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Rotel 1576mkII vs Monoprice monolith HTP-1

rynberg

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At least the Rotel pre-pros have continued to feature a 7.1 input... That alone makes them worth considering. I'll never understand why Krell's
Foundation doesn't have them.

What is the point of 7.1 analog inputs in 2021? So you can simultaneously listen to supposedly better outboard DAC and to +/- 12 dB swings in low frequencies? It's hard to consider a system without room correction as high-fidelity at this point.
 

sritacco

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The new Rotels have Dirac...
External 7.1 input would be for any form of secondary DAC that may be able to decode more formats than what's built in.
I haven't used Dirac, but Audyssey was really unimpressive. I uses an electronically controlled equalizer and a tone generator to fix horrendous audio in a car once. It is possible to compensate for lousy equipment with equalization. That said, my equipment already tests pretty flat in my room with no equalization.
 

sritacco

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The current business model around multi-channel equipment is ridiculous to me. Who thinks ever more channels and new formats that require you to throw out your old gear every few years is really going to succeed in a world taken over by Bluetooth Speakers and Soundbars? All that's happened is that the new formats have lost the general public's interest and you see it's result as the consolidations and failures in the industry. 5.1 is plenty for most people and if more well done content were created in that format, "they" could probably sell more content and more equipment. To this day, a 5.1 channel DTS recording from the 1990s, that was impeccably engineered, remains one of the few examples of a well captured engaging live performance (Hell Freezes Over). I do think well done 5.1 or 7.1 music content can be better than stereo but we just don't have much of it that's a good example. Some AVRs do a pretty good job of synthesizing multi-channel out of stereo content. I appreciate that in a lot of circumstances but it just does a better job of filling the room not really delivering a live performance.
 
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rynberg

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The new Rotels have Dirac...
External 7.1 input would be for any form of secondary DAC that may be able to decode more formats than what's built in.
I haven't used Dirac, but Audyssey was really unimpressive. I uses an electronically controlled equalizer and a tone generator to fix horrendous audio in a car once. It is possible to compensate for lousy equipment with equalization. That said, my equipment already tests pretty flat in my room with no equalization.

Honestly, I'm not sure what you're ranting about. TrueHD and DTS Master have been around for over 15 years now. They are still the lossless format on disc. Streaming services use DD+, also around for 15 years, or DD, which has been around for almost 25.

Dolby Atmos has now been around for several years, for those willing and able to invest. This notion that new formats are being introduced every few years is simply false.

A 7.1 analog input is useless, because it will be digitized to use room correction. Why not just run HDMI and avoid an AD/DA cycle? And Atmos is the new thing, so 7.1 is useless for that. What new audio formats are coming out in 7.1?

Like I said, pointless.
 

sritacco

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I didn't mean for that to come off as a rant. I guess if I'm trying to express my dismay with anything it's the latest crop of AV equipment with support for 15.4 :)
I want to buy a control preamp that can at least handle a few generations of changes and improvements and if that means accommodating some other sources that are doing decoding, yes, that is important to me. Consider Krell who developed their Foundation product (still solid 10 years later in many regards). Maybe I want a better DAC or DSD format support. I have no way to add that, so I have to throw it out?
 

sritacco

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PS: My current AVR which I bought about 8 years ago, lacks 7.1 inputs.
I guess I'm grumpy about that because I would like to add something like an Okto Research Pro DAC, but no, I can't. It's an otherwise fine sounding/working AVR.
 

rynberg

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PS: My current AVR which I bought about 8 years ago, lacks 7.1 inputs.
I guess I'm grumpy about that because I would like to add something like an Okto Research Pro DAC, but no, I can't. It's an otherwise fine sounding/working AVR.

But why? Modern room correction is much improved and necessary for high fidelity in my opinion. You cannot use room correction with an outboard DAC so what's the point?
 

sritacco

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But why? Modern room correction is much improved and necessary for high fidelity in my opinion. You cannot use room correction with an outboard DAC so what's the point?

I think I mentioned that I've done some tests on my system... it's pretty flat. So, I'm not really sold on the benefits of room correction. I've measured a frequency sweep in my center listening position and it's flat within a few db from 100 Hz to 10kHz. On axis, my front speakers are flat above my hearing at 14kHz. Below 100 Hz my sub can shake the house but I think they mic I was using to test lacked response their. What would "room correction" really do for me.

