Rotel RB-1070 Amplifier Review

[Deleted member 48726]

Schiit Vidar

Schiit Vidar Amplifier Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Schiit Vidar stereo amplifier. It is on kind loan from a member. The Vidar costs US $699 and nicely comes with a five (5) year warranty. With amplifiers being one of the most susceptible audio products to failure, long warranty is a real...

www.audiosciencereview.com

That's not really about 400 though.

 

[laudio]

Funny that you posted the Monster HTS3600mkII...I just got one from a friend and love it! Everytime I walk by it and I see what the AC voltage of my house (at least that outlet) the nerd in me smiles. I do switch it to the amps mode when cranking my stereo. I could care less about any of the filtering claims it makes. The main reason I got it was that it has some switched outlets (triggered by a switched outlet in my preamp/tuner coming on in my case), so I plug my power amp into the switched outlet and keep its power switch on, so everything comes on when I turn the preamp/tuner on...

Have a similar model as well and like it for a garage rack. Only thing is - even with everything off draws about 0.4A of housekeeping current (or so the display says). It is useful for measuring in rush on some of the amps I have though, accuracy might be in question.

 

[Hellasärö]

I love the look of these old Rotels, especially the black version. They look the part and not like some poor man's apple rip off that is trying to hide it's essence.

My dream vintage/retro setup would be a rotel rb-1090 and a denon dvd-5910. Couldn't care less about SINAD with such a setup

 

[amirm]

Those tall Rotel amps look even nicer than the sample I tested!

 

[Hellasärö]

Those tall Rotel amps look even nicer than the sample I tested!

They do

I wish some of these classic brands that are still around (sony, onkyo) released re-issues of their classic designs. Maybe some miniature/smaller versions with decent quality class d-amps. I would buy one in a hearbeat. TEAC has some smaller stuff but with more modern esthetics.

 

[Solveit]

I voted not terrible just because of the high power consumption.
400W is not what I like these dayes with global warming and lack of energy without fossil.
Class-D is the future.

 

[Ageve]

My dream vintage/retro setup would be a rotel rb-1090 and a denon dvd-5910. Couldn't care less about SINAD with such a setup

The old, black version of RB-1090 (measured in 2020, so it must have been at least 15 years old):

https://faktiskt.io/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=71655

One channel is slightly worse. That's the numbers below:

1W, 8 ohm, 1 kHz, second harmonic: -99 dB
1W, 8 ohm, 1 kHz, third harmonic: -109 dB

300W, 8 ohm, 1 kHz, second harmonic: -91 dB
300W, 8 ohm, 1 kHz, third harmonic: -104 dB

THD+N, 100W, 8 ohm: 0.003% (-90 dB)
THD+N, 100W, 4 ohm: 0.006% (-84 dB)

THD+N before clipping (370W, 8 ohm): 0.0035% (-89 dB)
THD+N before clipping (670W, 4 ohm): 0.007% (-83 dB)

Power at 1% THD+N, 8 ohm: 440W
Power at 1% THD+N, 4 ohm: 770W

THD+N at 15 kHz, 1W, 8 ohm: 0.0075% (-82 dB)
THD+N at 15 kHz, 300W, 8 ohm: 0.009% (-81 dB)

 

[EL_PW]

To make our lives miserable I suspect. You could park another amp in that unused real estate on the back. Little Finger from GOT likes it though

That's the only issue I've had with this unit. Numerous times when attaching speaker cables I have touched the wires together and blown one or more fuses. Now I keep a supply of those fuses on hand. Oh sure I could just turn the power off before switching cables. And yet I never do.

 

[KEFCarver]

Have a similar model as well and like it for a garage rack. Only thing is - even with everything off draws about 0.4A of housekeeping current (or so the display says). It is useful for measuring in rush on some of the amps I have though, accuracy might be in question.

Mine also shows 0.4A with nothing on, though there is a Tuner/Preamp, TV and Blu-ray player plugged into it that would all draw some standby current. I have two different "Kill o watt" type meters that you can plug stuff into and see the current draw as well as voltage and do a comparison. As far as how quickly and accurately it measures current, that would be another test that would be fun to do, maybe I will at some point....

 

[laudio]

I love the look of these old Rotels, especially the black version. They look the part and not like some poor man's apple rip off that is trying to hide it's essence.

My dream vintage/retro setup would be a rotel rb-1090 and a denon dvd-5910. Couldn't care less about SINAD with such a setup

The RB-1090 looks the part for sure. I think those heat sinks were for cosmetic effect too, but I think in the 5 channel version they actually utilized them. I hope so because such a waste of nice heat sinks.

 

[D700]

I love the look of these old Rotels, especially the black version. They look the part and not like some poor man's apple rip off that is trying to hide it's essence.

My dream vintage/retro setup would be a rotel rb-1090 and a denon dvd-5910. Couldn't care less about SINAD with such a setup

Modern audio brands don’t understand importance of aesthetics. JBL gets it…but jacks the prices. Klipsch, NAD

 

[Hellasärö]

Modern audio brands don’t understand importance of aesthetics. JBL gets it…but jacks the prices. Klipsch, NAD

NAD got it after JBL. Praying Sony will be next!

 

[D700]

NAD got it after JBL. Praying Sony will be next!

That Sony looks fantastic.

Rotel could throw on some rosewood end caps and get there pretty easily.

you know another company that Rotel could emulate was Slim Devices…I loved their configurable, digital VU meters. Really an easier, non mechanical way to get some excitement. Someone could probably buy that from Logitech. What a waste that was.

yes yes, going well off topic but we can dream.

 

[Martin_320]

but I think in the 5 channel version they actually utilized them. I hope so because such a waste of nice heat sinks.

Yep, here's a pic I just took of my -1075. The front heat-sink fins are dedicated for the center channel !

 

[restorer-john]

NAD got it after JBL. Praying Sony will be next!

While you pray, here's one of my TAN-77es to look at.

 

[RenSong]

Speaking of Rotel amps, should I be worried when I turn on my power amp my lights go dim and the breaker is sometimes tripped. 20 yr old house for context.

 

[RenSong]

While you pray, here's one of my TAN-77es to look at.

View attachment 261863

I'm wondering if it has plastic V/U meters or?

 

[amirm]

Speaking of Rotel amps, should I be worried when I turn on my power amp my lights go dim and the breaker is sometimes tripped. 20 yr old house for context.

Definitely not normal. Whether it is the house wiring or the amp is hard to say.

 

[warnerwh]

@RenSong, Circuit breakers can wear out. If it is tripped much at all I'd just replace it. They don't cost much. If the new one trips get an electrician to your house and your amp checked out. Your amp shouldn't be tripping a breaker when turning it on. Wiring problems can be dangerous.

 

[D700]

While you pray, here's one of my TAN-77es to look at.

View attachment 261863

Damn, that’s good looking. Turn the lights on man!