Help on Amp/Pre-pro with B&W 805s (1 Viewer)

[Sanjiva]

Hi,

Need advice on choosing the right electronics (open to receivers or separates) to drive a system comprising B&W805s mains, 803s center and SCM as surrounds with Velodyne DD-10 as subwoofer.

1. Usage is HT 75% and Music 25%.
2. Room size is small - 20 ft x 25 ft.
3. Very aware that B&Ws are rather bright speakers and hence need to choose a "warmer" electronis to drive them. I like detailed sound but do not like either harsh highs or rolled off highs either.
4. In demo at dealers, 805s driven by high end electronics (Classe etc.) sounded great while driven by Integra receiver, sounded like crap.
5. My budget is about $3000 and I am looking at Used gear as well.

One of the option I am thinking of is Rotel 1068+RMB1075/RMB 1095. But would love to get the opinion by experienced folks here who have cycled through lots of these gear and know a lot more.

Rgds,

 

[Alon Goldberg]

Hi Sanjiva - Rotel and Classé are excellent matches for B&W 800 Series, the systems I have auditionned with 804's and 805's are:

1. Rotel RSP-1068 pre-pro + RMB-1075 poweramp
2. Classé SSP-300 pre-pro + Classé CAV-5100 poweramp

You simply cannot go wrong with Rotel driving the 805's. Enjoy!

 

[Arthur S]

Sanjiva

In my humble opinion, Rotel is not exactly warm sounding. Classe is another story. You might look for a used Denon 5805. Would cost a bit more than $3,000 but has tremendous flexibility, all the features you could ever want, and can be biwired because it has 10 X 170 watts.

Happy Holidays

 

[Alon Goldberg]

Arthur - respectfully, the OP is looking for a pre-pro and amp, not a receiver. I wouldn't advise investing $3000+ in a used receiver, particularly in such a high-end model with no warranty (imagine the cost of servicing an AVR-5805!). With technology changing so rapidly, it makes far more sense to purchase a dedicated poweramp which may last many years, allowing the flexibility of trading the pre-pro over time as required.

But I do agree, the Denon AVR-5805 is a phenominal receiver in its own right. It certainly pushes the boundaries of what a receiver can achieve, though I still question the logic of purchasing a dedicated receiver at that cost.

 

[Sanjiva]

Thanks for all the input. With HDMI standards still in works, should it not be better to go separates at least to keep your investment in amps not go obsolete so soon.

What are the other options if I go used - other amps/pre-amps. If Rotel is not warm in that price range, what else should I look at. Mind you, I am looking for a warmer set up because of B&W speakers which IMHO sound fairly bright. My dealer was in fact saying that Rotel is considerably warmer than others.

 

[Arthur S]

AG

With all due respect, where can you get a pre-pro with all the features of the Denon 5805, including Audessey, HD-switching, and a ton of other features, as well as 10 channels of 170 (overrated) watts? People who buy these units do not tend to abuse them. They are built like tanks, and weigh 92 pounds. Quite a few people compare them favorably with some of the highest end separates. To each his own

PS Sanjiva

HDMI standards appear to be backwards compatible, i.e., 1.1,1.2,1.3 should all work with any HDMI equipped models.