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Rotel RB-1070 power amp

JimmyB

JimmyB

pfm Member
Just picked this up for a relative but they've baulked at the size! I have the feeling I may be left with this...

Are these worth opening up and modding? Probably got too much on my plate but it is a BIG case and definitely looks the part.

12v trigger too....wonder what I could use it for?
 
I just visited a buddy of mine last May. He had a big Rotel pre+power combo, and I don't know the model number, but I'm pretty it didn't have the fins on the front. (I've asked him for confirmation on the model number.) He was very unhappy with his system's overall performance.

I brought along my Naim NAP110, upgraded with the Avondale PS and NCC200 modules, and we tried replacing the Rotel power amp with it. Needless to say, it was a stunningly, awesomely, amazing difference. The Rotel was utter shite, and the little Naim/Avondale amp still sits in his living room now. :D
 
Oops, my mistake. I've always gotten NAD and Rotel confused. My friend tells me it was actually the NAD C 272, but it was still shite. :rolleyes:
 
JimmyB said:
12v trigger too....wonder what I could use it for?
Click to expand...

That's a straight forward remote control power link.
The matching pre amp can switch the power amp on/off via that.
Can be even more handy in multi amp or hidden installations.

I've always regarded Rotel amps as decent value. The Naim mentioned above should flipping beat a lowly little NAD after the dosh thrown at it!
 
I had a look through the top grill this morning and there's a pretty huge transformer sitting in this thing, bigger than any of the Rega Exon or Naim 140 power amps I own. No wonder it's a heavy beast and it's not even second from the top of the range.

Front fins appear to be cosmetic but it's nicely built and has a bridging option. Strange thing is that marking on the rear says that if bridged, it won't drive 4ohm loads.

Is the 12v trigger thingy just raising 12v constant through that input to bring it up or is it a more complex pulse? (I'm guessing the former).
If just a constant 12v then I could always built that into a preamp so they both come on at once.
 
Hmmm... that's odd then as I just googled it and the specs say 300W into 4 Ohm in bridged mono...
It is true though that a bridged amp prefers and is safer with higher impedance loads.

The schematic looks pretty good. 3 pairs of output transistors, symmetric topology...

130WPC into 8R... seems a well specced unit but the proof is in the listening of course.
 
This may well be a very good amp. It is derived from the Stan Curtis designed early Rotels.
It has quite a bit in common with Naim: no output inductor (or resistor!), no local rail decoupling.
The output triple darlington is nice. The Stan Curtis compensation method of loading of the VAS is unusual but might be good.

This amp has the potential to kick a Naim 140 into the dirt, unless of course, you are addicted to the Naim colouration.

There's big thread about modding a Rotel 820 on DIYAudio - some of the mods could apply to this. I'n not sure I agree with all the mods - you'll end up with a "blameless" style amp, whcih by most accounts is a rather bland sounding beast. However I was given an 840BX and it does have the dark and dense Rotel sound... which is not that far removed from the old Naim sound.
 
My late father had a Rotel based system with Rogers speakers on the end of it. It was, I thought, very good value for money.
 
This is more recent, think it's a mid 2000's power amp?

S-Man said:
This amp has the potential to kick a Naim 140 into the dirt, unless of course, you are addicted to the Naim colouration.
Click to expand...

Well since it looks like I'm left with this for now, will have to try it out against my main and rega amps, maybe also my Crimson power.

I suspect whatever the outcome, I can't keep all these amps!
 
I'd agree that purely going by the schematic it has the potential to thrash Naim and Rega amps of any type...

It's rather similar (ish...) to early Krell designs but without the class A and huge PSU's...

If I had £20 for every time an amp that looks really good on paper has failed to cut the mustard though...
 
Indeed, there's very little online about this era of Rotel amplifier so maybe they didn't have a wow factor...
 
Quite a lot of love on the 'net for this amp- indeed this series of Rotel pre/power amps seems to have been a strong one.
 
stevec67 said:
Is this related to the rotel 1603 receiver? A friend has one of these, it's very good.
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I reckon it was a late eighties, early nineties system, and it comprised: a record player, a CD player, a cassette player, a pre and tuner combined, and separate power amp. All Rotel kit, with the Rogers stand mount speakers.

Better still, the same system lives on, my sister now has it and even better still shehas been rediscovering records in recent years.

If my sister hadn’t wanted the system I would have happily set it up in the dining room.
 
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