2. amps-preamps
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Is the NAD 3020 the best value of all time?

This question is loaded I know, but that question is being asked from this perspective.

My brother is in for the Holidays and the first thing he asked was, "What is with this Stereo?"

So I asked him to grab his music and have a listen. His face lit up as he listened to his favorite live album. He said man can you hear the people talking in the crowd. And I can hear a baby crying. Oh did you hear that is a drum. I never heard that before.

Next question was how much would it cost me to do this?

I could have kissed him, but long story short I want to get him started super simple and cheap.

I have heard all kinds of praise for the NAD integrated 3020 amp as an all time value piece. The question is was the NAD a value in its day or is it an all time value still?
Is there anything out there today on the used market that can compete with this value amp for performance and price?

I hope to have the hooks in my little bro in a couple of weeks.
brownsanandy
sonicbeauty
320 posts
 
I once owned both the Nad and Nait. For me it would be the original Naim NAIT, all 15 watts of it. A tiny box with huge, lively sound.
mcgarick
277 posts
 
I thought the NAD had much better weight and magic tone, where the Nait was more detailed but sterile and thinish,no suduction effect at all,think paper-airplane...

I don't know what the big deal is with the naits,I have good sources and many speaker to try with amps..I think the advent 300 is a better piece than the Nait also. With all the cheap tube gear around,thats the way to go these days anyway,think 6L6 amps.Now we are talkin musicality.
rnm4
282 posts
 
Hey McGarick -- go figure. I had a NAIT3 -- perhaps the least well loved of the Naits -- for years. Getting it was was the first or second most impressive change in my audio evolution ever, and it taught me just how involving and compelling reproduced music could be. Wish I had another!
sonicbeauty
320 posts
 
Deal of the century in my humble opinion....the humble Nait 1, the original. A whopping 18 (or was it 15) watts per channel. 1 volume knob. Amazing speed and clarity. Even today, it sounds more than respectable. I had mine plugged in '84, unplugged in '94 when I sold it, went on to XXXX-times the price amps (including some overpriced Simaudio components)...and regretted selling the little black bugger ever since. It was ALWAYS on, always ready to deliver, and sounded more like a 60 watter because of it's high current output. As good as the NAD 3020 was, that little Naim was and still is in a league by itself.
trelja
3,215 posts
 
The NAD is definitely up there.

However, my vote goes to the Dynaco ST70.
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