NAD C326BEE does it need to burn/run in?

[MeanandGreen]

I've installed the old Gale speaker cable I had lying around. It's been a long time since I've messed around changing cables, my memories of the differences between the Gale and QED were correct. I no longer have a very fatiguing upper mid/lower treble, with the QED in place I was getting very tired of the sound very quickly. Now with the Gale installed the sound is much less sharp, strings and high hat's aren't attacking my ears now.

The sound now sounds much more like my old amp with the QED cables, just with a tighter bass. I have lost some of the detail with this cable but that forward presentation before was just way too much. Now it's more natural than artificial.

It's amazing how much difference a cable can make, it should not be underestimated and consideration to how cables a work with a given system should be given consideration.

 

[k77stan]

glad you had an improvement:dance:

 

[MeanandGreen]

glad you had an improvement:dance:

Thankyou, I didn't expect to have too downgrade my cables due to such a forward sound. At least it seems to be doing the trick

 

[Anonymous]

plastic penguin, I'll add the Arcam to my list

 

[Anonymous]

MeanandGreen - don't worry, I'm in no rush to upgrade and I won't get rid of it even after upgrading - I'm just seeing if I can improve my hifi sound with better a better amp.

Ps - good point about the cables, an often overlooked aspect. I've got the QED Silver anniversary bi-wires on my NAD C350 amp with Tannoy Revolution R2 speakers but they don't sound harsh or bright, they compliment each other beautifully but I can see how they could with a bright amp.

 

[MeanandGreen]

MeanandGreen - don't worry, I'm in no rush to upgrade and I won't get rid of it even after upgrading - I'm just seeing if I can improve my hifi sound with better a better amp.

Ps - good point about the cables, an often overlooked aspect. I've got the QED Silver anniversary bi-wires on my NAD C350 amp with Tannoy Revolution R2 speakers but they don't sound harsh or bright, they compliment each other beautifully but I can see how they could with a bright amp.

I had the QED silver anniversary in my set up for about 13 or more years with a Pioneer A-110 amp, Ariston AX-910 amp, Tannoy Mercury M2.5 speakers, then my Nad C350 with the Tannoys and finally the B&W DM 601 S3 biwired. It is a very good cable, never had any problems with it until changing amps now. I still wouldn't say it sounded harsh just a lot of detail in the upper midrange which was very prominent. The soundstage was bigger also, but it was very tiring to listen to.

It just shows how not all things sound best with the same cables I suppose. Now I'm using the Gale 315 strand with the 326BEE the sound is now very much what I had before my old C350 went pop. I'm pleased to say.

Good luck in your quest for a new amp.

 

[MajorFubar]

I think another lesson to be learned is that new HiFi is not always better than old HiFi just because it's newer. The technology needed to build good integrated amps matured a very long time ago (I would say the 1980s, but some might say even earlier than that), and there's really not much left to improve. Most components in old amps can be repaired/replaced/upgraded by a competent engineer. Electrolytic capacitors are the worst offenders for deteriorating over time, but they can be replaced, as can volume pots and switches.