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pogo
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What are your sources? Maybe you have the possibility to use an equalizer function. Or simply play back via Bluetooth from your smartphone and use an EQ app (on a trial basis).
After some more critical listening today I noticed that the Soundstage of nad is narrower. For sure there is no comparison in detail. Back to back I could hear sounds in nad stand out that I had to go back in dennon and pay attention to pick out. Comparing those two I feel like the nad doesn't justify the price premium to dennon. Rotel ra 1592 is coming....
Spotify streaming from fire TV. Using Bluetooth didn't change things much
Amplifiers have no effect on soundstage. Lots of nonsense lately in this thread.
HarmonicTHD
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Are you comparing blindly (ABX)? Are you level matching before listening? Are all sound effects (Loundness, Dyn EQ, Audyssey, etc) set to off in each device?
What if we take a ~100W/ch Yamaha Top Art amp and compare that to a linear power output 75 Watt/ch pure class A? The class A part can take the backseat because it doesn't matter what matters is the 75 Watt@8R/150W@4R/300W@2R linear load-line power output rating that matters. Would that not affect the imaging versus a non-linear power output Yamaha? Like is the power output enough to make a difference in SPL and is there enough dynamic power output to peak at high enough levels to make that timing difference substantial enough for results? Does the additional linearity of power output make that last few percent of difference or is it infinitesimally small?
HarmonicTHD
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I think the OP compares the NAD C399 to a Denon X3800. Would you expect differences in imaging assuming all being set to neutral and level matched?
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I think they are significantly different enough on the power specs that there could at least be a imaging variation. That's why I think a linear power output amp has a benefit compared to something less capable. I really am flying by the seat of my pants on this and not being objective enough to really say. Doing the physics on it all from signal end to transducer and to the ear to the brain would be pretty cool to determine the imaging requirements and then prove or disprove the SPL at the ear for the imaging peaks. Lotsa variation on skills and science there.
HarmonicTHD
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Thanks. Interesting. My seats of pants tended towards that the difference would be very very hard to detect audibly when playing music at reasonable levels. But as you said one would have to run the numbers.
My money is more on the OP not level matching, not blind listening and not having all sound effects set to off or a combination of all. But again we will never know for sure.
Regarding the use of the C399-Dirac with dual subwoofers, the review at https://www.soundandvision.com/content/nad-c-399-integrated-amplifier-review-page-2 says "Although the subwoofer signals are summed, they are addressed independently by the Dirac Live room correction". I haven't seen this mentioned anywhere else. Can anyone confirm whether or not the 2 subwoofer outputs are independent - i.e. a left channel test signal only comes out of the left-channel subwoofer and not both?
UPDATE: NAD confirms that the 2 sub outputs are both summed L+R, not discrete left and right.
UPDATE: NAD confirms that the 2 sub outputs are both summed L+R, not discrete left and right.
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Ok. Tried to make the test as objective as I could. There is definitely a difference in sound of denon pma 600ne. (Btw). I also tested the rotel....
Unfortunately I don't think I will keep the nad. Discovered what seems to be a bug. Remember when I mentioned increasing bass didn't make any difference? This is cause it doesn't work. I figured a way to make it work. If I first change tremble and then try again, it works.
Unfortunately I don't think I will keep the nad. Discovered what seems to be a bug. Remember when I mentioned increasing bass didn't make any difference? This is cause it doesn't work. I figured a way to make it work. If I first change tremble and then try again, it works.
lateralous
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As an owner of this product, I think the BluOS module is essential to its value. Many seem to have success with miniDSP products in combination with a more basic amplifier; probably a cheaper route but was not worth the hassle to me ensuring the piecemeal solution had all the required inputs in combination with a quality amp when this had it all in a single box.
pogo
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Can this behavior be confirmed by another user?
If not, you should do a factory reset.
I assume that you have the latest firmware on your C399.
Are you using digital input on both Denon and NAD? If so, you are not just comparing amplifiers, but DACs as well. Nevertheless, if you have already decided on returning the unit then no actions are adviced, but a comparison with external DAC would be interesting.
I also remember that NAD C 399 sounded bit more lean and neutral compared to NAD M10 up to a point of me thinking it sounded worse, but after a brief listening I concurred that it was for better. I have not since done a back-to-back comparison even though I would have the opportunity, I like to keep to my initial impressions, even if imagined
pogo
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This is exactly what would be expected
Hi there! I am experiencing a sort of delay or threshold issue with my C399: A NAD cd-player is connected via coaxial input. The first half of a second of a song gets cut and isn't audible. There might be a delay or threshold issue within the digital signal path. I took a small clip of the issue I am having to demonstrate. Can somebody look into it and maybe try to recreate with their unit?
In this example...the first syllable of the sung word "anyway" is not audible, gets cut...so you just hear "wayyy".
In this example...the first syllable of the sung word "anyway" is not audible, gets cut...so you just hear "wayyy".
Yes, I can confirm this. I think I found the problem. When tone controls are enabled and treble is set to 0, the tone control setting is ignored when switching on the amp although it appears "on" in the settings. Switching it off an on again will enable them.
Tbh this unit seems pretty bug ridden. I expected better.
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