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NAD PP2 Phono Preamplifier Measurement/Review

Joined
Jun 4, 2021
Messages
68
Likes
152
Location
Bavaria, Germany
These are some measurements I have taken with the NAD PP2 Phono Preamplifier.
0-IMG_6557.jpeg

I have bought it 11-12 years back. It is still being sold online for 70€-150€. I cannot remember how much I have paid. I was never really happy with the sound of it, so I felt the urge to see how it measures. The power supply is a 24V 100mA SMPS. Plenty of voltage which promises good headroom. I have used my RME Babyface Pro FS with a SINAD in loopback of -103 dBV. Enough headroom and precision for this measurement.

First look goes to the frequency response and distortion:
1672307230453.jpeg


THD+N over frequency:
2-Nad-pp2-dist.jpeg

Phase:
3-Nad-pp2-phase_L_R.jpeg

Group delay:

4-Nad-pp2-GD.jpeg
In order to see how the whole system performs, I have used the RMS Audio "Klangerlebnis pur" LP, which contains correlated and uncorrelated pink noise. Player was my Technics SL1200mkII with Ortofon 2m blue. Noise was recorded and the analyzed in REW's RTA. The high linearity surprised me!

5-System-freq_resp_vinyl.jpeg

The test LP also contains (beside other interesting tests I am not looking at here today) pink noise output only on L or R. I have used this to look at the real world crosstalk:
6-System-L_R_dampening.jpeg

Looking at the results I must say, that the box looks quite competent and OK for the time it was designed. Noise is slightly higher than with modern designs from other manufacturers, which is expected. To be honest, in listening tests I have never really liked the sound of the NAD PP2. It always sounded flat and lifeless to me. Where that is coming from, hard to say, it probably was not the phono preamplifier!
 

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Avp1

Active Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2022
Messages
208
Likes
178
These are some measurements I have taken with the NAD PP2 Phono Preamplifier.
View attachment 253194
I have bought it 11-12 years back. It is still being sold online for 70€-150€. I cannot remember how much I have paid. I was never really happy with the sound of it, so I felt the urge to see how it measures. The power supply is a 24V 100mA SMPS. Plenty of voltage which promises good headroom. I have used my RME Babyface Pro FS with a SINAD in loopback of -103 dBV. Enough headroom and precision for this measurement.

First look goes to the frequency response and distortion:
View attachment 253196

THD+N over frequency:
View attachment 253197
Phase:
View attachment 253198
Group delay:

View attachment 253200In order to see how the whole system performs, I have used the RMS Audio "Klangerlebnis pur" LP, which contains correlated and uncorrelated pink noise. Player was my Technics SL1200mkII with Ortofon 2m blue. Noise was recorded and the analyzed in REW's RTA. The high linearity surprised me!

View attachment 253201
The test LP also contains (beside other interesting tests I am not looking at here today) pink noise output only on L or R. I have used this to look at the real world crosstalk:
View attachment 253202
Looking at the results I must say, that the box looks quite competent and OK for the time it was designed. Noise is slightly higher than with modern designs from other manufacturers, which is expected. To be honest, in listening tests I have never really liked the sound of the NAD PP2. It always sounded flat and lifeless to me. Where that is coming from, hard to say, it probably was not the phono preamplifier!

Last two graphs show more cartridge performance than pre-amp performance. I would say that cartridge needs alignment to balance cross-talk between channels.
 
Joined
Dec 21, 2021
Messages
12
Likes
6
Location
Italy
These are some measurements I have taken with the NAD PP2 Phono Preamplifier.
View attachment 253194
I have bought it 11-12 years back. It is still being sold online for 70€-150€. I cannot remember how much I have paid. I was never really happy with the sound of it, so I felt the urge to see how it measures. The power supply is a 24V 100mA SMPS. Plenty of voltage which promises good headroom. I have used my RME Babyface Pro FS with a SINAD in loopback of -103 dBV. Enough headroom and precision for this measurement.

First look goes to the frequency response and distortion:
View attachment 253196

THD+N over frequency:
View attachment 253197
Phase:
View attachment 253198
Group delay:

View attachment 253200In order to see how the whole system performs, I have used the RMS Audio "Klangerlebnis pur" LP, which contains correlated and uncorrelated pink noise. Player was my Technics SL1200mkII with Ortofon 2m blue. Noise was recorded and the analyzed in REW's RTA. The high linearity surprised me!

View attachment 253201
The test LP also contains (beside other interesting tests I am not looking at here today) pink noise output only on L or R. I have used this to look at the real world crosstalk:
View attachment 253202
Guardando i risultati devo dire che la scatola sembra abbastanza competente e OK per il tempo in cui è stata progettata. Il rumore è leggermente superiore rispetto ai design moderni di altri produttori, il che è previsto. Ad essere onesti, nei test di ascolto non mi è mai piaciuto molto il suono del NAD PP2. Mi è sempre sembrato piatto e senza vita. Da dove viene, difficile da dire, probabilmente non era il preamplificatore phono!
so it's not that bad? I have a pre technics on c 800 and this NAD pp2 seem similar to me I can't find substantial differences how was the styluses changed from ortofon blu 2m to Goldring 1042
 
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