Nad 326Bee shrill?

[admin_exported]

Running the Nad326Bee with Arcam rDac and Monitor Audio Rx6s.

It's been about three weeks of running in all the components.

The system sounds great listening to Rock, Pop, acoustical music etc (Dire Straits, Black Eyed Peas, Yo Yo Ma, some unplugged CDs).

However listening to Miles Davis Kind of Blue and some Louis Armstrong music, it still does hurt my ears from being a tad too bright.

So at this point, in my system the amp sounds both bottom heavy sometimes, and too bright at other times. Not happy.

I plugged in a Headroom headphone amp I have in the path, using it as a pre-amp, bypassed the Nad preamp section, and the music wasn't as open anymore, but the shrillness was gone.

Just wondering if the Bee goes with the MA Rx6s after all...

 

[Tibor]

I think you have to replace the speaker, the Nad is not a bright amp

 

[manicm]

In this case the amp might not be up to the speakers. I would imagine the RX6 would need amplification at the next level.

 

[Anonymous]

Tibor:I think you have to replace the speaker, the Nad is not a bright ampYes, sounds like a speaker problem.

 

[Anonymous]

yeah, changing the speaker cables seemed to have helped a little, but still way too bright... I'm afraid they'll have to go back.

There is a lot of music where it sounds really good, but then there is other (Miles Davis stuff) where it borders on being intolerable.

It looks like the only amp the speakers go well with are the Arcam A28s. That's a really recessed, reserved amp, takes the edge of the speakers. However, it's not for me.

 

[Cypher]

It's definitely the speakers. The NAD C326 is a fine amp with an almost tube like sound.

 

[Anonymous]

Just curious: what speakers do you guys run the amp with? (if you have had this amp).

 

[Anonymous]

I agree that it's the amp that's the issue; not the speakers.

The NAD C326BEE is a very good amp but it's still in the budget range and to be honest the RX6's deserve better.

Even if you jumped up to the NAD C355BEE or C356BEE integrated you'd notice a big difference in sound and control.

What speaker cable are you using though? For me the likes of the Chord Carnival Silverscreen at the lower end or the QED Revelation for a more midrange cable would be well suited

 

[Inter_Voice]

I paired my MA RX1 with NAD 355BEE and I don't find they sound bright. The music quality are excellent. My only complaint is that after a lot of listening I feel the combination lacks a bit of clarity and I believe it is due to the NAD amplifier and not the speakers. I have just ordered my Leema Pulse which will soon be delivered. I hope this new combination is a better combination.

 

[manicm]

The RX6's are upper range speakers - changing them will be a step down. Step up to a more suitable amplifier.

 

[Anonymous]

To answer the question, Tannoys, Q Acoustics and some little-known Finnish brands.

The trouble with keeping the Rx6 is that, if they really only go well with one brand of amplifier, then that limits you a lot for upgrades in the future. I'm not convinced that is the case. It could be that that's the flavour of the Rx6s, and, if you don't like them, changing amp will only mask the intrinsic problem which may all too soon come to a head again.

I'd go out and do some speaker/amp listening, and see what you sound you like, then see if you can negotiate a trade-in, or alternatively put your stuff up on ebay.

Bitter experience has taught me that making do with a system you don't like never works for more than a few months.

Edited to correct model.

 

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be in my mind too much choice in terms of what amp I can try with these speakers in the area where I live (Seattle), specially in that price range. The closest thing is the Arcam A28, which IMHO totally defeats the purpose of these speakers.

From there, the jump is straight up to the McIntosh amps (starting at US $4000), the Moon amps (starting at $3300) or the Naims, that apparently don't go well with this speaker. Rotels and Marantz are again in the same Nad ballpark in terms of price/quality, I presume and then it's too much work for me to demo these around...

At this point, I'm returning everything to the store (Dac, Amp Speakers), and just going to go for a Rega Dac => Nait 5i or Nait XS => Rega Rs5.

 

[Anonymous]

I think you'll enjoy that much more

 

[plastic penguin]

MoData:

Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be in my mind too much choice in terms of what amp I can try with these speakers in the area where I live (Seattle), specially in that price range. The closest thing is the Arcam A28, which IMHO totally defeats the purpose of these speakers.

From there, the jump is straight up to the McIntosh amps (starting at US $4000), the Moon amps (starting at $3300) or the Naims, that apparently don't go well with this speaker. Rotels and Marantz are again in the same Nad ballpark in terms of price/quality, I presume and then it's too much work for me to demo these around...

At this point, I'm returning everything to the store (Dac, Amp Speakers), and just going to go for a Rega Dac => Nait 5i or Nait XS => Rega Rs5.

Any of the Arcam amps would be preferable or try Nads 355

 

[nickd34]

I have had a the problem with my previoue set up CA dacmagic nad 326bee kef IQ5SE, when auditioning for a new amp the chap in the shop swapped my chord chrimson to a chord chameleon cable which calmed the treble.

