Go (away) NAD!!

AudioFilet

For about the last year or so, I have been using a NAD C372 in my listening room as the main amp, hooked up to a set of LSi9’s, HSU subwoofer and a Marantz SA8001 SACD player. For bass management I use an Outlaw ICBM. I thought I had it going on.

I made a hard decision last week to sell the NAD to help finance a new camera that I just have to have. My plan was to use the Outlaw RR2150 stashed in my closet all this time as a replacement for the NAD until I get the finances together to buy some sort of monstrosity to replace the NAD. I had used the brand new Outlaw for a while in the apartment I was in before I moved into the house I am in now. I had it hooked up to a set of RTi6’s (no sub), and it never got much of a workout due to apartment living.

I got the Outlaw all hooked up and put in a favorite CD to check things out. I was hoping that I would not miss the NAD too much while this transition was taking place. What greeted my ears was a total shock to me. I’m not talking about a subtle difference here. The Outlaw just completely blows the NAD out of the water! Everything about it sounds better, and by a considerable margin. Bass, mids & highs, just so much better! Wow!!

I know it’s not related to a bad connection or something like that because about a week ago, I made sure everything was tight when I had to hook up an output for a digital recorder.

Incidentally, the same thing happened with the CD player in my computer room. I decided to sell the NAD C525BEE player along with the amp. I replaced it with a Samsung DVD player, and it blows away the NAD player big time too!

So, what is it with this NAD equipment?? Garbage, or what??

Go (away) NAD!!

danz1906

It could be that the NAD was a Bad system match for your gear.

AudioFilet

It just aggravates to think about everything I missed because of this!

heiney9

Different isn't always better. Give it 2-3 weeks and see if you feel the same way. The initial difference is can sometimes be construed as being a whole lot better until you get some listening time in.

That's not to say your initial impressions won;t be the same in 2-3 weeks, but I have that happen all the time. I roll in a different tube and initially I'm thinking this is so much better only to listen for a few weeks and feel differently.

amulford

You might have found a different flavor, but I wouldn't go so far as to call it (NAD) junk. Might not be the best, but it is pretty solid stuff.

I have a complete NAD component set, driving some CRS+'s at the moment. The synergy is there, no doubt in my mind...

shack

Your hearing sucks....

Systems

My expierience with NAD amps is they are usually warm sounding and slightly soft on the top end.The Outlaw may be a bit brighter and more forward making them a better compliment to your speakers?

On the bright side(pun intended)atleast you can percieve the differences in SQ between amps.

inspiredsports

shack wrote: »

your hearing sucks....

. . .

AudioFilet

shack wrote: »

Your hearing sucks....

FWIW --

My job requires regular hearing tests, and they tell me that it is actually quite good, and has not changed much over the last ten years or so.

Whether that is significant in this instance or not, I don't know.

Ern Dog

Good example of System Synergy!

Polkitup2

That's the opposite of what happended to me. I had the NAD C370 and Outlaw 1070 and when I compared the two the NAD was clearly better than the Outlaw. Go figure

cfrizz

Everyone hears things differently & has different likes & dislikes.

I absolutely HATE speakers with metal tweeters, they are sibilant, annoying headache inducing monstrosities to MY EARS!

Others love them for their clarity. Oh well. :eek:;):D

shack

Polkitup2 wrote:

I had the NAD C370 and Outlaw 1070 and when I compared the two the NAD was clearly better than the Outlaw. Go figure

My experience as well....

inspiredsports

shack wrote: »

My experience as well....

Audio is such a subjective world.

I've recently spent hundreds having a 23-year old NAD amp, pre-amp and tuner restored, (and not because they started to sound bad).

On the contrary, they still sounded brand new and extremely musical. A testament to their quality, and making it a no-brainer to invest in the replacement parts that will keep these vintage classic powerhouses from ever showing their age.

In my opinion, Polk + NAD are a truly synergistic match.

obieone

I like the sound of AVR's over seperates. I listened to a few mid-fi speakers thru components, and wasn't impressed with the sound. No bass= no balls.

rru2s

Funny you said that about the RR2150. I have mine running 4 Polk monitor 70s in a 3300 cu.ft. living room, plus subout to an Epik Valor. I can't even turn it up past about 8:30 for more than a couple minutes. It really fills the room with quality sound.

rubin

GV#27 wrote: »

My expierience with NAD amps is they are usually warm sounding and slightly soft on the top end.The Outlaw may be a bit brighter and more forward making them a better compliment to your speakers?

