NAD C326 super sensitive volume

[mushroomgod]

Hi all

Finaly got my act together and bought a NAD C326 🙂

Sounds great, clear and accurate, and sounding much nicer than my old sony AV amp.

One minor problem though, the volume control is so sensitive - when using the remote it goes from no volume to slightly not enough volume to slightly to much volume, im touching the volume control for as short a time as posible too - the volume controls kinda pointless, but even doing it by hand involves a very steady hand too....Any ideas or should I just live with it?

Also, I think for nice listening volume Im turning the dial maybe 1/25 -1/35 of the way round, I think id probably kill myself if I went all the way to 100. It does seem like a bit of a design flaw, I never noticed it when I listened to it at the showroom (why would I?)

BTW, speakers are B&W 685 and CDP is Nad C545

 

[jaxwired]

Totally a design flaw and very annoying. I don't have that big a problem with the gradiation of the volumn knob, but why is the remote motor so fast. It's ridiculous. All the new NAD amps suffer from this. I've gotten to be an expert at a super fast remote click on the volume button. Otherwise your looking at large jumps in volume. Just no fine control at all using the remote volume.

You've pretty much got to live with it. In my case, I can actually address it because my NAD pre-amp has a variable output setting and I can make it less sensitive, but none of the NAD integrated amps have this, so I think you just need to live with it.

The other design flaw with NAD is that their CD player remote does not have a volume control. Why don't more manufacturers allow you to control the amp volume if you have the same brand? I'd love to use the little CD remote as my primary remote, but can't do it because I need to adjust the volume...

 

[Anonymous]

Time for those Russ Andrews Attenuating RCA jacks (or those Golden Jacks (?) on ebay)between the CDP and AMP.

 

[mushroomgod]

!! Fantastic, those goldenjacks look like the answer, resonably priced to, and apparantly the quality of sound will be improved aswell🙂

http://www.goldenjacks.com for those intrested

cheers for the advice

 

[seasiders rock]

Neon K:Time for those Russ Andrews Attenuating RCA jacks (or those Golden Jacks (?) on ebay)between the CDP and AMP.

i love saving people money, you want to pay for R/A to go the bahamas twice a year carry on.

google.. world designs.co.uk......they are linked to that mag that uses globes for there reviews.

INPUT ATTENUATORS...£12.67 + delivery......

 

[Anonymous]

Normally you would only use attenuators if the input signal from the CD or whatever is too strong and causes the amp to distort. In that scenario, the sound will improve.

Unfortunately, and it's the same with my 320BEE, in this instance it's a design flaw in the amp, so the sound won't improve. Sorry.

 

[Anonymous]

I'd say rather than design flaw, it's a cost saving issue. Precision volume controls can be expensive and would impact the cost of the amp. For ex, from PM7001 to PM7001Ki, Marantz had upgraded their volume mechanism as it was at a difference price point.

 

[Anonymous]

have the same problem with my c320bee, i think its the stepped potentiometer design and it just jumps to the next one. Seems like the step are too far appart.

Easier to just do it by hand.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi all,

I consider buying a Nad C350 used, does it have the same problem with the volume remote control ?

 

[lazar1980]

fgb:
Hi all,

I consider buying a Nad C350 used, does it have the same problem with the volume remote control ?

You probably will but buy some attenuators. I had goldenjacks with my nad 352 and they did great job.

Cheers

 

[d_a_n1979]

It's just the design unfortunately; you just have to put up with it

Re those attenuators; I wouldnt bother wasting my money! Bit of a placebo affect IMO... On the verge of Snake Oil!

If you dont like the remote control increments just use the volume knob manually!

 

[Anonymous]

I was asking because the C350 is an older design, it came out in 2002 I think, so maybe it was different at that time.

Is it the same thing with Marantz amplifiers ? (current or older designs)

The Marantz 7001 Ki is mentionned in this topic to be better on this point, so I'll maybe go for it.. or a 6010 Ki

 

[Sizzers]

Thought I'd open a can of worms:

http://community.whathifi.com/forums/t/413413.aspx

 

[Anonymous]

I'm also having this problem and it is getting quite annoying..

It is even difficult to operate the volume pot by hand and I cant even go to the 9 o clock position without trashing my ears...

 

[rymidd]

dont worry about it just enjoy the great sound the amp has at its price point

 

[matthewpiano]

rymidd:dont worry about it just enjoy the great sound the amp has at its price point

Completely agree. When you compare the issue with the sound inbalance that the volume controls on price comparable Cambridge and Denon products suffer from it is very minor indeed.

The remote control of the volume has always been a bit 'general' on the NADs but at least it tracks balance properly. The C325BEE was exactly the same. It is easy to get a comfortable position by hand though. It has never really bothered me because I never use an amp's remote anyway.

 

[Anonymous]

Well, If I can have an amp with similar sound qualities at more or less the same price, why not ?

Some Marantz, maybe the Ki, seems to be better for the remote volume control.

Is there a conscensus about how is their sound quality compare to Nad amplifiers ?

 

[matthewpiano]

The Marantz is excellent. More refined and subtle than the NAD - a different sort of sound, but none-the-worse for it.

 

[Anonymous]

i have to manually change from cd to aux on the nad itself , the remote doesnt seem to change them ..im probably doing something wrong ..

 

[Anonymous]

I too have the same setup as you Mushgod. My last addition was the 685's. Had them 6 weeks, I agree that the amp volume can be sensitive, but you get used to looking at the flashing blue light on the remote and watching the volume knob move to the right place.

My problem with the setup is I can't seem to get a nice sound from the speakers without having the volume above the 9 o clock position. Its feast or famine. You have to drive these speakers hard it seems to get the best from them. They are very in your face. Late night listening is a no no. And I live in a semi detached house, so want to stay on speaking terms with the neighbours. By the way, I heard you were a real Fun Guy mushroom?!! 🙂

 

[Anonymous]

I've got an older NAD C320 BEE and that's the same. Looks like a NAD quirk.

 

[Anonymous]

I will try to hear a Marantz Ki, 7010 for instance. Too bad Nad does not solve this problem..

 

[Anonymous]

Dont get me wrong, I really like the sound of my amp, I just dislike its ergonomics, is the 355 better in this regard?

 

[mrc]

.....on a NAD C340 I used to run, the volume sensitivity was only an issue on the input from CDP, but fitting Rothwell attenuators cured this problem for me.

 

[Anonymous]

d_a_n1979:It's just the design unfortunately; you just have to put up with it

Re those attenuators; I wouldnt bother wasting my money! Bit of a placebo affect IMO... On the verge of Snake Oil!

If you dont like the remote control increments just use the volume knob manually!

I totally agree.

If you have a soundcard as your main source, you can reduce the volume a bit, however having tested this myself, the quality of sound had suffered, it was less dynamic and the back ground noise level seemed higher. IMO amps are designed to obtain their maximum performance by having a signal with enough voltage going through to achieve the best signal to noise ratio.