Need advice on amp and analog interconnects

[gasolin]

I have change my system, bough a cheap nad 312 in very good condition

OMG i feel my bass have changed to something more full bodied and surprised of how loud the small amp is. When i move the volume knob to 12'o clock the sound is clean and loud, no distortion, looked at the soft clipping and it was OFF.

I have heard the nad amp with 4 numbers is more powerfull then the ones with 3 numbers, so when i buy a new "used" power amp should i look for the nad amps with 4 numbers? I think i would need at least around 100 watt rms or 150watt peak power to get for my needs a huge amp. Used max 100£, you may link to amazom.uk or ebay, i'm from Denmark so they must be able to ship it to denmark, it's more an advice what to look for rather the find it for me (although you may if you find a good deal)

I need 3 pair of interconnects (rca to rca) for my pc,cdplayer and the amp i havn't bought yet. I would prefer the same cable and cheap (not the cheapst though) some best buy ,value for money interconnects that is a good match for nad/marantz, i don't want bright sounding cables or someting with a muddy sound. max 10-15£ each cable with free or cheap delivery to denmark, have used futuresho.co.uk before.

 

[MeanandGreen]

The model number of NAD amps has no relation to the power output. For example the C370 & C270 produce 120W RMS, yet the 3020 only produces 20W RMS. It makes no difference if there are 3 or 4 numbers in the model number.

I'd say if you are getting clean high volume output now then you probably don't really need an amplifier with 100W. Doubling amplifier power only gives an extra 3 db. However if you really want more power any of the bigger NAD amps either integrated or separate power amps will not disappoint you. They are all well designed and produce healthy output.

Just do a little research and take your pick, if you like the 312 you will like any of them.

As for cables I would advise getting custom made instrument cables instead of Hi Fi marketed ones. Something like Van Damme Pro Instrument cable is more than good enough and can be bought custom made to your required length & colour on eBay for low cost. Or your local music shop should be able to fix you up.

Hope that helps.

 

[abacus]

Pick some up from your local pro music store as they will be reasonbly priced (Unlike Hi Fi cables), and be of quality build & construction. (Unlike a lot of Hi Fi cables where manufactures just stick a fancy outer coating and name on and then charge a fortune fo something that is only fit for the rubbish bin)

NOTE: If a cable alters the sound in any way, then discard it, as it is most definitely a sub standard or faulty cable.

Hope this helps

Bill

 

[gasolin]

The model number of NAD amps has no relation to the power output. For example the C370 & C270 produce 120W RMS, yet the 3020 only produces 20W RMS. It makes no difference if there are 3 or 4 numbers in the model number.

I'd say if you are getting clean high volume output now then you probably don't really need an amplifier with 100W. Doubling amplifier power only gives an extra 3 db. However if you really want more power any of the bigger NAD amps either integrated or separate power amps will not disappoint you. They are all well designed and produce healthy output.

Just do a little research and take your pick, if you like the 312 you will like any of them.

As for cables I would advise getting custom made instrument cables instead of Hi Fi marketed ones. Something like Van Damme Pro Instrument cable is more than good enough and can be bought custom made to your required length & colour on eBay for low cost. Or your local music shop should be able to fix you up.

Hope that helps.

Power amp with about 100 watt rms or 150watt peak power is what i'm interested in, when i started used it (got it 5 hours ago and still using, enjoying it), i found my self with some songs wanting alot more power, so much that i could turn the volume up to a degress that i just would sit with a stupid grin,smile because it's sooo loud but clean with no distortion.

I have never turned the volume up to a degree that i heard distortion, but the music was still loud enough (although i'm interested in more POWER, more then enough)

I could buy cheap standard interconnect, it's just that i use van den hull clearwater speaker, cabel good speaker stands, and so on, i'm not using some standard cable so i would like something above avarage,standard quality even when i have set my self a limited of 10-15£ for each pair

 

[MeanandGreen]

The suggested cable is as good as it gets.

 

[gasolin]

It's just when i use very cheap interconnects (the same with cheap speaker cable) i just feel i miss something, even when the sound is good and it doesn't make it any better when i use cable above avarage

Some psychological thing where it may sound good, but because of the low price you would always to some degrees feel you missing something. Although my new "used" amp is cheap it use to cost more and it still sounds good

 

[MeanandGreen]

The Van Damme cable suggested are not cheap as in freebie leads cheap. They are of professional studio quality. No audiophile cable could possibly outperform them.

I own cables which cost £80 at half a meter which sound no better and are constructed no better. A cable which is suitable to carry a line level signal without degration or coloration doesn't come at high cost.

The Van Damme cable will cost you the budget you want to spend. They are Silver plated OFC shielded cable terminated with 24k gold plugs in the length and colour of your choice.

Honestly 'Hi Fi' cables are a con. Professional musical instrument cables or studio cables are just as good at a far cheaper cost.

