nad with b&w speakers

greg_bun · 06-12-2003, 11:40 AM

Does anyone use nad receivers with b&w 600 series speakers?
I was thinking of the nad t752 with 602 front/601 rear/LCR60 center. Would this be a good match?

I would like a comparison of the t752 with the denon 3802/1082 - which would be better with these speakers?

Have the quality issues with the nad been resolved?

Albert Damico · 06-12-2003, 02:16 PM

You should get a few responses on this post. I believe that you will hear that Denon sounds much warmer than the NAD and that the NAD will sound more neutral. I happen to agree with this. I have many different receivers and amps in my home by a variety of manufacturers. I have also listened to quite a few as well. For music, I don't believe you can beat the NAD. It is simply the best sounding receiver for music reproduction I have ever heard. Of course this will depend on what speakers you match with it. As it is a very neutral receiver with a great power supply, very honestly rated, I believe you will get a great sound regardless of what speakers you choose. Denon is somehwhat warmer and when matched with speakers that are also warm (like B&W) you may or may not like the sound. This is a very opinionated reply, though. Many people like a warm sound. Some like a more bright sound. Myself, I go for as flat and neautral sound as I can get. I want the music/source to account for the nuances in the movie/music, not the equipment. But this is just my opinion, and does not make me right. Its just my taste. By the way, NAD has worked out the issues that you mentioned. Also, I have Sherbourn amp and B&K Ref 50 for my HT setup, a Yamaha for my second HT, a variety of other amps for my guitars and keyboards, but I have the NAD T752 driving my music room. Good luck!

greg_bun · 06-12-2003, 03:45 PM

Thanks.

I'm just really getting started into all this music/HT hulabaloo! Of course I've listened to music all my life, and watched movies all my life, but I'll be darned if I know what 'warm' and 'bright' mean. I suppose that depends upon the individual also. When I started researching all this, I had no idea that one should try to match a receiver/amp with a speaker. I agree that I want the music/source to be reason for what I hear, not the equipment I am using.

John Garcia · 06-12-2003, 04:02 PM

You cannot avoid having the gear influence the sound to some degree.

I have heard the 600 series and the CDM-1NT with NAD (752 was not available yet) and I felt it was a good match. Clean, clear and not too laid back.

I have also heard the 1NT with Marantz, and the sound was quite good as well.

The 3802 did not impress me with music, and that was with speakers that I am fond of and my own music. HT ability was very good though. I have yet to hear the 3803.

Brad Newton · 06-12-2003, 05:33 PM

I have listened to the B & W 603's several times, and they did not seem clear to me. The vocals seemed slurred....unlike the Klipsch (which seemed kind of harsh) and the Paradigm's that I liked. I have not had any experience with the NAD unit, but I just didn't come away with a good feeling for the B & W's.

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Jonathan M · 06-12-2003, 08:25 PM

I've heard a number of NAD power amps with B&W 600 series (Not the current series though) and they have all matched quite nicely. The B&W's are a good set of speakers (Probably what I'd go for if I didn't design my own) and the NAD amps provide good control due to their solid power ratings. I think it'll be a good match, but try and get an audition in your own home if at all possible.

Haven't heard the denon stuff, so I can't comment - just make sure it's got enough power for what you'll need.

Mike_Gr · 06-12-2003, 10:42 PM

I listened to B&W earlier today (603s, 604s, CDM 9NT)on a Rotel 1066 (I think that was the model). The 603s and 604s were decent...but something was just off a little...maybe not as detailed and clear as I would prefer. I didn't find them 'warm' or 'laid-back' at all; rather I found them to be quite forward but not to the point of brightness/harshness.

The CDM 9NT was much better...had the detail and accuracy the others were missing. Although it was very nice..I surely wouldn't pay $2,600 for them. IMO I could do much better for the money.

Back to the point...NAD. The only receiver that comes close to the T752 is the Rotel. IMO the NAD performs significantly better than the Denon for both music and home theatre....with the emphasis on music. I also find the NAD to be more aesthetically pleasing.

greg_bun · 06-13-2003, 11:56 AM

Question about the nad 752 - on the back there are 'main' and 'preout' jacks. Reading the manual (online) there is a way to jump the fronts to the rears if have a separate amp for the fronts (making a 7.1 system) but if DON'T do that, what are the 'main' input jacks used for? I thought if you wanted to just use the receiver as a processor, you could use the 'preouts' to connect to a separate amp. So what are the 'main' jacks used for?

Jonathan M · 06-13-2003, 05:44 PM

The Main-ins allow you to use the amplifiers for something else - ie if you decide to go for external amplification for some of the channels in the future, you have the opportunity to use the amplifier units (Front 3 on the T752, all 6 on the T762) for some other duty (For instance - powering the rear surrounds in a 7.1 system whilst using an external 5 channel amp for the rest, powering bass shakers, biamping via an external active xover - the list goes on.) Basically when upgrading via an external amplifier, you can still use the amps in the receiver for some other duty - they're not just sitting there unused.

Hope this helps.



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