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New member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 1 Registered: Feb-07 | I'm fairly new to hi-fi, and I'm trying to put together a really solid 2-channel (for now) system for my large living room with high ceilings. My budget is low, around $1,500 to get started. I haven't heard much at all (no hi fi stores where I live), but I've done a lot of online and magazine reading, and have narrowed down my amp choices to Cambridge Audio (such as the 340a v2 or the 640a v1) and NAD (either the c320bee, c325bee, or c720bee). All of these I am finding in the $300-400 range. For speakers, I am thinking of KEF iq5 or Monitor Audio Bronze floorstanders. Help! Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, especially as to the general sound and tonality differences between NAD and Cambridge Audio. I've read that CA is usually a little warmer and laid back, and the bass a little looser. While the NAD has more drive and better highs but less bass...is that true? Cheers, Joe |
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New member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 2 Registered: Feb-07 | I should have also mentioned that whichever amp I choose, I will geta DVD/CD player of the same model. |
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Gold Member Username: HawkHighlands Ranch, CO USA Post Number: 1195 Registered: Dec-03 | Joe: To my ears, the NADs are WAY better than the Cambridge 340. NAD's "low end" models are reknown for providing the best bang for the buck anywhere. The Cambridge is good, but the NADs sound much more expensive, and just about every audio magazine review concurs--see the review of the C325bee/C525bee combo in the February issue of The Absolute Sound which concludes as follows: "NAD's C 325BEE/C 525BEE combo is one of the best bargains in audio today. The pair offers superb detail, tremendous dynamics, excellent soundstaging, and a simply amazing amount of musicality at a ridiculously low price. I found them not only easy to listen to for many hours at a stretch, but also downright compelling. You may, too. TAS" Cambridge amps get much better as you go up their product line. I am not a fan of either the 340 or the 540, but the 640 is a very nice sounding amp; however, although I have not heard them side by side, I have heard both ver.1 of the 640 and the 325bee and I don't think ver.1 of the 640 is as good as the 'bee. Your ears may be different, but I understand you don't have the luxury of listening for yourself. All I can do is tell you what I like. I would charecterize the differences in the sound as the NAD is more powerful and controlled, with a much deeper soundstage. It has much better defined bass, as well. The Cambridge is a bit warmer (although I would charecterize both lines as "warm"), but the ends of the audio spectrum is a bit rolled off with the Cambridge amps. The Cambridge is more relaxed and laid back, the NAD is more involving. Perhaps more to the point is, what speakers would you pair with one of these amps? Matching a speaker to the amp is among the most important questions when determining what amp to buy. Buy a bad match and you will be very disappointed. For instance, if you told me that you had JMlabs/Focal or Klipsch speakers, I would say get a Cambridge. Both the JMlabs and the Klipsch are very aggressive speakers, so a warmer, more laid back amp helps to balance out the sound so that you end up with something that sounds very nice. Conversely, if you have Paradigm, PSB, Energy or NHT speakers, I would say get the NAD. These speakers are all very warm and a bit laid back and need a bit more energy to get the best sound out of them, hence the NAD recommendation. So let me know what your speakers are. |
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Gold Member Username: HawkHighlands Ranch, CO USA Post Number: 1196 Registered: Dec-03 | Oops. Totally missed your line about getting either MA Bronze or KEF iQ5ss. That makes it easier as I think the NAD is the better match for those speakers. I have heard both speaker lines driven by NAD and it is a very good match. Monitor Audio's Silver line is audibly brighter sounding, so I would recommend the Cambridge for the Silvers, but for the Bronze line, I prefer the NADs. Good luck! |
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New member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 4 Registered: Feb-07 | Thanks for the thoughts. As for the speakers, I am thinking of getting the KEF iq5 floorstanders, or the Monitor Audio Bronze Br5. If I drive down to the big city, I know places where I can listen to both of these with NAD, but I don't know of any that have Cambridge. So maybe that is my best bet, go with the NAD and try each of the speakers... |
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Bronze Member Username: ChicomoralessxmDutch islesCaribbean Post Number: 44 Registered: Feb-07 | hey guys and where are you looking to get NAD stuff online??? Meaning which stores would you reccomend in know of audio advisor any others where you can find deals??? |
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Silver Member Username: Jingka99Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Post Number: 117 Registered: Aug-06 | Joe, any reason you did consider C352? What was your impression of this amp base on your readings/research? I have had a chance to hear C352 with MA B2 and it sound very good, match well I must say as Hawk mentioned... |
