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Topic ClosedEntry level audiophile amps - NAD C325BEE?
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MikeEnRegalia View Drop Down
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Points: 21199 		Direct Link To This Post Topic: Entry level audiophile amps - NAD C325BEE?
    Posted: June 06 2008 at 10:22
As an alternative to my plans to upgrade my 5.1 computer speakers, I'm thinking about buying an entry level audiophile stereo amp. Unfortunately the entry level Musical Fidelity amps have been discontinued, but I've come across the NAD C325BEE  which seems to be quite nice:

http://www.nad.de/end_c325bee.htm

What do you think ... any comments - especially from audiophiles - are appreciated. I definitely don't want to buy used hardware, and it should be entry level, which for me means that it should cost less than 500 EUR.
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Sacred 22 View Drop Down
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Points: 1509 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 12 2008 at 03:18
The NAD is ok. I had one for a while in a second system but I ended up selling it. I was happy with it.
 
If I was you I would be buying used. You get some really good deals on very good equipment. Most audiophiles keep their stuff in good order. I have put systems together for people using used equipment that sound very good and at a fraction of what they would have paid for the same equipment new.
I buy used stuff as well and I don't regret it at all.
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oliverstoned View Drop Down
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Points: 6308 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 12 2008 at 04:26
This is what i always recommend as first price budget amp.

Alternate choices: Rotel, Arcam, Rega, Creek...
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Dean View Drop Down
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Points: 37575 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 12 2008 at 21:41
I have no experience of the C325BEE, but have owned a 3020A for 27 years and the only time it has ever been switched off is when we moved house or when there is a power cut - that's about 230,000 hours near-continuous running and it has never failed. The volume control is still smooth and crackle free and the input selectors are still solid and positive, it gets warm, but has never over-heated.
 
It was originally bought as my main hifi amp but has been relegated to my second system on several occasions as I bought more expensive amps to replace it (all of which have failed in someway or other) - it is currently my main amp again. The thing just keeps going and takes all the punishment I give it. If the C325BEE is as well designed, as solidly made and as reliable as the 3020A then I would not hesitate in buying one (and if after typing this my amp finally dies then I probably will Wink). My only complaint about the 3020 is that the input phonos are mounted horizontally rather than vertically, which is a real problem for modern 'fat' phono leads - but I cannot imagine NAD continued this design flaw past the 1980s.
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Points: 1239 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 15 2008 at 17:33
I'll go along with Oliver here - I was bowled over by how good Rega's amps are recently. I heard Maias at the Bristol hi-fi show, into a some Totem speakers and i was very, very impressed. You'll have to go second hand but i reckon it'll be worth it. Very good amp.

A Roksan Kandy LIII would also be a good second hand buy. You should get one for around £300-£400. Nice amp, though maybe a little forward in some aspects.
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Hawkwise View Drop Down
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Points: 4119 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: June 15 2008 at 17:59
Rega or NAD   Cant go wrong with ether 
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Points: 8890 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: July 02 2008 at 21:22
I was able to get a used NADC320BEE fairly cheap from Audiogon a while back, which is very similar.  It's a good integrated amp, in retrospect I probably should have went for a Cambridge Audio Azur series amp - if only to match it with my CD player.   I don't have anything to compare it with, although I used to use my parents old system which kind of sucked in comparison to mine (but I upgraded everything - all used though).  I've never had any problems with it, NAD is a respected brand.


Edited by Bluesaga - July 02 2008 at 21:23
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oliverstoned View Drop Down
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Points: 6308 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: September 03 2008 at 09:12
Originally posted by Hawkwise Hawkwise wrote:

Rega or NAD   Cant go wrong with ether


Absolutly. And Cambridge is not as good (even if it's better than before).
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