Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Receivers... how 'bout Rotel?

I noticed there's a good amount of suggestions for Denon, Yamaha, and HK receivers... what about Rotel?

I have an Onkyo TX-DS676 right now... which isn't bad... but, from what I've heard, it doesn't compare to Rotel... unless I went with their Integra series... which I have yet to see.

Thoughts? Ideas? Suggestions?

Rotel is a great brand and their receivers won't disappoint you, but are you looking for better features or better sound than your Onkyo TX-DS676? The 676 is a few generations old, so getting a new Rotel receiver will get you more of the latest/greatest bells and whistles, but the sound quality is not likely to improve much. Both Onkyo and Rotel make great, well-built solid state amps.

["Rotel is a great brand and their receivers won't disappoint you, but are you looking for better features or better sound than your Onkyo TX-DS676?"]

Better sound.

["but the sound quality is not likely to improve much"]

From what I understand, Onkyo's have an incomplete soundstage. Also, Japanese receivers tend to be a tad harsh and lack warmth.

I forgot to mention, I also plan on buying a seperate Rotel amp... which should also help.

["Both Onkyo and Rotel make great, well-built solid state amps"]

...but they don't play in the same league. Why else would Onkyo bother with their Integra line?

Rotel can play with the big boys like Krell, from what I understand... granted, Krell beats Rotel, but apparently, not by much... and Rotel does it for a lot less money.

Marketing, marketing, marketing. Where did you hear that Onkyo's have an incomplete soundstage? That's ridiculous. I have an Onkyo TX-DS575 and it has no such issues. Differences between well-built, solid state amps are subtle if they exist.

I'll leave JohnK or another forum regular to help fill you in.

Voodoo marketing! Can someone please explain how a receiver can affect the soundstage?

X, you've apparently been reading a lot of hogwash about receivers. There's no way that a purely electronic signal going through a receiver and being amplified acquires "soundstaging" characteristics unless special processing to do that(e.g. DPLII)is intentionally applied. Also, Japanese receivers have the same frequency response characteristics as those designed in any other country and therefore sound identical to them.

The features of your present receiver are getting a bit dated and if you want to update for that reason, fine, but don't get taken in by any nonsense about differences in basic sound quality somehow depending on what receiver you use.

I would definitly go to a dealer that has both (if possible). Test drive them both with the same speakers and music. Luckily when I purchased my Integra, the dealer was very honest with me and didn't try to talk me into a Krell or Parasound setup (Although it would be nice to be able to afford gear like that ). I love my Integra DTR-7.4. It natural sounding. I would never describe it as warm like my tube amps and vinyl.

I agree, It's all marketing. It's like what the car manufactures are doing. Lexus and Toyota etc....
I would have picked up the Onkyo if my good friend my local sound shop didn't cut me a deal.

["Differences between well-built, solid state amps are subtle if they exist"]

Explain this...

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthread.php4?t=7593

"FYI -- I migrated from the Denon 3802 to Rotel in two steps:

Added Rotel amps to the Denon's pre-outs - amazing improvement in dymamics, details, control etc hard to believe the difference until you heard it. After some listening I went for the RB-1080 for the front left and right and the RMB-1075 for the rest.

Then I swapped the Denon for a Rotel processor - and stereo came alive again, while HT gained even further 3D ambience and reality.

Couldn't recommend it highly enough. Especially with your quality (and power hungry) speakers."

If what your saying is true, then I should be able to buy a $100 Sony receiver from BestBuy and be done with it.