Best sounding NAD amp??
geppy1
Posts: 3,075
If you have owned and compared NAD amps I would like to know what you think their best sounding amp is. What I mean is what sounds most musical. to your ears. The preamp will be a NAD 160. I know there are many variables but I still am curious. Thanks
Comments
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I forgot the options are
2400
2600A
214
216
270
272 -
I love my refurbished 1020. It beat out the 116 I had, and I don't even miss the remote. It also has a decent headphone amp.
The 2250 isn't an option on the amp list?Polk Lsi9
N.E.W. A-20 class A 20W
NAD 1020 completely refurbished
Keces DA-131 mk.II
Analysis Plus Copper Oval, Douglass, Morrow SUB3, Huffman Digital
Paradigm DSP-3100 v.2 -
I owned the C370 integrated for some time. The amp section of that is supposed to be the same as the C270. Used it to power a pair of Paradigm Studio 20 v2s in a bedroom system. I sold the C370 when the Paradigms got moved to be rears in the surround system. I miss that amp.
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I've been looking at the M22 or C275.
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Haven't had opportunity to compare any of those on your list, but had a 2600A for quite a while and it did a nice job for me.
One consideration is that the output relays on the 2600A (and perhaps the 2400?) are prone to issues at this age, where one or both channels give no/reduced sound until you goose the volume up to a certain point, before working correctly.Jay
SDA 2BTL * Musical Fidelity A5cr amp * Oppo BDP-93 * Modded Adcom GDA-600 DAC * Rythmik F8 (x2)
Micro Seiki DQ-50 * Hagerman Cornet 2 Phono * A hodgepodge of cabling * Belkin PF60
Preamp rotation: Krell KSL (SCompRacer recapped) * Manley Shrimp * PS Audio 5.0 -
Usually those relays can be removed and you can burnish the contacts and reassemble good as new.2 Channel - Polk SDA-2BTL, Carver TFM-35, Peachtree iDAC, Qobuz streamed via Episode Lynk using bubble UPnP server
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I had the 2600 and still have the 2400. The 2600 was noticeably smoother and fuller sounding than the 2400. I like both, but would love to have another 2600.
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I have never sat down and compared amps with all the years I have worked with NAD.
But one thing I did notice about them is they retain a sonic signature that seems to hold true from year to year from entry level models up to the flagship.
The M series amps have a greater sense of life and energy. They seem to be a step up from the standard line in the C class. But not to take anything away from the C class as they sound like true clean clear amazingly dynamic amps with a very similar sonic signature from the M seres.
I don't see how you could go wrong with any NAD amp from any year as long as it fits your power requirements.
But if you can swing it go M dude.
Without knowing your room, speakers and the rest of your listening needs, I can't say I'd buy this amp for this reason. Give me some more info and I can steer you into the right amp.Dan
My personal quest is to save to world of bad audio, one thread at a time. -
I've had a NAD 7240PE, a 3080, and currently have a 7100 Monitor receiver and a 2400PE amplifier at home.
They're all great. They really do carry a similar tone across all of them. A lot of much more famous and high-powered amps and receivers have come and gone while I always keep a couple of NADs on hand.
The 7240PE beat out a restored Pioneer SX-1250 for overall tonal balance - great highs, better imaging, and tighter bass. The 7100 is similar in sound to the 7240PE and has a remote. Phono is alright, perhaps not as good as the preamp.
The 3080 was a beast - power meters, aluminum front, very cool. It also beat out an immaculate Yamaha CA-1010.
My 2400 is a little sick - it jumps in and out of protection and can only play at low volumes. I hope to fix it up and use it as one of two bi-amps for my Klipsch CF-4s.HT System:
Marantz NR-1403
Front: Klipsch CF-4
Rear: Paradigm Atom V3
Center: Boston Acoustic VR12
Sub: Bowers & Wilkins ASW600
2Ch:
Restored Fisher 500C
Yamaha P-500 Turntable
Living Room:
Harman Kardon 3380
Restored Polk Monitor 7B
Bedroom:
Harman Kardon VR-3750
Cambridge Soundworks Ensemble
Polk PSW10
In and out of rotation:
KLH Model 6,
Polk LSI7
NAD 7100