NAD for life?

[jaxwired]

I've been living with the NAD C355bee for more than a year now. When I first purchased this amp, I was using a good quality Denon CD player as the source. The amp sounded terrific from day one. However, when I recently upgraded to the NAD C545bee CD player, the sound has become sublime. The detail and dynamics on offer can be breathtaking.

I am not new to Hi Fi and have heard many so called hi end amplifiers over the years, but having lived with this NAD combo for a month now, I can say that I currently have zero desire for these expensive products. I have heard NAD owners in the past complain when they upgrade to the next level that they miss the NAD sound. I doubt I will be taking a chance on messing up this rare and elusive state of satisfaction I have now achieved.

I don't know how much time NAD invests pair matching their components, but I will say that I think it's the combination of the NAD amp and NAD CDP that are so tasty. In the Jan issue of WHF, the 4 star NAD C315bee beat the 5 star Cambridge Audio and Marantz offerings. I think this speaks to the value of combining the NAD components. The NAD amps might sound 4 star worthy with the wrong source, but combined with the NAD CDP, they are unbeatable at the price and I wouldn't upgrade to products double the price.

 

[d_a_n1979]

Yup; fully agree

Im a hardcore Arcam fan but having the NAD set-up below; i dont think i'd be going back unless i win loads of money and then it'd be a different story.

For me, my taste in music and my hearing; the NAD and B&W combo is spot on; the system below isnt even run in yet and it still sounds superb.

I'm going to try my other halfs CM7's with the NAD gear tonight and also my 685's with her Cyrus 8v2, XPower and 8SE CDP

She's away all week on a training course so she wont miss a thing haha

 

[nads]

I might just have to try the new Nad CDP but not planing on replacing any of my Nad kit.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah NAD make some good stuff, I used to own a NAD C370 + NAD C542 + B&W 602 S3 speakers and it was very nice! I now own a Roksan Kandy K2 + Arcam CD73T + B&W 685 connected with Chord Silverscreen cabling and an Atlas Equator Interconnect. It's difficult to compare them as I never listened to them side by side, I would say overall though that my current setup is better.

I would definately buy NAD again but I wanted to step up a level and give the British makes a go this time around. You are right though, NAD definately do sound fantastic when paired together!

 

[jaxwired]

The CM7's are really great and I especially enjoy the mid range. However, they are not perfect. The bass is tricky. The speakers come with foam port plugs that will attenuate the bass. My listening room is 14x11 and I find that I can never decide if the foam plugs should be in or out. Depends on the CD I'm playing. It's somewhat annoying. The bass the CM7's produce for me is just not quite right. Don't get me wrong, it's very good, but it's a nagging minor flaw.

I'm actually in the process of switching speakers... Overall the CM7s are really great and I'd recommend them to anyone, but I just want to try something else...

 

[d_a_n1979]

We have the same problem as well; if my other half is listening to jazz or similar the bungs are out and the speakers sound great. But with some modern stuff like Hed Kandi; the bungs sometimes need to go back in to calm the bass down a bit as the speakers are only 30cm from the rear wall and by each side of a large welsh dresser!

We demo'd a load of speakers with the Cyrus gear including spendow, PMC, Dali and Tannoy and the B&W CM7's came out on top every time.

Will have to see what theyre like in a few weeks time when the Project Debut turntable arrives

 

[nads]

Dan that reminds me the PP2 is another Nad box I may change.

But as yet i have not listened to any other Phono stages.

 

[d_a_n1979]

Well were going for ther Debut Phone Amp version as we dont have massive amounts of vinyl so might as well just get one thats integrated.

 

[Anonymous]

As regards phono pre-amps, try the Rega fono mini. I have a PP2, but the fono mini is much, much better and around the same price.

 

[Anonymous]

Hello,

My name is Valkilm and I live at the Azores islands - Portugal.

In January I bought the NAD C355BEE amp. Before it, I had the Marantz PM6010OSE with a Sony cd player and Mission speakers.

Initially the sound of the NAD connected to the sony cpd and mission's sounded horrible, the bass of the nad was kind of dry, while the marantz was deep and extended. The midrange was hidden somehwere, so voices was far far away...

Then I took the nad amp to the shop where i bought it and they connected it to a Rega Apollo cdp and B&W 684 speakers, what a sound!!

Now I bought the B&W speakers and ordered the NAD C545BEE, so maybe in one week my system will be:

NAD C355BEE amplifier

NAD C454 cd player

B&W 684 speakers

Straith wire musicable II interconnects

QED sylver anniversary biwired speaker cables

Presently while the nad cd player doesn't come, I'm using my Samsung dvd p355 as a cd player, so the bass is horrible, it's not deep, it's boomy, while the midrange and treble are fine, so what diference I should expect with the NAD C454Bee??

Also I was thinking of changing the interconnects to the Black Rodhium Prelude...

Please let me have your comments,

Val

valkilm@hotmail.com

 

[nads]

http://whathifi.com/Review/NAD-C545BEE/

should be good.

 

[jaxwired]

Well, I would say that you are in for a treat. You seem to have all the pieces in place for excellent sound indeed. Definately don't overlook the importance of good interconnects...

Also, a very important factor is speaker placement and room acoustics. Make sure the 684's are well away from the back wall and corners. Hopefully you have a good sized room.