|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
75.3.33.239
In Reply to: I NEED an integrated amp!! on a budget! posted by Unnatural on February 25, 2007 at 09:15:40:
I just picked one of these up and it's so much better than what I've heard in this price bracket, that I can't think of another integrated amplifier worth purchasing over this for less than $1000. Why is this so good? Well, the NAD equipment is made in China and the faceplates, controls are simple plastic. The money's where it counts here.The lack of a detachable power cable was a downside until I auditioned it myself. As it stands, I don't believe there's much value in trying to mod this further.
I haven't heard the C320BEE but I'm told the C325BEE is a rather worthwhile improvement over its preceding model.
Follow Ups:
... is a great amp; perhaps unbeatable at its price point. The 325 has a bit of fine tuning in addition to the MP3 input but I haven't talked to anyone that could have A-B'ed any difference in the sound.With the intro of the 325, 320's should be available for a nice discount.
I've heard them back-to-back, local dealer's showroom, same source, speakers, room, chair, etc. Heard separately, you may notice a little difference, heard togther, it is not a subtle improvement. The C325BEE is everything the C320BEE was, just noticably better by every descriptor normally used to, well, to describe an amp's sound.Given what I know by poking around inside a couple C320BEEs, I would imagine the biggest change in the C325BEE is in the preamp section. To my ears, the preamp section of the C320BEE was the weak link in the chain, and there were many easy ways to have improved it.
Not that the preamp in the C320BEE was awful, it's just that NAD has built MANY better sounding preamps. Think about it, how much more does the C162 preamp sell for compared to the entire C320/325BEE? You can't even buy a USED C162 for what a brand-new C325BEE sells for (unless you get REALLY lucky).
Thank you for the input. Both the BEE amps have gotten great reviews from what I've read. I've auditioned the NAD T752 AV receiver previously while listening to a pair of Rega floorstanders. I remember really liking what I was hearing. This was about 2-3 years ago though so I'm having to start my search from square one. I would like to compare the NAD ,Onix and maybe now the Accuphase integrated amps. I've read lots of good things regarding the Onix A60/A120 (SS) and SP3 Melody (tube amp). The amps look very solid and are supposedly a dual mono design.It's really looking like I can't go to wrong with any of these amps listed here in my price range.
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: