Amplifier NAD 3020 measurements from Stereo Review: 1979

[TonyJZX]

i think there's some interesting factoids here...

many of us had one

many of us blew it up

most of us did not buy it new

i actually bought mine from an old couple who really didnt have the hearing any more for it

mine was a late model... 35w and it had banana posts

i used it on a heap of stuff, mainly English and Aus. speakers because that's all there was here (US and EU equipment was exotic)

never ran out of power, never hummed either... but i replaced it with those gen one early 5.1 receivers and never came back to it... until i was bored one day and powered it back on and it was dead silent, power but no sound

i think i paid $100 for it... then ended paying another $100 to fix it... and as usual, engaged the services of an elderly asian gentleman

i ended up giving it to a friend of mine from university and we all went our separate ways and i never saw it again... miss my colleague from university... the 3020 not so much

out of university i started earning a heap of money so spent it on fast cars, fast women and booze and expensive audio equipment... the rest i wasted (a story as old as time)

 

[LTig]

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.

I wouldn't expect "warmth" from a proper designed solid state preamp - at least not from the line level section. Use tone controls.

 

[DanielT]

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.

Do you want colored sound? Buy a tube pre amp, with a decent amount of distortion (for your purpose much distortion).
Or add EQ. It's in line with what LTig suggested, just an extension. With an EQ, you have more possibilities to fix your FR as you want it.
Perhaps both EQ and distortion coloring tube amp +EQ? Many people eventually get tired of a colored sound, but on the other hand, there are those who don't, so if you feel like testing, do it.

Do you need a pre amp for your speakers, so why not a DAC with volume control?Or maybe you use other sources, vinyl?

 

[mhardy6647]

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.

When my wife and I were shopping for our first house, we enlisted the counsel of a friend who was, among other things, a licensed realtor. He walked through a house we were fairly seriously considering. After apprising it, he said, "Well, if you buy this house, you're buying a hobby!"

If you buy a "low budget 30+ year old amp", I'd opine, it's not so much a risk of failure as a need to come to grips with the notion that you're buying a hobby. If that's not what you want to do, that's probably not a good choice for you.

We bought another house.

 

[DanielT]

When my wife and I were shopping for our first house, we enlisted the counsel of a friend who was, among other things, a licensed realtor. He walked through a house we were fairly seriously considering. After apprising it, he said, "Well, if you buy this house, you're buying a hobby!"

If you buy a "low budget 30+ year old amp", I'd opine, it's not so much a risk of failure as a need to come to grips with the notion that you're buying a hobby. If that's not what you want to do, that's probably not a good choice for you.

We bought another house.

Add at least 10 years, if we are talking about NAD 3020.

I agree with the analogy to a certain extent, but with the addition. NAD 3020 costs in comparison to a house peanuts. Sad if it breaks and you bought it for, lets say $150 (or whatever they cost on the used market, around $150 I think,maybe $200 ). But then it can be sold as spare parts for around $50.
That's a $100 , $150 loss. Nothing to cry blood over.
(annoying but not much more than that)

 

[mhardy6647]

It probably won't break per se -- but it will need rehabilitation.
The alternative is to buy a competently rehabilitated example -- but that will eliminate the "low cost"... because it's not an inexpensive thing to do, especially if one needs to pay for parts and labor.
Thus, the hobby.
When I acquire an 'as-is' 30, 40, 50, 60, or 70 year old* piece of hardware, I know I'll be investing sweat equity in it, sooner or later... or it will ever be a shelf queen.

_______________
* that's about my limit, although I know folks rockin' 1930s-era hardware from, e.g., RCA, to good effect. Again, though, a hobby.

 

[Joe Smith]

Still using my first generation 1020 preamp, bought used about 10 years ago. It's working great. Recently replaced two large caps in it but my tech friend who did the work said the old caps were actually still measuring very near spec. Nice phono section. Currently using in my workroom system feeding an Aiyima A07 amp, they pair very nicely.

 

[DanielT]

It probably won't break per se -- but it will need rehabilitation.
The alternative is to buy a competently rehabilitated example -- but that will eliminate the "low cost"... because it's not an inexpensive thing to do, especially if one needs to pay for parts and labor.
Thus, the hobby.
When I acquire an 'as-is' 30, 40, 50, 60, or 70 year old* piece of hardware, I know I'll be investing sweat equity in it, sooner or later... or it will ever be a shelf queen.

