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REVIEW: Rotel RB 1070 Amplifier (SS)

216.80.143.3
Posted on March 26, 2010 at 12:45:35
Belgarchi
Audiophile

Posts: 390
Location: Texas
Joined: September 25, 2004
Model: RB 1070
Category: Amplifier (SS)
Suggested Retail Price: $700.00
Description: Stereo Power Amplifier 130 WPC bridge mono to 330 WPC
Manufacturer URL: Rotel

Review by Belgarchi on March 26, 2010 at 12:45:35
IP Address: 216.80.143.3		Add Your Review
for the RB 1070

Very nice looking, cheap for a 2x130W power amp, large toroidal transfo, 4 power caps of 10,000 microFarads each... Sounds good...
But a first disappointment comes when opening the case. The splendid front radiators are... purely cosmetic, the 6 power transistors are cooled by small, internal aluminum radiators!
As for the sound... a huge disappointment. Thin. No low bass. No soundstage. Agressive highs. There are 'Best Buy' receivers that sound better than this. The worse power amp I owned (total of 15), equal to the Rotel RB-1050 (same sound, same look, less power).

Product Weakness: Sound really bad.
Product Strengths: Look.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Bryston 2B-LP, Parasound HCA-1000
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Rotel RC-1060, Adcom GFP-750
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Classe CDP=10
Speakers: B&W N805, B&W M802-2
Cables/Interconnects: Monster Cable, Audioquest
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Various
Room Size (LxWxH): 30 x 18 x 15
Room Comments/Treatments: Neutral
Time Period/Length of Audition: one year
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Monster Cable
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

 

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RE: REVIEW: Rotel RB 1070 Amplifier (SS), posted on March 26, 2010 at 17:32:44
Inmate987
Audiophile

Posts: 36
Joined: September 25, 2008
 Among my audio gear, I purchased a similar rotel (1050) for bedroom listening. Overall I did not like it at all.

About the same time I picked up an APC power conditioner (H15 version), which curiously looks a lot like Rotel's power conditioner.

Anyways, the APC made a huge difference in my house (your mileage may vary), especially with the Rotel. This indicated that the Rotel did not deal well with the dirty power conditions in my house but the APC + Rotel worked well together.

I don't use the Rotel very often but have to say it sounds pretty good especially at low volumes before it kicks out of class A. For the price of the 1050 + APC, this is a pretty decent set up.

 

Wow, Fake Heat Sinks!, posted on March 26, 2010 at 19:58:57
The Duke
Audiophile

Posts: 536
Location: New Jersey
Joined: March 6, 2001
 Fake heat sinks?
That's dishonest design. Absolutely unacceptable.
Perhaps, Rotel or an apologist magazine reviewer will respond.
Good for you to point this out!

 

I had the opposite reaction..., posted on March 27, 2010 at 11:22:42
miner42
Audiophile

Posts: 473
Location: Texas
Joined: April 28, 2007
 I went from a Denon AVR to a Rotel RC-1070 preamp/RB-1070 amp driving my B&W N804 and was ammazed at the improvement in overall sound/sounstage/and dynamics. For the $1000 I spent on the pair (new) I was very satisfied unti I upgraded. I sold the pair for $700 to my B-I-L and he has been very ahppy, too. BTW, the RC-1070 has a very nice MM phono stage - many say well worth the price alone. Rotel makes very nice, affordable equipment for the entry into HiFi.

 

RE: REVIEW: Rotel RB 1070 Amplifier (SS), posted on March 27, 2010 at 15:30:49
Wasatch
Audiophile

Posts: 260
Location: Layton, Utah
Joined: December 15, 2008
 I'm very happy with my RB-1080.

 

RE: system synergy?, posted on March 27, 2010 at 20:00:33
niws
Audiophile

Posts: 790
Location: Northeast
Joined: September 4, 2003
 I have a Rotel 1050 amp and when I first got it, I had B&W 602S2 speakers and it was not a good match. The amp sounded a little thin and forward in the highs. At that point, I decided to sell the B&W's and bought Castle loudspeakers which have a warmer, more refined sound than the B&W's. The Rotel sounds fine with them. I should add that I am fronting the Rotel with a Quicksilver LS pre. I notice in your review that you are using B&W 800 series speakers, which I would bet are not a good match for the Rotel. My B&W's sounded best with a tube amp, but when that blew up, I bought the Rotel.

 

Rotel can be very good or terrible, posted on March 27, 2010 at 21:54:18
Belgarchi
Audiophile

Posts: 390
Location: Texas
Joined: September 25, 2004
 I had also an excellent Rotel preamp, the RC-1090.
But the RB-1050 and RB-1070 power amps are really terrible.
A Parasound HCA-1000A, an Adcom GFA-545-II or even GFA-535-II are a lot better.

 

RE: REVIEW: Rotel RB 1070 Amplifier (SS), posted on March 27, 2010 at 21:56:18
Belgarchi
Audiophile

Posts: 390
Location: Texas
Joined: September 25, 2004
 Perfectly possible, I didn't listen to the RB-1080 and there are good Rotel amps, but I cannot imagine that an audiophile can defend the RB-1050 and RB-1070.

Yves

 

RE: system synergy?, posted on March 27, 2010 at 22:04:52
Belgarchi
Audiophile

Posts: 390
Location: Texas
Joined: September 25, 2004
 Well, I do have many speakers...
A speaker with a recessed high medium could minimize the harshness, but not restore the soundstage or the missing low frequencies...
And there are good amplifiers in the same price range than the Rotel : Adcom, Parasound, NAD are pretty decent...
I don't know how the newer Rotel sound.

