How much are these units? what is your budget?
I think Rotel's amps are ok for the money but their preamps are pretty lacking.
I had a Rotel 1072 in a second system running a pair of B&W 703s for a little while and I thought it always sounded good for the money ($900 retail,I paid $500 new off ebay).
I also owned two (yes two) Rotel 1056s receivers. I only use them for HT but tried it with music (passed to the 1072) just to see and it was not that great. It really lacks soundstage and the finer points. All in all it would have been ok if I did not have better gear to compare it too. Both of my 1056s are now broken, One died in a storm (how ever nothing else was damaged in the whole house ?!?) and the other decided to go up in smoke one day.
If it were my money I would by a W4S STI-500 Integrated. I have not used the integrated but currently am using the ST-500 amp with the W4S DAC2 and it sounds much better than any Rotel I have ever heard.
Another option would be an integrated Musical Fidelity A5.5, used they run about $1700 (there is one on audiogon right now). This integrated has always sounded good to me. It has good detail retreval and great control and impact of the bass. The volume knob moves a little fast which is annoying but it sounds very good for the money. The M5 is out now and it is very nice sounding but I have not seen any used yet.
I think Rotel's amps are ok for the money but their preamps are pretty lacking.
I had a Rotel 1072 in a second system running a pair of B&W 703s for a little while and I thought it always sounded good for the money ($900 retail,I paid $500 new off ebay).
I also owned two (yes two) Rotel 1056s receivers. I only use them for HT but tried it with music (passed to the 1072) just to see and it was not that great. It really lacks soundstage and the finer points. All in all it would have been ok if I did not have better gear to compare it too. Both of my 1056s are now broken, One died in a storm (how ever nothing else was damaged in the whole house ?!?) and the other decided to go up in smoke one day.
If it were my money I would by a W4S STI-500 Integrated. I have not used the integrated but currently am using the ST-500 amp with the W4S DAC2 and it sounds much better than any Rotel I have ever heard.
Another option would be an integrated Musical Fidelity A5.5, used they run about $1700 (there is one on audiogon right now). This integrated has always sounded good to me. It has good detail retreval and great control and impact of the bass. The volume knob moves a little fast which is annoying but it sounds very good for the money. The M5 is out now and it is very nice sounding but I have not seen any used yet.