I have tried to connect the power section of nad 352 to the pre section of nad 3020. The result is astonishingly good. The combo sounds sweet full of ample smooth mids. The harshness and boominess are mostly gone. But the presentation is no longer laid back.
Any thoughts? (The above setup works with nad 542 CDP).
It sounds to me like the 3020, which only developed about 20wpc, was finding difficulty in driving your speakers which you don't mention. Harshness (almost like a shriekiness) and/or boominess are both signs of an amp losing grip or control of the speaker. It's more usual for just one or other to come up, but it's not unheard of for this to happen. The 352 has far more power than the 3020 so it can drive most speakers relatively easily.
The added benefits of doing this are that the power supply in the 3020 is now dedicated to its preamp which will make the preamp section work far better. There would also be a minor improvement in the 352's power supply not having to drive its preamp section.
It's a testament to the proficiency of the 3020's preamp stage that the result is as good as you make out.
Hi Frank, does it also mean that there could be some shortcomings in the pre-amp section of the C352? I have read several reviews that the pre-amp section of the C352 is not that good, do you agree?
I've never really split the 352 and checked how good the individual portions of it are. I was just suggesting possible reasons why the OP was getting the results he's getting.
I would not normally recommend using an integrated amp as a power amp, except as an interim solution.
Thanks Frank! I was just trying to understand more based on Ruve's observation that C352 and C542 combo might not worked well pointing at the pre-amp section of the C352 as the culprit....