I was going to go for the 355, i also found it for 350quid and it seemed a real bargain, i tested it in the shop and eventually went for the 326... dont know why.. either way i tried marantz rotels... some nearer the grand mark and to my ears the NAD's which are atleast half the price of the K2 are very very good for the money and as matthewpiano said that extra money is alot of music or other seperates you could purchace without losing little if any performance from the amp choice.
Probably a fair comment. If you move into the used market then it may not apply. I spent £150 on a used AVI S2000MP and £500 on a Netaudio Quad 405 and the result is massively better than the Rotel RA03 £500.
matthewpiano:hi fi newbie:Just to reaffirm some of the comments that have been made, the NAD does have very good bass but you don't lose any of that with the K2, in fact I think you gain in depth of bass, it's more pronounced if that's the right word. Also the sound is cleaner and the beginning and ending of notes is also clearer. However there is one thing I would caution you on, it's not a revelation compared to the NAD but it really depends on what you are looking for in regards to the price difference. It is a notable improvement but I am not sure if it's worth paying double the money for.
Personally I believe that upgrading to any other amp below £1k is not going to be a revelation. The NADs really are that good, and if you go out spending money on something like a K2 or equivalent expecting it to trounce the NAD you are going to be disappointed. Will it be 'better'? In some ways yes, but you have to decide whether the climb in performance is reflective of the increased cost. After all, the price difference buys quite a lot of music.
I agree Matt....cue you replacing the NAD of course
Personally I believe that upgrading to any other amp below £1k is not going to be a revelation. The NADs really are that good, and if you go out spending money on something like a K2 or equivalent expecting it to trounce the NAD you are going to be disappointed. Will it be 'better'? In some ways yes, but you have to decide whether the climb in performance is reflective of the increased cost. After all, the price difference buys quite a lot of music.
I agree Matt....cue you replacing the NAD of course
SteveR750
Well-known member
matthewpiano:hi fi newbie:Just to reaffirm some of the comments that have been made, the NAD does have very good bass but you don't lose any of that with the K2, in fact I think you gain in depth of bass, it's more pronounced if that's the right word. Also the sound is cleaner and the beginning and ending of notes is also clearer. However there is one thing I would caution you on, it's not a revelation compared to the NAD but it really depends on what you are looking for in regards to the price difference. It is a notable improvement but I am not sure if it's worth paying double the money for. Personally I believe that upgrading to any other amp below £1k is not going to be a revelation. The NADs really are that good, and if you go out spending money on something like a K2 or equivalent expecting it to trounce the NAD you are going to be disappointed. Will it be 'better'? In some ways yes, but you have to decide whether the climb in performance is reflective of the increased cost. After all, the price difference buys quite a lot of music.
To balance that (and to put into context I have been a huge NAD fan for years) in my opinion the K2, the nait 5i and the cyrus 6 all trounced my 352 using B&W 685's. Thats a budget speaker, so I can imagine that the difference when you put something much more revealing at the other end the differences will become even more marked. I agree that the 352 / 355 are very good amps but they do have limits! Then again, if you can't hear any (or much) improvement then great! Save your money and buy a tump of CD's instead!
To balance that (and to put into context I have been a huge NAD fan for years) in my opinion the K2, the nait 5i and the cyrus 6 all trounced my 352 using B&W 685's. Thats a budget speaker, so I can imagine that the difference when you put something much more revealing at the other end the differences will become even more marked. I agree that the 352 / 355 are very good amps but they do have limits! Then again, if you can't hear any (or much) improvement then great! Save your money and buy a tump of CD's instead!
matthewpiano
Well-known member
hi fi newbie:
matthewpiano:hi fi newbie:Just to reaffirm some of the comments that have been made, the NAD does have very good bass but you don't lose any of that with the K2, in fact I think you gain in depth of bass, it's more pronounced if that's the right word. Also the sound is cleaner and the beginning and ending of notes is also clearer. However there is one thing I would caution you on, it's not a revelation compared to the NAD but it really depends on what you are looking for in regards to the price difference. It is a notable improvement but I am not sure if it's worth paying double the money for.
Personally I believe that upgrading to any other amp below £1k is not going to be a revelation. The NADs really are that good, and if you go out spending money on something like a K2 or equivalent expecting it to trounce the NAD you are going to be disappointed. Will it be 'better'? In some ways yes, but you have to decide whether the climb in performance is reflective of the increased cost. After all, the price difference buys quite a lot of music.
I agree Matt....cue you replacing the NAD of course
Its not going to happen. My period of restless swapping and changing came from being blown away by the first NAD C325BEE I had and wondering how much better things could possibly get. I tried all sorts and I think it was the disappointment of finding that there was no further revelation that kept me chopping and changing. I've got it out of my system now (no pun intended) and, having bought the C325BEE I have now, I've realised that I was chasing unecessarily. Of all the amps I've had and/or auditioned, the NAD is still the most complete musical performer. I'm just very glad that I was able to pick up one of the last brand new ones. Yes, I'm sure that moving up to something like a Sugden would bring further dividends, but I can't afford one so the NAD will be here for a long time to come.
matthewpiano:hi fi newbie:Just to reaffirm some of the comments that have been made, the NAD does have very good bass but you don't lose any of that with the K2, in fact I think you gain in depth of bass, it's more pronounced if that's the right word. Also the sound is cleaner and the beginning and ending of notes is also clearer. However there is one thing I would caution you on, it's not a revelation compared to the NAD but it really depends on what you are looking for in regards to the price difference. It is a notable improvement but I am not sure if it's worth paying double the money for.