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New member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 7 Registered: Feb-07 | Well I think I was mostly drawn to the cheaper price tag of the c320bee and c325bee. Do you know if 1) there is a huge difference in power and drive with the 352, and 2) are there any other differences? In my readings, the 352 also got great reviews, but there just seems to be more chatter about the BEE's, perhaps because of the bang-for-buck factor. |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 4127 Registered: Feb-05 | Simple...at the budget you are looking at, and the speakers you have interest in, the NAD C325BEE and C525BEE represent unbeatable values. Their sound does not in any way give away their price. Leave some money for quality interconnects and speaker cable (and for the naysayers I didn't say a lot of money). |
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Gold Member Username: HawkHighlands Ranch, CO USA Post Number: 1198 Registered: Dec-03 | chico: Several good sources for NAD, but the dealership agreements prohibit purchasing "online" which means that you have to call or email the dealer for a good price. Can't just click a "buy" icon at a greatly reduced price (although you can purchase factory refurbs this way). NAD dealers worth checking out: http://www.spearitsound.com/home.htm https://dmc-electronics.com/Default.htm (talk to David) http://www.saturdayaudio.com/ (talk to Andy Zimmerman) http://www.kiefs.com/ my personal favorite--talk to Ed or email him at edh@kiefs.com. I have dealt with Kiefs for 30 years and everyone i have referred has raved about the prices and the service |
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Bronze Member Username: ChicomoralessxmDutch islesCaribbean Post Number: 46 Registered: Feb-07 | awesome thanks hawk will email right away |
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New member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 8 Registered: Feb-07 | Don't forget Audiogon: www.audiogon.com |
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New member Username: Victeo18London, London Uk Post Number: 2 Registered: Dec-05 | Oopps I might be better off posting here. I am given a NAD 352CT / Monitor Audio B2. Now I need an CD player. I have narrowed down to three choices: 1) NAD 321BEE CDP 2) NAD 342 CDP 3) Cambridge Audio 640C V2 I listen to vocals, jazz, pop, classic rock and some world music... any advice would be most grateful. Interconnect: VDL The Name + QED Bi-wire ? Thank you in advance ! |
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New member Username: Victeo18London, London Uk Post Number: 4 Registered: Dec-05 | Also given the setup above, could anyone advise on interconnects and speaker cables ? |
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Gold Member Username: HawkHighlands Ranch, CO USA Post Number: 1212 Registered: Dec-03 | Vic: Check out the new NAD C325bee CD player. From what I can see, it is identical to the 542 but without the HDCD capability. I have about a dozen HDCDs and I must say I really like to listen to them (on my Rotel with HDCD capability), but HDCD seems to be disappearing from the market, so I don't think you will really miss having it. |
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New member Username: Victeo18London, London Uk Post Number: 5 Registered: Dec-05 | Thank you ! I will. In terms of price the 325BEE and 321BEE CDP are very close ! I think I am going to go for the 342 since it is a "safe" bet ! |
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Bronze Member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 26 Registered: Feb-07 | Just an update from the OP: I have finally decided on my components and speakers. Hawk, I took your advice, and I'm pairing Monitor Audio Silver RS6's with a CA 640A amp. I auditioned the speakers and you're right, they were very bright and forward, and I think they will balance well with the CA. I haven't set it up yet, but will let you all know how it sounds... |
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Bronze Member Username: ChicomoralessxmDutch islesCaribbean Post Number: 83 Registered: Feb-07 | Glad to hear Joe what did you pay for the 640A and rs6's |
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Bronze Member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 28 Registered: Feb-07 | Got the 640a on audiogon for 350, the CA dvd89 new for 329 w/shipping from Decibel Audio website, and the rs6 on audiogon for 750...they are brand new, the person ordered the wrong color and couldn't return them, so I got them at a discount. So I figure it's a $2,000 system that I got for 1,429, I'm pretty happy about it... |
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Silver Member Username: Jingka99KLMalaysia Post Number: 156 Registered: Aug-06 | Joe, Do let us know how they sound when you hook them up! Congrats and Enjoy your Music! |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 4380 Registered: Feb-05 | Joe, I think that will make a nice sounding system. Do you have cables already or is that the next order of business. |
