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  1. #1
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    New or old NAD amp?

    Hi all,

    I'm looking to upgrade from my onkyo stereo receiver.

    Initially, I was planning on buying a NAD C352 (refurb around $400). But now, I have the opportunity to buy a used NAD 3150 that seems to be in good condition for $125.

    What would you guys do? Is the old 3150 worth it?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Forum Regular anamorphic96's Avatar
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    If it where me I would go with the C352. I like some of the older NAD stuff but the new stuff seems to be built better on the inside and sounds much better to my ears.

    Some will disagree. Listen to both and go with what your ears tell you is better.

    They are both good products. You will get a warranty with the 352 if tis purchased from an authorized dealer and it will be brand new. Going with the 3150, you never know what might happend. But its only 125 and you wont lose much if it does not work out.

    Personally I like the idea of new products and the support I get when something goes wrong. Warranties and authorized dealers are a blessing when something goes wrong.

    It comes down to what your gut feeling is. For me new is the way to go hands down but there are other schools of thought.

  3. #3
    RGA
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    I don't think there is much difference and to be frank the warranty isn't worth $275.00. Consider that you buy the 3150 and say you like the sound -- who cares what we think -- For $125.00 even if the thing dies three years from now you have the difference of the $400.00 you were rpepared to spend right? $275.00. You could buy ANOTHER 3150 for another $125.00 and and ANOTHER one after that. And after the 2 year warranty is over on the C352 it could die and then you'd still be screwed.

    Frankly I would nto buy either one, I bought a Sugden A48b which no offense but it's better than anything NAD has ever produced and I got it for $425.00Cdn I had it it for a few years and traded it for my current amp -- they put it up for sale for $325.00Cdn I blelieve -- it was purchased within a week (people know their amps out here it seems)

    The point is for under $500.00 on the used market you can get ridiculously good expensive amplifiers 5-10 years old for fractions of what they went for new. You could get an Arcam Delta 290 for about $300.00US and this was the number one selling amp in Britain, all the reviews raved -- I paid about $1200.00 for it. NAD isn;t to this level IMO and neither are the ew Arcams!!

    $300.00 and it doesn;t even look too dated. I would lean to Sugden because I think they're built a lot better and sound a lot better -- but they're real tough to find...the A21a from Sugden would be killer -- it's been sold year in year out since 1968 longest running amp in history -- and yet very very few turn up on the used market and they hold a considerable amount of value too.

    But the Sugden A25 would be really nice. There are others of course -- used Naim, Creek, Roksan might be worht considering...or if your speakers are 90db+ 8 ohms then tube amps start for as little as $500.00. For $700.00US you could get a separate Tube preamp and two Monoblock power amps. The Wave AV 25 DT monoblocks and the Line LH 1 which is supposed toalso be a nice headphone amp http://www.divertech.com/antiquesl.html#PRE

  4. #4
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    I would be a little leary on buying the 3150. It's a nice sounding amp, but
    from what I can recall, it had reliability problems. My brother and a friend
    of mine bought this amp, and both of them had problems with the power
    transisters in the unit.
    But as anamorphic96 stated you won't have to much to lose if something
    goes wrong with it.......Vardo

  5. #5
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    RGA,
    Do you have a website for "Arcam Delta"? I couldn't find out from google or yahoo. Thand you.

    M500

    Quote Originally Posted by RGA
    I don't think there is much difference and to be frank the warranty isn't worth $275.00. Consider that you buy the 3150 and say you like the sound -- who cares what we think -- For $125.00 even if the thing dies three years from now you have the difference of the $400.00 you were rpepared to spend right? $275.00. You could buy ANOTHER 3150 for another $125.00 and and ANOTHER one after that. And after the 2 year warranty is over on the C352 it could die and then you'd still be screwed.

    Frankly I would nto buy either one, I bought a Sugden A48b which no offense but it's better than anything NAD has ever produced and I got it for $425.00Cdn I had it it for a few years and traded it for my current amp -- they put it up for sale for $325.00Cdn I blelieve -- it was purchased within a week (people know their amps out here it seems)

    The point is for under $500.00 on the used market you can get ridiculously good expensive amplifiers 5-10 years old for fractions of what they went for new. You could get an Arcam Delta 290 for about $300.00US and this was the number one selling amp in Britain, all the reviews raved -- I paid about $1200.00 for it. NAD isn;t to this level IMO and neither are the ew Arcams!!

    $300.00 and it doesn;t even look too dated. I would lean to Sugden because I think they're built a lot better and sound a lot better -- but they're real tough to find...the A21a from Sugden would be killer -- it's been sold year in year out since 1968 longest running amp in history -- and yet very very few turn up on the used market and they hold a considerable amount of value too.

    But the Sugden A25 would be really nice. There are others of course -- used Naim, Creek, Roksan might be worht considering...or if your speakers are 90db+ 8 ohms then tube amps start for as little as $500.00. For $700.00US you could get a separate Tube preamp and two Monoblock power amps. The Wave AV 25 DT monoblocks and the Line LH 1 which is supposed toalso be a nice headphone amp http://www.divertech.com/antiquesl.html#PRE

  6. #6
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    RGA,
    I found the website for Sudgen but there isn't any model A48B listed. Was is replaced by the A21SE, which was over $1000. Where can I find more info of the $425 CDN Sudgen A48b? Thanks.

    M500

    Quote Originally Posted by RGA
    I don't think there is much difference and to be frank the warranty isn't worth $275.00. Consider that you buy the 3150 and say you like the sound -- who cares what we think -- For $125.00 even if the thing dies three years from now you have the difference of the $400.00 you were rpepared to spend right? $275.00. You could buy ANOTHER 3150 for another $125.00 and and ANOTHER one after that. And after the 2 year warranty is over on the C352 it could die and then you'd still be screwed.

    Frankly I would nto buy either one, I bought a Sugden A48b which no offense but it's better than anything NAD has ever produced and I got it for $425.00Cdn I had it it for a few years and traded it for my current amp -- they put it up for sale for $325.00Cdn I blelieve -- it was purchased within a week (people know their amps out here it seems)

    The point is for under $500.00 on the used market you can get ridiculously good expensive amplifiers 5-10 years old for fractions of what they went for new. You could get an Arcam Delta 290 for about $300.00US and this was the number one selling amp in Britain, all the reviews raved -- I paid about $1200.00 for it. NAD isn;t to this level IMO and neither are the ew Arcams!!

    $300.00 and it doesn;t even look too dated. I would lean to Sugden because I think they're built a lot better and sound a lot better -- but they're real tough to find...the A21a from Sugden would be killer -- it's been sold year in year out since 1968 longest running amp in history -- and yet very very few turn up on the used market and they hold a considerable amount of value too.

    But the Sugden A25 would be really nice. There are others of course -- used Naim, Creek, Roksan might be worht considering...or if your speakers are 90db+ 8 ohms then tube amps start for as little as $500.00. For $700.00US you could get a separate Tube preamp and two Monoblock power amps. The Wave AV 25 DT monoblocks and the Line LH 1 which is supposed toalso be a nice headphone amp http://www.divertech.com/antiquesl.html#PRE

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