I was uing my Rotel RA-02 as pre-amp awhile back with my Rotel 2 channel amp. It was a very good combination. There's certainly something to be said for component synergy.
I've slowly made my 2 channel system all Bryston. I started out more or less with an RA-02 and RB-1070. I moved the 1070 out of my system and replaced it with Bryston monoblocks. Just this weekend I replaced the RA-02 with a Bryston BP-20.
I wouldn't say that running the Rotel with the Brystons was a bad combination at all, it's just that the Bryston pre-amp is in a totally different league than the Rotel.
fs, As I posted in the amps section, I have not had good musical experiences pairing a Rotel HT amp with a Denon AV Receiver. It was good for movies but just ok for music. Loud, clean, crisp and punchy, not much rhythm. I would suggest you look at some used Rotels for a surround processor (1068 or 1066) or stick with the Pioneer until you can get what you want.
I think at this point I will wait for the new round of pre/pros to come out at the end of the year or early next year and just tie myself over with the old Pioneer receiver as a pre until then. I definitely want the HDMI's and the HD audio codecs.
I'm inclined to go with the Rotel for synergy but it lacks some features compared to others such as room correction. But I must make sure I don't end up with a pre/pro that doesn't sound right with the Rotel.
I'll go check the post in the amp section, thanks!
I've got a Rotel 1075/1068 set-up and am considering upgrading to a HDMI pre-pro that does lossless formats - but like u im also thinking of options beyond Rotel. The Parasound HDP-70 sounds the most interesting to me.
Does any one have any thoughts on a Rotel/Parasound combination?
Wow, that original post is just about an year old and since then I have purchased a Rotel RSP-1570 to go with the Rotel amp. They sound great together and the RSP-1570 have all the latest HDMI and lossless audio codecs.
I tried really hard to find showrooms with the alternate pre/pros I listed but I was only able to find the Marantz and Rotel. The Parasound was impossible for me to find locally. No one had it. But that was a year ago, it might be easier to find now.
That would be a killer combo Nick. At one point I was driving my Sttafs with the RB-1070. The preciseness of the Rotel with the smoothness of the Sttafs were complimentary.
Rotel with Sttafs good, Rotel with Studio 20's pretty good, Rotel with Epos or MA not good.
Bryston will work with all of the above.
I've heard Parasound Halo with Monitor Audio GS20's and the combination was very good. I haven't hear them side by side but my guess is that the Parasound would be a flatter than the Rotel. Don't know about synergy though.