I'll never buy another NAD.

Discussion in 'Audio Hardware' started by Larry Naramore, Sep 3, 2011.

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  1. Gardo

    Gardo Audio Epistemologist

    Location:
    Virginia
    After about 18 months, my NAD 542 CD player started having problems initializing discs. The display would read "no disc" and that would be the end of the story. Sometimes I could force it to initialize by cycling power, or by trying a different disc. Generally, when any disc played, all subsequent discs would play for that session of listening ... but the next session would have the same problem, even if I left the power on and a disc in the machine.

    Apparently this is a common problem with at least one run of these machines. One user quotes a NAD Technical Bulletin here: http://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/forum/home-audio/169450.html#POST1008402

    I liked the sound quite a bit while it was working more consistently. As the errors increased, the sound quality decreased. :)
     
  2. helter

    helter Forum Resident

    Location:
    NJ
    I have the T-163 and T973 separates that I bought about 7 or 8 years ago.
    Best sounding amp I ever heard at that time.
     
  3. I had a NAD rig many moons ago - 1700 pre and 555 amp. The pair were rock solid and kept me plenty happy for years.

    That being said - as is often the case - I think that they went mainstream consumer level and have gotten a bit crappier over the years. Quality control and design are not what they once were.

    I expect that, like many great brands throughout the years, that quality will fade in the name of profits until the brand reputation is shot. Sad to see them go the way of great names like Fisher and JVC and ... but looks like that is where they are headed.

    Scottie
     
  4. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    NAD acknowledged problems with CD players and AVR's in the past. The bigger you are the more ob vious your flaws. That said the C326BEE is one their best budget amps, ever.
     
  5. Lord Hawthorne

    Lord Hawthorne Currently Untitled

    Location:
    Portland, Oregon
    I'm not a fan of NAD gear, too many repairs most of the time. I decline to buy them now when people bring them to my store.
     
  6. MacGyver

    MacGyver Forum Resident

    Location:
    IRRIGON, OR. U.S.
    hmmm... NAD, some of the most cosmetically repulsive Hi-Fi gear ever designed...
     
  7. swvcc

    swvcc Active Member

    Location:
    KY
    I've got a broken NAD cassette deck myself...
     
  8. rpd

    rpd Senior Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    I love the way their stuff looks. Always have.
     
  9. bluesky

    bluesky Senior Member

    Location:
    south florida, usa
    I really love the sound of my 2010 NAD C-515BEE CD player.

    It only jammed on 2 cds so far. But it always jamms on 'those 2 cds'??? Don't know why?

    Hope it lasts a long time but I just know it's gonna malfunction, sooner than later. I just know it. Hope not. It's got wonderful sound! It's gonna crash, I know it. Maybe not. That's NAD. Living in uncertainty.

    I do really like the way it 'looks'. It's 'look' fit's vintage gear perfect.

    Who knows, maybe it will last...we'll find out. If I get 4-5 years out of it, that's ok. Longer would be better. It does 'sound' really fine! I do have to admit that.

    This is my first, and will be my last, NAD.
     
  10. Larry Naramore

    Larry Naramore Bonafied Knucklehead Thread Starter

    Location:
    Sun Valley, Calif.
    Never tried two CDs at once. :confused:

    Have you tried player them separately?
     
    David Ellis likes this.
  11. NorthNY Mark

    NorthNY Mark Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canton, NY, USA
    Funny--I always had the opposite impression of Volkswagen, i.e., that it featured very classy and attractive Euro-styled design, but was considered terribly overpriced for its poor reliability. I tend to think of Honda or Toyota fitting your description, and that's how I've always perceived NAD--simple, unspectacular, but reliable and a good value. Certainly the CD player (I think it's a 540i model or something like that) I bought ten years ago is still going strong. But sorry to hear that things have apparently been going downhill for them.
     
  12. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
     
  13. rpd

    rpd Senior Member

    Location:
    Nashville
    If they gave you a choice to pay $200 more for a made in UK version, would you pay the additional cost?
     
  14. trumpetplayer

    trumpetplayer Senior Member

    Location:
    michigan
    Same problem with the T585 dvd player
     
  15. Purplerocks

    Purplerocks Forum Resident

    Location:
    IN
    I had 2 integrated NAD's over the past 12 yrs or so, up until earlier this yr when I seriously upgraded but mine were turned on and left on continuously and I never had any problems whatsoever fortunately. Sorry to hear that's apparently not the case with many of you.
     
  16. Vidiot

    Vidiot Now in 4K HDR!

    Location:
    Hollywood, USA
    Wasn't that an old Seekers song?

    "And I know I'll never buy... another NAD..."
     
  17. Larry Naramore

    Larry Naramore Bonafied Knucklehead Thread Starter

    Location:
    Sun Valley, Calif.
    don't think you can turn them off. Just a sleeping type mode
     
  18. LeeS

    LeeS Music Fan

    Location:
    Atlanta
    I like my nads too but I don't speak about it in public. ;)
     
    David Ellis likes this.
  19. Dougr33

    Dougr33 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Twin Cities, MN
    I've had 8 (modern, post 2005) pieces in the past 5 years, and they've all been great. Each new generation sounds better than the last. I think they're a great value. (though they made a big price jump last time from C162/272 to C165/275).
     
  20. Snashforce

    Snashforce Living Stereo

    Location:
    NC
    The front "power" button toggles between "on" and "standby", but there is an actual power switch on the back.

    I have a NAD C 315BEE, their cheapest integrated from a few years ago, and it sounds wonderful for a 40 wpc solid state amp, and has never given me any problems.
    I'm sorry to hear about these quality control issues.
     
  21. Jim N.

    Jim N. Just another day in what was once Paradise...

    Location:
    So Cal
    NAD quality has never been the same since they moved production to China. It was once industrial looks with industrial strength. Now it's just the looks ;-).

    I bought a 7140 integrated amp in the mid 1980's. I used it for 7 years and sold it to a friend when I went with Adcom separates. The 7140 is still going strong for him.

    Another friend still uses a NAD 5220 CD player, which is from the 80's.
     
  22. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    I had an 80's NAD receiver that the display went out on time and again. NAD has never been about hi end build quality. It's great sound on a budget and has always been built that way. Some pieces last a long time and others have QC issues from the get go and that hasn't changed either. The only thing that has changed is that NAD is no longer a small company and all of their failures are magnified by the number of units they produce. Not to difficult to figure out, really.

    I have one of their CD players and will be looking to move on to something else in the near future. I needed something to hold me over between my Rega Saturn which didn't work well in my present setup and the next player I buy..the C545BEE at $299 refurbed fit the bill.
     
  23. steveharris

    steveharris Senior Member

    Location:
    Mass
    What is a possible cd player you would like to move on to next?
     
  24. Art K

    Art K Retired but not tired!

    Location:
    Corvallis, Oregon
    I really don't know. I'm looking for something that has great synergy with the pieces I have. It'll be quite some time before I can put the funds together meanwhile I'll do some listening. Brands that interest me are Naim, Simaudio and Arcam, and yes I realize that these three couldn't possibly sound more different...home demo would be nice.
     
  25. vanhooserd

    vanhooserd Senior Member

    Location:
    Nashville,TN
    i've been using a C320 BEE for 5+ years with no problems.i use only the power section with an Adcom or Anthem preamp,which gives better sound than the NAD as an integrated.
     
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