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NAD and B&W, good combination?

 

Drazen
Posted on   
Finally I have found a great hifi-forum to post my thread and hopefully get some useful help.
I'm planning of buying a system with two bookshelf-speakers, 2ch-amplifier and a DVD-player. It'll mostly be used for playing music and mp3, but also some movies from time to time.
I have been thinking of the NAD C320bee + NAD T512/T532 + B&W DM601/303, can get all this from the same store (hifiklubben SWE). I'll never play at a high volume, the most important thing is the sound quality of music (cd and mp3). I have also been thinking of the Acoustic Energy Aegis Evo One, maybe even Cambridge DV57 and A500.
I want the best possible sound quality for my money.
What do you think?
 

Drazen
Posted on   
Now im considering the Monitor Audio Bronze B2 too.
 

elitefan
Posted on   
If you are buying a dvd player why are you not buying a surround receiver and a surround speaker system? Movies in 2 channel just doesn't make it anymore. Take advantage of the technology and go 5.1 Good choice would be the Monitor Bronze system with good receiver. Elite, Marantz,NAD,H/K would all go great with the Monitors. There are some great sales on the H/K's right now at several sites on the net. J&R Music World has good prices right now on the H/K325 and 525.
 

Hawk
Posted on   
Drazen:

I can think of few, if any, integrated amps that sound as good as the NAD 320bee does for twice the money. For stereo sound, it is really hard to beat.

Now elitefan poses a very good question. If you want a home theater system to get 5.1 sound, you should really look into a surround sound receiver. However, if you are only looking at two channel stereo sound, I do not believe you can match the sound quality of the NAD. I have looked at the Cambridge A500, and while I think it is a very good product, I think it can be a little "slow" when reproducing complex program information (symphonic music, etc.). I think the NAD is a better integrated amp and a better value.

The NAD T532 is, in my opinion, a big step up sonically from the T 512, and if you can afford it, I would suggest you spend the extra cash for the 532. You may also want to look into a dedicated CD player rather than buying a DVD player. Again the NAD would be my choice, particularly the C 521bee, a new unit that is meant to match the 320bee amp its predecessor, the 521i.

Either of the B+Ws are an excellent choice for a speaker to go with the NAD 320. I think you would enjoy that system a lot. I find the 303s a bit warmer sounding than the 601s, but either mates well with an NAD amp. I have not heard the Acoustic Energy Aegis Evo Ones, so I cannot comment.

Good luck!
 

Drazen
Posted on   
Thanks alot for the advice elitefan and Hawk!
I'm quite sure that I'll buy the NAD C320bee/T532 now. Don't want a HT-system but the ability to play DVD/MP3 is nice. The only question is what speakers to go with it? The sellers adviced me to get a B&W 601 S3 (they only sell B&W, DALI and GALE) and now when Hawk also said it it can't be wrong. But I will go to try out the Evo One, DM303 and Bronze 2, just to make sure.
Can the T532 play SVCD/DVD-R/DVD+R? Do you know where I can order T532, C320bee and B&W cheap? Otherwise I'll have to buy from sweden even though the prices are maybe 30% higher compared to GB. www.hifibitz.co.uk sells everything except B&W.
And Hawk, warmer? Is that better or just a question of taste? I'm really new to hi-fi if you haven't noticed :)
 

John A.
Posted on   
Drazen,

Hifiklubben has reasonable prices (they claim the Cambridge DV 57 is cheaper than in UK) and will do a demo and provide after-sales service, though see the post by Kaj (and my rant, not aimed specifically at that dealer):-

https://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-audio/2934.html

I do not know which Scandinavian country Kaj is in. That Scandinavian retail chain sells only good quality equipment yet has service and reasonable prices.

B&W make top-quality speakers and that name stands out. To the best of my knowledge Gale speakers are Mordaunt-Short with a different badge. I have not tried them but would certainly do so if I were looking for a new system, they seem like exceptional value. Gale was a prestige UK manufacturer years ago, but that name is less familiar today, I think because they are called Mordaunt-Short in N. America and UK.

I would certainly go with the T532 DVD-player it is a step up in sound quality from the T512, and I have been told on another thread the T512 will not play SVCD unless you re-program it. Forgive my ignorance, isn't DVD-R and +R just a home-burned DVD?
 

Hawk
Posted on   
Drazen:

Only a question of taste. Like most things, warmer can be better or not--you can always get too much of a good thing. I think your choice in the integrated amp and DVD player is superb, and you only need to find the speakers you like the best to finish your system I described the B+W 303s as warmer only to give you an understanding of a difference in the sound that I detected between the 601s and the 303s. But the key is to get the sound that you like from the speakers you buy.

Good luck!
 

Drazen
Posted on   
John A.:
Don't really care what an unknown person says about NAD or Hifiklubben, thanks for the warning though. Yes, DVD+R and DVD-R are both burned DVD's, only different standards.

Hawk:
You saying that my choice in int amp and DVD is superb just warms my heart :) Thanks for the explanation too.

My hunt for speakers continues, is it necessary to try each pair of speakers with the NAD-setup? The only store with NAD is the one selling B&W.

Btw. Can't order from GB, they don't ship outside GB.
 

sonny
Posted on   



MR HAWK & PROS,

I have the same issue to have budget hifi for my room and occasionally for movie, I will hook the new system with Phillips 727K DVD player which has 192khz/24bit Audio D/A conversion already.

I have narrow the integrated amp to NAD C320BEE or Rotel RA-02. WHICH ONE IS BETTER VALUE FOR MONEY ?????

