First of all, thanks a lot to all of you guys. You helped me a lot, directly and indirectly. I have narrowed down my choices to these : NAD T742 633 $ NAD T752 895 $ HK AVR 525 842 $ HK AVR 325 675 $ HK AVR 230 465 $
Those prices are converted from Canadian pricing. I've listened to all of them and the NADs are my favorite. Still, I was wondering if one of the others in the bunch were a better deal for the price. All of them are more than I actually need. I'm looking for the ultimate sound quality but would also like it to have some nice features. If I go with one the least expensive one, I'll invest more on the cable and possibly something else. The HK 525 is pretty outstanding too and is loaded with feature. Thanks again! Your help is great appreciated. (BTW, this amp will be matched with paradigms Titan, CC170 and a very good sub. I will change my speaker wires with 10G Accoustic Research)
Oh yeah, I have a 'cheap' Toshiba SD 1600 DVD player and a Kenwood CD multidisc changer, the first with COAX dig out and the other with Optical. Will this greatly influence my overall experience ? I can't afford to change other parts than my receiver (currently and el crapo Pioneer low end which I hate with a passion) and speaker wires. What should I change next ?
Math
Brad C.
Posted on
Well I just got my nad t752 hooked up and it = better than my denon 1803...
I'm mainly a dvd movie buff, so I primarily use it for movie watching...
I'm not very good with audio terms but I know clarity when I hear it and the nad excels in clarity over the denon...
I cannot comment on the HK receivers as I have never auditioned them...
I eventually plan on using my nad t752 as a pre/pro and using the main channels off it to power the rears = great feature of the nad / plus pre-outs for all the 7 channels
and then finally adding a external 3 channel amp for the center and mains after I upgrade my speakers...
Also I think 10 guage is over-kill personally, I used 12 gauge Acoustic Research wire and I had to drill out the entry holes on the back of my nad to allow for the wire to go in without fraying ~ the speaker terminals are close together by the way...
I would rank the following from my experience of getting better sound quality (from most important to least)
1st = speakers ~ Adding 10-30 watts on a receiver helps but not as much as upgrading speakers
2nd = amplification ~ thats why I will eventually buy a external amp with more headroom
3rd = speaker placement ( this is very important in a home theater setup )
4th = interconnects and cables
Mileage will vary...
Hawk
Posted on
Brad:
You have said the magic words: "I'm not very good with audio terms but I know clarity when I hear it and the nad excels in clarity over the denon..."
Unless someone compares these things head to head, you don't really understand how one product can sound so much better than another. I have compared the NADs to a number of other brands and they are cleaner and have greater clarity than any other receiver I have heard. It is wonderful to actually hear the background noises clearly on a DVD soundtrack when it is muffled or even non-existant when played through other receivers. I hope Math takes your advice.
yemdog
Posted on
I too am about to pull the trigger on a receiver. I have auditioned the Denon 2803, Yamaha 1400, Onkyo 701, HK 325, HK 525, and the NAD 752. I will be using the receiver with Paradigm Titans. I found that the Yamaha was a little harsh. The Onkyo was okay. The HK and Denon were great. But the NAD just seemed to create the sound I was looking for. I am probably going with the NAD T752 and NAD T532 DVD player. Saturday Audio Exchange will sell both brand new for $1000.
Hawk
Posted on
Math:
Just change your receiver and see how it goes. I recommend the NAD 752 if you can afford it. If not, get the 742. As much as I like the H/K 525 (and I do), the NAD is at least a full step up in class, IMO. Besides, you have already decided that you like the NAD better, so why settle for less?
By getting the NAD, you will also upgrade your DVD and CD players. Using a digital out (as you are now) makes your current Toshiba and Kenwood players nothing more than transports, so you are relying upon your Pioneer receiver for the conversion to an analog signal. Unfortunately, the Pioneer has very poor DACs, so you may actually get a better signal using the internal DACs in your DVD and CD players.
However, the NAD uses very high quality Crystal brand Sigma-Delta DACs that will do a much better job of converting those digital "0s" and "1s" to an analog signal. In essence, you will then be upgrading both the receiver (amplification) and your DVD and CD player by getting the NAD receiver. Get one and try it at home. If I am not right, you can just take it back.
Guys, you rock ! Getting my pay check this friday, and will pick up the NAD T752 if I find time for it (sad...) this weekend or next. I've been shopping for a new receiver for almost 6 months ! I'll let you know how it goes. The only thing that really sucks is that here in Canada, prices are pretty high for NADs and litteraly impossible to negotiate.
Thanks again !
Brad C.
Posted on
Well I finally got my nad t752 completely calibrated and speakers aligned in proper placement...
Nothing beats a sound meter and a laser level for alignment of speakers...
Anyways the CLARITY difference over my denon is like night and day...
Now I know why people use the term "muddy" when describing midrange...
I have not experienced one problem with my NAD like other people, but I am not utilizing any analog L/R inputs, so that may be a factor...
I have a sony 200 disc cd player hooked up via fiber optic...
I have a panasonic prog scan dvd player hooked up fiber optic...
And the tuner is the only other thing I use on occasion...
While the stereo modes and other analog modes are good, nothing compares to hearing my movies in DD and DTS...
Also I can hear the fan come on ocassionally, but I like hearing it, that way I know its cooling itself down ~ I don't find it distracting personally...
Well hope you enjoy your NAD like I'm enjoying mine...
