Marantz or Nad Poll

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i'm weighing up the following two systems to couple with my existing acoustic energy aelite twos.

Marantz pm6002 amp and cd 6002 cdp

Nad c326bee amp and c545cdp.

I mainly listen to light rock, chill out and acid jazz and my living room is approx 20m². What would you go for and why? I'm on a budget of 750 quid and would consider other one make set-ups.

cheers.
 
Munich:
i'm weighing up the following two systems to couple with my existing acoustic energy aelite twos.

Marantz pm6002 amp and cd 6002 cdp

Nad c326bee amp and c545cdp.

I mainly listen to light rock, chill out and acid jazz and my living room is approx 20mý. What would you go for and why? I'm on a budget of 750 quid and would consider other one make set-ups.

cheers.

I doubt many here in the UK have heard a NAD C326BEE yet. (Unless they got one imported specially)

NAD only announced their impending UK release last weekend and the NAD website will not have them listed until at least tomorrow or the following day. I have emailed NAD about this amp because I am keen to hear it. (It loooks somewhat better than the C325BEE also.)

My local Audio-T may be able to get one in once NAD UK can supply them (or Armour or whoever does this). I will be auditioning the PM6002 at the same time but (dependent on NAD) this could be days or weeks.

I may get the new C725BEE receiver but I am not sure many of those are in the 'supply' chain either.

I can't comment on either of the CD players. I am sure WHF have reviews of both.
 
Just wondering, in your opinion was the C3225 an improvement on the C320 BEE? and what is it about the C326 which makes it look like a better prospect than the last?
 
Also consider that while both 325BEE and PM6002 are still available for £220-£225, the 326BEE is getting introduced at £325 I believe and PM6002 is supposed to increase in price to £320. So I'd get one now...

What I gather is that the NAD has a warmer sound and Marantz more detailed. Not familiar with their respective CD players tho.

I looked at both for a long time and ended up getting a PM7001Ki this week.
 
hi fi newbie:Just wondering, in your opinion was the C3225 an improvement on the C320 BEE? and what is it about the C326 which makes it look like a better prospect than the last?

No idea about those others. (Except what I have read which all seems pretty encouraging.)

When I get around to hearing the C326BEE it will be the first NAD amp I will have heard for well over 25 years since my last 3020 🙂
 
We're hoping to review the NAD C326BEE in the issue that comes out early April (when we'll compare it to our current price-class Best Buy, the Marantz PM6002). You can also read a Group Test of £300-£400 CD players - including the Marantz and NAD - in our next issue, out March 12th.
 
Sorry i forgot that the c326 bee isn't yet available. audioaffair have them up for 250 quid which i think is a good price. Obviously I would like to read some reviews before I consider it. I think however it is fair to presume that the c326 will be a slightly improved c325.

The ROTEL ra05 and cd06 would also fit into my budget, would anyone here take this set up over the nad and marantz ?
 
I am not going to specify a specific one, but you might want to consider an external dac as you may find better sound quality through that, than through the cd player. I think we can all agree this subject has been done to death, so it's probably a good idea to type it in on the search bar above, however if you are not considering this, nad cd players are usually of a very good standard but haven't really heard any cd players from rotel.
 
Chebby, I should point out in their defence that their CEO has acknowledged there are a few problems which they are attempting to iron out including the hiring of some new customer service staff.
 
chebby:Munich:
sorry i forgot that the c326 bee isn't yet available. audioaffair have them up for 250 quid which i think is a good price.

I would be careful about Audio Affair and what they claim to have in stock....

http://whathifi.com/forums/t/209065.aspx

Suggest you go there in person and see the stock before you buy.

Ok thanks for that, such threads don't make for very good reading.

Sometimes it is def. worth spending a few quid more and getting a better customer service.
 
I'd try and land an ex-dem SA7001 CD player if you're going down the Marantz route; the standard (i.e. non-KI version) can be found for around £250 and does an excellent portrayal of the music you're playing. You might land an ex-dem PM7001 too. Given you have that budget, you could do these two over the 6002's and they might well be the better option.
 
