NAD C315BEE VS. Cambridge 340A SE (please vote)

[admin_exported]

Hi, everyone

it's hard for a newbie as me to decide an amp with myself

now I narrow more amps to C315BEE & 340ASE

which is better, which is your choose?

and what reason?

many thank for everybody!

 

[Andy Clough]

The NAD C315BEE is a fine amplifier with a wonderfully refined presentation, but it gets 4 stars against the CA 340A SE's 5 stars, so I'd go for the Cambridge, which is one of our budget favourites.

 

[vinod_david]

CA 340A SE - great budget amplifier, great sound, heard them with MS 906i floors, good buy.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm afraid I'm going to have to complicate. The 340 (which I had on my secondary system) is just too grating. I found it cold and analytical, it's a great amp but so hard to find speakers that won't be tiring with it. The 315 will sound good on a wider range of speakers imo. Much more versatile.

I vote NAD.

 

[Anonymous]

now have 3 votes

1 for 315BEE

2 for 340ASE

Anny, in the High fequency which is brigther and too harsh? and in the Low freqquency which one is deep and smooth, I decide to buy MS902i and it's well match with which amp???

 

[Anonymous]

Me too. My vote is for NAD. I just think NAD products pretty much always sound consistently good and punch above their own weight and all at modest prices. Also they're solidly built, look good and make you proud to own them. I've never regarded them as a budget company, but definitely one of the coolest around..........

(even the Bryston BCD1 CDP looks like its NAD styled! )

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="plasmaman"]Anny, in the High fequency which is brigther and too harsh? and in the Low freqquency which one is deep and smooth, I decide to buy MS902i and it's well match with which amp???[/quote]I don't think anyone would dispute that the NAD is deeper and the CA is the brighter.

 

[Anonymous]

NOW 4 votes

2 for 315BEE

2 for 340ASE

Thanks.................

 

[fr0g]

NAD. I honestly prefer the cheaper Cambridge A5 to the 340.

 

[a91gti]

The NAD gets my vote as its a great all-rounder while the Cambridge needs careful matching with speakers.

 

[Anonymous]

NAD for me, every time. The sound is more refined, less tiring and easier to match to many different speakers.

 

[batonwielder]

NAD has always been a great value for budget minded systems. Is that a new version of the Cambridge A340? I haven't seen that on side this side of the shore, as of yet.

 

[crusaderlord]

I tested the Cambridge and sent it back within a few days - detailed and very light on bass. Sadly the headphone socket on the Cambridge was very lacking in punch and quality. NAD in general is a far better bet to me all round.

 

[Anonymous]

NAD. (i know this is my second vote but i want to vote for it twice)

 

[Anonymous]

Admittedly I haven't heard the 340A but I'm very happy with my NAD 315BEE. Great amp for the money.

 

[Anonymous]

Popular opinion seems to be wildly pro-nad. So much for 5 stars on the 340 I guess....

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="crusaderlord"]I tested the Cambridge and sent it back within a few days - detailed and very light on bass. Sadly the headphone socket on the Cambridge was very lacking in punch and quality. NAD in general is a far better bet to me all round.[/quote]

thanks for comments I don't have a chance listen to 340A SE

but I very serious about headphone out, I always listen movie soundtrack from headphone out too!

Can you explain more detail for me??

 

[Anonymous]

Crusaderlord is right. I didn't mention it as most people don't care too much about the phones jack, but my experience on the 340 was poor as well. I used my secondary system in the old place for headphones about 50% of the time and was none too pleased with the performance of the jack. To me it didn't sound Hifi quality, tinny and lacking any of the positive characteristics of the 340...

I can't comment on the NAD jack as I've never used it.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="fr0g"]NAD. I honestly prefer the cheaper Cambridge A5 to the 340.[/quote]

Interesting! I know that the A5 has 60 watts per channel and the 340 slightly less, but I had always assumed that since the 340 was the more expensive it would sound better, but from Fr0gs comments perhaps this is not so. There are always lots and lots of A5 amps knocking around ebay for £30 - £40.