I do like to watch TV and movies with nice sound but it is completely secondary to music. I tried to assemble a system that could do both to the level that I wanted, and I've been enjoying it for more than a few years. My recent new interest in equipment is sparked mostly by two factors. First, some COVID related boredom with more time around the house, and second, the realization that I will probably have to replace my AVR within the next year or two because it's already been repaired twice and it's getting close to 10 years old. I'm probably going with a preamp processor this time and using a Rotel 7 channel amp I bought a few years ago to drive my main speakers. Also... I've started to play around with higher resolution digital content.
 

rynberg

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You don't have flat response, no room does, so I would strongly question your measurements at lower frequencies. Room correction would help address the massive aberrations that occur in any practical room at lower frequencies.

If your main concern is music, that makes the discussion regarding obsolete formats even more confusing. Get a streaming device that sends bit-perfect audio over HDMI and you can use the room correction/PEQ with your high-resolution music.

I have a NUC with ROCK, plays back any music source, including high-res 5.1 files, over HDMI, which is then corrected at low frequencies.
 

sritacco

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You don't have flat response, no room does, so I would strongly question your measurements at lower frequencies. Room correction would help address the massive aberrations that occur in any practical room at lower frequencies.

If your main concern is music, that makes the discussion regarding obsolete formats even more confusing. Get a streaming device that sends bit-perfect audio over HDMI and you can use the room correction/PEQ with your high-resolution music.

I have a NUC with ROCK, plays back any music source, including high-res 5.1 files, over HDMI, which is then corrected at low frequencies.

I do disagree with your basic assertion.
I think you've accepted that room correction is essential but perhaps that's because you've heard it take lousy equipment or a lousy room and make it sound decent. I related my experience with a horrific car audio system ( with Bose branding...) and that I essentially did manual Dirac and made it sound good. I know that correction can fix something badly broken. Do rooms insert their own character and resonances, sure, yes. I haven't heard anything other than a crazy standing wave below 100 Hz in my toilet room (3'x6' space). :) Making a joke there. I do also understand that adjusting for more minor anomalies can help overall. If I had Dirac, I'm sure I would play around with it. I do find this stuff fun, but room correction isn't really the problem I'm out to solve at the moment. What I would like to do is play some higher resolution digital multi channel audio recordings that my current AVR doesn't handle.

Even my quest to play this content is just for fun and curiosity. It's fine with me if you love room correction. We've all got our own interests. I happen to be happy with my current setup and am mostly out to find new content (or new old content).
 
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sritacco

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Hahaha... Ok. seems like I was actually giving you a lot of test and measurement info... you know, that "science stuff" but you just don't want to hear it. I take a pretty reasonably approach to most everything but most people today want to be extremist about just about everything. Maybe you could reflect on that.
 

beantownT

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In my experience and budget I've found a decent pre-pro coupled with serious high power (and cheap) pro audio amps will get the most out of any decent speaker system. I also think learning to evaluate a systems performance is very dependent on a rooms sound signature. Making choices of speakers/ components should be done listening to your favorite sources in "your" room.

Being new to posting on this forum and perhaps this is the wrong thread to pose this question I ask - What determines "reference quality"?
I have a near field surround sound set up as well as a dedicated listening room and currently preparing to upgrade my pre-pro from a Rotel RSP-1582 to a Acurus Muse and wonder how far does one need to go before the returns begin to diminish.


Hey mate,
did you get your Muse yet? I had ordered the Anthem AVM 70 but delivery date has been pushed out to December!! I was initially inclined on the muse as. What are your thoughts on it?
 

PitCook

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Irgendwie war ich immer unzufrieden mit der Leistung meines Tannoy Legacy, das vom Denon X4200W angetrieben wurde. Ich habe alle möglichen Einstellungen auf dem Denon ausprobiert und war noch nie glücklich. Ich bin sehr zufrieden mit dem Rotel 1582mkII Leistungsverstärker. Das Ergebnis ist klare voices, Instruments und trockener Bass. sehr wunderbar.
 
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