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In Reply to: RE: Wimpy NAD vetoed for MMG! How about ARCAM? posted by slapshot on August 26, 2014 at 09:27:59
Thanks Slapshot! We wants the precious...
unfortunately, I need a 5.1 channel or greater as I'd like to run HT with a pair of MMG's up front.
I'll start searching for Bryston...always thought this stuff was way out of my price range.
thanks again,
Zdog
Follow Ups:
Never had MMGs, but my SMGs weren't so awesome with an NAD amp. When I powered them with an Adcom GFA-555II or a subsequent Parasound HCA 2200ii? They were pretty incredible.
Doh! I just sold and shipped today my adcom GFP-565. Sad to see it go, but I'm giving up the 2-channel for AV/HT.
I'm at a loss now...not much love for the NAD in this crowd. What to do what to do...ARCAM reviews and problems scare me a bit.
thanks again for the feedback. Nice folks here on this list. I will keep looking.
Zdog
Ironically, a few weeks ago I found a refurbished Denon AVR-4520CI for a friend for a bargain price of $800. Something like it would have been great for you because it has most of the current HT features PLUS a solid power supply for surround + Maggies.
The irony is that I then found him a AVR-5308CI (as another bargain but much more dough) and he let go of the 4520CI.
Anyway, let's keep looking.
We love NAD. I even run a NAD pre-amp on my MMG system. Its just that low power receivers are a bit disappointing. I can't even make a recommendation for a multiple channel receiver, there are maybe a handful of good ones and tons of average stuff. Any way we can talk you into 2 channel?
Edits: 08/26/14 08/26/14
No matter what anybody "rated" their preamps, I never found any of the Adcom GFP series very good sounding. Their amps? Simple, straightforward circuit that could sound incredible with the right loudspeakers.
LOL! David, I use HCA Parasound myself (2, on bi-amp).
Yet, it was my old NAD 2200PE power amp that first made my MMGs display untypical dynamics and slammy bass. The first time was playing David Sanborn's Tequila...those bass notes at the start show the beauty of a well-designed strong power supply.
The original NAD equipment was well designed & decently built for the times. It is a pity that all this has been rendered "unrefined" after 30+ years. I keep wishing to do surgery and rebuild the NAD...wishful thinking : - )) .
Yeah, the 2200 was a really great amp with a number of speakers I used it with, but oddly, it didn't have very good control of the bass with my Maggie SMGs.
Weird - maybe the MMG presents a greatly different load in the bass than the SMG did.
In my case, the preamp/linestage was either a NYAL Moscode Minuet or an ARC LS3. Using either, the NAD had poor bass control, and the Adcom rocked the house. I'll never knock the NAD 2200 - it was the best amp at ANY price I tried with my DALI 8s, but it faltered with my Maggie SMGs.
Goes to show you - DON'T judge ANY given component on its own.
David, your observation is right on the money as far as what would have been perceived. It would have appeared as if "out of control".
The interesting thing is that it was the dynamic punch of the 2200 which revealed a weakness in many Maggies, more so in earlier days. Their frames were a bit too weak. When put to such impressive dynamism as the NAD could send at low frequencies, the sound came out muddled. Strong bass was perceived as fuzzy and out of control.
At the time I hooked up the NAD to my MMGs (which are VERY old), I had already cured the weakeness. Bass from the NAD was tight, clean, and plentiful.
Yet, later on I had a taste of what your heard. One day I conducted some tests of "Razoring" (a tweak by inmate Dawnrazor [on sabbatical] : - )) ) which went on for several weeks. At some point I used the NAD while I had removed the "cure" mentioned earlier. HORRIBLE fuzz on bass-heavy and on full orchestral passages!
The "cure" is to add frame reinforcement. Or, like some do, to replace the factory frame. In any event, if someone had applied the same thing to the SMGs, I am sure that they would have improved also.
So, any of many Maggies would have shown some stress unless reinforced. Actually, the issue persists...
Others will have better suggestions for 5.1; I'm strictly a 2 channel person. :)
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