Any Rotel love around here? Looking to power my Sonus Faber Olympica 3

Luxman?  Marantz?

Rotel are excellent - not a dynamic punchy sound but smooth. NAD make a nice option and you will like the look and similar sound but a bit more dynamic:

NAD C275BEE with C165BEE is good value.

The power amp is a tank with massive power supply. 

I would not recommend Marantz or Luxman - never had much luck with those. Luxman seem to smooth the highs so they are glossy and Marantz sound dull like a vintage sound and current Marantz quality is not good (just look at the MM7025 and the poor quality of build and inadequate power supply)

@joey_v

I spent a couple more more hours with the RC/RB1590 set. My impression hasn’t changed. They are outstaning. If budget wasn’t a concern for me I would have ordered a set and been done. Period. Thanks for starting this post.

I also spent about an hour listening to the Musical Fidelity M5si 150 watt integrated. Not exactly apples to apples comparison but it gave me a feel for the different presentations. The MF was a bit warmer and a touch softer. As you go up in watts with MF that may not be the case. If it wasn't for budget constraints I would investigate MF further.

@shadorne

Thanks for your comments on the NAD C165/C275BEE set. I have used an NAD 320BEE as well as 325BEE in systems for years. NAD makes great stuff. I’ve lived with an Arcam integrated (A19) for three years now and your Rotel/NAD comparison could apply to an Arcam/NAD comparison as well.

I’m trying my best to listen to the 165/275 but the nearest dealer that has them is three hours away. That fact and my budget constraints (which precludes me from going with the RC/RB1590s) leads me to the conclusion that I’m going to order the NADs from a source with a generous return policy and give them a go.

Cheers,

Scott

Don’t short change yourself with not mating the Olympica 3’s with high quality equipment. Using less than optimal amp,preamp, and source will not get you what you paid for in regards to quality of sound...

@samac 

My brother has the MF6 integrated and likes it.  I think it sounds good as well.  DOes not have all the swiss army knife features of the rotel, which is why I lean rotel. 

The problem with going full Rotel RC1590/RB1590 stack is that the amp has to be placed outside the media console in the family room and my wife is leary of that... I have waf to abide by here.   haha...

otherwise, the RA1592 would fit inside the media console and would have all the doo-hickeys for her.  BT and ability to stream her iphone music etc.  

This system is more for her than it is for me, but obviously I am in the family room a lot so I want good sound too.  

I am constrained with positioning of the O3 as well, I cannot pull them out too far from the wall so I am sure there will be boominess. 

Plus a lot of the input will be from TV sources, DVR, netflix.. so it's not the highest quality sources either.