 

[simon3102000]

Change your interconnects son. - had the same problem, some music sounded awsome but some did not. I was using some dodgy cambridge audio interconnect, swapped them for some chord crimson plus and it sorted the problem out! I swear you won't be dissapointed.

 

[Anonymous]

i changed from rx6's to dynaudio dm 2/7's and i'm very happy that i did. no harshness/brightness at all, just a lovely smooth, rich, highly detailed sound, not quite as bassy, but bassy enough, i love them....

 

[rymidd]

i used to have a nad c326bee with dacmagic and quad 11L speakers it was not shrill or bottem heavy. but this system was a bit bright with the rotel 01 amp. i dont think the nad is shrill the only complaint is that music with little bass sounded a bit flat.

 

[Anonymous]

It's a combination of room acoustics and speaker selection. I've got way too many hard surfaces in my room for this speaker to work.

Today, I moved the speaker around so that it's facing the curtains, and firing across the width of the room instead of the length. One side was 2 feet against a wall and the other side had something like 20 feet of wall (kitchen, dining). Now, it's not bright anymore. Instead, the bass is annoying from one side, and all soundstaging is gone.

Previously, when it was firing lengthwise, it was encountering too many hard surfaces, I presume and was super bright.

Anyway, I'll be demoing some more speakers at home tomorrow with the new Naim amp i'm getting.

I think the Monitor Audio Rx6 is an awesome speaker, I really like it a lot, but unfortunately, it just won't work with my room acoustics.

 

[Anonymous]

Nad components traditionally are not shrill sounding, and from experience the MA's are a crude sounding speaker (plus cheaply made to boot - ask any dealer who's willing to reveal the trade price on them.....).

You can have a bright, open sounding speaker that isn't shrill (say Focal 806V, or Rega RS1s/Usher S520 if it's a small room).

Plus running off of what is mothing more than a modern day walkman (the ipod falls into the same category) is limiting the performance of the system regardless of what DAC you run it through...

Oh and if you're running QED cables anywhere in the system they will be making things worse (I only mention that as most shops that sell MA speakers blindly (or should that be tone-deafly?) recommend QED.

 

[Anonymous]

AlanNorak:
Nad components traditionally are not shrill sounding, and from experience the MA's are a crude sounding speaker (plus cheaply made to boot - ask any dealer who's willing to reveal the trade price on them.....).

Oh and if you're running QED cables anywhere in the system they will be making things worse (I only mention that as most shops that sell MA speakers blindly (or should that be tone-deafly?) recommend QED.

I'm sorry but there's 2 seriously rubbish comments there straight away if you ask me

Monitor Audio did have the tendency to have bright high's as they use a metal domed tweeter but I'd never say that they were crude (and I think a lot of people would agree as well).

The RS series were superb speakers but you had to match them carefully, but you can say that about any componement within hifi!

The latest series in MA speakers (BX & RX) are again superb speakers and MA have calmed down the brightness and developed some superb speakers, AGAIN!

With regards to the QED comment. Yes their cables are generally silver coated but I've NEVER yet come across a dealer who sells both say that QED go best with Monitor Audio or vice-versa

The QED Revelation cable is superb in my opinion, I've heard it A LOT recently and feel that it sits very well with Monitor Audio as it does with QUAD, B&W and Neat etc... The Chord cables are very good also (if you feel that the top end is a little harsh)

For me, and as I've stated above, I dont feel that it's the speakers that are the issue (it would be handy to know how long the OP has had them as they do take a fair while to run in) and also to see whether he's looked at changing the speaker cables or interconnects etc...

I've heard the BX2's, RX1's and RX2's and the RX6's and RX8's with the NAD C326BEE, C355BEE and the pre/power combo I've got now with the QED Revelation and Chord speaker cables and the highs were NEVER shrill at all BUT, as said before, the dealer had used these speakers a fair bit for demo's so they were well run in!

 

[Anonymous]

I'll have a chance to audition these at home with CHORD cables today, but unfortunately, only with the NaitXS and the Nait 5i. (And from what I've heard that's not a good pairing).

I've had the speakers at home for little less than a month.

The 326Bee was a loaner that I have returned.

 

[jiggyjoe]

Would people please stop trying to drive £750 odd pounds worth of very revealing speakers with bloody £200-£400 amps, cd players and

mp3/ipod's etc.

It's not gonna work son!!!

S**T IN S**T OUT!!!!!

 

[Anonymous]

I get the amp part.

Just curious: could you explain what's wrong with driving it from an Ipod/Zune if you have lossless files and are doing digital out into a decent Dac?

 

[jiggyjoe]

Absolutely nothing if you're feeding Your amp a high quality signal.

What I am trying to say is if you are buying expensive revealing speakers, why partner them with cheap electronics!!!

Whatever your budget for your hi-fi divide it reasonably not £2000 on your speakers and £200 quid for everything else!