NAD C325BEE or Marantz PM6002?

[admin_exported]

After reading almost every post here and every review out there, I am still undecided between the two and will need to make a choice. There are lots of conflicting reviews! Unfortunately auditioning is difficult for me due to work schedule... RicherSounds employees near my house recommended NADs as well but they couldn't really back-up their claims...

I'd be using CA DacMagic with lossless files, MA BR2s - but speakers will get upgraded in 12-18 months, so don't want to anchor myself to them in the choice of an amp.

(I know d_a_n1979 and matthewpiano are all for the NADs

 

[Anonymous]

Make that 3 people, I think the best Marantz amps are better than the NAD amps but at this price range, the NAD is more the better of the two.

 

[matthewpiano]

chainrock:
After reading almost every post here and every review out there, I am still undecided between the two and will need to make a choice. There are lots of conflicting reviews! Unfortunately auditioning is difficult for me due to work schedule... RicherSounds employees near my house recommended NADs as well but they couldn't really back-up their claims...

I'd be using CA DacMagic with lossless files, MA BR2s - but speakers will get upgraded in 12-18 months, so don't want to anchor myself to them in the choice of an amp.

(I know d_a_n1979 and matthewpiano are all for the NADs

To the point where I'm about to 'downgrade' to one myself due to a combination of financial and musical considerations, and I'll be using it with my BR2s.

 

[Anonymous]

I'll also say that clarity and lots of detail are important for me as I listen to drum&bass (electronic music) as well as classic Rock. I have heard people say that Marantz has more detail but NAD is punchier - but again no first-hand experience.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

chainrock:
After reading almost every post here and every review out there, I am still undecided between the two and will need to make a choice. There are lots of conflicting reviews! Unfortunately auditioning is difficult for me due to work schedule... RicherSounds employees near my house recommended NADs as well but they couldn't really back-up their claims...

I'd be using CA DacMagic with lossless files, MA BR2s - but speakers will get upgraded in 12-18 months, so don't want to anchor myself to them in the choice of an amp.

(I know d_a_n1979 and matthewpiano are all for the NADs

If you are going to upgrade your speakers at some point, you might want to save a bit more and get something that will knock your socks off. The lossless files through the DM will sound noticeably better with better amplification.

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/2723

 

[Gerrardasnails]

matthewpiano:chainrock:
After reading almost every post here and every review out there, I am still undecided between the two and will need to make a choice. There are lots of conflicting reviews! Unfortunately auditioning is difficult for me due to work schedule... RicherSounds employees near my house recommended NADs as well but they couldn't really back-up their claims...

I'd be using CA DacMagic with lossless files, MA BR2s - but speakers will get upgraded in 12-18 months, so don't want to anchor myself to them in the choice of an amp.

(I know d_a_n1979 and matthewpiano are all for the NADs

To the point where I'm about to 'downgrade' to one myself due to a combination of financial and musical considerations, and I'll be using it with my BR2s.

MP. Are you selling the Denons then?

 

[Anonymous]

i get fantastic detail playing lossless files, dac connected to C352 and amp connected to BR2's. I am very happy with the setup...sometimes i get upgraditis but it sounds fantastic in it's own right.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

hi fi newbie:i get fantastic detail playing lossless files, dac connected to C352 and amp connected to BR2's. I am very happy with the setup...sometimes i get upgraditis but it sounds fantastic in it's own right.

I don't doubt that hi fi newbie. I was just thinking if the OP was going to get better speakers next year, the Evo is a very good deal and it's a fantastic amp. I don't know how much the Nad amp costs to be honest so it's probably over the top but having had the Evo amp, I felt it worth while mentioning.

By the way, I love my system but I'm still looking out for the next thing all the time! Amp wise I don't think I will upgrade but elsewhere, one day....

 

[Anonymous]

Kind of off topic apologies for that, but those RS6's of yours Gerrard....do you think you have lost a bit in terms of agility of the sound and perhaps a bit in the midrange? the only reason I ask is that some people suggest that when you purchase floorstanders under 1k you do make sacrifices when compared to a good standmount/bookshelf. Now obviously I am not talking about the BR2's but bookshelfs a bit further up the pricing ladder.

 

[matthewpiano]

Gerrardasnails:matthewpiano:chainrock:
After reading almost every post here and every review out there, I am still undecided between the two and will need to make a choice. There are lots of conflicting reviews! Unfortunately auditioning is difficult for me due to work schedule... RicherSounds employees near my house recommended NADs as well but they couldn't really back-up their claims...

I'd be using CA DacMagic with lossless files, MA BR2s - but speakers will get upgraded in 12-18 months, so don't want to anchor myself to them in the choice of an amp.

