Which of these amps would sound best

[Robin L]

I had a NAD 3020 amp. It blew up on me.

 

[DSJR]

I had a NAD 3020 amp. It blew up on me.

Not all of them did that you know

Very early examples from 1981 or thereabouts, were scrappily assembled with wires all over the place internally. Bit by bit, the build quality improved along with reliability and I used a 3020A (acceptable MC phono input) for seventeen years on the bench, left on all day. All that went wrong was the RCA sockets needing re-soldering to the board and an occasional check to make sure 'stuff' metallic or otherwise, hadn't fallen inside (it usually had things piled on top of it). Speakers were bracket-mounted Boston A40s and they sounded very good in this situation I remember.

The 7020 receiver version used to eat the occasional mains transformer I remember...

 

[kevinsonic]

If it works as it should, if you think 35 watts is enough, then sure, buy it at a reasonable price. The price should reflect that it is thirty years old. That is, it won't hurt your wallet that much if it breaks down in the future. Thirty years is still thirty years after all. That said, it can work flawlessly for many years to come.

One thing you can do is google, ask the questions: Is the NAD 304 durable? NAD 304 common faults, NAD 304 service, repair.
Just to see if it is a model that seems to be reliable or if it, for some reason, always breaks down, needs to replace X things after a number of decades.
Kind of like checking an older used car model. Is it durable, common faults and so on.

https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/nad/304.shtml

What source do you have? Streaming music? CD player? Turntable?

Why don't you check out some new small class D amp? Amir has tested quite a few. You can get them within your budget. This one for example, about the same power (with a 32 V, 5 A power supply* that fits it well) as the NAD 304. If you only need one input then that is. You buy it new so you get a warranty. Nice features on the Douk A5 with that sensible highpass filter.
(*Power supply is the power you put into the amplifier, what the amplifier can then produce in power / watts to the speakers is another matter. It will always take more energy in than you get out. Different amplifier classes do this transformation differently efficiently.)

In fact, you get it for well under your $140 budget. Check out what it costs with shipping to South Africa here:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008297683972.html

You can watch a video Amir made about that Douk amp here:
The shortest summary of the video: It's a good amp.

a very informative reply, i am scared to go ask those questions as i'd rather hold my breath and power up the amp hoping all is fine, if it is great, if not, then i will definately go ask those questions thanks. source is pc only.

Indeed 35w per channel is way under what i require, all these questions i posed to ai and many reviews i read mangled my mind a bit and i must've mixed up the ratings while reading countless of amp's specs.

anyway ! the long grind is finally over (touch wood if it works without hassle not tested it yet) i bought an amp now for the wait to see if my tweeters arrive for my speakers from ebay quite stressed about this one...

 

[kevinsonic]

The NAD 304 is rated at 35W continuous output power into 8Ω. That's not very much power, although it might be adequate for many listening situations.

indeed my tired mind mixed up the ratings from all the amps i info mined. i did not get it thanks.

 

[kevinsonic]

Regarding Kevins speakers. It is difficult to obtain information about them but my guess is, with dual eight-inch woofers, that those speakers have a sensitivity of 89dB. Maybe 90dB. Kevins speakers:
View attachment 469532View attachment 469533

IF Kevin only needs one input plus he has a subwoofer: ..
speakers of 4 ohm 80 watt peak will be driven plus a 120w peak sub... then the Douk Audio A5 amp with 59 watts into 4 Ohm paired with 89dB (my guess) sensitivity
4 Ohm speakers is an excellent choice.

@kevinsonic what kind of subwoofer do you have? Manufacturer? Model?

there is another side rabbit whole about these speakers, i will create a different topic close to the weekend about the speakers and post pics of the crossovers i opened the boxes.
thanks for the useful option wrt what i need, i did get an amp

 

[kevinsonic]

I had a NAD 3020 amp. It blew up on me.

sorry to hear that, my 3020 worked great until my uncle (20 years ago) took it for himself never seen it since, then i got a technics suv500 with a sonics eq. i was happy with it... but the amp was sold...

