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New member Username: WolfiePost Number: 1 Registered: Jun-07 | Hi all I like the sound of my 18 yr old NAD, but can afford to spend some money on an upgrade. Looking at the NAD C352, that's about as much as I can afford, but I have been told that I would have to spend quite a bit more money to hear an audible improvement in sound quality. But surely, an 18 year old amp is not going to sound as good as an up to date amp which is 3 times the price of the original? Anyone upgraded an old NAD with a new one? |
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Silver Member Username: Sun_kingUK Post Number: 382 Registered: Mar-04 | The C352 will sound a bit different but not necessarily better. So long as your 3020e is in perfect working order it will be a match for the lower range newer NADs in all but power. Unless you have difficult to drive speakers, your old NAD should be fine in that respect anyway. The C352 may well be three times the cost of the 3020e but how much would it have cost 18 years ago? What is the rest of your kit like, perhaps the upgrade money would be better spent elsewhere in your system? |
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New member Username: Nickelbut10Canada Post Number: 2 Registered: Jun-07 | Adam has a point, the 3020e and the C352 will sound similar. The C352 boasting more power and head room though. This will breathe life into your speakers. |
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New member Username: WolfiePost Number: 2 Registered: Jun-07 | Wow - what a great forum - quick replies! My CD is the Marantz CD63 (which is a few years old, but is a classic which I can't afford to replace as well as the amp) and I have just upgraded my speakers to Monitor Audio Bronze floorstanders |
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New member Username: Nickelbut10Canada Post Number: 5 Registered: Jun-07 | The NAD C352 will be a great combo for the Monitor Audio speakers. I think those speakers could benefit from the upgrade. Mainly because of the dynamic improvement and power reserves of the C352. Rated at 80 watts minimum the specs say that integrated amp hits an average of 105 watts a channel. |
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Silver Member Username: Sun_kingUK Post Number: 384 Registered: Mar-04 | Aren't those speakers rated 90dB, is it the BR5 floorstanders you have? I was assuming the rest of your kit was as old as your amp! Yes these can take a bit of power but their sensitivity suggests they'll be ok driven by your old NAD. They could sound better with more power up 'em though, can you not do a home demo and see for yourself whether it's money well spent? The 3020 really was a sweet little amp though and the newer NADs don't sound as good to my ears. I would only upgrade if your speakers really need the extra power. To beat that little amp it will take more than a C352. |
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New member Username: WolfiePost Number: 3 Registered: Jun-07 | Adam Thanks for your view. Yes, my speakers are the BR5s with 90 dB sensitivity. They are not burnt in yet, so perhaps I should wait before changing the amp - darn this upgrade bug! I have read pages of posts on the NAD 352 amp, mostly positive but there are enough expressing less enthusiasm for me to hold fire. Your view on the new NADs not sounding as good as the "old school" NADs, and me needing to spend much more than the price of the 352 to better the 3020 confirms what I have heard elsewhere. Guess I will have to wait till I can spend twice as much (or my NAD goes kaput!) |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 7584 Registered: Dec-04 | The MA8's that I have are rated 90db as well, but were lower than the Psb Silvers in exactly the same place. But only in exactly the same place, I didn't move them around yet. Wider soundstage, didn't seem to like being powered too high. |
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Silver Member Username: Mike3Wiley, Tx USA Post Number: 430 Registered: May-06 | Might want to consider a refurbishment of the 3020? New caps, resistors, cleaning, etc. for a lot cheaper than a new amp, and essentially you will have a new amp. |
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New member Username: WolfiePost Number: 4 Registered: Jun-07 | Michael Great suggestion! I have found a firm on the web that specialises in full upgrading of "old school" NAD amps. Should get me a much improved sound for not much money! |
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Silver Member Username: Mike3Wiley, Tx USA Post Number: 436 Registered: May-06 | Paul, You're welcome and thank you. Talk to them at length as they may have some nice modifications they can offer as I noticed you stated "full upgrading" as opposed to refurbishing. My Carver has some mods (upgrades), better upper end extension and such. Yet just the replacing the caps with today's versions is an upgrade in of itself. Then again it could be that refurbishment and upgrading are interchangable terms. |
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New member Username: WolfiePost Number: 5 Registered: Jun-07 | Michael I am from England, and here is the website I found. http://www.fidele.co.uk/ |