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Amplifier NAD 3020 measurements from Stereo Review: 1979

brial05

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Several friends had one and interestingly no one I knew had a new one, they were second, third, even forth hand. Everyone thought they could “crank”.
 
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DanielT

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Would you look at that.:)

"INTRODUCING THE C 3050 LE
A CLASSIC REINVENTED
The C 3050 LE Stereophonic Amplifier celebrates the past while embracing the future. Its retro exterior inspired by the NAD 3030 tells the storied history of NAD's 50-year legacy in amplifier innovation, recalling the components that helped a generation of music-lovers discover the joys of great audio. Its advanced engineering provides capabilities that no audiophile could have dreamed of a half-century ago, featuring NAD's most up-to-date componentry. To commemorate NAD's founding year, only 1,972 units of the model will ever be produced, making it a highly coveted keepsake.

The C 3050 LE takes advantage of NAD's latest and greatest amplification technologies, featuring 100 watts per channel of UcD HybridDigital amplification, a high performance 32-bit/384kHz TI PCM5242 differential DAC, the MDC2 BluOS-D module, BluOS wireless hi-res streaming , Dirac Live Room Correction and a host of digital and analogue connection options."
Screenshot_2022-10-23_143516.jpg
20221018214613_NAD-C3050-LE-Front-nback-Above-Web.jpg
Screenshot_2022-10-23_143456.jpg



 
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DanielT

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The power meters are 0dB at 30W and yet it is rated at 100W... Oh dear NAD:facepalm:
They can fix that, if it's not already put into production?

More in this thread about NAD's new::)


Edit:
But actually I don't think it matters much, the VU meters don't really have a function, but they are nice to look at. :)
 
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Mart68

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Good looking amplifier that. Wooden case, analogue level meters, we're back in the 70s.

Needs a loudness button and a subsonic filter to be really proper though.
 

TonyJZX

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only 1972 units.... at usd$1,972

they're trying to be funny

I bet the insides are all basically the C368 whatever. I'm naturally very cynical of dead ringers trying to ape their past catalog... even moreso when they think they are Ferrari and announce only a limited edition release.

Because they wont be used... only put in a closet.
 
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DanielT

DanielT

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only 1972 units.... at usd$1,972

they're trying to be funny

I bet the insides are all basically the C368 whatever. I'm naturally very cynical of dead ringers trying to ape their past catalog... even moreso when they think they are Ferrari and announce only a limited edition release.

Because they wont be used... only put in a closet.
You have a point. We'll see if there will be any tests on it, as well as a more detailed technical review, tear down of the amplifier itself.

I personally think, (even if it looks a little silly with "1972 units.... at usd$1,972") that NAD should put some prestige into this creation, so that it is worth its price, measures well and so on. But we'll see.:)
 

ivayvr

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It will still be more useful than some 4K or more, interconnects!
I am not too crazy about the styling but if you like it, there is nothing wrong with it.
 

TonyJZX

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I do like the original 3020 look...its not trying to be anything special... but by being 'nothing special' it ends up being legendary.

However I'm not a super fan of this 1972 special... the overly florid running script, the offset meters... its just too 'cute' "twee"... I do like the Yamaha 1200/2200/3200 series... that's kind of retro done right IMO...

I think the base Yamaha AS1200 would be cheaper than this NAD where I am and I would take it over this thing any day of the week.
 

mhardy6647

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The weird flat jack panel looks cool but is kind of a PITA in actual use.
They weren't uncommon in the '60s and '70s, but their occurrence was sort of random.
Heathkit and Sansui had them occasionally, as did - if memory serves - the very pedestrian (and very popular*) Pioneer SX-650.
Just thought I'd kind of lob that in there. ;)

________________
* The SX-650 at 35 wpc and popularly priced had just enough goin' on, in an aesthetically attractive package. Pioneer sold gobs of 'em.