Yves

 

RE: REVIEW: Rotel RB 1070 Amplifier (SS), posted on March 27, 2010 at 23:38:53
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
 I had a RB-1070 for a few months mating it with Magnepan MG1.6s
They never declared peace and I had to get rid of the Rotel in favor of more power. Don't forget the RB-1070 is NOT rated at 4 ohms, though it does have an 8 ohm bridged rating of what.....? 330 or so? I believe that to be the correct power 'bridged'
This implies about 165/side at 4ohms, which given the way I run should have been enough for the panels. I suspect the problem may also have been with the NAD1700 tuner/preamp from the late 80s. Rotel / NAD synergy is near-zero.

Even playing fairly loud, it only got warm, even though I knew going in the side heatsinks were fake.
I suspect the keeper would have been the more powerful RB-1080 followed by a new preamp.


Too much is never enough

 

RE: system synergy?, posted on March 29, 2010 at 20:46:19
niws
Audiophile

Posts: 790
Location: Northeast
Joined: September 4, 2003
 I like NAD amps and use an NAD receiver in another system. However, before I bought the Rotel, I tried a C270 power amp with the B&W's and I didn't care for the way it sounded. The Rotel was much more articulate. I can't comment on the low bass capability of the Rotel because my current speakers don't do low bass very well, but in my system, the Rotel presents a large, nicely focused soundstage.

 

RE: REVIEW: Rotel RB 1070 Amplifier (SS), posted on March 30, 2010 at 06:38:54
vba
Audiophile

Posts: 11
Location: Connecticut
Joined: December 30, 2006
 I would agree with the review when I first had a Rotel RC-1070/RB-1070 in my system. Bright and hyper-detailed. But after owing the pair for a couple of years it sounds very good to me with B&W 685's, CM1's and Vandersteen Sig II's. Very good sound stage and depth!

Also own McCormack RLD-1/DNA-125 and Conrad Johnson CAV-50 and yes these sound better but for the cost of the Rotel combo, I would say it's not bad mid-fi gear.

Now the Acurus DIA-100, I used to have, that was bright!

Vinny

 

RE: REVIEW: Rotel RB 1070 Amplifier (SS), posted on August 5, 2011 at 15:07:00
FatFreddy


 
It doesn't have the finesse of a Class A amp and to compare it to equipment that costs 100s or 1000s more than it is not really fair. It is what it is. As to the heat synchs - yeah that blows but paired with my DQ20s and Adcom GFP 565 - it sounds reasonable till I have a couple bucks to spend on something a bit more upscale. It beats anything at Best Buy hands down. No comparison whatsoever....

 

RE: REVIEW: Rotel RB 1070 Amplifier (SS), posted on March 3, 2015 at 17:24:13
Wildcat445
Reviewer

Posts: 1
Location: Great Lakes Area
Joined: March 3, 2015
 I have to agree that the RB-1070 is not a great sounding amp. I got ahold of one recently, and find it to be rather bland, lifeless and unmusical. Sterile, even.
-Wildcat-

 

RE: REVIEW: Rotel RB 1070 Amplifier (SS), posted on March 3, 2015 at 20:24:18
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
 it doesn't even run with the 50% more expensive Parasound A23.
Too much is never enough

 

RE: REVIEW: Rotel RB 1070 Amplifier (SS), posted on March 3, 2015 at 20:25:16
pictureguy
Audiophile

Posts: 22597
Location: SoCal
Joined: October 19, 2008
 What speakers? maybe………...
Too much is never enough

 

RE: REVIEW: Rotel RB 1070 Amplifier (SS), posted on June 27, 2015 at 17:46:22
phlatulentphred
Audiophile

Posts: 1
Location: SW Florida
Joined: June 27, 2015
 The Amp is a damn good amp for the $700 I paid for it 7 years ago. Yes it is a bit hyper detailed and bright and performs best after it is warmed up for a bit. Is it the best amp out there - heck no but it is decent and not much different then those from parasound or NAD or comparable. I'm looking to pony up for a bryston down the road but it has filled in adequately for a pair of adcom monos that died on me and powers a pair of Laser 7s or DQ20s; both of which need some juice to shine. and .... FWIW - A little irony - below - came across this the other day and remember the scathing review by same author. I leave you with the first takes by the "AudioPhile."

Submitted by Belgarchi a AudioPhile

Date Reviewed: June 14, 2004

Bottom Line:
Gorgeous looking power amp, affordable price ($700), Bridgeable, Impressive toroidal transformer, Powerful sound.
A little bit too much mid-highs, slightly bright sound.
Expand full review >>
Used product for: Less than 1 month

Duration Product Used: AudioPhile

Product model year: 2003

Price Paid: $550.00

Purchased At: Ebay

 

RE: REVIEW: Rotel RB 1070 Amplifier (SS), posted on June 27, 2015 at 23:07:08
Disbeliever
Audiophile

Posts: 1877
Joined: June 1, 2012
 Best Rotel is the 1552 MK 2 120 wpc, Excellent Build sound & value the more powerful 1582 MK 2 has insufficient gain , absurd input sensitivity 2 volts should be 1 volt for best compatibility with various pre-amps.

 

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