[J-Factor]

I'm sure many of you are familiar with NAD. I've been collecting mainly amplifiers, tape decks and phonographs ever since I was about eight years old. Anything from Akai to JVC. I wouldn't say that I am a proffessional of any sorts, technically I am only 1/4 of the way to knowing what is really going on in these devices, however, I would say that I am an enthusiast. In all my years of collecting I've come accross some amazing equipment, but strangely enough there has always been only one system that I have used at home since I was eight. I use a NAD 7125 amplifier accompanied by a NAD 6125 tape deck & 5125 phonograph. (No cd's for me thanks...everyone tells me they are better but I just don't like how they feel and look. I preffer the ruggedness of a tape which can withstand a few stompings on the floor of my car and still work; or the delicate but rich nature of vinyl).

In any case, I have done a bit of research on these units and what I've discovered is that they are for no reason particularily stellar yet, I love them and I wouldn't listen to music at home through any other system. I have some paradigm speakers from about 1980 which have been used heavily since 1980 and they still carry the same clean sound.

At the risk of being way too long winded let me just say this and you can burn me down if you want to =):

NAD equipment has been my favorite because of its simplicity. Their units seem always to lack unecessary guages/knobs, the layouts are very humble and the materials used (at least the units from the 80's as I know them) are carefully picked. I am always surprised at the sheer weight of each of these decks, they are some of the heaviest I've come accross and even though weight has no bearing on sound quality, it makes me feel as though the unit itself has a greater integrity to it than a 500 gram plastic unit. Even the owners manuals are simple and informative without sparing the necessary technical content. Needless to say, these units have never broken down and have been used every day in every way.

My questions to this community which probably has much more knowledge of these units and others than I is:

1) Am I simply emotionally attached to this system because it has been playing my music for over 13 years, or is there something truly unique and special about NAD equipment that I have latched on to and loved?

and 2) Do any of you have a similar system which perhaps on a datasheet is marked as inferior as another yet still to you is the greatest of them all? Or is there a brand that you are particularily loyal to for whatever reason?

 

[Duggeh]

NAD have and continue to make some of the best sound for the pound audio equipment in the market. Their Japanese built stuff from the 80s, amps like the classic 3020, are like tanks. I use a NAD C352 amp in my setup and its great.

Theres going to be some degree of personal attatchemnt of course, but the simple fact that you advocate tape and vinyl and not cd for your reasons is part of the real thing at work here. You're a music lover, and the playback on your system as it is is simply how you want sound to be. Be happy in your contentedness and continue with your collecting.

 

[Foshizzle]

I've had my NAD C350 integrated stereo amp for about 5-6 years now and I've been very happy with it.

 

[warpdriver]

NAD will always have a special place, because they design for simplicity and implement features that actual provide real world sonic benefit.

To me the appeal of NAD has been:

Simplicity, never overdesigned for the sake of it, real world sonic features, controls which have minimal negative sonic impact, and always vastly underrated in the specs. Lastly, always very musical.

 

[Edwood]

I always wanted to own more than one NAD component, so I could say, I have big heavy NADs.

-Ed

 

[catachresis]

J-Factor, for years I ran a basic NAD cd player (I think it was the NAD 510) through an extremely simple Stan Warren Buffered Passive Preamp (which is, coincidentally, for sale right now Here ) to two bridged NAD 912 power amps and out to some Linn Sara Isobariks. It was an immensely clean, simple, lucid and dynamic system, which I enjoyed very much.

I've been hit by the upgrade bug a few times since then, but the pieces I have tended to gravitate to have been older, simply-engineered 'classic' components. The exceptions have been a brand new Sony SACD 555ES and Dynaudio Audience 60s (which have been compared to classic-style '80s speakers). Otherwise, the preamp became a Croft Mega Micro tube amp with dual mono output, the NAD 912s were swapped for an Exposure IV Dual Regulated power amp and most recently I acquired two beautiful eight-year old Aerial 7 two-way floorstanders (which I set up for the first time last night). The only new component I've really kept (outside of the transient tape deck and tuner) is a 24/96 upsampling DAC that hanging out here at Headfi convinced me to buy (I only ever got around to buying 2 sacds). I had a wonderful Linn LP12 that was 'adopted' by a sister while I was away at grad school and became another casualty of Katrina. (I wish I could afford a decent new-used deck.)

Certainly, I would never pretend to have the most detailed or dynamic system (when there are audiophiles here who have spent upwards of a hundred grand on components) but when all the pieces of my system are in harmony, I feel like it's breathtakingly musical and involving -- no slouch for the money. I grinned like a maniac last night when I heard at last the difference that the Aerials made.

So, I'm in complete sympathy with your affection for NAD. I would certainly recommend the more spartan NAD components to anyone thinking about building a strong basic two-channel audio system. I have thought that the Stan Warren preamp is tremendous sound for the investment, that the Croft Micro preamps are extremely strong and clean for 'basic' tube amplifiers, that Ruark speakers are phenomenal British speakers for the price and that Aerial speakers, even used, are sublime and worth serious consideration. Looking back, those are the brands I feel most strongly about. All of them are high quality, durable, no frills pieces.

 

[nelamvr6]

Even though they are truly bargains, I would still grade NAD components as High End, simply because they sound good.

And that in a nutshell is why I've always loved them, they've always found a way to produce good sound without busting the budget.

 

[mdjenders]

I love my NAD C320BEE integrated and C521 cd player. For the money, there was nothing even close to the performance of these simple, yet fabulous, components.

 

[smeggy]

I run a NAD 1020A preamp and had a 3020 many moons ago. It's good stuff and lasts forever. I almost bid on a set of NAD 'stats last week.

 

[epaludo]

I've a NAD C525BEE for more than 2 months now and i'm in love with it ...

 

[dj_mocok]

I love my NAD too. Very reliable and smooth.

 

[terrymx]

I choose NAD for its full concerntration on natural sound, strong power outputs true to specs, and ommiting looks and gimmicks.

 

[dj_mocok]

Although I must say they look like crap compared to some other highend players out there.

 

[terrymx]

i prefer their simple and stand back design. i don't like the the notion that if it look good it will sound good. but i am bias with looks, if its silver or gold i am likely not to buy it since it distract and wants my attention while i'm trying to listen to the music. although i admit i'm very attracted to glossy black.

 

[dj_mocok]

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