Current NAD integrated amps, what are your impressions?

I am also using the AQ type 4 speaker cables with mine. Also AQ 0.5m Diamondback interconnects in place of jumpers. Soundstage and imaging as well as detail is improved.  

With regard to the soft clip setting, I’ve now had a C326BEE in system for about a week and I think I prefer the soft clip setting on, even at low volumes. My ears tell me it sounds a bit more three dimensional and tube bloomy. Bass does not suffer but seems to have more of that three dimensionality too. On the scope I saw a demo of what the soft clip setting does at near clip volume settings it seems to broaden the top of the wave form, perhaps accounting for the apparent warmth. In any case I love the tonal flexibility with these amps. My only wish would be for the tone controls be centered at about 60 or 70 Hz and the treble at 12 kHz, in other words, push them below and above the usual 100 Hz and 10 kHz points.

Interesting.  After reading this I played with the soft clip setting, but could detect no difference so far.  It may also have something to do with speaker load I suppose.

I'll give it another shot today as I'm curious to see if I can get that extra depth of stage that you're talking about.  

Okay, the latest changes to my little system is: out go the Tannoy Revolution DC4, in come the Tannoy Saturn DC6 LCRi. It’s a 6" driver instead of the 4" DC4, but in a more budget cabinet. I’m surprised at how much bass I was missing! The DC4 have a -6db point of 67, and the Saturns are at 46db, so I guess it’s no surprise. The mids are just as sweet, though, and I’m not hearing much cabinet with the MDF construction.

The other change was a new IC from cd player to the NAD C326. A company called Stager Sounds, which makes a solid silver conductor based IC. I had a Morrow MA1 in there, though I sub in a MA3 when I want some extra zing. I still have the stock jumpers replaced with the Audioquest, and Audioquest Type 4 speaker cables.

The Stager Silver Solid blows away the MA1, and even the MA3, though it’s closer. The extra detail I’m hearing, without glare or brightness/harshness is making me listen to all my favorite music again. I heard detail I’ve never heard in the Famous Blue Raincoat cd and the Mission Soundtrack, a couple of my faves and torture tracks(on The Misison). 3D imaging, black silence, air, it’s really quite something.

For the money, $100 for a 30" length is half the price of the Morrow MA3 and I’d bet this cable is on par with Morrow’s MA4 or 5.  I did try out the Stager in my main system and the upgrade in detail was apparent, though I'll need another Stager to completely replace the old cables in that system.

Recently I upgraded my NAD C326BEE.  I'm not sure why I wanted to, perhaps too much reading on sites like this, but I became curious about the C356BEE and found one here with the DAC installed for a pretty good deal. 

And of course I had to compare it to the 326 before selling it.  Long story short, I can understand those who prefer it over the C356BEE because the C326 really has nice sonics.  The soundstage is really well presented with a "live" feel for lack of a better term.

By comparison, the C356 seems more neutral, which seems a little boring until you turn it up.  At higher volumes, the C326 seems a little congested when compared with the C356, whose neutrality shines with imaging that seems more accurate at this point.  But at lower volumes I can understand the preference some have for the smaller amp.

The other thing that stood out for me was the bass control the C356 has.  You don't realize it until comparing with a superior amp, but the C326 bass can be somewhat inaccurate.  The C356 has that extra detail and control not present with the smaller amp, and turning it up does not diminish this until you reach the upper limits.

I think the 356 has a better volume pot as well, and that extra set of speaker jacks is handy for A/B'ing sets of speakers.  I tried the Pioneer SP-BS22, Ascend Sierra 2 as well as two pairs of Tannoys.  The C356 had no trouble with any of it, and in the end I had no regrets with the upgrade.

Now I'm getting curious about the new class D integrated amps from NAD, like the C368.  I better stop reading up on it, my audio budget is getting tapped out!