View attachment 267782
_______________
* that's about my limit, although I know folks rockin' 1930s-era hardware from, e.g., RCA, to good effect. Again, though, a hobby.

Undeniably it is so. Expensive to submit to a professional repairman who charges by the hour. Nop, if you're going to tinker with vintage whatever it is cars, boats, old electronics and so on, you should have the knowledge and the ability to tinker with that stuff yourself.

My guess. If, on the other hand, you are really rich (money is no obstacle rich that is) and interested in HiFi and possible vintage HiFi then I can imagine that submission to a repairer for a recap, service, restoring to mint condition is done for the most sought-after, largest receiver that was produced during the receiver war. The NAD 3020 for an uber-rich is only seen as something that the masses had and is thus not exclusive or interesting enough.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://hifigoteborg.se/pdf/The_receiver_wars.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwifg4zDjLX9AhX-RPEDHSGqAvgQFnoECBUQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2AemAP1jInVmEPAM55Xi9x

Or, who knows, maybe some insanely expensive old tube amp for the uber rich vintageHiFi interested? I don't know anyway because I'm not uber rich.

Edit
A video tip, for those who are interested:

 

[Joe Smith]

I've bought a fully restored Marantz 2216 and had the same expert restore my Kenwood KA-3500 two years ago. Plan to do one more, either my HK 430 or Yamaha CR-420. Then I'll be good for the long haul with some good, basic vintage hardware. So it's not only the TOTL stuff that deserve to get love. My friend said that the board layout on the KA-3500 was pretty annoying to work on, though.

 

[mhardy6647]

The KA-3500 was, as I am sure you know, BOTL -- more charitably, entry level. Since its specs were similar to the KA-5700 (at least in terms of power output), I have assumed it was a "loss leader" of sorts for the integrated amp buyers* of the day.
Not a bad amplifier, but not quite a product for the ages, even by massmarket standards.
EDIT: The KA-3500, to its credit, is a very attractive little integrated. See post below

Yamaha fanboy though I be -- I'd get do the hk430 if it's gotta be one or the other**.

______________________
* i.e., those of us fairly serious about sound reproduction but on a limited budget. More watts per dollar with no tuner section in the mix!
** Yamaha fanboy that I am -- I'd have given the 2216 a hard pass and done the CR-420. Not a fan of the Superscope-era Marantz stuff in general -- and, yes, I have a 2216. It was worth the $20 it cost at a local ham/electronics swapmeet a few years back, in good working albeit original condition.

 

[mhardy6647]

Speaking of Superscope Marantz. One of these two rather grubby (but working) unrestored examples is going to get voted off the island this week -- while folks are still seemingly eager to pay outrageous sums for these thoroughly ordinary little integrateds.

 

[mhardy6647]

oh, I forgot to drop this bit of mid/late 1970s ephemera into the post above.
... so I am gonna put it here.

 

[DanielT]

oh, I forgot to drop this bit of mid/late 1970s ephemera into the post above.
... so I am gonna put it here.

Superb! That you post information about vintage, I really like it.

I still don't understand why there isn't a dedicated vintage section here on ASR?

 

[mhardy6647]

Superb! That you post information about vintage, I really like it.

I still don't understand why there isn't a dedicated vintage section here on ASR?

Umm, because, by modern standards, most of it doesn't measure very well?

Actually, given this site's focus, some vintage bits and pieces have gotten a fair amount of "airplay" here.

e.g.,

The New Advent Loudspeaker Review (Vintage Speaker)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the "The New Advent Loudspeaker" vintage speaker, circa 1977. The sample under test was kindly provided by our own @Dennis Murphy. He has looked it over and replaced a crossover capacitor to make sure it has the value it originally had. The woofer...

www.audiosciencereview.com

There are also a few interesting threads on the topic.

e.g.,

Vintage amplifiers that could challenge or approach current state of the art amplifiers

I was asked by @GXAlan to suggest a "top 3" amplifiers, but to narrow down to just 3 seems an impossible task. There have been thousands of wonderful products from many hundreds of manufacturers for well over half a century, but which ones have the performance chops to equal or better some of...

www.audiosciencereview.com

... and, of course...

Sony Tapecorder 101 Review (Vintage Reel to Reel)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Sony Tapecorder Model 101 vintage Reel to Reel tape recorder. My brother found it for me at a Goodwill store. The 101 was released in 1959 and retailed for 29,800 Japanese Yen (today's conversion and adjusted for inflation: $2,377). I must stay...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[DanielT]

Umm, because, by modern standards, most of it doesn't measure very well?