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Bronze Member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 29 Registered: Feb-07 | Actually I'm going to look at cables and interconnects today...any suggestions? I know a store nearby that has Audioquest and Monster Cable, are they any good? |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 4381 Registered: Feb-05 | Audioquest makes very nice cables, Monster not so much. The Audioquest Diamondback is the least of their interconnects that I would recommend. It's a very good cable for the buck. Ask what the comparable Audioquest speaker cable is and I'm sure they will helpful. |
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Silver Member Username: Jingka99KLMalaysia Post Number: 157 Registered: Aug-06 | Audioquest type 4 for speaker cable... |
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Bronze Member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 30 Registered: Feb-07 | OK I finally got the whole system set up, and it sounds fantastic! The soundstage is huge, it really fills the whole house with beautiful sound. If you close your eyes it's hard to place the speakers exactly...just seems to come from everywhere. Treble is very detailed, bass punches VERY hard and tight. There was actually a little too much bass at first, I had to pull the speakers off the wall a bit, and put the foam plugs in the rear port to dampen. I have to say that the speakers sound even better in my home than they did in the demo room. They sounded a little harsh there (demoed with Marantz), but now with the warmth of the Cambridge, they are very smooth and satisfying to the ears. I listened all day yesterday and never got tired of it... I ended up getting Audioquest Type 4 wire, so I bi-wired the rs6's. Oh, and the Mrs. loves the looks of the rs6's, so I got some bonus points there... |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 6486 Registered: Dec-04 | Great sound AND bonus points! Super Joe, play the foum a tune. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 6487 Registered: Dec-04 | that's Elmer Fudd for forum. Edit, where art thou? |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 4405 Registered: Feb-05 | Edit is now available... |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 6489 Registered: Dec-04 | super, because proof reading my own hash has proven less than reliable in the lapse. |
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Silver Member Username: Uback007Post Number: 174 Registered: Mar-06 | Check out www.signalcable.com for the interconnects and www.anticables.com for the speaker cables. Trust me on this- I have signal cable interconnects (the Analog 2's) and think they are amazing for the money ($55 for the pair) The anticables -speaker cables I learned about in The Absolute Sound- they raved about them. They'll set you back about $60 for a 6 ft set. I swear by them and the hype seems to be pretty dead on regarding their sound. |
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Bronze Member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 61 Registered: Feb-07 | Hi guys, sorry to revive such an old thread, but here's the follow-up on my system. The CA 640Av1 and MA RS6 combo still sounds great overall, but I have 2 complaints. The first, and least important, is that the remote on the CA v1 is worthless. But I can live with that...the second, and most important, is that this amp has overheated several times. We occasionally have very loud, extended listening sessions, and the amp gets really hot and the protection kicks in. I have given it better ventilation, and installed a fan, but it still gets really hot and often I am turning the volume past 12 o'clock. The long and short of it is, I think I just need more power. So the question: should I give the 640A v2 a try, what with the 10 more watts and larger heatsinks? Or should I jump the CA ship and switch to a NAD C352? Or do I need to go a level higher, and look at the 740A or C372? I'm willing to spend a little more to be done with it. As for sound quality, I do love the sound, but feel it could use a little bit more imaging on the high end. Does this mean the CA sound is too warm for me? Any thoughts? Cheers |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 1555 Registered: Nov-05 | More power for sure - NAD or CA, it's your ears. No experience with CA, but the C372 will drive hungry speakers without a problem. |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 8519 Registered: Dec-04 | Added cooling? Joe, you might have the wrong range or the wrong brand. Or really inefficient speaker connections... |
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Bronze Member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 62 Registered: Feb-07 | I've got Audioquest Type 4 wire and Audioquest silver banana plugs. They should be efficient enough, no? |
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Bronze Member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 63 Registered: Feb-07 | Oh, and I bi-wired them... |
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Silver Member Username: Uback007Columbus , Ohio USA Post Number: 292 Registered: Mar-06 | i would go the CA 840A route or get the NAD 372- Sounds like you want to party with the system - better to get more power to offer you the extra headroom you're looking for. The 372 and 840 sound pretty darn life-like, with good imaging to boot. Interconnects have a lot to do with imaging however. I lover the Kimber Kable Silver Streaks or Hero's for the money |
