£200-250 amplifier conundrum!! Cambridge Audio Azur 540A vs NAD 320BEE vs Marantz pm7200

 

New member
Username: Dallaghan

Post Number: 3
Registered: Nov-04
Hi all,

What a great forum this is, I have just stumbled back into the church of HiFi and have spent the last hour or two reading through the forums! I hope you guys can help me, you certainly know your onions...

I have a small predicament I hope you can advise me on because of my job I tend to receive and store alot of internet based media white lables drum and bass tunes etc, I also tend to spend alot of time travelling all over the UK, as a result my laptop and gb after gb of MP3's WMA's and even DIVx's has been my primary method of media consumption for the last few years, even including my more mellow musical tastes I just find it so much easier to store stuff on DVD/CD-R.

Consequentially I have been down to Richer Sounds and bought a Pioneer DV575 (Which is the only DVD/CD player that will play all my chosen file formats-see above!) and a Cambridge Audio Azur 540A Amplifier.

I have a pair of Gale 3040's which are very nice and gave early 90's Technics Amp a lease of life for when I am rarely at home.

Richer do an exchange scheme so now that I have been looking around your forums I am wondering whether it's worth me looking at some other Amplifier Options that you people might beleive are more suitable for the job at hand, eg, taking a fairly cold basic sound source and putting it through a great pair of well balanced floor standers...

The NAD is currently available for £180, The Marantz for £226, could you guys enlighten me the audio pros and cons of these devices set up with my stereo, Muscically I have very diverse tastes the idea of the Switchable Class A for listeing to some gentler indie guitar on the Marantz appeals, is it worth the extra £26 and the Journey!!!? Or is the Nad best putting aside the looks of the rather pretty Cambridge Azur...

Finally is it worth me looking at any other £200-250 amps, is the Azur 640 worth considering?

Many, Many Thanks in Advance

Martin Dallaghan

PS I know the DVD player is the weakest link here but it appears my options are limited!! unless you know better!
 

nout
Unregistered guest
the idea of the Switchable Class A for listeing to some gentler indie guitar on the Marantz appeals, is it worth the extra £26 and the Journey!!!?

Yes, I'd go for the Marantz pm 7200, but not with class A in my mind. In AB it already sounds vey smooth and gentle indie records like guided by voices, pavement sound pretty good with this amp.

Finally is it worth me looking at any other £200-250 amps, is the Azur 640 worth considering?

Yes, listen to all of them (which are in your budget)
Include NAD C352, probably the best amp for this kind of money...although personally I like Marantz PM 7200 better.
 

New member
Username: Dallaghan

Post Number: 4
Registered: Nov-04
Thanks for that Nout, Ill have a potter down to Richer Sounds next week then!

Any other comments from anybody...?
 

Silver Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 144
Registered: Sep-04
Martin

The NAD C320BEE is a very musical amplifier indeed, certainly the best below £300. Now at £300 you could go for a Rega Brio which knocks spots off everything else up to £700 or so, but Richer won't have Rega which is a bit exclusive.

Regards,
Frank.
 

New member
Username: Dallaghan

Post Number: 5
Registered: Nov-04
Thankyou Frank, I think my budget is firmly fixed up to the "250" mark - so the Nad is actually better in your opinion. I think I'll have to audition in the shop next week

I am going to try and but some connects that bring up the sound - any further advice
I could spend up to £50 on some some gold platers connect from the CD player to the amp any thoughts?

Martin
 

New member
Username: Gua

Bandung, West Java Indonesia

Post Number: 1
Registered: Nov-04
Halo, i just want to ask which one is better NAD C320BEE or CA 540 for my speaker. i'm using mordaunt short 902 declaration. Previously i'm using nakamichi av-3s
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