Actually, given this site's focus, some vintage bits and pieces have gotten a fair amount of "airplay" here.

e.g.,

The New Advent Loudspeaker Review (Vintage Speaker)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the "The New Advent Loudspeaker" vintage speaker, circa 1977. The sample under test was kindly provided by our own @Dennis Murphy. He has looked it over and replaced a crossover capacitor to make sure it has the value it originally had. The woofer...

www.audiosciencereview.com

There are also a few interesting threads on the topic.

e.g.,

Vintage amplifiers that could challenge or approach current state of the art amplifiers

I was asked by @GXAlan to suggest a "top 3" amplifiers, but to narrow down to just 3 seems an impossible task. There have been thousands of wonderful products from many hundreds of manufacturers for well over half a century, but which ones have the performance chops to equal or better some of...

www.audiosciencereview.com

... and, of course...

Sony Tapecorder 101 Review (Vintage Reel to Reel)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Sony Tapecorder Model 101 vintage Reel to Reel tape recorder. My brother found it for me at a Goodwill store. The 101 was released in 1959 and retailed for 29,800 Japanese Yen (today's conversion and adjusted for inflation: $2,377). I must stay...

www.audiosciencereview.com

You tie the sack for me. Why not gather all these threads under a separate dedicated vintage umbrella/section? Perhaps that discussion is best taken in a separate thread on Forum Suggestions?

 

[mhardy6647]

You tie the sack for me. Why not gather all these threads under a separate dedicated vintage umbrella/section? Perhaps that discussion is best taken in a separate thread on Forum Suggestions?

Yes. Do it.
Unless you'd really prefer me to do it.

 

[fpitas]

I welcome a vintage section with measurements, but I think any particular example purchased by a member may or may not measure like the one tested on ASR. Age and the state of (dis)repair will be a huge wild card.

 

[Joe Smith]

The KA-3500 was, as I am sure you know, BOTL -- more charitably, entry level. Since its specs were similar to the KA-5700 (at least in terms of power output), I have assumed it was a "loss leader" of sorts for the integrated amp buyers* of the day.
Not a bad amplifier, but not quite a product for the ages, even by massmarket standards.
EDIT: The KA-3500, to its credit, is a very attractive little integrated. See post below

Yamaha fanboy though I be -- I'd get do the hk430 if it's gotta be one or the other**.

______________________
* i.e., those of us fairly serious about sound reproduction but on a limited budget. More watts per dollar with no tuner section in the mix!
** Yamaha fanboy that I am -- I'd have given the 2216 a hard pass and done the CR-420. Not a fan of the Superscope-era Marantz stuff in general -- and, yes, I have a 2216. It was worth the $20 it cost at a local ham/electronics swapmeet a few years back, in good working albeit original condition.

Yeah, I kind of like the BOTL end of the spectrum - it is always interesting to see what the good brands do at the price-limited side of things. The KA-3500, rebuilt, sounds great right now in my main living room system. (More power than I really need for the the ADS L520 speakers, oh well, a nice bit of headroom for them.)

The rebuilt Marantz 2216 is, I think, better than when new. JP put in a lot of improved components. I would have rather bought an integrated than another receiver, but my very first receiver was a 2245 back in 1974, so I was feeling nostalgic. For a small room, the sound from the 2216 is very good and it has a good phono section too. He also had an unrestored 2230 to sell, but I chose the 2216, as he'd put so much work into it. And, he sold it for only $130 so it was a pretty good deal.

Yeah, if push comes to shove, I will probably put some $ into the HK430 rather than the Yammie, hard call though. I have some aging 330Bs I can sell off to help pay for the redo. The HK 430 is a very good sounding unit even unrestored.

I bought too many vintage pieces a few years back, I was on a bit of a tear. Now I'm thinking of gently thinning the herd so I can get a decent Hypex-based amp for the main system next year.

 

[Joe Smith]

oh, I forgot to drop this bit of mid/late 1970s ephemera into the post above.
... so I am gonna put it here.

Ah, I do miss a well-written hi fi ad. How many descriptions of systems I salivated over as a teenager. Finally got my first system on Van Nuys Blvd in 74 - Marantz 2245, HK 2000 tape deck, Dual 1229 turntable, Rogersound Labs speakers. I was in hog heaven.

 

[restorer-john]

The KA-3500 was, as I am sure you know, BOTL -- more charitably, entry level.

The KA-3300 was BOTL.