Better combination

To me its Marantz PM-7001...anyday.

But you may want to listen to both of them with your CDs and your choice of loudness.

since you already have the choices narrowed down , should you not be making the decision yourself ?
Not sure if anyone elses likes/dislikes will match yours !

Please do a direct A-B comparision between Marantz & NAD using the same speakers & source. You may get your answer.

I chanced upon an opportunity to do so and I found NAD better (even the guys at the Marantz showroom were pleasantly surprised).

SDhawan schrieb:

Please do a direct A-B comparision between Marantz & NAD using the same speakers & source. You may get your answer. I chanced upon an opportunity to do so and I found NAD better (even the guys at the Marantz showroom were pleasantly surprised).

I have not compared the models mentioned above but I have compared the older models Marantz PM 7000 with the Nad C350 and I found the NAD better. I think you should be doing a comparison yourself and find what suits you better.

For me NAD was a bit thin in sound and Marantz had fuller body. Not sure how that Class A feature works but I frankly found no diffrence. Build wise Marantz beats NAD hands down as NAD built is pathetic.

My experience is quite opposite. I found the Nad to have better body and more warm sounding. Better drive too. I guess setup and people’s expectations comes into play here. Only the poster will know when he compares himself. I find Nads to have technically good build. I have never heard of anyone having any problems with NAD due to build quality. Of course they do not have the fancy face plates of Marantz. But then, that is part of their philosophy. Give maximum bang for buck by spending money inside rather than outside. With the Maratnz you spend quite a lot of money for the fancy enclosure and case work. I like Marantz cd players though. Especially the older models. I heard their hi-end amplifiers are quite good too. Never had the chance to hear them though.

Give maximum bang for buck by spending money inside rather than outside. With the Maratnz you spend quite a lot of money for the fancy enclosure and case work.

Not really.. open a low end NAD's (320's and 350's) it's shocking to see there's hardly a thing in there. I fail to understand where NAD saves money and passes on benefit to customer. I agree mid end and high end NAD's are good but lower ones I always give a wide berth. BTW I'm not carried away by Marantz fancy face plates but overall build. ;). Anyway if you like NAD then it must be good.

like Marantz cd players though. Especially the older models

You are right there sir! Marantz CD 12, marantz 94 are superb players and a collectors dream. I got a chance to listen to it once and mesmerised by sound. You have to spend a ton to get the same SQ now. I wish I can own one some day.

I have peeked inside most budget amps from marantz, Nad, rotel etc…Nothing spectacular in any of them. You start getting better parts once you reach the 60k price point in integrateds.
Another thing I have noticed is that usually good engineering gives you the edge when it comes to designing amps on a tight budget. In fact that is the challenge. This is where the Nads score. Anyway, discussion on these lines will take this nowhere. The fact is that there are people who prefer one over the other. So I think it is a matter of choice based one’s own preference.

In 1981 (I think) NAD burst into the International Hi Fi scene, by launching... what many termed - the first Audiophile Amp at a Mid Budget price.

The Amp kept cost down by avoiding a Massive power transformer, but optimising the Power supply to be particularly capable at Mid bass frequencies.

This gave the NAD 3020 a particularly Punchy sound.

The amp was also the first to be designed in Europe but manufactured in a then emerging economy - Taiwan.

It spent a lot of money on knobs and switches but skimped on metal work... which also kept transportation costs down (from Taiwan to the world markets).

The 3020 was so sucessful that Rotel ( and many others scramblled to launch similar products ...

NAD was born.

P.S: NAD also launched a Turntable with a 'Floppy' rather than a ridgid arm. I think it was actually a PCB strip as the arm, which practically cost nothing compared to even a budget, ridgid arm.

It did not catch on... the Floppy arm probably flopped

I remember a NAD Cassette player that did not even have a cover on the cassette well..... part of their "Spend Money Where It Counts" publicity campaign.

I own both NAD & Marantz products so my opinion given above is not biased in any way.

if it counts I had auditioned the marantz 7001, rotel RA01 and Nad 321Bee around 4 years back and chose the NAD.
funnily I found the pure class A option in the Marantz to be inconsequential..

If i remember right it was one of the Mission floorstanders as a speaker.

but again reiterating please listen to them yourself..personal tastes really vary

buzzer schrieb:

Not really.. open a low end NAD's (320's and 350's) it's shocking to see there's hardly a thing in there. I fail to understand where NAD saves money and passes on benefit to customer.

