Whats your take on a NAD 3020, I truly believe it defined stereo and still does!

I had two NAD 3020's back in '78-'80! Used them with DCM Time Windows and Tangent RS2's. A favorite of Peter Aczel (The Audio Critic), who found them preferable to most $2K pre/power amps of the time! A home run for NAD!

Even today I still could live happily with the original 3020!

In my Garage system
Nakamichi deck, 3020A. Dynaco A-25 :-)

yes the 3020 was fantastic, beefy output devices, decent power supply, shorting bars to split pre and power
bit of a nasty turn on thump and avoid soft clipping feature but an amazing $218 product 

I had similar 7020 receiver as a backup for many years. Picked it up in an alabama pawn shop in 1986. Unique somewhat dark and warm sound. Very solid pre-amp. COuld be used as pre-amp, power amp, receiver or tuner. VEry versatile! Also did a respectable job driving most any speaker with only 20 w/ch. Soft clipping feature helped! It served me well!

Purchased the larger 3040 new and it still works to power my outdoor system.  Phillips (later Thorens) turntable, 12-inch Jensen three-ways in large boxes and the tone was great so I never worried about anything but what music to buy.....those were the days!

I had a 3040 many years ago. I used it to power Boston A40's at home and some large home made speakers for parties where a lot of metal and dance music was played loudly :) The speaker EQ function was perfect for the Bostons. The 70Hz setting made them sound like floor standers.

I almost bought one when they were new on the market. The salesperson was really pushing it and I remember being impressed at my audition, but was reluctant because  the low wattage output.  My bad, wish I would have bought it...Guess my desire for high  watts was quite misplaced.

I’m happy to say that I use a 3020i and a 3225pe in a bi-amp setup and love them. The 3225pe drives the woofers in my Energy Connoisseur speakers and the 3220i drives the mid/high. They are basically the same architectural design, but the pe has an additional set of higher voltage power supply sections and a few other tweaks. The NAD service manual is even the same, covering both models. 

I have the NAD 7225PE receiver. They were able to squeeze out 25 wpc from the basic 3020 amp section. I has a very pleasant warm and peppy sound matched with Klipach KSB 3.1 bookshelf speakers. Great for listening to FM evening jazz and classical music at bedtime.

I used a NAD 7140 and DCM Time Windows 3’s for a long time.  Now I push the Time Windows with a McIntosh C31V and MC2600 :-).  A bit of overkill but they still sound great.

After reading reviews of many amps and, in particular, the NAD 3020, I was impressed with how many folks were impressed with the musical performance of the 3020 compared with products costing much more in the day.

My most recent purchase was a NAD C375BEE. I auditioned it at my favorite dealer's showroom which also had other brands. The combination I settled on was a pair of PSB speakers which pairs well with NAD amps.

While the 375 is much more powerful than the 3020 I wonder of the 3020 produces music as comparable to the 375? Forget the difference in power. Have any listeners compared the two amps as to their ability to play music? I know everyone has their own preferences. Mine is not just about power but good music.

There are many legendary amps of yore. Just ask if any have compared classic NAD amps to the more modern versions?

You guys are just lucky, its my favorite as well as many other nad amp and cda's.
I rework them for a living.
Dont forget to give the pcb a complete re solder.
A dry joint can cause flames and smoke.
Colin
 

Hi Colin44ct357,

Many years ago I went to my local stereo store (remember those) and told the salesman I wanted to upgrade my preamp. I had an amp I was very happy with, a Bryston 100 watt per channel stereo amp. We got it down to two different models, one was an Audion that sold for around $3000.00 and the salesman suggested that I listen to the Nad 3020A, I forgot how much it was but it was much less than the Audion. I told the salesman that I wasn't interested in an integrated amp, just a preamp.

I asked him if I could please listen to the Audion as they had the same Bryston amp in the store that I had at home. He played the Audion and I liked what I heard. It was very open sounding with good clarity and great bass. He then said to me, as long as you're here just take a listen to the Nad 3020A. I agreed. He switched the Audion and put the Nad in the system and he played the same cut.... my jaw dropped. It was noticeably better. We were using the preamp output on the Nad into the Bryston amp and I have to admit, not because of the price but because of the sound quality I walked out of the store that day with the Nad 3020A. That little integrated amp had the widest soundstage I'd ever heard. The bass was more controlled with better extension and the soundstage just blew the Audion away. I didn't realize it at the time but I had just bought a piece of audio that turned out to later became a legend.

Many years later it developed a loud buzzing noise in one of the channels. An older gentleman I worked with at the time was getting out of vinyl and I was just getting into it and had just bought a nice turntable and cartridge. He offered to trade the Nad pre (with the buzzing right channel) for his entire classical lp collection (over 300 albums all in pristine condition so I traded him. To this very day I still regret that trade. What a great piece of gear at a reasonable price. 

Hello - recently started a vinyl collection and getting into vintage equipment. I'm waiting on a NAD 3020 to be delivered. I need to purchase a step up/down transformer, as the one I am getting is originally from overseas. My question is, what size step up/down transformer do I need to get? I saw a similar NAD 3020 recently sold online with an included 200W transformer (similar to the link attached to this message), is this enough?

Thanks so much in advance for any advice you can provide.

https://www.amazon.com/PowerBright-Transformer-Countries-Convert-220-240/dp/B000MW83OG/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=200W%2Bstep%2Bup%2Bdown%2Btransformer&qid=1579531671&sr=8-1&th=1

For those in love with the 3020 preamp find a 1020 it is the 3020 preamp section.

we sold a bunch of those w larger NAD power amps ( most of which could be bridged ) and of course the Hafler 200 or 220 power amp. Those make an especially fantastic combo for very low $$$&&

I do not have the level of experience as everyone on this board. But I’ve had my 7225pe for thirty years now, I just got Tekton mini lores, a schitt modi and a Qobuz subscription. Really happy, I have a strong attachment to that reciever.

Whatta ya know, @tomic601. I used a 1020 pre with a Dynaco ST70 in the mid-80's, a nice little combo. Then I got myself a Frank Van Alstine-modded Dynaco PAS, the quietest tube pre-amp I've ever heard. He used 5751 tubes in place of the 12AX7's.

Hi scothurwitz

Recently my NAD 1300 preamp went on the fritz so I got out my 3020 to use as a pre through my Bryston 3B. Wow, I think I prefer the sound of the 3020. I do like the flexibility of the 1300's 6 band eq, but the 3020 has nice "weight" to it.

The 1300 is back from the repair shop and in service again. Both good choices, IMO.

3020, takes me in way back machine to 1980's, 3020 with Dahlquist DQ10's (still own) and Magnavox cd player.