Are NAD CD players & amps really so unreliable?

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Hello,

I am a lover of classical music, especially small ensembles, baroque trumpet, etc. Not an audiophile (our last Hifi served us for 16 years!)

However, had done some research and decided upon a NAD C545BEE CD player and a NAD C 356BEE amp, combined with Orpheus "Syntax" speakers. Haven't bought it yet -- because I found SO many internet criticisms of NAD equipment -- poorly made, fails both mechanically and electronically.

So, 2 questions : 1) Has anyone owned NAD equipment for, say, more than 5 years, without a single breakdown?

2) If I don't buy the NAD, what is similar in price and effect, for classical music?

Thank you for your help!
 

Rob998

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Not personally, but my brother has a NAD 3020 amp that he's had for at least 25 years, and used pretty much daily over that period, and it's never given him a problem.

He likes Debussy & Bach and it sounds good through his system, all of a similar vintage to his amp, Dual turntable, Marantz CDP, and Mission floorstanders. Not sure of model numbers apart from the NAD, sorry.

The best adviice you'll get is go and audition the kit, and if you're worried about it breaking, think about an extended warranty. Richer sounds offer a decent one, for a decent price.
 

jaxwired

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NAD is one of the most respected names in "budget" hifi. They produce wonderful no frills products that offer maximum sound quality for the money. The internet is full of bad reviews for every product imaginable. If Rolls Royce sold via Amazon.com, there would be hundreds of 5 star reviews and hundreds of 1 star reviews. Negative reviews are just part of business as usual on the internet. Disgruntled people are much more likely to post a review than satisfied people.

BUT, if you are super worried about it, you could spend more and get a better warranty. Bryston offers 20 years on their amps but it will cost you 10 times what the NAD costs.

My advice, don't worry about it. Just get the amp. It's a wonderful amp and very well built.
 

Tibor

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I think the Nad amps are reliable, but the cd players have some quality problems.My Nad cd players(3) broke down in very first year of use, and all have some mechanical noise spinning the disc:tic.tic. tic....audibile 3 m away from player.My Denon, Marantz,Akai(15 years old!), Arcam, Onkyo cd players never broke down.

I think Arcam, Audio Analogue, Unison have similar sound signature (warm, smooth), they are very good for classical music .
 

harrisonp

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I have a used NAD 350 that was second hand from ebay. as far as I know it's never been repaired is excellent quality and a good number of years old.

If you check out ebay you will find just as many used faulty Cryus amps for sale as NAD and in general they are more expensive!
 
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Anonymous

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Hi

I've had a NAD VISO 5 for about 4 years and have not had any problem's.The sound quality is excellent and the dvd playback is very good.

Paul.
 
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Anonymous

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Never EVER had issues with my NAD amps or CD players over the last 15 or so years

They're electrical items so as with every other product; there can be issues!

My brother has my old 3020 amp which must be 20 years plus now; my C320BEE is sat in the loft along side my NAD C542 CDP and both still work superbly and they were bought close to 10 years ago!
 

nads

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my old Amp is still serviceable (bought 1986). my current amps are getting on for 4 years old with no probs. mt CDP is also 4ish and no probs. likewise with the multi disc player (DVD/SACD/DVDA/CD).
 

johnnyblue

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I had a Nad 314 amp for 13 years and never had any problems with it at all - and that was using it for probably a minimum of 2 hours every day.

I also had a Nad cd player, which packed up last year, but it was more reliable and lasted longer than either the Sony or the Marantz players I had before.In my opinion they are very good build quality for the money.
 
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Anonymous

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My NAD 3020i which I bought in 1990 is still going strong, whereas as my Rotel 820a which was bought in 1989 packed in around 18 months ago-Rotels are so unreliable
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Anonymous

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Between me and family members we''ve owned three NAD amps/ receivers, a turntable, cassette deck and two CD players over the last 20 years.

Both the turntable and cassette deck had to be returned under warranty for repair as the tolerances were outside of the spec.

The turntable is still going strong,albet it you have to treat it delicately when swapping speeds as the belt often falls off the motor.THe wow on it too is quite noticeable.

The Cassette deck needed repair after 10 years with a cheap 10c resistor. However it still works perfectly and sounds great.