 

[gasolin]

found someone who would make the 3 cables in the lenght i need for 50£ with delivery using mogami 2552

I guess mogami 2552 is okay?

Any suggestion what amps i should look for?

 

[JamesMellor]

Could I suggest that if your amp budget is 100 euros and your cable budget is 50 euros that you use the cables you already have and spend 150 euros on the amp ?

I did spend more than a year waiting for a NAD 216THX amp to show up on ebay to bi amp mine , I gave up waiting but they sell for more than 100 euros when they do show, the 4 number models are very old models not more powerful models

James

 

[Blacksabbath25]

The best advice I could give you about Rca cables is as long as the are double shielded then that's all you need in a Rca cable so anything around £30 or maybe less depends were you look I am no Hifi expect but I have brought a lot of Hifi over the years to know this is all you need to spend I do have some Rca cables myself that I got ex demo they cost new £125 for each set and also I have a £30 set the £30 set sounds the same as the £125 sets as long as they are well made double shielded then you will be ok some people say that the ones that are made with sliver inside can change the sound in the treble end . What do your cables sound like on your Nad ?

 

[davedotco]

The best advice I could give you about Rca cables is as long as the are double shielded then that's all you need in a Rca cable so anything around £30 or maybe less depends were you look I am no Hifi expect but I have brought a lot of Hifi over the years to know this is all you need to spend I do have some Rca cables myself that I got ex demo they cost new £125 for each set and also I have a £30 set the £30 set sounds the same as the £125 sets as long as they are well made double shielded then you will be ok some people say that the ones that are made with sliver inside can change the sound in the treble end . What do your cables sound like on your Nad ?

One of the few cables that I have used over the years that actually made a difference were unshielded, pseudo balanced by XLO.

I bought them for the simple reason that they looked fantastic and were different to anything else then on the market.

They were unusual in that they were totally unshielded and both +ve and -ve 'cores' were identical. They were, in effect, two sets of 5 strands in a sort of flat, mini-ribbon arangement, one +ve, one -ve, then loosely spiral wrapped around a clear, hollow plastic tube. I would love to be able to try a pair now, at the time I thought them superior to anything I had heard.

To this day the one rule that I have about proper cables is that they have symetrical cores, if they are shielded then I want a separate shield connected at one end only.

Which does of course make them directional...*bomb*

 

[gasolin]

Could I suggest that if your amp budget is 100 euros and your cable budget is 50 euros that you use the cables you already have and spend 150 euros on the amp ?

I did spend more than a year waiting for a NAD 216THX amp to show up on ebay to bi amp mine , I gave up waiting but they sell for more than 100 euros when they do show, the 4 number models are very old models not more powerful models

James

never thought of doing that, (havn't payed for the cables)

I could how ever buy a small max 100£ nad amp now (if there are any good deals atm) and later buy a second one if i can find a good deal and then use them bridged that way it will be up to 200£

I have experince with the bass sound better from amp that are use bridged

2x100£ (max) for 2 small amps that are used bridged or a max 200£ amp that is used in stereo?

Only based on the general sound quality and bass, since i expect the bass to get better from bridged amps (each amp will have better bass when bridged) and more power full amps (better control), guess the difference in watt is less then 3 db so the difference in power wouldn't be a factor to what i would choose as long as it 90-100 watt or more rms

What would sound best? 2 small amps bridged or a bigger model non bridged (like 2x nad 912 bridged or a 2400pe/216 thx)

 

[Blacksabbath25]

I am only saying about the shielding because if you get some without the shielding you get interference from other sources if the cables are not shielded and most of the good quality Rca cables have the direction on the cables but I think that bit rubbish the same with speaker cable they put the direction on them too . I never brought a pair of those braided cables before they are meant to be good

 

[Andrewjvt]

Could I suggest that if your amp budget is 100 euros and your cable budget is 50 euros that you use the cables you already have  and spend 150 euros on the amp ?

I did spend more than a year waiting for a NAD 216THX amp to show up on ebay to bi amp mine , I gave up waiting but they sell for more than 100 euros when they do show, the 4 number models are very old models not more powerful models

James

?

 

Is a brute

 

[JamesMellor]

I would say a bigger model unbridged , I actually went from a pair of 912's bridged to a 216 thx . The reason for buying the 912's was for the exact reason you are thinking problem is if you mono block them you are limited to 8 ohm speakers , a change to 4 ohm Dali speakers required an amp change. I was kinda lucky as the dealer gave me 300 quid for them on trade in.

So just for future proofing alone I'd go for a bigger amp, I'd also look hard for the bigger intergrated models

Good Luck

James

 

[JamesMellor]

Could I suggest that if your amp budget is 100 euros and your cable budget is 50 euros that you use the cables you already have and spend 150 euros on the amp ?

