SDA 2A and NAD C298
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japhi
Posts: 6
So I recently acquired a nice set of SDA’s and love them. Have upgraded tweeters on the way, really really digging these things. Was driving them with an older JVC Super Class A/B amp and decided to go big on an upgrade so ordered a NAD c298.
Was very proud of myself thinking this new amp will make my SDA’s sing, but reading through the NAD manual I am second guessing myself. I was/am aware that a common ground amp is required but thought most everything outside of dual mono would be good.
Here is what the c298 manual says:
• The blue terminals must never be connected to ground (earth).
• Never connect the blue terminals together or to any common ground
device.
• Do not connect the output of this amplifier to any headphone adapter,
speaker switch or any device that uses common ground for left and right channel
So my question is, is this amp compatible with the SDA’s? I am not technical enough to interpret the above. Any help is really appreciated.
Was very proud of myself thinking this new amp will make my SDA’s sing, but reading through the NAD manual I am second guessing myself. I was/am aware that a common ground amp is required but thought most everything outside of dual mono would be good.
Here is what the c298 manual says:
• The blue terminals must never be connected to ground (earth).
• Never connect the blue terminals together or to any common ground
device.
• Do not connect the output of this amplifier to any headphone adapter,
speaker switch or any device that uses common ground for left and right channel
So my question is, is this amp compatible with the SDA’s? I am not technical enough to interpret the above. Any help is really appreciated.
Comments
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I'm going to say no.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Damn, what a mistake that was then. Very quick way to lose money. Guess the SDA’s are for sale then. The one amp I buy is not compatible, what are the odds.
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Call NAD, you may also contact Crutchfield as the are dealers for this item2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
Thx - just contacted NAD
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The NAD C298 is definitely not common ground
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Well that sucks, thanks for confirming. Think its best to replace the speakers but who knows.
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If you like the speakers and bought the amp used....sell the amp
Easier to sell an amp than vintage speakers
Good luck2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
Keep the speakers, get rid of the NAD.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Why hasn't anyone suggested an AI-1? Is it compatible with 2A's blade-blade?Don't take experimental gene therapies from known eugenicists.
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Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
Keep the speakers, get rid of the NAD.
Probably the best path. Unfortunate because think it would have paired up nicely. Any suggestions for widely available power amp for these speakers?
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Parasound a21
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Would love an a21 but thats a 5k amp in Canada so landed on an a23. Should be a dramatic improvement over my 80s Super Class A/B
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2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC
erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a -
"Dual-Mono" doesn't have to be a deal-breaker. Many (most???) "Dual-mono" amplifiers that aren't bridged/balanced designs have the grounds tied together. They're not mono on the ground side.I was/am aware that a common ground amp is required but thought most everything outside of dual mono would be good.
Mind you, they may tie each of the negative speaker terminals to chassis ground through a resistor, leading to "partial-common-ground" and sonic problems with SDA speakers--easily solved with a jumper wire between the negative terminals to bypass the resistors. Heck, the old Adcom GFA565 monoblocks could be strapped together at the negative terminals to become "common ground".
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If the grounds are tied together in a dual mono amp it's not actually dual mono. Same goes for mono blocks.Political Correctness'.........defined
"A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."
President of Club Polk -
We've had that discussion before.
What is "real" and what is "marketing" may/may not be in conflict. I don't know if there's a "Legal" or "Industry Standard" definition for "Dual Mono".
However, if an amplifier is marketed as "Dual Mono", and the grounds are tied together at chassis ground, with or without resistors, the typical consumer is going to believe that it is in fact "dual mono". Not a lot of folks will take an ohmmeter to the negative binding posts and check for continuity to the other post, or to chassis ground.
I am no electrical engineer. If you put two amplifiers in one chassis, and those amplifiers aren't bridged/balanced, why wouldn't the negative terminals be tied to chassis ground?
Two transformers, two independent power supplies, two independent amplifier channels largely built on two separate heat sinks. Each channel fused separately. Tied together at the power cord on one end, and chassis ground at the other end. Photo flipped upside-down for ease of reading.
If monoblocks aren't monoblocks when the negative terminals are jumpered together with a foot of wire with banana plugs on both ends; are they not monoblocks if they're plugged into the same phase of the electrical panel? They become monoblocks, though, if they're on opposite phase of the panel? Tied together at the house wiring is different from being tied together with primary wire?