THe Amps have been good, the switches get a bit crackly but spraying them with contact cleaner helps. One of the 20 year old stereo receivers needed a new power supply after 10 years.Not bad going I think

THe C352 amp had a "rustly" sounding volume put replaced under warranty, but again has become noisy after 9 months. I guess we'll just have to live with it, but surely me thinks in this day and age it is possible to design a volume pot that doesn't ""rustle"?

A C542 CD player and C515 Bee CD player have not had any problems.Touch wood! Not surprisingly the C542 trounces the 515bee on sound quality.
 

datay

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I had a NAD CD541i that developed a problem reading discs after 4 years and I replaced. I have a NAD C350 amp which is still going strong after almost 9 years (it's in a second system now).
 
oldgirl:

Hello,

I am a lover of classical music, especially small ensembles, baroque trumpet, etc. Not an audiophile (our last Hifi served us for 16 years!)

However, had done some research and decided upon a NAD C545BEE CD player and a NAD C 356BEE amp, combined with Orpheus "Syntax" speakers. Haven't bought it yet -- because I found SO many internet criticisms of NAD equipment -- poorly made, fails both mechanically and electronically.

So, 2 questions : 1) Has anyone owned NAD equipment for, say, more than 5 years, without a single breakdown?

2) If I don't buy the NAD, what is similar in price and effect, for classical music?

Thank you for your help!

I believe, like most things in life, one only complains about a product if it's less than faultless. Personally speaking, although not owned a Nad, I think they are as reliable any brand. Like any mechanical product you can pick up the occasional duffo. So, no. In general I would say buy one if you like it or buy something else if you don't (sounds so cringingly obvious).
 

Tesler

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I have a NAD C-350 up in my loft, I had it from new and it lasted 3 years before it shut itself down and died, just went click and died.

I live in Scotland in the central belt about half way between Glasgow and Edinburgh; I'm having trouble finding any dealer that is interested in repairing this C-350. I bought the Amp from a dealer in Glasgow, but sadly but they are now long gone.

So this amp sits gathering dust in my loft until I can find someone willing to repair it. So far the response I've had is that they are notoriously difficult to repair.

If any forum members know of a very nice repair man in Glasgow I'd be happy to take it there.

I've just modded my pioneer A400 myself with great results but I had a schematic diagram for this, NAD don't seem willing to supply me with a schematic for the C350 so I'm not going to attempt to repair it.
 

matthewpiano

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I've found their amps to be very realiable but I'm not so sure about the CD players. I've still got, tucked away, an old C521BEE CD player that still works but since it was about a year old has struggled to read the first few dsics after you've switched it on. I also briefly had a C545BEE which worked fine but had intrusive mechanical noise that I just couldn't live with. Generally speaking I'd err towards Marantz, Rotel or Yamaha at these price points.
 

Tibor

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I suppose that the Nad budget players(515, 521, 525 BEE) have quality problems, the expensive ones(like 565, M5) are more reliable and better build
 
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Anonymous

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Never owned a NAD CD player, but a NAD C370 I bought ten or eleven years ago still provides my brother with sterling service.
 

ngibbs

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Hi Oldgirl, I've never actually owned NAD kit myself, but I know people who do. NAD amps, to my ears, always produce a muscular enthusiastic sound and generally get very good reviews; not sure about the CD players, think the reviews are slightly less enthusiastic. As for the build quality issues you're concerned about, the two people I know with NAD kit (for more than five years) have never had any problems, and both swear by them.
 
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Anonymous

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Years ago I had the monitor series set up and had problems with the cd player .Can't recall which one . It was a kind of revolving door with this one and traded it in on a new series ms albeit without the output control . which had a knob to operate it . But the new one worked fine . The amps work fine and the current system I have works fine . Remember one post pointed out that any co. can have teething problems . My naim xs had a sticky volume knob issue . Repaired and back in excellent running order . If any problems arise with my nad kit I'll let the forum Know .
 
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Anonymous

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Have had my NAD BBE545cd player for nearly 2 years now and have to say it`s proved fautless and sounds superb...... although this was a repalcement for an earlier one that developed a fault (3 times)... the problem was resolved by NAD replacing the cd player...

I beleive the earlier versions had problems with one of the PCBs???? there is a thread on the site explaining what happened.

My brother in Law still uses a NAD3020 amp (which he bought of me back in the early eighties) and uses it every day and still sounds good.

Jotaboy
 

DavieCee

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I have a NAD 3020e from 1988 that is to this day faultless and looks new.

CD players may be more vulnerable due to moving parts etc. Guess that goes for a lot of manufacturers.
 

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