NAD 7220PE

[Rahul0909]

Hi All,

Yesterday i tested one NAD 7220PE 20watts per channel with my Boston Acoustic Tower speakers & it sounded good. My question is like 20watt Amp is fine to run my tower speakers for longer hours of music listening. Please share you expertise info on same, Thanks.

 

[reubensm]

Hi All,

Yesterday i tested one NAD 7220PE 20watts per channel with my Boston Acoustic Tower speakers & it sounded good. My question is like 20watt Amp is fine to run my tower speakers for longer hours of music listening. Please share you expertise info on same, Thanks.

Probably you know this already but sharing a little piece of trivia for our members - you've actually got yourself the receiver version of the legendary NAD 3020 amplifier, albeit with the Power Envelop circuitry included, powered by an additional 35-volt tap (if I remember correctly) from the main power transformer (these receivers have 2 power transformers, a smaller separate one for the receiver section). Apart from the Power Envelope circuit (which is the 'PE' in the 7220PE model reference), the amplifier section of this receiver is exactly the same as the NAD 7020e receiver, which is essentially a combination the NAD 3020e amplifier and the NAD 4220 tuner.

The model number of your BA floor standers is not mentioned but I assume the ballpark sensitivity range of BAs is around the 90db mark with 8 ohms voice coil impedance. The NAD 3020 was designed to drive any type of speaker system and can handle loads as low as 2 ohms and can drive speakers across the sensitivity spectrum. There are famous stories of how NAD 3020s were demonstrated back in the late 1970s using low sensitivity speakers and even very low impedance speaker loads. The PE technology helps the power amplifier section deal with sudden spurt in power requirements caused by, for example, sudden loud sounds like gunfire or a sudden blast of music from within a rather soft and silent classical music piece. With NAD's proprietary soft clipping feature, these amps offer additional protection for your speakers against overload and distortion that especially damages tweeters. You should be able to listen to many hours of great sounding music without listening fatigue and any danger whatsoever to your speakers.

Ps: I am assuming that your receiver is serviced and functioning as per (or near to) factory specs.

 

[availlyrics]

NAD "underspecs" It's amplifier wattage, thus when tested by reviewers, these amp get good reviews in the distortion vs wattage / headroom criteria. Just like a boxer of a higher weight category fighting in a lower weight category.
If reubensm is correct in recalling 35V as transformer specs, then your amp should give around 40+40W "average" output into 8 ohms and slightly more into 4 ohms. Do not underestimate it's 20W "continuous" ratings, that figure is meant for sine wave testing under lab conditions. In real life, your amp can easily punch well above it's weight category when compared to any 60W amp

 

[Rahul0909]

Probably you know this already but sharing a little piece of trivia for our members - you've actually got yourself the receiver version of the legendary NAD 3020 amplifier, albeit with the Power Envelop circuitry included, powered by an additional 35-volt tap (if I remember correctly) from the main power transformer (these receivers have 2 power transformers, a smaller separate one for the receiver section). Apart from the Power Envelope circuit (which is the 'PE' in the 7220PE model reference), the amplifier section of this receiver is exactly the same as the NAD 7020e receiver, which is essentially a combination the NAD 3020e amplifier and the NAD 4220 tuner.

The model number of your BA floor standers is not mentioned but I assume the ballpark sensitivity range of BAs is around the 90db mark with 8 ohms voice coil impedance. The NAD 3020 was designed to drive any type of speaker system and can handle loads as low as 2 ohms and can drive speakers across the sensitivity spectrum. There are famous stories of how NAD 3020s were demonstrated back in the late 1970s using low sensitivity speakers and even very low impedance speaker loads. The PE technology helps the power amplifier section deal with sudden spurt in power requirements caused by, for example, sudden loud sounds like gunfire or a sudden blast of music from within a rather soft and silent classical music piece. With NAD's proprietary soft clipping feature, these amps offer additional protection for your speakers against overload and distortion that especially damages tweeters. You should be able to listen to many hours of great sounding music without listening fatigue and any danger whatsoever to your speakers.

Ps: I am assuming that your receiver is serviced and functioning as per (or near to) factory specs.

HI Reubensm,

Thanks for your expertise reply on the same but my bad the actual model of the Amp i tested is 7225PE. Please let me know if 7220PE & 7225PE has same performance other than wattage difference.

 

[rwnano]

Rahul speakers are high current devices. Since resistance is low at 8 ohms. Look at the ability of the amplifier to drive current not wattage rating. That means transformers capacity in the amplifier. Which means weight of the same.

 

[reubensm]

HI Reubensm,

Thanks for your expertise reply on the same but my bad the actual model of the Amp i tested is 7225PE. Please let me know if 7220PE & 7225PE has same performance other than wattage difference.

Not really a big difference as the 7225PE is also in the same class as the 7020e, 7020i and 7220 PE series. Here is how these amplifiers evolved:

NAD 3020 integrated amp came first (later available as 3020A, 3020B, 3020e and 3020i)
NAD 4020 tuner was added as its matching analog tuner (later available as 4020A and 4020B, all analog tuners)
NAD 4220 tuner, digital version of the 4020 analog tuner
NAD 4225 tuner, upgraded version of the 4220 digital tuner
NAD 3220 PE integrated amp, which is essentially the 3020e with the power envelop circuitry added
NAD 3225 PE integrated amp, essentially the same 3020i preamplifier section coupled with a different and more powerful poweramp section, also with power envelop circuitry added

NAD 7020 receiver (a combination of the 3020 and 4020)
NAD 7020e and 7020i receivers (a combination of the 3020e and 3020i and 4220 tuner)
NAD 7220 PE receiver (a combination of the 3020e and 4220 tuner, with power envelop circuitry added)
NAD 7225 PE receiver (a combination the the preamp section of the 3020i, a more powerful poweramp section with power envelop circuitry and the 4225 tuner)

Infact the NAD 7020i and 7225 PE share the same service manual

This is all essentially one big family. There are matching Cassette Decks for these series as well.

So essentially my comments about the 7220 PE, holds good for the 7225 PE as well.

 

[Rahul0909]

Not really a big difference as the 7225PE is also in the same class as the 7020e, 7020i and 7220 PE series. Here is how these amplifiers evolved:

NAD 3020 integrated amp came first (later available as 3020A, 3020B, 3020e and 3020i)
NAD 4020 tuner was added as its matching analog tuner (later available as 4020A and 4020B, all analog tuners)
NAD 4220 tuner, digital version of the 4020 analog tuner
NAD 4225 tuner, upgraded version of the 4220 digital tuner
NAD 3220 PE integrated amp, which is essentially the 3020e with the power envelop circuitry added
NAD 3225 PE integrated amp, essentially the same 3020i preamplifier section coupled with a different and more powerful poweramp section, also with power envelop circuitry added

NAD 7020 receiver (a combination of the 3020 and 4020)
NAD 7020e and 7020i receivers (a combination of the 3020e and 3020i and 4220 tuner)
NAD 7220 PE receiver (a combination of the 3020e and 4220 tuner, with power envelop circuitry added)
NAD 7225 PE receiver (a combination the the preamp section of the 3020i, a more powerful poweramp section with power envelop circuitry and the 4225 tuner)

Infact the NAD 7020i and 7225 PE share the same service manual

This is all essentially one big family. There are matching Cassette Decks for these series as well.

So essentially my comments about the 7220 PE, holds good for the 7225 PE as well.

Appreciate your detailed info with history of these models