amps?

[frankf]

Does anyone have a valued opinion on this issue. I have a Yamaha 3300 receiver. Great piece of equipment. I have deceided to purchase an amplifier with 200 watts per channel ( 7 channels ). I am looking at the Rotel 1095. This amp has only 5 channels which means that I would also have to purchase there 2 channel amp at 200 watts per channel using my Yamaha as the processor. I do like the Rotel. read the reviews like what I read. The 1095 sells for $1799 while the 2 channel amp sells for around $800.00. Total price $2600. From what I have read the Yamaha has a great processor better than some of the solo processors out there to date.
I am also looking at Outlaws 7700 amplifier and the 990 processor. I will sell the Yamaha receiver if I deceide to purchase these units. Total price $2898. IF I just purchase the 7700 I will kept the Yamaha and use it as the processor with the 7700. Money is some what of an issue, but I am lucky enough to be able to purchase any of these setups.
With the Rotel setup and the single purchase of the 7700 I could always buy a new processor down the road sometime next year.
I would like to know if there are any opinions on these products that I have mentioned, and what choice of setup looks more appealing based on quality not just the dollar. I want to DO THE RIGHT THING.

Thanks,Frank

 

[mike c]

I am in the same boat as you, before deciding on your amp, you might want to look at the Rotel RMB1077 (100w x 7 class D amp) it is the same price with the 1095 and I've read some users of the 1077 say that it trumps the 1095 in performance even though it is only 100wpc.

try searching for opinions on both the 1095 and 1077 in Club Rotel at
http://www.htguide.com/forum/

 

[corysmith01]

Or you could always run the 1095, then 2 channels off of your receiver.

Also, just to throw it out there...it's mentioned around here a bit that the Yamaha/Emotive pairing is quite liked. You could get one of these, in its 7-channel configuration and be done with it. Just a thought.

 

[mazersteven]

You could also Mono Block your speakers with some Outlaw 2200 Mono's for $1820 for 7.

 

[jcPanny]

Amp options

Mike,
I have to disagree with your logic. The digital Rotel amp may have lower distortion or other improvements, but a 100 Watt digital amp does not equal 200 Watt solid state amp. Watts are watts.

If you are looking for 200 Watts x 7, check out the Emotiva MPS-1 for $2k from av123.com. It is well reviewed and recommended by AH. It is a modular design with up to 7 mono block or stereo modules, so you can also buy it with 5 channels to save money and add the extra 2 channels later.

 

[ZoFo]

I have the 990 / 7700 Combo

And it's a damn nice setup, expecially for the money. There are many pro reviews on the 990, you might want to go to the Outlaw Saloon User Forum if you have specefic questions. The 990 was built on the Newcastle 965 platform -

http://www.sherwoodusa.com/prod_p965.html

The 7700 is a very good balanced Amp and it's built like a tank; it's actuallly a ATI AT-200 -

http://www.ati-amp.com/at2000.html

I would also take a look at the Emo MPS-1, it has some advantages over the 7700 like being modular, giving you the ablility to start with 5 channels and add more as needed. Performance wise they are about the same.

 

[mike c]

Mike,
I have to disagree with your logic. The digital Rotel amp may have lower distortion or other improvements, but a 100 Watt digital amp does not equal 200 Watt solid state amp. Watts are watts.

right. watts is watts. I wasn't very clear in my post. the 1077 IS just 100wpc ... what I was reading actually is how people say that the 1077 sounds better than the 200wpc 1095

 

[mtrycrafts]

Thanks,Frank

Or, you could bridge the Behringer A500 discussed here before, well over 300 watts bridged, for only $180 each ch.=$1260.

 

[frankf]

amps

Thank you guys for all of the information!! I intend to be at the HT show in June and I figure that I should be able to get a good price on the Outlaw 7700. 200watts is where it's at!!! The Rotel 1095, I have to admit is easier on the eyes than the Outlaw however it is going in a cabinet, so who is going to see it?
I appreciate the thoughts about checking out other amps and configurations but I am spent on making choices. I figure that I have narrowed it down to two amps and I will have to make the decesion soon. The choice of keeping the Yamaha depends on what kind of figures I get when I get to the show. Rotel? Outlaw?
I just want to make the right decesion on whether to keep the Yamaha on get another processor. How much better is the Outlaw 990 or Rotels 1085?
Anymore thoughts?

Thanks again,
Frank
PS- corysmith01 Dude Scary!!!! (cool)

 

[ggunnell]

Frank, I own both the 1095 and the MPS-1. The MPS-1 is just a little brighter, the 1095 a little more gentle, at the high end -- these are small differences, both sound great. If you are powering speakers with extended high frequency response like B&W's, the Rotel might match a little better (of course Rotels are voiced with B&W speakers).

If I were you I'd get the MPS-1, keep your Yamaha as a pre/pro for now, and save for future upgrades as new video formats come out...

 

[PENG]

(of course Rotels are voiced with B&W speakers).

I wonder why several B&W (800 series) dealers I visited or talked with, do not use Rotel to demo their B&W speakers. Instead, they use either B&K, Musical Fidelity, Bryston, Krell, or Classe.

 

[mtrycrafts]

(of course Rotels are voiced with B&W speakers).

Interesting. Now amps are voiced, well designed amps at that.
Where did this urban legend come from? What is the frequency response of that Rotel to compensate the B&W? Whose acoustic space is it voiced to? B&Ws?Or, they discovered a way to be universally correct?

 

[zipper]

frank.............I've also got a 3300 & am currently running amps off of it. No problems. I have no plans on replacing it unless I get an outrageous urge to go to 7.1.

I'm not sure replacing it would make much sense unless A) you're dying for 7.1 & B) you can get $400-$500 for it to offset some of the cost of a new pre. I'm very happy with it's performance save the fact that the power was overrated or I'm just not happy with the way a receiver delivers 6X130w...........probably a bit of both.

 

[frankf]

Yami 3300

Thanks zipper as well as everyone else.
Zipper you are the first person on this forum that I have spoken to that has the 3300. I have not received any mail in regards to the lack of performace with the Yamaha 3300 processor or for that matter the receiver itself.
I do however want to step up to a 200watt amplifier. The reason for the 7 channel amp is that I have a rear center channel in use and the Outlaw price for the 7700 especially if purchased at the HT show will be a good incentive to buy. I realize that if I buy a 5 channel I can run the rear center off of the Yamaha and therefore save some money. However I would like to have all channels equal. Also the Outlaw 7700 sells for $2000 while their 7550 sells for $1500. These prices for the quality that you are getting are not bad. In fact they are pretty good.
I am going to the HT show in LA on Jne 1st and that is when I will make my decesion on what to buy. Buying the amp there will save me a lot of bucks.
I am also going to check out Rotels amp while I am at the show and see if I am offered any deals.
Now I know from from your post how with a similar setup that I was considering (use of the 3300 as processor) It would be better than shelling out money unnecessarly.
However, if I was made an offer for the Outlaw 990 or the Rotel 1068 if they have them there I might just shell out that extra cash.
Still open for opinions!!!!