C326BEE VS Marantz 6004

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Hey,

I am currently listening to the following system:

Excite X12

RDAC

Currently i have the NAD 326BEE on home demo, but i wonder if the marantz PM 6004 is the better choice. Witch Amp is the better amp? Looking for a musical, smooth presentation.
 
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Anonymous

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2 fairly different amps with fairly different soundstages but both very good!

Imo the NAD will control the Dynaudios better overall as the NAD has very good power control; stronger than the Marantz IMO

you really need to demo both as much as you can but I can't help feeling that the Dynaudios deserve better amplification...

What music do you generally listen to? Another amps up for audition?
 
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Anonymous

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I listen to a lot of music. Everything between eva cassidy to nickelback. I think i will have a listen to the marantz
 
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Anonymous

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I listen to a lot of music. Everything between eva cassidy to nickelback. I think i will have a listen to the marantz
 
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Anonymous

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Could somebody post some experience with Nad/Dynaudio or Marantz/Dynaudio? Is the RDAC a good source to use with the NAD?
 

SSM

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Can't comment on NAD-Dyn but I had the C326BEE as a stop-gap amp last year and its flaws were shown up by my SCM11. Through the ATC, the NAD's loose mid-bass was made evident as well as its lack of fine details and a slight veiling over the midrange. I don't doubt the C326 will have the power to drive the X12 but it's unlikely to extract the Dyn's full potential. And I fear the Marantz will fare even worse as budget PMs don't match NADs' power ability.

I'm not a fan of Audiolab amplification but having heard the 8000S and 8200A, reckon they have the minimum requirements that can control a Dyn standmount properly as they have good current delivery (>30amps). Both have tauter bass than any budget NAD or Marantz, and their crisp top end will be flattered by the sweetness of Dyn tweeters. There's also a stripped -down version of the 8000S, the 8000SE, which is remoteless but otherwise retains the 8000s innards. With the 8000 components now superceded by the 8200, you can get good prices for the discontinued stock. So the 8000S could be had for less than its usual £400, which puts it in the same price range as the NAD and Marantz.

My $0.02

SS
 

matthewpiano

Well-known member
SSM, an excellent post. Having owned both a NAD C326BEE (and it's predecessor the C325BEE), and a Marantz PM6003 I would agree with your observations completely. Both are great budget amps, but their flaws are exactly as you suggest and those Dyns deserve better amplification.

I would be looking at the Audiolabs, Rega Brio-R, 2nd hand Naim Nait 5i or similar.

If the budget really doesn't allow for these, arrange an audition of the Cambridge Audio 650A with the Dyns. In many ways it is the most capable of the budget amplifiers and will give the Dyns a good, clean signal with plenty of current behind it.
 

matthewpiano

Well-known member
altruistic.lemon said:
The Rega Brio 3 can be found around the £200 mark now. Probably better than both the NAD and the Marantz as well as being cheaper.

Agree - it is better than the NAD or Marantz though it still doesn't have great control at the bass end. The Brio-R is a big step forward from the Brio 3 and, having heard it several times, I'm not convinced the Brio 3 is good enough for those Dyns.
 
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Anonymous

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Yeah I agree that the Brio 3 wouldnt be an ideal option either

Really for those speakers you can do a lot better; the Brio-R would be a great amp but again; I'm not overly sure it'd have all you need to get the best out of the Dyns

What's your overall budget and what music do you generally listen to?
 
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Anonymous

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I had the Rega Brio on home demo, but it was to bright, even with the rdac as a source. My previous amp was a very warm sounding Denon AVR-2105, so that could explain my observations. My system is in my bedroom, and i don''t listen at loud volumes, so i guessed that the PM6004 must be enough.

As a side note, i have very sensetive ears, so many sounds that you guys consider "not bright" is "bright" to me.
 

bemaniac

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I had a pm6003 and now have a ca650a and if the Marantz was a 7 for midrange and composure at volume the ca650a would be a 10. Stuff sounds wider than the stereo effect you get from the Marantz too. Nad sounds really powerful but in testing has less twinkles at the top with my floorstanders.
 
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Anonymous

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I cant demo the Marantz today, so it has to wait until next week. I am pretty temped to just buy the nad, because i can use it as a power amp (correct???). So when i am ready to buy something new, i can buy a preamp.
 
