Thank you in advance for your help. I'm more than a little clueless.
It was recommended by my local audio dealer that I match the B&W 604s that I am planning on purchasing (hopefully this week) with the Rotel RX-1050/1052. When I compared the numbers to what you get with the RB&RC 1070, the differences seemed pretty significant. For the $300 extra bucks or so, am I better off going with the RB-RC combo? I don't care about having a tuner; I won't use it. I have a record player but rarely use it. I'm not a real audiophile.
I should note that I live in a condo, so I won't be cranking this music. And I listen mostly to adult alternative music. [This may lead you to question why I'm getting 604s instead of 603s - they sound a lot better to me, but if I'm just wasting money, please tell me]
Thanks so much for your help. As you can tell, I'm a newbie to this stuff.
Oh - I should note that I run a Roku SoundBridge with lossless format music instead of a CD player. If this is idiotic or affects your advice, please say so. I enjoy not having to keep track of my CDs.
The best advice I can give is go with what ever sounds best to you. You're the only one who really knows if the extra $300 is worth it.
Their are advantages and disadvantages to each one. The receiver offers an all in one package, takes up less space, has a tuner (but you say you don't care about it) and has fewer wires to deal with and buy.
In general, seperates usually sound better than receivers. They are also more versatile. You have a choice on which pre-amp, power amp, and tuner you want to use. If something goes wrong with one part of the system or you want to upgrade, it can be swapped out. Generally speaking, the receiver has little room to grow. I think this receiver has pre-outs so that you can connect power amps down the road if you want to, but I'm not sure.
If I were in your shoes, I'd spend the extra $300 without thinking twice. I hear a definite difference between the gear you've mentioned. Not that the receiver is bad; it's a very good receiver. But you don't have my ears or preferences/prejudices. I suggest you spend more time listening to the components.