QA 3020i and Yamaha AX496.. source is a streamer cum dac based on raspberry pi.
Found Gold - NAD 320BEE integrated Amplifier
- Thread starter amrutmhatre90
- Start date
So I tried NAD as PreAmp. The chain was BubbleUPnP/HiFiCast on Android device as Source-> RPi Zero running Volumio as Renderer->Toslink input to CA DAC Magic Plus(switched to pure DAC mode, no more digital PreAmp)-> NAD C320 (as PreAmp)-> Crown XLS1502 running L and R channel, High passed to 100Hz, Crown XLS2502 running 2 8inch Polk Audio Subs, band passed to 60Hz to 150Hz, 2 12inch Subs, Sony and JBL, low passed to 60Hz and below.
Now RCA out from DAC went into Aux In of the NAD and Pre Out of NAD went into Crown XLS1502, which fed 2502 too through Link out.
Initially, there was a lot of "chattar pattar" and hiss. Thought cables to be the issue so tried different pairs of RCA. Same thing. Then I reinserted the coupler that I was using to feed PreOuts to Power IN. As it has a female RCA out on it, I attached the RCA for Crown AMP to it. This time, the noise died down significantly. I say significantly because the "Crown hiss" was audible as I had them cranked up to 9 out of 10. Turned them down to 75%, and it was a quieter room.
Started playing tracks, knew it would sound good as I had a similar setup when I was using just 1 Crown amp for Sub duty and the NAD Integrated for full range L-R work. But this time there was something different. 2 things became immediately evident. The NAD effect of warm sound was perceptible even through Class D Crowns, and the transparency of Crowns themselves was obvious. My bright and sparkly JBL coaxial were starting to sound like a pair of Wharfedales. The soundstage got a fresh breath of life, with each part, each component being played in full. The drums, the cymbals, all were there. And with that, the shortcomings of CA DAC became evident. While my earlier Topping E30 almost brought Shreya Ghoshal to my room, with no ulterior motives, the CA DAC was not doing justice to mids. The Highs and Lows were good, tight, but the mids, that electronic guitar, it was down right muddy in some songs, songs which I have heard earlier too and knew sound good and were in lossless format so file and recording quality weren't an issue either.
This little experiment made me realize 2 things; how much a good active PreAmp can help to liven up the sound, and the other being that I need to get a better DAC.
Want to share a couple of short clips that I made of it, but don't know how to do so. If anyone can point me in the right direction, will post them next here.
Now RCA out from DAC went into Aux In of the NAD and Pre Out of NAD went into Crown XLS1502, which fed 2502 too through Link out.
Initially, there was a lot of "chattar pattar" and hiss. Thought cables to be the issue so tried different pairs of RCA. Same thing. Then I reinserted the coupler that I was using to feed PreOuts to Power IN. As it has a female RCA out on it, I attached the RCA for Crown AMP to it. This time, the noise died down significantly. I say significantly because the "Crown hiss" was audible as I had them cranked up to 9 out of 10. Turned them down to 75%, and it was a quieter room.
Started playing tracks, knew it would sound good as I had a similar setup when I was using just 1 Crown amp for Sub duty and the NAD Integrated for full range L-R work. But this time there was something different. 2 things became immediately evident. The NAD effect of warm sound was perceptible even through Class D Crowns, and the transparency of Crowns themselves was obvious. My bright and sparkly JBL coaxial were starting to sound like a pair of Wharfedales. The soundstage got a fresh breath of life, with each part, each component being played in full. The drums, the cymbals, all were there. And with that, the shortcomings of CA DAC became evident. While my earlier Topping E30 almost brought Shreya Ghoshal to my room, with no ulterior motives, the CA DAC was not doing justice to mids. The Highs and Lows were good, tight, but the mids, that electronic guitar, it was down right muddy in some songs, songs which I have heard earlier too and knew sound good and were in lossless format so file and recording quality weren't an issue either.
