2nd hand myself as well, as these are widely available where I live and am more relaxed about SINAD. But I will not understand why it is recommended if it fails to run the 100 meters in, let’s say, about 10 seconds… And of course so many people cheering and not wondering what that fifty year guy was doing in the relay team even if he looked great and admired by the guy holding stopwatch….

If you read more reviews you'll notice that it's not just a SINAD hunt.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

This is not sure at all. Rather a myth, spread through forums and popular magazines. You would get better ESR of the caps, capacitance is usually untouched.

Really? Don't they also loose capacitance and start leaking electrically, loosing the ability to hold charge, starting to look electrically more like a resistor or a short in due time?

 

[fpitas]

Really? Don't they also loose capacitance and start leaking electrically, loosing the ability to hold charge, starting to look electrically more like a resistor or a short in due time?

That may affect the power supply ripple voltage adversely, and maybe the PS noise would be reduced. Probably little effect on THD etc.

 

[Thomas_A]

This is not sure at all. Rather a myth, spread through forums and popular magazines. You would get better ESR of the caps, capacitance is usually untouched.

Usually yes, a myth. But when measurements start to differ, one can suspect cap aging.

 

[Kevinfc]

I had a Rotel tuner in the early 90’s that I liked quite a bit. Since then I’ve always seen the brand as a very competent lower tier offering.

 

[Brambo67]

If you read more reviews you'll notice that it's not just a SINAD hunt.

I read enough reviews to tell that in many AVC/AVR cases, SINAD is THE ranking factor… Look at reviewers ranking… It doesn’t make sense to recommend this amp without putting it into context more than; it’s not expensive and already 20 years old. I don’t mind the measurements because these are great. Just the rather ‘personal’ final statement at the end of every review about ‘recommending’ or not.

 

[Doodski]

the rather ‘personal’ final statement at the end of every review about ‘recommending’ or not.

What's off putting about the recommendation or not?

 

[fpitas]

I read enough reviews to tell that in many AVC/AVR cases, SINAD is THE ranking factor… Look at reviewers ranking… It doesn’t make sense to recommend this amp without putting it into context more than; it’s not expensive and already 20 years old. I don’t mind the measurements because these are great. Just the rather ‘personal’ final statement at the end of every review about ‘recommending’ or not.

Sometimes, people here disagree with Amir's recommendations. He doesn't seem to get upset. Much.

 

[fpitas]

I read enough reviews to tell that in many AVC/AVR cases, SINAD is THE ranking factor… Look at reviewers ranking… It doesn’t make sense to recommend this amp without putting it into context more than; it’s not expensive and already 20 years old. I don’t mind the measurements because these are great. Just the rather ‘personal’ final statement at the end of every review about ‘recommending’ or not.

This BTW is highly ironic. Usually people complain about the cold facts and figures without some subjective evaluation. I guess you just can't please everybody