(I know d_a_n1979 and matthewpiano are all for the NADs

To the point where I'm about to 'downgrade' to one myself due to a combination of financial and musical considerations, and I'll be using it with my BR2s.

MP. Are you selling the Denons then?

Yes. I need to and with recent increases in their new price it seems as good a time as any.

 

[oldleodensian]

Can't comment on the Marantz amp in comparison as I didn't audition it, but my 325 BEE is a marvellous amp in itself and available for pretty reasonable prices online (I got mine for £70 brand new boxed, but that was just amazingly good luck!)

 

[Gerrardasnails]

hi fi newbie:Kind of off topic apologies for that, but those RS6's of yours Gerrard....do you think you have lost a bit in terms of agility of the sound and perhaps a bit in the midrange? the only reason I ask is that some people suggest that when you purchase floorstanders under 1k you do make sacrifices when compared to a good standmount/bookshelf. Now obviously I am not talking about the BR2's but bookshelfs a bit further up the pricing ladder.

I really couldn't say as I went from Jamo sat speakers to the RS6s! I love them to be honest. However, I am also intrigued as to how good the better speakers sound. My lounge is 18ft x 12ft and we will one day extend it back to the garden more to approx 30ft x 12ft and ideally through into out garage and it would be a large open planned area of 30ft x 25ft. Therefore standmounts are not an option for the future - unless I spent a fortune and I won't have a bean left by then!!

 

[Anonymous]

wow, 70 quid?!

I'd be getting Marantz 6002 at 229 or the NAD at 275...

So I've got 3 nods for 325 and none for Marantz. What happened to all the Marantz supporters? ...And WhatHiF voted the 6002 the best amp under 300!

 

[Anonymous]

If you are interested in going the second hand route, you could pick on ebay the NAD C320 BEE for around 100.00 and the difference between the C325 and the award winning C320 BEE is very minimal.

 

[Anonymous]

As I am returning a faulty micro to a retailer, I may be limited to only these two at the prices mentioned as that's all they carry (well, Arcam and higher-end marantz, too).

 

[d_a_n1979]

Or pay a bit more and get a new NAD C352 integrated; better than the NAD C320BEE.

The Marantz, with the right speakers and CDP/musical tastes, is good BUT the NAD, IMO, just offers a better, more punchier soundstage and less 'forwadness' when quiet.

Also, IMO, the NAD amps can be partnered with other CDP's (Arcam/Rega/Musical Fidelity) as well as their own very well whereas i have found that Marantz dont gel as well.

Also the NAD amps do have better power with regards to driving harder speakers.

I've got mine running in the B&W 685 speakers currently and i'm astounded at the power being kicked out and the volume hasnt gone past 9 o'clock!

 

[Anonymous]

d_a_n1979, I have read probably a dozen posts from you in past 6 months recommending NADs over everything else - you sure love those puppies! (you don't work for them by any chance, do you

)

 

[matthewpiano]

Its the kind of kit you get evangelical about! Its that good.

 

[d_a_n1979]

Nope because im passionate about Arcam, Musical Fidelity and Cyrusas well but as NAD and Arcam are a 'mainstay' in the hifi world; they will get spoken about on here a lot compared to Meridian or Creek etc...

 

[Anonymous]

Okay!

How do you then describe NAD 325's highs? From what I read, 325 is excellent in bass range but suffers in higher frequencies, whereas Marantz is quite the opposite.

 

[matthewpiano]

I would say the NAD is good across the frequency range but only an audition with your own ears can tell you in the end.

Sorry to throw another option in, but have you thought about the new Yamaha A-S700 and its matching CD-S700? These are supposed to be very neutral but musical and might just tick all the boxes for you. I suspect they are well worth an audition.

 

[d_a_n1979]

As MP said; it depends on your ears.

Tonally i find the NAD much nicer than Marantz; i find that the Marantz sound can be a bit muddled at times and too clinical at the high end, i also feel that the Marantz gear lacks in power sometimes.

NAD offers a superb soundstage and with bags of power. The low ends are good and the treble, IMO, gels very well with the midrange and makes for a good listen.

With regards to the Yamaha; very good options but could be a bit too warm i feel.

Cyrus would work very well but you'd need to make sure youve got the right cables and i think an Arcam CDP would finish that touch; the warmth of Arcam would dampen down the brightness of the Cyrus gear

 

[Andy Clough]

FYI, price of the Marantz PM6002 is about to go up to £320.

 

[d_a_n1979]

That's more or less NAD C352 / NAD C355BEE price!

 

[matthewpiano]

£320 for a PM6002?????!!!! Hi-fi really is getting expensive. The new C326BEE will undercut that by £45 as long as there are no NAD price rises on the way.