 

[fr0g]

[quote user="Mikey B"]
[quote user="fr0g"]NAD. I honestly prefer the cheaper Cambridge A5 to the 340.[/quote]

Interesting! I know that the A5 has 60 watts per channel and the 340 slightly less, but I had always assumed that since the 340 was the more expensive it would sound better, but from Fr0gs comments perhaps this is not so. There are always lots and lots of A5 amps knocking around ebay for £30 - £40.
[/quote]

Personal taste. The 340 is a bit breathless IMO. I'm sure many would disagree though so don't take my word (although a £30 punt wouldn't be so bad!) - although no Headphone socket.

 

[crusaderlord]

[quote user="plasmaman"]
[quote user="crusaderlord"]I tested the Cambridge and sent it back within a few days - detailed and very light on bass. Sadly the headphone socket on the Cambridge was very lacking in punch and quality. NAD in general is a far better bet to me all round.[/quote]

thanks for comments I don't have a chance listen to 340A SE

but I very serious about headphone out, I always listen movie soundtrack from headphone out too!

Can you explain more detail for me??
[/quote]

Its hard to explain a sound but ill try.
i had a NAD C302 for a number of years which is an early forerunner budget NAD model a few years before the 315 and 325 BEE. Even though it was 25w per channel it certainly punched its bass well and presented a good sound if not that detailed (now comparing to a more expensive Arcam) . However with a young family i listened a lot on headphones (Sennheiser HD595) and always liked its presentation which had an open enough stage and also a good solid punch to the basslines.

When it finally bit the dust a few months ago i started looking around and listened to the Cambridge 340A which i found had good detail in the way it presented things but it was also pretty lean on bass and not really even up to my old NAD in its overall punch and drive despite its greater power. So i also tried the 540 which is another model up and this was still similar. The headphone socket on both was what i can only describe as a tinny sound, the bass had no depth or drive to it after listening to a NAD for a few years. I was quite dissappointed and took it back.

I then tried out a new NAD the C352 and the 320 BEE and both were back to a much better overall depth of presentation and the headphone socket was again far superior. In fact i have tried a few headphone sockets - Roksan Kandy III, Arcam A70 and to be honest the NAD 320 stands up pretty well - there is going to be more detail and a better soundstage in a more expensive amp but the NAD's hold their own in overall bass / treble defenition at the price - its one of the better headphone sockets in this bracket.

I admit i have not tried the 315 BEE but i would bet it keeps the NAD style and sound. If you could pick up a 320BEE which is now one of their recently deleted ranges (325 BEE replaced it) then this is a great machine for its price of around or maybe just below £200 if you are lucky. Might be hard to find but i think for the price it is a great amplifier.

its my opinion anyway - NAD for the money to me is much better than Cambridge Audio.

 

[Anonymous]

I made this decision two weeks back (theres a thread on here somewhere).

I went for the NAD and i'm very pleased. I had a listen to the CA (admittedly not at my place) and the NAD seems a bit more neutral and just sounded nicer to me, couple with Tannoy F1 Customs.

I read comments about this pairing lacking in Bass but this is certainly not the case in my experience.

I am very pleased with the sound, especially considering the price. Its clear, neutral and works with a wide range of music.

C315BEE all the way for me.

 

[Anonymous]

Which speakers do you have? Can anyone comment if NAD c315BEE would drive floor-standing speakers? (I have a 35W+35W floor standing)

 

[Anonymous]

another vote for NAD....

 

[Clare Newsome]

I would like to point out that our five-star rating is for the 340ASE rather than the original 340A several of you may have heard.

The SE model (which is only currently available in UK, I believe) offers several step-up features, notably extra power (45W over 40W) and an enhanced power supply.

Just wanted to clear that up. Oh, and say that I think the NAD's great, too - has a gutsy sound some people may prefer.