Isnt that true for all entry level components ? the Marantz/Rotel/CA are no better.

I have a then $2500 cd transport.. i could fit in an entire amp in the empty space there..as per your statement that too must be trash !
.. i definitely do not agree with your yardstick if i have understood the meaning right.. in case you meant something else, please ignore this

i definitely do not agree with your yardstick if i have understood the meaning right.. in case you meant something else, please ignore this

My earlier views were that to prove that by NAD saving money on enclosure and offering amps in a semi cheap plastic enclosure is something which I fail to agree as I hardly see a thing in there too. So why hype as others like Rotel, Marantz, CA also give the same but in a better packege than this cheap recycled plastic boxes. Diffrence might be marginal but I prefer CA or Rotel.

I have a then $2500 cd transport.. i could fit in an entire amp in the empty space there

This statement of your's can be interpreted in many ways :

1.First of all I never spoke about empty space in NAD, but about quality components in there. But If you are still talking about space then you are using a wrong yardstick.
2. You are boasting to world you own a $2500 CD transport.. .

buzzer schrieb:

2. You are boasting to world you own a $2500 CD transport.. .

considering it is 8 years old if i sell it at 30% of that price i have a bargain so not really a boast

buzzer schrieb:

So why hype as others like Rotel, Marantz, CA also give the same but in a better packege than this cheap recycled plastic boxes. Diffrence might be marginal but I prefer CA or Rotel. .

I dont think NAD has any additional hype over rotel or marantz at the entry level..CA used to have Major quality issues a couple of years back hence were not so much "Hyped" untill they sorted out a few problems.

from what i gathered Nad has a better availability in India hence may be more popular.

and having been a NAD owner, idont have any issues on the build
BTW the 320BEEE was metal coated with plastic..so was the 521BEE cdp. have they changed it now to plastic ?

CA used to have Major quality issues a couple of years back hence were not so much "Hyped" untill they sorted out a few problems.

Thats right.. until 640 azur V2 CDP's had severe problems and they sorted problems like TATA with Indica V2.

BTW the 320BEEE was metal coated with plastic..so was the 521BEE cdp. have they changed it now to plastic ?

NAD biult is good... no questions, but except a bit on finishing. But I feel this never ending BTW which CD transport are you using?

I have an old Classe CDT-1 with a philips cdm12.4 transport. can fit in an entire cyrups pre-power combo in the empty space in it !

actually it is the industral grey finish which i liked in the NAD. gave the impression that it only cares about the music and hence cut back on the looks.(Bas sunaye music ..baaki sab bakwaas)

these days there is a titanium finish at not extra cost as well.

philips cdm12.4 transport

Philips CDM series are the best in class.. like CDM 1 which Revox, marantz 94 and Philips used. I wonder if one can be available for me.

hello

Thanks for the valuable inputs. I managed to do auditions with both(not simultaneous though)
Settled for NAD 352 and just procured it.

My system right now is

1. NAD 352
2. Wharfedale diamond8.4
3. Supra speaker cables
4. DAC interconnects
5. presently using a pioneer dvd player

Next acqisiton would be a cd player
Presently have an offer of used NAD 542(1 1/2 years old)..recently serviced for not reading discs(am told it has an upgrade for this manufacturing flaw)
how sensible would it to go for this(from durability point of view)and what should it be worth.
Sound quality ofcourse is very good.

tahnks

Presently have an offer of used NAD 542(1 1/2 years old)..recently serviced for not reading discs(am told it has an upgrade for this manufacturing flaw) how sensible would it to go for this(from durability point of view)and what should it be worth.

My advice ... DONT TOUCH THAT CD Player... its about to die permanently !

CD Players wont read discs for 2 reasons :

1. Dust or dirt on the CD Lens. This can usually be cured using a Lens cleaning CD. It does not need to go to the service station for that.

2. A dying laser.

The service station will TEMPORARILY cure the situation by adjusting the Laser current. May extend its life for 3 to 6 months ...

The correct cure would be to change the laser assembly... but the correct replacement isd not always at hand, so usually only a boost in the Laser Current is done...

