+1 for the "Time to Move on". To many great amps out there that have been refined over the years and you dont have to brake the bank to get one.
To repair, rebuild, or toss?
I have a Rotel RB 1080 amplifier which I used to power golden ear Triton one speakers. I had the amplifier repaired once before, It needed replacement of a capacitor in the right channel. Now there is asymmetric output with respect to the right and left channel. I received a quote to repair the issue for $300 or rebuild the amplifier for $600. The question is, should I repair or rebuild the amplifier? The rebuild option entails a visual inspection and replacement of parts that look like they need to be replaced., I’m a newbie at this game, so I’m not sure what else is out there. Would the money be better off spent on a new amp, if so, which one?
Thank you for your input.
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I want to thank everybody for all the responses. This is my first post and I greatly appreciate all the suggestions. All of you have been a wealth of information. As far as the amp, I will probably just take it back and hold onto it. Not sure what I want to do with it at this time. I want to move on and get an amplifier that will improve my listening experience. The Golden ear Triton ones have a high velocity folded ribbon, tweeter, which according to reviews has the potential for a clear and detailed high-end. With the Rotel the mid range is a little blunted. Looking for an amplifier to enhance the mid and upper range. Would appreciate a little more clarity and resolution I know the speakers with the right amp can deliver. The Coda 8 amplifier sounds like a wonderful piece of equipment, however, I don’t think a class A amplifier would work in my scenario. I have all of my electronics, amplifiers, streamers, and AV processors in a separate room in my basement. I control all the streamers and AV processors via apps on my phone. For convenience, I leave the amplifiers on all the time. I would not want to have to go downstairs to turn the amplifier on every time I want to hear music. So that leaves me with a class AB or D amplifier. I have to research the amplifiers that were mentioned in this discussion. Any other suggestions for amplifiers that would yield higher fidelity in my Triton ones would be appreciated. Thanks again |
This AGD Tempo di GaN would be a big upgrade and would reward you with upgrades to your pre, DAC, and streamer going forward. Put another way, it will outclass the rest of your electronics and deserves better partners, and as a class D amp you don’t have to worry about leaving it on. And it’s also user upgradeable when the designer introduces improved technology, which is nice and he has done already. https://tmraudio.com/fresh-arrivals/agd-productions-inc-tempo-di-gan-stereo-power-amplifier-t9fp/ Another idea would be a good integrated like this Hegel H400 that could potentially replace everything in one unit at least for now. https://www.ebay.com/itm/336340445009 Just a couple ideas FWIW. |
I agree to cut you loss and retire the Rotel. You now have some high quality loudpeakers that will benefit from the higher echelon of amplifiers. Hopefully you live near a city where there are reputable retailers that have a nice selection of brands that you can audition with your system in your home. With the efficiency and powered woofers on the Golden Ears, you don’t need 200WPC with doubling into 4 ohms. Many excellent brands have been suggested above. I would also look into Hegel, Ayre, or depending on your setup, consider tube amps such as Prima Luna, Quicksilver, Moon by Simaudio or Rogue among others. We’re not sure what pre-amp you are using, or what front end sources, but with your efficient speakers an integrated might be the ticket. I’ve heard good things about Advance Paris and others that might upgrade your whole system, as some have built in streamers and/or DACs. Edit - I just saw your latest post about powering the amp on and off. That might be a snag with a tubed amp, but I'd bet your midrange would soar with one. |
Trash it and don't look back. Stereophile said that it lacked presence and sounded dry. It was summarized as "A powerful, clean, budget‑friendly amp with strong bass but a dry, sometimes harsh top end that keeps it firmly in the mid‑fi category." Then again, I've never heard it, but for your $10k budget (and even for far less), you can get a much, much, much better amp--especially if you buy used. You can get a BAT, ARC, VTL, Krell and others that would make you forget the Rotel. |
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