Personally I believe that upgrading to any other amp below £1k is not going to be a revelation. The NADs really are that good, and if you go out spending money on something like a K2 or equivalent expecting it to trounce the NAD you are going to be disappointed. Will it be 'better'? In some ways yes, but you have to decide whether the climb in performance is reflective of the increased cost. After all, the price difference buys quite a lot of music.
I agree Matt....cue you replacing the NAD of course
Its not going to happen. My period of restless swapping and changing came from being blown away by the first NAD C325BEE I had and wondering how much better things could possibly get. I tried all sorts and I think it was the disappointment of finding that there was no further revelation that kept me chopping and changing. I've got it out of my system now (no pun intended) and, having bought the C325BEE I have now, I've realised that I was chasing unecessarily. Of all the amps I've had and/or auditioned, the NAD is still the most complete musical performer. I'm just very glad that I was able to pick up one of the last brand new ones. Yes, I'm sure that moving up to something like a Sugden would bring further dividends, but I can't afford one so the NAD will be here for a long time to come.
in terms of quality and assuming i was wrong (translating nad = muddy sound, maybe its my agey 3100 maybe not, who knows) can you put those four in order best->worst ? : NAD C315, NAD C325, NAD C326, NAD C355 ... for example what i am desperately seeking (tight bass, better control) the junior 315's damping factor is >160... so how would you owners or listenters judge those 4 integrated ? which one is classic, which one sounds sweeter? or are all three the same ? (not wattage, just sound quality and amount of pleasure one gets).
I don't think you could be disappointed with the 325, it's great. Though I wish I had waited and got the 326, I haven't heard it but it comes in black which would match everything else I have, and it's much prettier I reckon.
matthewpiano
Well-known member
Pmaninit:I don't think you could be disappointed with the 325, it's great. Though I wish I had waited and got the 326, I haven't heard it but it comes in black which would match everything else I have, and it's much prettier I reckon.
My 325BEE is black!! My previous one was traditional NAD grey but this one is very definately in the newer black/graphite colour.
My 325BEE is black!! My previous one was traditional NAD grey but this one is very definately in the newer black/graphite colour.
Steve I agree, in every aspect of the delivery of the frequencies there is an obvious improvement with the K2 but as mentioned before, whether that equates to paying double what the NAD costs is subjective.
are there significant differences (in terms of audio performance) between 325 and 326 nads to justify the £60 price difference?
more over can you tell me if one of Nad PP2 or PP3 would be http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=558great as a phono stage for 325/326 model and whether those 2 phono amps can handle a 0,3 mV MC phono cartridge ?
is there someone in this forum who owns or has auditioned nad 325/326 with epos m12.2 ?
more over can you tell me if one of Nad PP2 or PP3 would be http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=558great as a phono stage for 325/326 model and whether those 2 phono amps can handle a 0,3 mV MC phono cartridge ?
is there someone in this forum who owns or has auditioned nad 325/326 with epos m12.2 ?
matthewpiano:Pmaninit:I don't think you could be disappointed with the 325, it's great. Though I wish I had waited and got the 326, I haven't heard it but it comes in black which would match everything else I have, and it's much prettier I reckon.My 325BEE is black!! My previous one was traditional NAD grey but this one is very definately in the newer black/graphite colour.
Ah no fair
mine's silver (and it was THE last one at my local RS), I like the colour but I have black 685 on black stands, black DacMagic and black custom design milan rack! Oh and black TV
Ah no fair
mine's silver (and it was THE last one at my local RS), I like the colour but I have black 685 on black stands, black DacMagic and black custom design milan rack! Oh and black TV indietronic:
are there significant differences (in terms of audio performance) between 325 and 326 nads to justify the £60 price difference?
more over can you tell me if one of Nad PP2 or PP3 would be http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=558great as a phono stage for 325/326 model and whether those 2 phono amps can handle a 0,3 mV MC phono cartridge ?
is there someone in this forum who owns or has auditioned nad 325/326 with epos m12.2 ?
Thread Hijack! NAD-PP2, NAD-PP3 and CA-640P (not 540P though) all have MC settings that'll work fine. CA might be better than the NADs though PP3 does have an extra input and USB out also.
are there significant differences (in terms of audio performance) between 325 and 326 nads to justify the £60 price difference?
more over can you tell me if one of Nad PP2 or PP3 would be http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=558great as a phono stage for 325/326 model and whether those 2 phono amps can handle a 0,3 mV MC phono cartridge ?
is there someone in this forum who owns or has auditioned nad 325/326 with epos m12.2 ?
Thread Hijack! NAD-PP2, NAD-PP3 and CA-640P (not 540P though) all have MC settings that'll work fine. CA might be better than the NADs
though PP3 does have an extra input and USB out also.SteveR750
Well-known member
hi fi newbie:Steve I agree, in every aspect of the delivery of the frequencies there is an obvious improvement with the K2 but as mentioned before, whether that equates to paying double what the NAD costs is subjective.
Of course the milion dollar or rather the £800-£350 question. I suspect that though for most of us once you can hear the difference providing you have the money then we can all justify value for money
Of course the milion dollar or rather the £800-£350 question. I suspect that though for most of us once you can hear the difference providing you have the money then we can all justify value for money
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