On the bright side(pun intended)atleast you can percieve the differences in SQ between amps.

Nad is warmer than Outlaw,maybe that's what he likes.

rubin

I've read that driving tubes harder creates more saturation and could improve (that tube sound).Is that correct...If so,would decreasing the input level on a ss amp,causing you to increase the gain of a tube preamp drive the tubes harder thus perhaps improving (that tube sound)?Don't know what happened,this was suppose to be a new post,sorry.

shack

Outlaw makes decent gear...at a very good price point. However, as I said...having listened to both...I prefer NAD.

Plus there is NO WAY a Samsung DVD player blows away a NAD C525BEE . Most of their stuff is barely consumer grade gear (think Wal-Mart, Best Buy fare...) and I am very familiar with that particular NAD.

The OP must prefer bright sounding gear...

rubin

shack wrote: »

Outlaw makes decent gear...at a very good price point. However, as I said...having listened to both...I prefer NAD.

Plus there is NO WAY a Samsung DVD player blows away a NAD C525BEE . Most of their stuff is barely consumer grade gear (think Wal-Mart, Best Buy fare...) and I am very familiar with that particular NAD.

The OP must prefer bright sounding gear...

That's what I think also .

ben62670

What cables are you running to the amps?

Edit: Synergy is a ****.

joeparaski

Wuz up Ben...can't sleep?

Joe

ben62670

joeparaski wrote: »

Wuz up Ben...can't sleep?

Joe

What is this sleep thing you speak of?
We gotta talk soon, and when you coming down?

Ben

tonyb

shack wrote: »

Outlaw makes decent gear...at a very good price point. However, as I said...having listened to both...I prefer NAD.

Plus there is NO WAY a Samsung DVD player blows away a NAD C525BEE . Most of their stuff is barely consumer grade gear (think Wal-Mart, Best Buy fare...) and I am very familiar with that particular NAD.

The OP must prefer bright sounding gear...

I was thinking the same thing as I have had some Nad gear in my day also. That being said,Nad is alittle more laid back,the outlaw may well be that much brighter and the OP may just prefer that type of sound. Not that thats bad,but don't knock a quality brand just because it's not your flavor. Hell,I would betcha there are people who ditch some floor standers from Quality makers in favor of Bose,who think the bose sound just as good.

george daniel

Like others have said,, it's different,,the NAD and Polks that I have heard just seem to go together very well.The dound is much more laid back,which I prefer,maybe not as detailed and articulate as others, but synergistic IMHO,,I think that maybe it's like Brock pointed out,,different,, not necessarily better just different,,which nis why you should wait 2 weeks,before making any decisins(rule of thumb).Shoot in another post in a coupla' weeks and express your impression Then.Crazy hobby,, this audio,,ain't it? Good luck,have fun and enjoy.

sucks2beme

There's also a chance that the Nad has some DC showing up in the output.
That would throw off the sound.

inspiredsports

ben62670 wrote: »

What cables are you running to the amps?

Edit: Synergy is a ****.

This is a really good point.

On one of my rigs, I had been running a decent pair of 10' MIT EXP 1's from the NAD 2600A Amp to my SDA-2B TL's and the sound was a bit bright and forward. I just broke out a stellar set of 10' Shotgun 2's and the sound is absolutely night and day.

The brightness subsided and the bass balanced out within the first 48 hours of run-in (MIT states 2 days=75% and 2 weeks = 100%).

organ

Like others pointed out, it could have been bad synergy.

I have the NAD C160/C270 combo which is the seperates version of your C370. I was also not totally impressed with the sound and found out that the tonal balance of the pre was not a good match for my LSi9's. Using a different pre amp changed the tonal balance and sounded better with my 9's.

reeltrouble1

NAD trumps Outlaw, always has, likely always will. BTW NAD has introduced two new CD players in the under 500 class that are creating a nice buzz in our audio land. Just not the gear for Audio, no big deal really, Audio enjoy the Outlaw, not like it is bad gear or anything such.

RT1

AudioFilet

Well, I've been listening to this for about a week now, and have heard nothing to change my mind. The Outlaw is just much more musical all the way around, at all volumes, especially loud. I don't regret my decision to sell the NAD equipment, probably won't ever buy any more either.

cfrizz

Congrats AF. That's what it is all about, enjoying your tunes/movies no matter what gear you listen to it on.