|   NAD C370 Question | melmar
Aug 26, 2002 3:58 AM | | I am looking for a new receiver or amp. A friend let me try his Nad C370 integrated amp this past weekend. I've got brighter, more forward sounding speakers, so I was anxious to hear my speakers with an NAD product as I've heard about the NAD "warm" sound. To make a long story short, I heard no warm sound from the C370. The mid range and highs were very aggressive. It does have a lot of power, but I didn't think it sounded that good, at least on my set up. My friend has had the amp for about 9 months, so it wasn't that the amp wasn't broken in. My question is: is the sound of the NAD receivers (T751 or T761 the same)? Or do they have the "warmer sound"? Thanks. |
| re: NAD C370 Question | igor
Aug 26, 2002 6:38 AM | | This just my opinion, but I would doubt that the receivers are more "warm" than their amps. If anything, probably the reverse. Both are solid state, so odds are they both probably pretty similar in sound. What speakers do you have? If you want a warmer sound, you might want to go with tubes. But if you need a surround sound receiver, maybe go with one that has preouts, so you could add a tube amp for the warm sound, yet have the HT features you need. The Denon 1802 or 2802 would be good choices, affordable too. Marantz may also be worth auditioning, and some feel they have a "warm" sound, so maybe they would be a better choice for you. Doubtful any other receiver is going to be an improvement for you. It is tought to get everything you desire in one package. An inexpesnive HT receiver and a tube amp might be a good package for you. Others will add to this I'm sure.
One other thing, I'm looking at NAD amps myself at the moment, and I don't think I've heard many people call them warm. If anything, I've heard they are more aggressive, and very good dynamically, since they have large reserves of power. Maybe this is what you are hearing, whereas a lot of amps that don't have much dynamic headroom, aren't capable of this, and hence they have a "warmer" for evenly distributed sound. A lot of people like the warm sound of tubes, but one thing tubes does have, is a higher degree of distortion, adding to the warm fuzzy sound. Nothing wrong with this, and with some music, it may even be prefereable. Personally, I like an amp that is more analytical, or preferably neutral, and let the speakers and room acoustics play a larger role. This will also expose more flaws in the recording -- garbage in, garbage out. |
| re: NAD C370 Question | SEK
Aug 26, 2002 11:40 AM | | I have a NAD C370. I would not describe it as "warm". It is certainly powerful and gutsy, "accurate" but not hyper-analytical. It usually gives an overall "darker" presentation than my previous NAD 3300 PE integrated amp, which was relatively restrained in the upper bass and lower midrange.
From numerous auditions over the years, my impression of most receivers compared to the amplifiers by the same manufacturer is that sonic compromises are made in the receiver package.
Also my experience with most tube gear is that warmth is enhanced at the expense of accuracy. Notable exceptions are the very expensive tube preamplifiers and amplifiers manufactured by Audio Research that, if the tubes are correctly biased and not too old, place virtually nothing between the listener and the music. That stuff is way beyond my budget.
Perhaps you should consider getting different speakers. Have you listened to the Vandersteen 1C or 2Ce? |
| re: NAD C370 Question | alfred schmidt
Sep 7, 2002 12:43 PM | | I own a 370 since 2 weeks now.
You are right its rather aggressive.
But it is also a point of view:
The Dynamic is annoying at the first moment,
and you can even hear if sound engeneers added
artificial reveberations.
You can also hear things, you never heard before.
Piano for example is very realistic, human voices
are very authentic (but *not* "sweet")
Somebody wrote in a review:
The 370 is a little bit "dry", especially in the
upper Bass and the lower midrange.
He performs well:
Piano, Voices, many Solo-Instruments,
Mahler, Shostakowits, jazz etc.
But for Mozart and Violind , I would prefer
a sweeter Amplifier......
(like my 26 year old Technics SU 8600)
With compliments from Vienna
Alfred |
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