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Anonymous

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iaudio87 said:
I cant demo the Marantz today, so it has to wait until next week. I am pretty temped to just buy the nad, because i can use it as a power amp (correct???). So when i am ready to buy something new, i can buy a preamp.

Dont go for the NAD C326BEE then; if you can (not sure if budget will allow) but have a look out for a NAD C356BEE or a decent 2nd hand NAD C355BEE or C352 (PD version) instead; these amps are superb and a lot better than their younger sibling

They have, overall, a better, more detailed and deeper soundstage with solid power to boot which will drive your Dynaudio's to their best.

There are a few examples of these on eBay UK currently so wirtth having a look

Belive me; in having owned all the above mentioned NAD amps; the C355BEE and C352 amps are stonking
smiley-cool.gif
 

Cypher

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I have a NAD C326 amp. Great amp with lots of power. The Marantz PM6003 is very good too.........close call between those two. I haven't heard the new PM6004 yet but it has got my attention :)

The Rega Brio 3 is a very weak amp.........the sound hardens up at higher volumes. Not my choice.
 
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Anonymous

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The Brio 3 isnt a weak amp; it's just got a very different soundstage in comparison to the NAD C326BEE and the Marantz's...

Paird with the Rega RS1's or RS3's; the Brio amp is superb but does lack a little in bass etc...
 

matthewpiano

Well-known member
In terms of sheer driving ability/current, the NAD is more capable than either the Brio 3 or the Marantz. However, that isn't all hi-fi is about and the Rega and Marantz amps offer their own qualities. I agree with hifilover that the Brio 3 can sound superb through Rega speakers. However, I don't think it should even be considered for the Dyns.
 
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Anonymous

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Ok, here are my first impressions of the marantz pm6004:

the good: At first i seems to mis drive (maybe thats because i demod the NAD first), but the highs are very musical, much better than the nad 326bee. Also theres much more detail. bass is tight and wel defined. That are the good qualities of this amp. midrange is expressive and upfront.

The bad: Sibilance!!! all the records have this loud SSSS TTTT sounds. Especally Norah Jones, Katie Melua.

I am very frustrated with the fact that i cant seem to find the right amp!! Maybe the Dynaudio's are the problem
 

matthewpiano

Well-known member
At 4 Ohms and 86dB your Dyns aren't the easiest of speakers to drive. Good though the NAD and Marantz amps are, they are bound to struggle with those speakers. As a minimum I would be looking at the likes of the Cambridge Audio 650A and NAD C356BEE, both amps that have more ability with difficult loads and more power in reserve.
 
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Anonymous

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so you know for sure that the problem comes from an amp with not enough power? Because with the same source and my old Denon AVR 2105 i did not have this problem.
 

matthewpiano

Well-known member
I'm often a supporter of listening beyond the specification, but on this occasion your experiences and the specs seem to meet and make sense.

The AVR 2105 will certainly have been delivering more clean power to the Dyns than either the Marantz or NAD are capable of, and despite Dynaudio speakers offering a fairly linear impedance, it is still low and at only 86db they aren't particularly sensitive either. The fact that you didn't experience the same issues when using the Denon does rather bear this out.

One very affordable amp that might be worth a try is the Yamaha A-S500. This amp delivers plenty of power, is very clean sounding and has a setting specifically for driving lower impedances. You would have to audition one as you might not like the sound, but it certainly won't suffer in terms of power delivery like many other budget models.

As I've said before, the Cambridge Audio 650A is well worth a listen too. Very capable amp indeed with lots of clean power on tap, supported by a big and high quality toroidal transformer.

If you like the NAD sound but just want things to open up a bit you could do much worse than looking at second hand models like the C352, C355BEE, or the C370.

Beware, though, it isn't just about power rating but also about current delivery. Furthermore those Dyns will be quite revealing and to get the best out of them you might well need to up the ante. Might be worth saving for something like the Audiolab 8200A or the Naim Nait 5i, but again an audition is essential.

Of course, the other option is just to change the speakers to something more suitable for the sort of amplification you are considering.
 
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Anonymous

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I can't do a home demo of the Cambrige or the Yamaha. I am not planning to buy something without a home demo. The nad did nothng wrong (perhaps a few recordings that sound a bit harsh). But i didn't move me either. so the way i see it: Take the plundge on the Marantz 7004 or buy the NAD C326bee
 

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