On speakers, I prefer floorstanding but bookshelf is okay, I have consider Mission 73i, KEF Coda 70/90, KEF Creasta series, KEF Q serirs, B&W 303, Monitor Audio etc. Choices here is quite much (BTW I am from Indonesia)

BUT THE PROBLEM IS THE SET UP FOR THE SYSTEM IS IN THE MID OF THE ROOM, SO I WILL HAVE SPACE ABOUT 2 METERS BEHIND THE SPEAKERS!
MY ROOM IS 3mtr width x 10 mtr long and the System will be place in the 8th mtr of the room which leave 2mtr space behind the speakers.

I NEED HELP ON WHICH TYPE OF SPEAKERS IS APPROPRIATE FOR SUCH SETUP AND GOES WELL WITH THOSE INTEGRATED AMP

THANK YOU
 

sonny
Posted on   



MR HAWK & PROS,

I have the same issue to have budget hifi for my room and occasionally for movie, I will hook the new system with Phillips 727K DVD player which has 192khz/24bit Audio D/A conversion already.

I have narrow the integrated amp to NAD C320BEE or Rotel RA-02. WHICH ONE IS BETTER VALUE FOR MONEY ?????

On speakers, I prefer floorstanding but bookshelf is okay, I have consider Mission 73i, KEF Coda 70/90, KEF Creasta series, KEF Q serirs, B&W 303, Monitor Audio etc. Choices here is quite much (BTW I am from Indonesia)

BUT THE PROBLEM IS THE SET UP FOR THE SYSTEM IS IN THE MID OF THE ROOM, SO I WILL HAVE SPACE ABOUT 2 METERS BEHIND THE SPEAKERS!
MY ROOM IS 3mtr width x 10 mtr long and the System will be place in the 8th mtr of the room which leave 2mtr space behind the speakers.

I NEED HELP ON WHICH TYPE OF SPEAKERS IS APPROPRIATE FOR SUCH SETUP AND GOES WELL WITH THOSE INTEGRATED AMP

THANK YOU
 

Hawk
Posted on   
sonny:

Based upon the relative prices between the Rotel and the NAD integrated amp, and given the fact that the NAD is winning all kinds of awards world-wide from audio magazines, I think it is an easy call that the NAD is the better value for the money. The Rotel is sexier to look at, but the sound of the NAD is fuller and more powerful. I simply like the NAD better.

The space behind the speakers really isn't a problem--most speakers work best away from boundaries such as walls, etc. Any of the floorstanders you suggest should work very well with the NAD C320bee. The Mission 73s, KEF Coda 90s, the KEF Q5s and the Monitor Audio Silver 6s all work well with that amp, IMO.
 

sonny
Posted on   
Thank you Mr Hawk for your input,

Another Question please, I'm thinking of having a AV receiver (Marantz SR5300) instead of simply integrated Amp (NAD) since I would like to grow my system HT ready sometime in future (2-3 yrs maybe) but for now it would be mostly for music.

How diferrence is the sound qualitiy between Stereo Integrated Amplifier & AV Receiver ?

On Integrated Amp which do you think is better NAD C320BEE or NAD C350 with difference of 10wpc with in the same price range ?

Does Monitor Audio Bronze series goes well with NAD or Marantz ?
 

SONNY
Posted on   



MR HAWK,

AN UPDATE, I FINALLY AUDITIONING NAD T742 AND NAD C320BEE AND DECIDED TO GET NAD C320BEE SINCE IT SOUNDS MUCH CLEANER IN STEREO AND IT IS REALLY THAT OBVIOUS.

FOR SPEAKER, I MATCHED IT WITH MONITOR AUDIO BRONZE B2 BOOKSHELVES (6OHMS,20-100WATT,90DB)

AT FIRST IT DOES SOUND BIT DRY BUT JUST AFTER A WEEK, MY EARS JUST ENJOYED ALL THE NATURAL SOUNDS THAT COMES FROM IT.

I WILL PAIR IT WITH CD PLAYER NAD C521BEE SOON AND HOPE TO HEAR SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT OUT OF IT SINCE I CURRENTLY RUNNING IT WITH DVD PLAYER.

I HAVE ARRANGEMENT WITH THE DEALER TO CHANGE MY NAD C320BEE TO NAD C350 FOR ANOTHER USD 65, WHAT IS YOUR COMMENTS SINCE THE DIFFERENCE IS 10WPC AND IT HAS IMPEDANCE SENSING CIRCUIT (WHICH HIGHLY PRAISE BY REVIEWER) BUT LACK OF POWER DRIVE FEATURE.

OR IF I CAN ARRANGE, IS IT BETTER JUST DIRECTLY IMPROVE IT TO C352 (MAYBE FOR USD 100) WITH ADDITIONAL 30WPC BUT STILL LACK OF IMPEDANCE SENSING CIRCUIT??

OTHER QUESTION,

TO COMPENSATE TO MY WIFE SINCE I JUST BOUGHT STEREO SET UP, I AM CONSIDERING HT SET UP OF MARANTZ SR 4300 AND MOURDAUNT SHORT PREMIERE 5.1 SUB/SAT SYSTEM, IS IT A QUITE GOOD COMBINATION FOR BOTH MUSIC/MOVIE?? I WILL PUT IT IN MY BED ROOM OF 3MTR X 8 MTR. I DON'T REALLY NEED TO MUCH SOUND QUALITY AS LONG AS IT IS QUITE OKAY (SINCE I'VE JUST HAVE A DEDICATED ONE IN LIVING ROOM)

COMMENTS??
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