2. amps-preamps
  3. 1061346957

Help with NAD C320BEE brightness. Break-in???

I'm the new proud owner of a NAD C 320BEE integrated amplifier. I’ve been playing it for about 2 weeks now and feel that is a tad too cool & bright sounding – bass & mids are very nice! While I’m not a person that like the lushness of certain tubs amps, I feel this amp need a touch of warmth and smoothness in the high frequency range. I’m wondering if the amp need more break in time?? Or should I run Tara Labs I.C.’s instead of the AMP/PREAMP jumpers. I was considering trying “The Missing Link” jumpers or Reference Gen 2’s ($100.00) interconnects. Thanks in advance.
pinestate
bomarc
501 posts
 
I think a little more break-in time will make a bigger difference than new jumpers or cables.
pinestate OP
20 posts
 
I think the break-in time will do wonders and some better I.C.s from the CD player. I never liked the way it was presented with any of my systems, clinical It's probably the combination of all these elements -- including my speaker cables. Most of the cabling that I'm running seems to be $40. to $65. Monster cable, including the I.C.'s from the CD player (1000.) I'm finally seeing my system as a whole instead of just single components connected -- including the interconnects. I've seen the light!!! Ha ha.
pinestate OP
20 posts
 
Correction! My current monster interconnects are M350 or lower ... Some don't even have a number they just say J.r.
stvncar
36 posts
 
you might want to give virtual dynamics cables a try. i recently bought the c320bee, and the virtual dynamics nite interconnects and speaker cables really make this unit come alive. i will be doing a mod to be able to use the nite power cord as well. the cables aren't cheap, but in my opinion, worth every penny.
subaruguru
1,375 posts
 
I don't think I'd squash down the top octaves with VD cables just yet. The NAD has a nice linear top end. Let it break in longer, and perhaps reassess room damping issues in the meantime, as well speaker toe-in/sidewall stuff.
I'm a firm believer in spectral tuning via transducer matching rather than cable coloring, except for very small adjustments. I use a Harm Tech Truthlink to soften FM birdies on my MD100, for example. The VD take too much of a treble cut, and therefore sacrifice much top end air, IMO.
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