This little experiment made me realize 2 things; how much a good active PreAmp can help to liven up the sound, and the other being that I need to get a better DAC.
Want to share a couple of short clips that I made of it, but don't know how to do so. If anyone can point me in the right direction, will post them next here.
Last edited:
You will have to create a YouTube channel, upload your videos there and link the youtube video in here.
spirovious
Well-Known Member
Now don't tell your friend. He can call NAD back
amrutmhatre90
Well-Known Member
Luckily he is not into music much, only a movie fan. He knows I am using it and saying good atleast you are using that crap, little does he know that it is a Diamond.Now don't tell your friend. He can call NAD back
Sadly no, both are gone
Sansui was finally sold around 3 months back after having it for almost 7+ years. Sansui sounded better than NAD on my Tannoys, hence the NAD went and Sansui came in.
reubensm
Well-Known Member
Based on my experience with NAD, whenever I switch over to another amplifier, i have always found the other amplifier to sound more catchy and rich in comparison with the 'dull' sounding NAD. I then put away the NADs and use the new one for a few months. And then there is this realization that comes across, that I am actually missing the NAD sound. I go back to NAD and then listening sounds all the more enjoyable again. One thing that I have noticed with NAD is that there is no listening fatigue, one can keep going on and on. One tends to get sort of addicted to it.
amrutmhatre90
Well-Known Member
+1 @reubensm they are less fatiguing but this has mostly to do with the the way pre amp sections were made. Adding a different pre amp made things so better, that laid back sound was gone. Everything became crisper and tighter.
Having paired the 320BEE as a power amp with multiple pre amps, can tell this sounds very very good for its date and value proposition. Other IAs from NAD stable with such use can be similar.
Having paired the 320BEE as a power amp with multiple pre amps, can tell this sounds very very good for its date and value proposition. Other IAs from NAD stable with such use can be similar.
I recently checked out my father's 20+ year old 320BEE. It still sounds great (with KEF floor standers) but after a while i realised that the left channel was weak. Swapped speakers to confirm that the issue was the amp and not the speakers. Seems like the left channel is delivering less than half the output of the right one. Any thoughts on what could be the problem?
Most likely it will be the electrolytic caps. Electrolytic caps have a limited life and do need to be replaced.
rwnano
Well-Known Member
NAD Amps btw are the standard in most conservatories where music is "practised" and learnt.
Thanks. Is it a relatively straightforward job that most repair shops can do?
It is straight forward but requires supervision. Else repair shops can put cheap chinese caps but charge you for the good caps. Take some help from this forum to get contacts of a good repair person.
Shammi Dang
Active Member
Very nice amplifier. I took audition for this model way back in 2007 but as it was outdated the dealer arranged for C325bee for me. Very nice amplifier with excellent tonal quality. I am still using my NAD as my main amplifier with Wharfedale evo 4.1 speakers and it sound wonderful. I will try to answer a few of your ques as my amp has similar back panel.
1) The pre out and mains in are essentially for connecting a powered subwoofer that had 2rca-in and 2rca-out. U take pre out from amp and put it input of sub and out from sub into mains in of the amp. The sub should have this kind of configuration at the back. The pre out of the amp can also be used to take connection to an external power amp. This Nad amp has a very good pre amp section so it will be useful for that purpose.
2) Spare parts I am not sure of as repairs can turn out very expensive. Recently I got the repairs done from a local technician as my amp had developed some small minor problem. Now it's working fine.
4) No idea.
availlyrics
Active Member
- Joined
- Sep 26, 2011
- Messages
- 265
- Points
- 43
It will consume under 30W with no load , incl the preamp section which is Class A, if my memory serves me right
amrutmhatre90
Well-Known Member
Most of the NADs had Class A Pre Amp, I owned the NAD165bee pre amp for quite sometime and loved it.
thank you sir, its been few years I have sold the NAD and I am lucky enough to hear it as someone from my close circles owns it now.
Buy from India's official online dealer!
Similar threads