I did spend more than a year waiting for a NAD 216THX amp to show up on ebay to bi amp mine , I gave up waiting but they sell for more than 100 euros when they do show, the 4 number models are very old models not more powerful models

James

Is a brute

says the guy with a 250 watt Hegal <S>

 

[davedotco]

I am only saying about the shielding because if you get some without the shielding you get interference from other sources if the cables are not shielded and most of the good quality Rca cables have the direction on the cables but I think that bit rubbish the same with speaker cable they put the direction on them too . I never brought a pair of those braided cables before they are meant to be good

I never got interference with the XLO cables though I did, as a matter of course, route them clear of mains leads. RFI was never an issue.

In the cables I described directionality is a matter of fact and refers to the screen which does not carry a signal and is earthed at one end only. Regular coaxial screened cables carry the return (signal) in the screen and is therefore earthed at both ends, poor practice in my view.

BTW XLO cables are not 'braided', that is something else entirely and mostly used for low capacitance speaker cables, another example of poor practice.

 

[gasolin]

I would say a bigger model unbridged , I actually went from a pair of 912's bridged to a 216 thx . The reason for buying the 912's was for the exact reason you are thinking problem is if you mono block them you are limited to 8 ohm speakers , a change to 4 ohm Dali speakers required an amp change. I was kinda lucky as the dealer gave me 300 quid for them on trade in.

So just for future proofing alone I'd go for a bigger amp, I'd also look hard for the bigger intergrated models

Good Luck

James

If the amp can handle 2 ohm speakers in stereo they should in theory be able to handle 4 ohm speakers with no problems except for more power consumption and heat, right? (my Boston a 26 is a very easy load, my amp never gets hot NEVER)

Nad say there amps can handle 2 ohm speakers,even nad 3020 and nad c 316BBE, where marantz,denon,onkyo and most of the other budget amps can't handle 2 ohm speakers (non budget amp that i know of is rated to handle 2 ohm speakers other then nad, how nad would sound with 2 ohm load i don't know)

Update bought 3 of the same interconnect some instrument cabel for musicians mics,amps,use for live music.... for 21 £ on sale, how ever i noticed a bit hum (not constant) from the cable to my pc, mabye shielding is not 100% perfect

 

[Vladimir]

Never use instrument cable for line level or vice versa.

 

[JamesMellor]

I cant post a photo of the back of the 216 but its says 8 ohm min if bridged , the spec sheets for all NAD power amps omit 2 ohms if bridged , someone like Vlad can proberly read the spec sheets and explain what happens and why it shouldn't be done , I just read the manual , my basic understanding is the lower the impedance of the speakers the more current they will draw from the amp which places a higher load on the amp .

I'm also thinking two thoughts , if mattpiano's 316 can reproduce a piano to his satisfaction then what more can we achive , wilcro dumped his NAD d390 , my current amp, for an abersham and how much do they cost in Denmark ?

I'd keep my powder dry if I was you and listen around alot .

James

 

[gasolin]

I cant post a photo of the back of the 216 but its says 8 ohm min if bridged , the spec sheets for all NAD power amps omit 2 ohms if bridged , someone like Vlad can proberly read the spec sheets and explain what happens and why it shouldn't be done , I just read the manual , my basic understanding is the lower the impedance of the speakers the more current they will draw from the amp which places a higher load on the amp .

I'm also thinking two thoughts , if mattpiano's 316 can reproduce a piano to his satisfaction then what more can we achive , wilcro dumped his NAD d390 , my current amp, for an abersham and how much do they cost in Denmark ?

I'd keep my powder dry if I was you and listen around alot .

James

Nad 316 219£ d390 1499£

 

[Vladimir]

I cant post a photo of the back of the 216 but its says 8 ohm min if bridged , the spec sheets for all NAD power amps omit 2 ohms if bridged , someone like Vlad can proberly read the spec sheets and explain what happens and why it shouldn't be done , I just read the manual , my basic understanding is the lower the impedance of the speakers the more current they will draw from the amp which places a higher load on the amp .

I'm also thinking two thoughts , if mattpiano's 316 can reproduce a piano to his satisfaction then what more can we achive , wilcro dumped his NAD d390 , my current amp, for an abersham and how much do they cost in Denmark ?

I'd keep my powder dry if I was you and listen around alot .

James

If a large power amp is stabile into 2 ohms load in stereo, it will be stabile in 4 ohms when bridged. In the case of the NAD, it's stabile in 4 ohms stereo and will remain stabile when 8 ohms bridged.

 

[Vladimir]

Photo wont show up.

 

[gasolin]

Had some weak static noise, thought it was my new interconnects, only with speaker cable where this weak static noise

It's the amp

like the sound from the nad since there is more bass and it's not so bright sounding as my marantz

guess what i found when i opend it

Still have weak static noise, anyone who know how to fix it?

 

[gasolin]

http://peecee.dk/uploads/012016/20160109_2150281_big_thumb.jpg

hope the static noise goes away when i use a power amp