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Bronze Member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 65 Registered: Feb-07 | You're right Uback, I want to party with it. That's when it has overheated, is during our extended dance sessions in the big living room. Usually late at night, needless to say. I've been toying with the idea of giving the 640A version 2 a shot, with its improvements and all, but then again, I should probably spend the extra $$ and be done with it. I'm thinking the 740 is a good compromise...unless I can find an 840 used for a bit cheaper... |
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Bronze Member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 66 Registered: Feb-07 | As it turns out, I found a 640A v2 on Audiogon for really cheap, and I couldn't resist the savings compared to a 740 or 840. So far, so good. The extra power is noticeable, and it runs a lot cooler. Doesn't seem to be straining like the v1 did. Imaging is better, as well. And finally, the remote works well! Overall, happy for now...I'll use the savings on a new turntable... |
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Silver Member Username: Uback007Columbus , Ohio USA Post Number: 293 Registered: Mar-06 | congrats-sounds like you got a good deal. I am not making any more purchase decisions until attending the RMAF in October. Cant wait to go. |
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Bronze Member Username: JmsoaveSouth Lake Tahoe, CA USA Post Number: 67 Registered: Feb-07 | Yeah that RMAF looks fun, I'm jealous you're going. Make sure to give a post with your highlights... |
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Silver Member Username: DanmanQUEBEC CANADA Post Number: 697 Registered: Apr-04 | Well, I just made the new purchase of a one month old 840A and 840C Azur. Sold my NAD's in 5 minutes to a guy in the shop! I have been blown away by these CA products for quite some time and I got a great deal from my local retailer from a person who bought them in August only he could not afford the payments. I bought them directly and saved 800$!!!! I was planning on the new power amp and pre but this was a great deal! I will probably buy the power amp and use both together later. But I may also not because the sound is just wonderful as is. I am very surprised as to what CA did for so little money. The CD player in itself is incredible! In the shop, these were next to a 20000$ YBA kit and I can tell you it was not embarassed. Of course the YBA was amazing but it took a lot of $$ to beat the CA. Very detailed. Anyone looking at this price.........look at these 2 and make sure you buy great speakers. |
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Gold Member Username: My_rantzAustralia Post Number: 1613 Registered: Nov-05 | Congrat Danman, I've read great things about those two components. Enjoy! |
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Gold Member Username: NuckPost Number: 8836 Registered: Dec-04 | Attaboy Danman, we have been waiting for a personal review of the 8xx Cambridge stuff for a while. Let us know more. |
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Silver Member Username: DanmanQUEBEC CANADA Post Number: 698 Registered: Apr-04 | O.K. After a week of constant experimenting and comparison, I have decided to only sell one of my NAD 272's and bi-amp with the NAD powering the woofers. This combination proved a very wonderful experience! The 840C is an amazing CD player! I thought the Rega was very good (which it is) but the CA really has pristine treble and mid-range that I have only heard in very expensive players! The upsampling even makes downloaded Mp3 songs sound quite good! The sound is clean and free of any grain. The 542 in comparison is no where near this type of sound but at almost 3 times the price, I would not expect it to be. People, there really is a difference in CD players! The 840A integrated has to be the best I have heard under 5000$ It has amazing control at any volume especially when operating in the Class A mode at lower volumes. This is really wonderful at night when listening with others in the house. No distortion, great bass and mid range and the highs are always under complete control. My biggest amazement came when my dealer said to try the bi-amp method with my 272. At first, I believed that there would be a mis-match in power since the NAD is 150w/ch but I almost forgot that it has a variable output which at the price it sells for is quite something. Actually, I left it on full volume which actually seemed better. The bass was even better than before by a considerable amount. When I had two 272's before, I had them set up as a vertical bi-amp method so this was the first time I tried it this way and I was blown away! The thing I noticed the most however was that both amps took much longer to heat up so the theory of them working less harder deemed true afterall! To make a long story short, I have listened to so many systems over time and I can truely say that the way I am set up right now finally satisfies my tastes fully.............FINALLY! I have always loved my JmLabs and I think they just needed this type of system to make them really sing. CA is selling hi end equipment for a fraction of the cost in my opinion. I do know that they have aquired many of the engineers from Audiolab and this may have something to do with their drastic change since the last three years but at the same time I can still keep one of my precious NAD 272's which in itself, is extremely hard to beat as well................Who knew these two companies in such a fierce competition would be such a wonderful match? |