 

[Robin L]

Not all of them did that you know

Very early examples from 1981 or thereabouts, were scrappily assembled with wires all over the place internally. Bit by bit, the build quality improved along with reliability and I used a 3020A (acceptable MC phono input) for seventeen years on the bench, left on all day. All that went wrong was the RCA sockets needing re-soldering to the board and an occasional check to make sure 'stuff' metallic or otherwise, hadn't fallen inside (it usually had things piled on top of it). Speakers were bracket-mounted Boston A40s and they sounded very good in this situation I remember.

The 7020 receiver version used to eat the occasional mains transformer I remember...

Mine was from 1981 or thereabouts.
I also owned (if my memory serves me) a 7020, didn't like the sound as much.
Among the "vintage" gear, I had the best luck with the Harman Kardon 330 & 430.
But nowhere near as clean and transparent as the lowly Yamaha RX-V461.

 

[kevinsonic]

Ask us instead.

Regarding Hifi that is.

By the way, check here what AI refers to:
View attachment 469344View attachment 469345

So ask us directly instead.

sorry i'm by far not the expert, would the 1.5 to 2x it refers to not be ideal ?

 

[kevinsonic]

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I hate AVR's. That's a lot of complexity to build into one machine, which wouldn't be a problem if things didn't go obsolete and they weren't so unreliable. For HT there isn't much of a choice, either AVR or AV preamp (very $$$!) but for 2ch audio I would go separates every time. Something like a Wiim + power amp. Wiims are cheap and disposable, and power amps are mostly reliable and never go obsolete.

i would have agreed with you for decades, after all my research and from opinions on this site, i did go with an avr, but the one i chose that should be able to deliver what i want if it works fine, got what i feel is wrt options i could find for my money, and its not from the 80s or 90s, so i went with it

 

[kevinsonic]

No.

There are no 'music amps' versus other kinds of consumer audio amps, and they also don't segregate by music genre. Adjust your thinking.



Get the cheapest one that has the features you need. It ain't rocket science. Don't buy a vintage amp unless you are willing to pay for repairs, or you know it's been competently refurbished.

You know everytime i read an answer like this, there are 10 times more people out there that says things like "some amps sound more musical, richer, warmer, and musical Cleaner, more precise sound (thanks to lower THD).

Warm, precise analog performance

Clean, flexible though more electronic

Every circuit is tuned to deliver clean, coherent, and natural sound
classic Linear A design produces smooth mids, natural highs, and controlled bass.
Instruments and vocals are more engaging than on typical AVRs, which can sound colder or more clinical.

High damping factor on amps keeps bass precise, even with big speakers.
Music sounds full and controlled, not bloated or loose.


Some say some amps have better midrange capability, richer sound, and detail differences.
etc...etc....etccc

It just goes on and on so though i read your reply, there is just endless of people stating what i just mentioned. and some expressively saying that the different amps they owned sounded different, it sounded like even equing them could not get them to match.

 

[Power Pop 23]

You know everytime i read an answer like this, there are 10 times more people out there that says things like "some amps sound more musical, richer, warmer, and musical Cleaner, more precise sound (thanks to lower THD).

Warm, precise analog performance

Clean, flexible though more electronic

Every circuit is tuned to deliver clean, coherent, and natural sound
classic Linear A design produces smooth mids, natural highs, and controlled bass.
Instruments and vocals are more engaging than on typical AVRs, which can sound colder or more clinical.

High damping factor on amps keeps bass precise, even with big speakers.
Music sounds full and controlled, not bloated or loose.


Some say some amps have better midrange capability, richer sound, and detail differences.
etc...etc....etccc

It just goes on and on so though i read your reply, there is just endless of people stating what i just mentioned. and some expressively saying that the different amps they owned sounded different, it sounded like even equing them could not get them to match.

Agreed. Many users are not trained to listen and do not have access to double-blind listening tests to mitigate perceptive bias.

 

[DanielT]

....i bought an amp now .....

Nice, what amplifier did you end up with?

sorry i'm by far not the expert, would the 1.5 to 2x it refers to not be ideal ?

Sorry I didn't read that AI text. Now I see that it was a bit of waffle.
In any case. It's good to have extra amp power, amp power headroom if you play music with a lot of dynamics. The more dynamic the music, the more amp power you should have.

