Looking to Buy New Receiver for Paradigm Mini Monitors

 

Anonymous
I am looking at buying a receiver and was considering the NAD 752. After reviewing the board I am a bit concerned. The system I am setting up is Paradigm Mini Monitors, CC370 and PS1000. I have looked at Denon 1803, Elite 43TX,Onkyo T601 and NAD 752. Does anyone recommend what I should be looking at for this system? The system will be used for surround sound and music.
Thanks.
 

Hawk
Anon:

Neither the Denon nor the Onkyo is in the same class as the NAD and the Elite. Huge differential in quality as neither the Denon nor the Onkyo has a pre/pro section that can compete with the NAD or Elite, and their amps are simply underpowered. Neither the Denon nor Onkyo is a particularly good amp with music, either.

Given your speakers, I would also eliminate the Elite. The Paradigms are a very reserved sounding speaker--it throws a deep soundstage, but it is not a fast speaker. Unfortunately, the Elite is the same way--very laid back. Combined, the two would exaggerate this tendency and be a rather unexciting and uninvolving system. You would probably get bored with it.

The NAD, on the other hand, is more forward and faster than the Elite. It matches the Paradigms very well, yet it also has a very warm, pleasing sound like the Elite. I think it is the best receiver for music, bar none.

I continue to be perplexed by these allegations that the NAD lacks quality--the same problems that have been suggested about NADs have also been reported on almost every other brand on this very board (currently, threads report the same problems with both Rotel and Yamaha--yet, no one trashes them as bad brands). And when problems have been identified, NAD has gone farther than any manufacturer I know of to get the problem fixed. Every brand will have a clunker or two, but it is really about how the maker responds to fix the problem that counts. My advice is get the NAD.
 

elitefran
I agree with Hawk. As much as I love Elite receivers I would not pair them with Paradigm. NAD would be the best choice I can think of. Rotel would be next. Lots of people pair Paradigms with Yamaha and its probably the best sound you can get out of a Yamaha but NAD and Rotel are much better units with much more powerful power supplies.
 

Anonymous
Thanks Elitefran and Hawk for all the help. It looks like I will be looking at the NAD again. As for sound quality, you are right, it blew them all out of the water. I think I was more afraid after reading the reviews.
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