Replacing NAD Pre-out/Power-in connector pins - worth doing?

[Dazmb]

The pins NAD use on their integrated amps to connect pre and power stages look cheap and nasty, although they don't seem to stop various NAD amps getting great reviews. My 320BEE has them and was a 5* WHF Product of the year in it's day. But I read a web review from someone who swapped them for some interconnects with an alleged improvement.

I've done this too and now have 0.5m QED Qunex 2's to replace the pins. I can't say for sure it sounds any better tbh (but i'm terrible at hearing 'placebo' differences anyway...),and I'm wondering if I've actually added in some tonal colouring from the QED cables that the pins did not have.

Am I just tweaking (deep down I know I am just tweaking!), but would you guys replace the pins for cables? If so can you recommend any good (cheapish) cables that would be better suited than the QED ones I have used.

Cheers,

 

[jaxwired]

Yes, I've read about this tweak many times. I'm not a believer. I would skip it and just use the supplied NAD pins. I'd put this is in the same category as those little caps that cover unused RCA jacks. Pass....

 

[nads]

I replaced mine with the Tara Labs missing link.

Big change.

Jax then why do you spend money on better cables between the separates if steel jumpers are fine?

may as well just use bits of steel to connect all the parts!

 

[PJPro]

This is the argument against using high cost cables on budget separates. No point buying gold connectors if they are only going to connect to stainless steel. Little point going for silver cable if the PCBs / hookup wire are humble copper.

 

[Anonymous]

if you have a spare pair of interconnects in the drawer you might as well use them to replace the cheap thick connectors supplied by NAD.

Those jumpers are not stainless steel - that's too expensive. they're nickel-plated brass.which are cheap stuff. it's all a question of cost - NAD cannot sell you the integrated amp at that budget price with a pair of interconnects to link the preout to main in.

any decent interconnect will outperform the el cheapo jumpers. brass is not exactly the best conductor around.

 

[chebby]

I have had two NAD 3020's back in the 'dark and distant' and I substituted the jumpers for short, good quality cables on both. It never made a blind bit of difference in either case. I left the cables in place to eliminate any chance of accidental shorting between the bare metal jumpers.

 

[caddyhound]

Try using Chord Signature jumper leads (www.hificables.co.uk).At £25 they are a steal and cheaper than using a pair of interconnects.I would be very surprised if they didn't produce a noticeable improvement.

Sorry,posted this in a senior moment.Right idea ,wrong plugs!! Works for replacing speaker links though so you would have expected similar results replacing the metal links with decent cable links.

 

[Anonymous]

im with chebby here

change if you will but it wont make any difference except to your bank balance

 

[matthewpiano]

My C326BEE sounds great with the stock jumpers so I see no need to mess with them. £25 is a meal out at our local pub.