The speakers, if you're going to play at higher volumes/ high SPL, should of course have the power handling ability to handle it. Plus preferably do so with low distortion. If that combination is to be achieved, you usually need to open the big wallet for that type of speaker.

 

[kevinsonic]

Aha, within your budget, max $140 that is?

I see a lot of AVRs.

Of the ones I saw. If I were to choose one of those, a two-channel amplifier, it's easy: Yamaha A-S500
If it's in full working order. IF that's the case and the seller is selling it for $140, buy it right away. Used hifi at good prices, ..poof, the stuff is sold.
You have to be quick with the buy button.

A-S500 - Overview - HiFi Components - Products - Home Audio - Audio - Yamaha - Other European Countries & Regions

Clear sound in the A-S2000 tradition.

europe.yamaha.com

tried to haggle on it but no success thanks anyway i am happy with what i ended up with...(hopefully it works

 

[kevinsonic]

My amp is a Yamaha RX-V461 AVR. Found it at an Amvets thrift store for $50. One site claims it came out in the 1990s, another claims 2007. No matter, it came out before HDMI. I'm only using the front two channels and the line level sub output. I've owned many different amplifiers starting in 1973. I've had the best results with this amplifier. 100 watts a side when using just the two front channels. It's the kind of amp that is dismissed as garbage by "audiophiles" and fans of "vintage" amps. Mine has been working without a glitch since about 2015. Never gets too hot. I bypass all the features, just use it as a power amp with volume levels controlled by a Topping L30 headphone amp/preamp. So we're looking at something like 20-30 years of operation. I listen to a wide variety of musical genres including those genres that are the hardest to reproduce—orchestral music primarily. I've got no desire to get another amplifier.

Edit: Calling all non classical music entheusiasts to give me an opinion please: (nothing against classical music there are plenty that i like but my main genres is as follows)

If an amp can handle Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony, it can handle anything.

i also got an avr thanks, sounds like a good experience.

 

[DanielT]

tried to haggle on it but no success thanks anyway i am happy with what i ended up with...(hopefully it works

Aha, so you ended up buying a Yamaha A-S500 amplifier. An excellent choice. Congratulations.

 

[kevinsonic]

sorry to hear that, my 3020 worked great until my uncle (20 years) took it for himself never seen it since, then i got a technics suv500 with a sonics eq. i was happy with it... but the amp was sold...

meant 20 years AGO...he is much older than i, yes i have some grey hair, not giving away my full age though !

 

[kevinsonic]

Mine was from 1981 or thereabouts.
I also owned (if my memory serves me) a 7020, didn't like the sound as much.
Among the "vintage" gear, I had the best luck with the Harman Kardon 330 & 430.
But nowhere near as clean and transparent as the lowly Yamaha RX-V461.

Very nice

 

[kevinsonic]

Agreed. Many users are not trained to listen and do not have access to double-blind listening tests to mitigate perceptive bias.

man i'dl like to expand on this topic, actually reallly, i have a lot of qs.

 

[kevinsonic]

Nice, what amplifier did you end up with?

Sorry I didn't read that AI text. Now I see that it was a bit of waffle.
In any case. It's good to have extra amp power, amp power headroom if you play music with a lot of dynamics. The more dynamic the music, the more amp power you should have.

The speakers, if you're going to play at higher volumes/ high SPL, should of course have the power handling ability to handle it. Plus preferably do so with low distortion. If that combination is to be achieved, you usually need to open the big wallet for that type of speaker.

thanks, useful info

 

[kevinsonic]

Aha, so you ended up buying a Yamaha A-S500 amplifier. An excellent choice. Congratulations.

ok i was getting to this......things happened too quickly to "document" i ended up buying a NAD T750, the guy sold it paired with some AR speakers and i asked if i could just buy the amp only, usually people say no, but this guy said yes, i looked at the specs from this amp and it looks like exactly what i need for my 4 ohm speakers, and room to upgrade the speakers, i do like nads having had one in the past. Also its from 2007 so not stone ancient at all...if it works without issues i will be super happy.

i will post how it goes, and i will need help setting it up, but first i need to get those tweeters, i'm about to put in a money back claim tomorrow if it doesn't arrive...sigh... thank you all for the help so far.