Sonos amp with Rotel ra-01 pre out

Be sure the Amp is connected from its AUDIO IN to the Rotel’s Pre Out and the Monitor Control on the Rotel is set to Source. Then set the Function Control to the correct source. Start the source, then in the Sonos app, go to Browse and select Line-In.

What is the ROTEL model number? Note that “pre out” often follows the unit’s Volume control.

It's a rotel ra-01. I thought that is what I did because I want to be able to alter the volume using the rotel or the sonos amp. I'll double check.

Also as I'm using an external cambridge audio preamp for the TT I will not plug this into the phono but an uax input instead as it would then be amplified twice!?

Finally then the tape out option this should be ignored?

Are any speakers connected to the RA-01?

This arrangement creates a “war” between Volume controls. If either Volume control is set to zero there will be no output from AMP.

Why not get rid of one box and connect just the TT to the phono jacks on the Rotel?

Then connect the deck and the CDP to the respective input jacks on the Rotel, and wire the tape out to the input of the Sonos Amp.

Toggle the Monitor control once if this yields no sound via the speakers wired to the Sonos amp.

Depending on what source is in use, the function knob will have to be set to the input jacks in use.

There are no speakers connected to the rotel. It's just an expensive source selector.

Yeah I see what you mean- maybe I use tape out and control volume using sonos app.

Thanks for all the great advice.

I'm just thinking the separate tt preamp would be better quality but yes less bits!

Apart from the volume control is there any real difference between choosing tape out or pre out?

I can’t see why the Rotel pre amp would be any less capable than the Cambridge one, but try for yourself.

In using the Rotel pre out, you have two volume control circuits in the signal chain and a purist would not like that. And if I am not mistaken the 01 is the model that does not have a remote control for volume, so why not just stay with the Sonos amp that does have a remote control as well as one on the body of the unit.

When back home will try the different tt combinations and yes the -01 has no remote.

In terms of sound quality is there normally any difference between pre out and tape out?

In theory, the additional analog volume control in the signal chain will have the pre out sounding less clean, also depending on the age of the amp. In practice, this may well not be audible.

Again, something you can easily test at home.

I see you have a Connect as well; that affords you the opportunity of using the excellent Rotel to also drive its own speakers wired to its speaker terminals. Wire the tape out of the Rotel to the input of the Connect and the outputs of the Connect to the tape in on the Rotel. With the Rotel set to Tape, instead of source, the speakers wired to the Rotel will be in perfect sync with those Sonos speakers that get their signal from the Connect.

This allows for the music to be played in more parts of the home, and the Rotel is then more than just an expensive switch.

Thanks Kumar really appreciate your excellent responses.

Will convince the wife we now need some nice tannoys.

Good idea; I used my 02 version that is identical, except it has a remote control, for many years since the time I bought it in 2004. It now continues to serve just as well as new at my daughter’s home for many years as well. Rotel have excellent design+build quality at affordable price points and the RA 01/02 are keepers.

And passive speakers are excellent value these days too, leaving aside the huge Tannoys! It is more an issue of how much space you have for the speakers, especially if you score some great buys in the used market.

So I managed to get it all working using Tape Out. When using Pre Out it was distorting, even with the Source Level on the lowest setting. This must be something to do with the Pre Out signal from the Rotel. I also found the Phone Preamp connected to the Aux In to be better quality.

Thanks again for all the advice.

While this is possible, it is also possible that the phono preamp is delivering a higher voltage signal and therefore sounding louder than the TT direct to Rotel route. Even slightly louder always sounds better which is why the first thing to do when comparing sound quality is to match sound - not volume knob - levels as well as possible. If this is indeed the case, the solution is simple, of just bumping up the volume knob a notch or two when using the direct route. 

On the other hand, even once sound levels are matched, the external phono preamp may be delivering better sound quality - in which case the extra box is justified.