Doc_hi_fi_novice schrieb:

hello Thanks for the valuable inputs. I managed to do auditions with both(not simultaneous though) Settled for NAD 352 and just procured it. My system right now is 1. NAD 352 2. Wharfedale diamond8.4 3. Supra speaker cables 4. DAC interconnects 5. presently using a pioneer dvd player Next acqisiton would be a cd player Presently have an offer of used NAD 542(1 1/2 years old)..recently serviced for not reading discs(am told it has an upgrade for this manufacturing flaw) how sensible would it to go for this(from durability point of view)and what should it be worth. Sound quality ofcourse is very good. tahnks

Good system.
Good to see that you checked it out yourself and went for the one which sounds better for you.

Like amp nut said, don’t get that player. Go for a new one. I feel a Marantz or a CA Azur 640c would be a better option.

Hi Doc hi fi,
I had listened to an earlier model by marantz called the pm 7000. It had a class A function and was a 95 or 100 watter at 8 ohms .It sounded quite decent and choosing between that and a Nad would be a matter of taste than anything else.
Is this 7001 an upgrade over that one ?
Can you describe your impressions with both the amps please?

I have heard both...
To me Marantz is far more musical .
It was warm, punchy, rhythemic and full bodied...
While Nad was dry, harsh at the top end, anemic bass and lean sounding machine.

Thats just my experience.

abhi.pani schrieb:

I have heard both... To me Marantz is far more musical . It was warm, punchy, rhythemic and full bodied... While Nad was dry, harsh at the top end, anemic bass and lean sounding machine. Thats just my experience.

You mean you have compared the C352 and PM7001 in the same setup? Or is it the PM 7000?
What was the associated equipment? Showroom / home demo ?
I have heard the PM7000 (some special edition version) and C352 in the same room / setup in the US when we were hunting for a bedroom system for a friend. Both sounded quite ok with the Totem Mites. In fact the Nad sounded warmer with more punch. The Marantz had slightly better treble. So it is just a matter of personal choice. My friend finally went for a tube integrated from Jolida to drive his Totem mites.

Totem recommended the c352 for my friend. I don’t think the totem guys are stupid enough to recommend the c352 if it sounds the way you described it. It never sounded that way to me or to my friend who is a very experienced audiophile whose primary system costs more than an apartment in India (he is a senior surgeon and earns quite a packet )

Is this PM 7001 some upgraded version of the PM7000 ?

i think the 7000 was a pretty sad amp it was not very well reviewed either

the 7001 was a changed version with an option of a pure class A operation. was much more liked and only with this was the marantz offering even compared with the Nad320 and RotelRA02.

the then problems associated with marantz entry level were an overly lush midrange (in amps and cdps) as well as problems with dynamics. (in spite of classics like the cd67, 6000SE etc) . I believe the newer designs are much better.

It just that Abhi does not exactly love NAD and is quite vociferous about it

Ok
We actually found the Nad to be faster and punchier with more dynamics. Overall we found the Nad to be a more balanced performer.
But to be fair the Jolida sounds quite good with the Mites.The Nad and Marantz were just decent.

hello,

Thanks to all the forum members for their valuable suggestions. Sorry for the gap as i was away.
I ultimately setlled for Marantz CD5001.i had to do it by reading reviews(perils of buying in India). I had considered CA c304/504V2, NAD c521/c542. Could only audition the NAD's.

Anyway after pairing it with my NAD 352 and Wharfedale 8.4, the results are really good.

I am rediscovering my CD collection. The sound is so different from earlier(was using an AVR Onkyo DX 787).
Jazz and rock sound so much better. The bass is much stronger and the vocals clearer.

However i did notice a few cds sounded better earlier...eg Door's collection.
Is it because its badly mixed or is it that i am used to the earlier sound?
Any comments?

Regards

Congratulations! Enjoy your music.

BTW, how much you paid for cd5001? I am on the look out for a CD player. But in Delhi, the dealers quote prices from 15 to 16.5K for cd 5001, but none is willing to give me demo.

Thanks,
vjc

@vjc:

Do consider the Marantz CD-6002 instead - from what I have heard it is a remarkable improvement over the 5001. Should be around 20k or thereabouts. Also consider the Pioneer PD-D6-J which is a CD+SACD player priced in the low 20's.

Do not know where grey-market Marantz is available in Delhi though, sorry. Maybe someone from there can help.