ROTEL RMB-1066 Amplifiers
ROTEL RMB-1066 Amplifiers
USER REVIEWS
[Dec 02, 2020]
gabrielahammond4
Strength:
This amplifier has good dynamics, it make the sounds smooth and warm as well. Chain Link Fences Weakness:
This is a hard amplifier to get a hold of. All local Rotel dealerships wanted me to special order it from them instead of them stocking it. |
[Dec 01, 2020]
surfnetb
Strength:
This amplifier is a beast and never get hot even when pushed hard, sound is precise with more details I ever had with my other amps, can't even hear any distortion when I push the volume really high Weakness:
Could be a little more warm in the bass but then it could be simply because I'm used to my other tube amp. Otherwise this amp is a fantastic complement to drive all my front speakers in my home theatre with no problem at all. I was very lucky to get it second hand for less than half its retail price. Purchased: Used
|
[Dec 28, 2017]
Bjarne
Audio Enthusiast
I bought this amp used a couple of months ago. I found it hard to find actual reviews so i just took the chance. I have a yamaha avr unit with pre out and 7x90w in 8ohm. My fronts are a pair of trusty old Dali 18 (A quite hungry speaker). So i was looking for an amp with a solid power supply that would cope with the 2-3ohm the speaker is at some frequences. My Yamaha was set to biamp the front speakers and the Rotel is configured to 5x70w (Fronts biamped and center driven by the fifth channel. What happend when i switched to the on paper weaker rotel - well quite a lot! In stereo the bass tightened a lot, no boominess and drumms and bass is very controlled. The midtone is very detailed and the hightone is super smooth and never ever harsh. There is lots of details and the soundstage is quite precise. Back to the yamaha - the sound flattens and especially the bass range becomes flat and dull. The center became much more clear and well defined. This amp clearly has a lot more muscles than the yamaha despite the weaker specifications. The weight of the rotel tells another story than the power ratings compared to the yamaha - the huge torodial transformer clearly plays a role in this.
|
[Jul 25, 2006]
technophile
AudioPhile
Strength:
Flexibility (6 channel bridging/biamping)
Weakness:
60x6 could be outgrown easily... The following is my setup:
Similar Products Used: Proceed, Pioneer, NAD, Rotel, Carver/Sunfire |
[May 16, 2004]
cc1091
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Versatility. No coloration of sound. Power if run at 60 watts or at 150.
Weakness:
The switching on the back to get to bridged mode is a little convoluted. The auto sensing control that turns power on if you don't have the 12v trigger on your preamp is not sensitive enough and keeps turning off while audio is playing, fortunately you can choose between that setting, 12v trigger or you can turn those features off. This is a hard amplifier to get a hold of. All local Rotel dealerships wanted me to special order it from them instead of them stocking it. A new local dealer had ONE, so I snapped it up. I bought it for its capability to be bridged and run three channels at 150 watts. With the amplifier bridged, it is supposed to be have a little more distortion. I can't hear it. It matches well with my Rotel Rb991, and runs a little cooler too. I was surprised when I switched it to 6 channel mode. It had some punch and maintained its strength and clarity. Similar Products Used: Rotel RB991 (stereo amp). Adcom 535 (stereo Amp). NAD 7130(stereo receiver). Denon 2701 (surround receiver) |
[Nov 07, 2002]
Bondman
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Smooth, slightly warm sound, good dynamics, good imaging and soundstage, very quiet, cool-running, reliable, well built, flexible configurations.
Weakness:
Not the last word in current muscle. I purchased the current version of this amp, the RMB-1066, to power the L/C/R channels of my Pioneer Elite VSX-24TX receiver. My evaluation is primarily a comparison vs. the amp section of the Pioneer. This amp is run in bridged, 3-channel mode, which is rated at 150 watts RMS X 3. My speakers are Vandersteen 1C, with a VCC-1 center, and a Def Tech PF-15 subwoofer. Cables are Monster Z and Reference. Overall, there was a noticeable improvement in some areas over the Pioneer. Dynamics got a modest boost, as well as detail. Stereo imaging improved, especially with regard to width, and to a lesser degree, hieght. It could be due to other system/room factors, but depth is somewhat flat, as it was with the Pioneer. The sound is a bit less compressed at high volume, although there is still considerable blurring of individual instruments at these high volumes. The sound is to the warm side of neutral, similar in this regard to the Pioneer. "Air" is improved, and there is also less grain than with the Pioneer. Noise and hum are not audible. The amp has performed flawlessly and never gets more than slightly warm to the touch. Build quality is excellent. Ultimately, I still want more from my L/C/R amp, and I will eventually look for a higher-end 3-channel amp and move the Rotel to the rear channels. However, for the money, I feel this amp offers great flexibility and value. Similar Products Used: Pioneer Elite VSX-24TX receiver, Onkyo TXVS-515 Pro Receiver |