1666648057539.png

brochure PDF at:

1603525-pioneer-stereo-receiver.jpg

nice photo of the aft end of an SX-650 from Canuck Audio Mart.
I did have an SX-650 (dump find) for a while. I snapped some piccies but danged if I can find 'em now.
 

dlaloum

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Thirty years Mart? Add at least ten to that! My turntable set-up bench in 1982 or thereabouts had a 3020A and Boston A40's, these mounted on angle brackets - sounded great for the task at hand and that poor little amp was used and abused until at least 1998 when I left there. Only thing that failed on this one was the heavily abused RCA sockets needing re-soldering every few years.

There was a site now long gone that measured the Wattage needed for typical listening to a lower priced audio system and I'm sure I remember the results being around 5W or less, much less generally. Our 3020's had a row of power lights over the volume control, No idea at all how accurate or not they were, but only the first two or maybe three ever usually came on for general listening.

Sonic character was more in the RIAA stage accuracy, as there was a small low bass hump I remember (got the 'Choice tests but not to hand).
I remember recommending that very same combination to a uni friend back in the day.... (circa 1984/85) - Boston A40's and NAD 3020... with a Marantz CD44....
 

Mart68

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I do like the original 3020 look...its not trying to be anything special... but by being 'nothing special' it ends up being legendary.

However I'm not a super fan of this 1972 special... the overly florid running script, the offset meters... its just too 'cute' "twee"... I do like the Yamaha 1200/2200/3200 series... that's kind of retro done right IMO...
The 3020 wasn't the original NAD amplifier, they did some prior to that with the same styling as this one (including the florid script) - this is a tribute/copy/pastiche of those amps, not the 3020.
 
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DanielT

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The 3020 wasn't the original NAD amplifier, they did some prior to that with the same styling as this one (including the florid script) - this is a tribute/copy/pastiche of those amps, not the 3020.
Yep, there were other NAD models before the 3020. Check here, looks pretty much the same.Or rather, especially the VU meters and their placement look very similar. NAD 60- Stereo Integrated Amplifier (1975):
NAD-60.jpg



20221018214613_NAD-C3050-LE-Front-nback-Above-Web (1).jpg



Edit
But that's how it looked with many VU meters, from different manufacturers. Here a Swedish Luxor amp from the late 1970s. It has nothing to do with NAD, other than the apparently period-typical VU meters:

Luxor-7082A-57075-b.jpeg


 
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Monkme

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Hey there. I have one question about the nad 3020. I want to use it as a pre-amp only to power my active speakers. If I use the pre-out, will the volume control still work? Many thanks in advance!!
 
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DanielT

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Hey there. I have one question about the nad 3020. I want to use it as a pre-amp only to power my active speakers. If I use the pre-out, will the volume control still work? Many thanks in advance!!
New member, welcome.:)

Are you thinking of using, or buying an old NAD 3020 and using it as a pre amp?
I think I said that earlier in the thread, can't remember. I'll take it again. My experience with the NAD 3020 has unfortunately been of a mechanically rather loud humming transformer. Sound from the transformer itself, not a humming sound out of the speakers. This with the NAD 3020 bought a few years ago. We are talking about a roughly 40 year old amp so things can wear out. Maybe, I don't know, if the humming is because the NAD 3020 went on, was designed for 220 V but it is now changed to 230 V in the sockets/the electrical grid in Sweden. Or just the transformer had dried up and because of that it started humming, or some other electrical part was the cause, I don't know.

In any case, I know several others who have pointed out this transformer humming problem with the NAD 3020. Whether you are bothered by it or not depends, of course, on how sensitive you are to that sound, how physically close you are to the amplifier and how loud you play (so it drowns out the transformer). Normal listening volume, placed in a living room, I think most people won't care. Placed in a bedroom, near the bed, listened to at low volume, well maybe.

It is also not certain that your (future?) NAD 3020 will have this mentioned transformer problem.:)
 

Monkme

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I think buying a low budget 30+ years old amp always goes with a certain risk of failure. But I have very accurate dynaudio monitors connected to a technics 1210 and I intend to add some warmth to the whole chain. And its placed in my living room.
 
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