|   NAD or Cambridge? help | johnkramer
Dec 27, 2001 7:20 AM | | OK, so I'm looking at both the NAD C350 and the Cambridge A500. My speakers are home brew using Scanspeak and Seas drivers (STS's if anyone knows what that kit is)
Aside from hauling my speakers around and listening for myself, is there anyone out there that can provide some further input to help me with my choice?
Thanks
John |
| re: NAD or Cambridge? help | Jim V
Dec 27, 2001 8:08 AM | | John,
I owned a Cambridge Audio A300 that I was extremely pleased with. I sold it when I got into tubes and didn't need three integrated amps at the office. I have auditioned several NAD amps, including the C350 and was very impressed with all of them.
IMO, either amp will give you adequate performance. I suspect that almost anyone who claims NAD blows away Cambridge Audio has never heard a CA amp, and certainly hasn't done a true A/B comparison. Both amps are very good. If your speakers aren't very efficient, you might consider adding a NAD C370 or a Creek 4330 (I think that's the model number) to the mix. The AMC 3050a also gets pretty good reviews and has the advantage of a phone preamp if you ever want to play vinyl. If budget is a big constraint, go with the cheapest model. Good luck.
Jim |
| re: NAD or Cambridge? help | BillB
Dec 27, 2001 9:14 AM | | Jim gives very good advice. The NAD and Cambridge are similar in sound character and you probably wouldn't be disappointed with either. I own two NAD amps (C340 and C370) and have been very pleased with both of them. The C340 pulls duty in my living room system and is mated with an NAD C521 and a pair of B&W DM601s2 speakers. I used it prior to drive my relatively low-sensitivity NHT SuperTwos and it did so with no problem.
The NAD C370 does offer better sound overall, in tone quality, dynamics, and soundstage. It's used in my primary 2-channel system with a Cambridge D300 CD Player and Vienna Acoustics Mozart speakers.
The vinyl issue could be a factor as neither of the NAD amps offer a built-in phono stage.
Good Luck!
BillB |
| re: NAD or Cambridge? help | Haoleb
Dec 27, 2001 11:21 AM | | Yes, i agree with the other guys also, i have the NAD C-370 and really love it. I also have a D300 cdp and am Very impressed with Cambridge Audio Gear. But for a little bit more money you can get a Musical Fidelity X-A2 75 wpc. But i highly reccomend bolth NAD and Cambridge Audio they are 2 really great companies with Great products. And if you would like the NAD i would reccomend you buy it at www.YAWAonine.com thats where i got mine, best online shopping i ever had, And Theyre Authorzed! |
| re: NAD or Cambridge? help | RGA
Dec 27, 2001 7:41 PM | | I agree with the others that both make good entry level amps. I would give the edge to Cambridge Audio A500 over the Nad 350...The A500 is in the same class as the Nad 370...the Cambridge doesn't have as much welly as the 370...but for sound quality The Cambridge is no worse...and it's cheaper. Basically, the A500 is simply a great value and its competitors are often more expensive...Nad is no exception.
However, NAD also gives you more line inputs and some other extra features...but you are paying more for them...if it's just sound then my choices in this price bracket would have Cambridge Audio leading the pack...though NAD, Rotel, and Rega are very close and even equivelant...but they cost a bit more due to options.
To the poster that mentioned tubes...this is another option...indeed, there is a very good tube amp from Jolida...I'd take it over any of the above amps I've mentioned...and it's not a close race. If your speakers are rated at 89db or better and you don't really crank them...then the Jolida 102b is a great choice. |
| this is what happened (long) | johnkramer
Dec 27, 2001 7:50 PM | | OK, so off to SpeakerLab to check out the NAD stuff. I ask if they have a return period and they said nope, don't like having to re pack stuff. (No kidding). Oh well, if I can't audition in my own home for a few days with a grace period I don't deal... So Accross the street I go, off to Hawthorne Stereo to look at the Cambridge stuff. After 15 minutes of looking around I didn't see anything there, so I ask, "You're a Cambridge dealer right??" They said, not any more, at least not until CES. They stopped dealing with Cambridge over reliability issues, they said, "when that stuff works its really nice, but with a 50% failure rate thats not going to cut it"... Apparently Cambridge has addressed the issue and quality control is supposed to be much better, but Hawthorne will not carry the stuff until after they get a chance to check it out at CES. Well, fark...So I ask what you got in the ~$500.00 range....other than used (they have a large used area)... Luxman he says. He said right out, there are no USA dealers for Luxman but because we are close to the border he can get away with it, or something like that... whatever.... He showed me a Luxman A-491 integrated amp, around 80watts into 8 ohms, yadda yadda, with a nifty tube input stage to boot. $500.00 for it, with a 7 day full return policy, 1 year full warrantee through them...what the heck, so I bought it.
Its only been powered up for about an hour now, but already its much nicer than the aging B&K amp modules/Counterpoint preamp I was using... And to boot they said they would give me a pretty sweet deal on my Counterpoint Solid 8 preamp....so, we shall see... |
| this is what happened (long) | Jim V
Dec 28, 2001 8:45 AM | | John,
Congrats on the purchase. Maybe the Luxman will give you a hunger for tubes. Sorry to hear about the CA quality issues. That's the first I've heard of it. Most, if not all, amps in this price range are designed in the US or England and built in the Far East, usually China. There have been several big name "manufacturers" that have been bitten by the quality bug when moving manufacturing services to different vendors. They usually work themselves out if the problems don't kill the brand first. Enjoy the Luxman.
Jim |
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