NAD gurus. 1600 vs 1700 preamps ???

riglehart
riglehart Posts: 276
edited August 2006 in 2 Channel Audio
Anyone know the difference between NAD 1600 and NAD 1700 preamps? NAD's site only talks about the 1700, so I'm assuming the 1600 is older. They are very similar when you compare the front/rear panel. Ebay has 1 or 2 of them a week.

I have a carver ct3 right now I don't like and am tempted to buy a 1600 or 1700 off ebay to try. However, the 1600s consistantly go for about $150, while the 1700s go for $250 or more. Are they worth the extra $100?

I always like NAD equipment, but have never touched one of these. I'll be pairing it up with a NAD2200 amp and polk 2.3s (with ai-1 interconnect).
Jolida Tube
Polk 11T, 7, 5, 5jr, 4
Standard equip not worth bragging about.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited August 2006
    Remote control.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • seo
    seo Posts: 305
    edited August 2006
    I believe both the 1600 and 1700 use the same remote control. Problem is, most of them on the 'bay are missing the remotes.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited August 2006
    The 1600 doesn't have a remote control in any of my notes....but I'll be damned if I didn't see an owners manual with one right next to a 1600.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • seo
    seo Posts: 305
    edited August 2006
    dorokusai wrote:
    The 1600 doesn't have a remote control in any of my notes....but I'll be damned if I didn't see an owners manual with one right next to a 1600.

    I'm just going by what I have seen for sale. I have seen 1600's for sale with a remote, I assume (maybe wrongly) that the remote works with the preamp.

    I have been looking for one of these preamps, and I agree with riglehart, there is not much information out there on these preamps.
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  • dorokusai
    dorokusai Posts: 25,577
    edited August 2006
    Seo - It may very well have a remote, perhaps it was added later in the year for the 1600. Either way, it's a nice pre-amp.
    CTC BBQ Amplifier, Sonic Frontiers Line3 Pre-Amplifier and Wadia 581 SACD player. Speakers? Always changing but for now, Mission Argonauts I picked up for $50 bucks, mint.
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  • seo
    seo Posts: 305
    edited August 2006
    Doro-

    How does the 1600 compare with the 116? I know the 116 doesn't have tuner, but have you auditioned a 116 vs. a 1600?

    Scott
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  • pdwoods
    pdwoods Posts: 1
    I have had a NAD pre-amp for 32 years, great sound, no audio artifacts...I highly recommend the 1700...I know nothing about the 1600...zero...
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  • pitdogg2
    pitdogg2 Posts: 25,411
    I'm sure that was figured out a LOOOOOONG time ago.
    I'm sure your NAD 1700 is in need of a recap after 32yrs.
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  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,763
    edited November 2021
    1p52e4txmrnv.jpg

    I've been fiddling with a friend's issue-laden1600 here lately. I like the looks and the feature set, but this one's pretty dysfunctional. Unfortunately, this reinforces my long-held, empirical opinion that, for years, NAD turned out products that work great -- but only for a fairly short time. :(

    This does have a remote control BTW & FWIW.

    j2gfnv1lta17.jpg


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  • Dr_Wu
    Dr_Wu Posts: 335
    I've been using a C165BEE for about 3 years. I like everything about it except the integrated power cord and no rear panel fuse access.
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  • engie490
    engie490 Posts: 431
    Don't see your sources listed. Also, do you need the tuner?

    As noted above, those pieces are long in the tooth and unlikely to be working perfectly.

    If it were me (here comes the dreaded non-NAD recommendation that wasn't even asked for...), I would save a few more shillings and get this:

    https://www.schiit.com/products/saga-s
    Alon Petite / Infinity 1.2S / Coda Continuum / Counterpoint SA5000 / Oppo BDP-105D / Technics SP-15 w/SAEC WE-308SX & Ortofon AS-309 arms / Ikeda 9C2 & Dynavector XX2 Mk II carts
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  • agfrost
    agfrost Posts: 2,427
    I'll give somewhat of an answer to a question that perhaps no one wants/needs answered!

    I've got both models in the house (the 1600 is cosmetically near-perfect, the 1700 is cosmetically imperfect!). Neither has seen much use lately, although one is in my bedroom rig, and I'll be darned if I can remember which!

    I don't remember big sonic differences between the two. The main difference in my use was that I greatly preferred the weighted tuning knob of the 1700 to the "tune up" and "tune down" buttons of the 1600. Both have defeatable bass/treble pots, but the 1700 has 3-position switches for each with (I assume) a center frequency about which each pot adjusts. As I kept these controls defeated, this wasn't a big deal to me. The 1700 has a phase invert button, nice if you are sensitive to phase. (Read review, linked below, for a critique of said phase inversion function).

    Anyway, I suspect no one may care in 2021, but I'll link these two reviews which are perhaps better in that they were done by the same publication, likely the same person.

    1600 review

    1700 review
    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
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  • engie490
    engie490 Posts: 431
    Nice post Jay! The reviews are from Stereo Review magazine. Julian Hirsch did all of their reviews back then and he always heaped praise on every product. You generally have to read between the lines to see if he didn't like something and usually that happened in the "Lab Report" section.

    He does seem impressed with the 1600 and 1700 based on the measurements though. The 1700 does improve noticeably on the 1600 in both the preamp and tuner measurements.
    Alon Petite / Infinity 1.2S / Coda Continuum / Counterpoint SA5000 / Oppo BDP-105D / Technics SP-15 w/SAEC WE-308SX & Ortofon AS-309 arms / Ikeda 9C2 & Dynavector XX2 Mk II carts
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  • bsonnicksen
    bsonnicksen Posts: 1
    I just found a brand new 1700 on ebay. $600 - open box, but never been used. The remote and OEM battery, and antenna wire are still in the original plastic bag, along with manuals, warranty card, everything. Can't wait for it to be delivered. How does someone hold on to something this long and never use it??! Going to pair it with my Adcom GFA5500, and Cerwin Vega AT-15's, and also a Klipsh sub.
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