Both are excellent brands. At the entry level point I'd go for the Marantz CD6002 with a NAD C325BEE. I'm not so keen on the PM6002 (a bit splashy sounding). I still believe that mixing brands can give better performance. If you look at spending more I'd go for a Marantz PM7001 (either standard or, if you can find one, a KI-Signature which has a more airy and even more detailed sound than the standard model) and combine it with a Marantz CD player.
 
Well I'm not too familiar with the source equipment but the Aelite two's are slightly mid-forward, thrive on rhythm, very musical speakers - were my favourite that we made at the time. They don't go particularly low but they punch very hard with what they have and can play very loud with a good amp (if that's your thing!). They would work well with a source with a sweet top end, not to prominent, and a good grip on the bass... if that helps at all!ÿ
 
Personally i'd be looking down the NAD route.

The Marantz gear is ok but as someone said above; the Marantz amp can come across a but wooley and muddled somtimes; more so if paired with the wrong speakers and CDP.

The NAD C325BEE amp is a little cracker but the NAD C352 integrated can still be bought online (Google it for more info).

The Marantz CDP would work fine with the NAD amp and AE speakers but the NAD C525BEE CDP is a gem and can be bought online as well.

For your tastes in music i'd say that the NAD gear would be better suited unless your happy with 2nd hand items and then eBay would be your friend. On that side you could consider the Arcam Alpha 9 or 10 integrated paired with an Arcam CD72/CD73 OR the Arcam DiVA A85 integrated amp paired with he above CDP's as well.

The above mentioned Arcam amps can all be upgraded at a later date by pairing them with their matching power amps 🙂
 
Munich:
i'm weighing up the following two systems to couple with my existing acoustic energy aelite twos.

Marantz pm6002 amp and cd 6002 cdp

Nad c326bee amp and c545cdp.

I mainly listen to light rock, chill out and acid jazz and my living room is approx 20mý. What would you go for and why? I'm on a budget of 750 quid and would consider other one make set-ups.

cheers.

With 750 quid and your musical tastes I'd go a step up and look at the PM7001. Forget the four star rating, it's great. And actually, you might be able to fit a KI version into that budget (drums fingers on chin).

Edit - though have just seen that recordspot already said that, dur. "Read. Listen. Think. Shut --- ---- up."
 
Matthewpiano and Dan may come off strongly as big NAD fans and PM6002 bashers on this forum (no offense guys 🙂 - so I'd say take your ears and audition both if you can. Hificonfidential in London stocks both for example.

They both are excellent amps so it may boil down to personal preference rather than pure technological or sonic superiority.
 
Oh god yeah fully agree; you have to demo no matter what!

Im not a Marantz basher per say; just their sound isnt to my liking (well apart from the system i heard the other week paired with the Dali Lektor 1 speakers - even made me consider it for the bedroom!)

I just think that for the OP's taste in music and speaker choice; the NAD system would be more capable BUT i threw another spanner in the works and mentioned the Arcam gear!
 
Come on, you certainly are PM6002 model bashers... 🙂 That's interesting that you liked it with Dali Lektor 1s esp since those are not the punchiest...I would have thought the combo would sound a bit thin.

I also have to admit that the 325BEE is not as hideous in real life as I thought it was judging by hi-res pictures (it still is not anywhere close to stylish though).
 
Here to stand up for meself Sir!!

I'm not a Marantz basher. In fact I'm sat here listening to a CD63MKIISE KI-Signature and enjoying it very very much!! I also recommended the CD6002 over the C525BEE in this thread as I'm slightly sceptical about NAD's engineering in the CD players. However, at entry level I just think NAD makes a better amp (C325BEE) than Marantz (PM6002). The NAD is more consistent across the frequency range and the PM6002 has a slightly odd bass.

Move up to the next price point and I think Marantz give NAD a much harder time with their amps. The PM6010 KI-Signature was a superb amp, and the PM7001/7001 KI-Signature are both fabulous propositions.
 
I think it also depends on taste? I suspect the Marantz may be a more transparent sounding amp than the NAD with slight expense to bass, might be horses for courses, you need to demo.
 
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