Upgrade over Nad C326BEE -> Class A or D?
Hello. I have a Nad C326BEE, recaped some time ago with Mundorf Caps that helped quite a lot in gaining some bass control, but I can feel class A/B has its limits.
I like the overall tonal balance of the Nad but I'd like to get better soundstage and thinking to drive the speakers using another power section.
I'm thinking about building a power amp either built from Class A boards following JLH / Sugden A21 design, or using a Class D IcePower/nCore module (not to mention Tripath which seem attractive based on reviews but not on their measured specs).
Budget would be around 300€. What would you favor?
Hello. I have a Nad C326BEE, recaped some time ago with Mundorf Caps that helped quite a lot in gaining some bass control, but I can feel class A/B has its limits.
I like the overall tonal balance of the Nad but I'd like to get better soundstage and thinking to drive the speakers using another power section.
I'm thinking about building a power amp either built from Class A boards following JLH / Sugden A21 design, or using a Class D IcePower/nCore module (not to mention Tripath which seem attractive based on reviews but not on their measured specs).
Budget would be around 300€. What would you favor?
Last edited:
You didn't use their ginormous crossover film caps though, right? Right? (Some people have absolutely no problem doing that no matter how out of place it looks and how many parasitics it might introduce. 🙁 You can create some real problems like that.)
BTW, Mundorf wouldn't be my first choice for polar electrolytics - I'd say (real) Nichicon or Panasonic for the small ones, plus a handful more Euro/US brands for can types.
Oh, and regarding the "bass control" thing - chances are that either you've accidentally introduced a severe bass rolloff, fixed something by reconnecting cables or it's just in your head (fooling yourself happens way more often than you'd think).
If you are looking for better soundstage, then you are looking in the wrong place. That's where speakers and placement / room acoustics tend to be about a gazillion times more important than any half-decent amplifier (assuming it's able to deliver decently flat frequency response, good channel balance, decent damping factor and lowish distortion). A C326BEE should qualify as such, at least in stock form. Channel balance might be an issue at low volume settings like 9 o'clock or below (not the strongest point of NADs) but that's nothing a line-level attenuator wouldn't fix if need be.
Besides, "better soundstage" doesn't mean the same to all people. Some will take it to mean "more spacious sound" (generally = more diffuse sound), others will take it to mean "more precise imaging" (generally = less diffuse sound) instead - polar opposites.
Problems with soundstaging can often be traced to room asymmetry or other issues with early reflections. Speakers with poor dispersion control are not going to help matters. So in order to help you, we would need
* the type of speakers used
* a good description of the room, including placement of speakers and the listening position and relevant distances and/or
* a plan of the room, and/or
* some photos of the room ("Go Advanced" for attachment options).
300€ is, incidentally, not the most luxurious budget (honestly, it generaly wouldn't even buy you a power amp as good as what the NAD has), but it may do for an attenuator, some room treatment and perhaps different speaker mounting if required. Maybe you can find some better speakers on the used market and sell yours for a manageable net expense, should this prove advisable.
Last edited:
Thanks for your nice answer!
Speakers are DIY based on Seas A26 using 29TFFC tweeters, they are very easy to drive.
But as you say speaker placement is certainly far from being optimal as they are in the bookshelf, the right one being close to the wall:
Listening place is about 3 m away. I plan to move from this flat in 1 year or so, then I'll have more liberty to set it up in a better acoustic configuration (on stands away from the walls).
Maybe I'll have a better soundstage then!
Speakers are DIY based on Seas A26 using 29TFFC tweeters, they are very easy to drive.
But as you say speaker placement is certainly far from being optimal as they are in the bookshelf, the right one being close to the wall:
Listening place is about 3 m away. I plan to move from this flat in 1 year or so, then I'll have more liberty to set it up in a better acoustic configuration (on stands away from the walls).
Maybe I'll have a better soundstage then!