It appears that my NAD 304 is dead at 21

At least no sound comes out, anyway. The red light that goes on at turn-on doesn't turn green as it should and the speakers are silent. Sound does come out of the headphone output, however.

Best $165 I ever spent. (Brand closeout sale- $380 msrp)

 

What is a 304? An integrated amp? A receiver? A preamp? We are not all privy to the lore of NAD ...

Clue us in, man!

 

Oops, sorry. A 35 wpc integrated of the mid 90s, made somewhat famous by a ga-ga Stereophile review by kid reviewer Corey Greenberg. Had alleged dynamic power of 160 wpc into 4 ohms. And in fact, the little guy never broke a sweat for me. Whatever it lacked, it was always affable and easy on the ears. IOW, an old friend.

 

sounds like an output transistor.
can be repaired.
its still better sonically than modern rubbish,
i would get it serviced.

 

Fixit!

 

Often those receivers power the headphone jack using a resistor network off the speaker amp. Rather than having a dedicated separate headphone amp that would add to the cost. If the NAD is using a resistor network to power the headphone jack, and you're getting sound from the headphone jack, then the amp part of the receiver is not completely dead yet (cue Monty Python).

I don't know if the NAD 304 integrated is using a resistor network for the headphones or not. You'd need to check the schematics. The specs say the headphone output impedance is 220 ohms, so it likely is using a resistor network.

 

Interesting.Twenty one years old,eh?
How long can we expect an amplifier to last?
My Rotel is 22 and has developed distortion and sound cutting out,related to the knobs on the front,I think.I've so far managed to keep it at bay by frequent spraying of contact cleaner.
Is it on its last legs or can I get a few more years out of it?
Grateful for any advice.

 

I experienced the same horror of my trusty old NAD dying just a couple of years ago. I went down the repair route, but sadly this only bought me an extra 3 months, at which point something else blew and I was back to square one.
I'm sure many other people will have positive experiences of repairing components and living happily ever after, but in my case I've learnt to hold a small service of thanks and remembrance, followed by buying a brand new shiny marantz (feel the warmth!).

 

My first 'good' amplifier was the Rotel 1085, I bought it new in 2000 for $800. I loved it but after 9 years it started having the exact symptoms you describe, sound cutting out in one channel and being related to fiddling with a knob on the front. I forget which knob. Anyways, instead of getting it repaired I traded it in towards a Rega Brio3. It's still going strong now after 7 years but I'm itching to upgrade!

 

things like capacitors are easily checked.if you measure at various points and when you get to a point where say you have 54V and the nextbpoint should be 48 and its still 54 the component its feeding is not drawing.
im my case the output transistors were not drawing. they were defective.
this was on mu old Sony TS 1010.
A good serviceman would overhaul it and put it back as new
remember these sre totally discrete designs.

 

I would get it fixed. I had an integrated fixed at a local shop (no sound) for about 60 bones..back in bidness

 

I wonder ..... would it likely need to be someone who knows the brand? I live in a town of 10-12,000 with a decent TV-stereo store, but they would likely not have seen a NAD (unless NAD has recently gotten into car stereo). I think it'd be $60 just to drop it off and pick it up. I'd guess there isn't a NAD dealer within 175 miles, if then. Hence my assumption that the ol' girl is likely not to live again. (Inquiry is probably free, however.)

 

My ailing NAD integrated was serviced by an old fashioned local radio/TV repair shop and they did a splendid job, even though they most certainly weren't an authorised NAD service center (there's only one of those in Finland).

I like my NAD amps so much that I would most certainly check if they can be repaired, should there be something wrong with them.

 

Only 21 years. Blasphemy......

 

I took a 1985 Parasound DR-25 to a store that sells musical instruments and repairs guitar amps and such. I don't think the guy ever heard of Parasound. He fixed it I keep a spare to cannibalize from, but he didn't need it.

 

Kinda what I keep thinking.

 

Lasted a lot longer than the reviewer.

 

At 21 years, I can understand the attachment to such an item. However, you could get the latest generation of this amp (NAD C316BEE) for less than $300. Probably will cost close to that for shipping and service to NAD.

 

Which is one reason I will definitely feel out the local guy to see if he sounds confident of success and how much it might cost. The C326 has had appeal for a while now, especially with remote and sub out.

 

Yes, the 316 has no sub out. If your local dude can fix it for small change, then "keep the party rolling" with that gear!

 

Ever heard of "The Google"?

 

Is it on the cyber?

 

I was just trying to nudge a more informative thread title, so SpeedMorris could get more responses.

 

So sorry for your loss.
Every once in a while (like after reading the OP above), I get a cold sweat thinking what I would replace my 3020 with if it ever gives out (36 years old and still going).

 

NP...can't resist an opportunity to make fun of "W"...

Urban Dictionary: The Google »