NAD C370 with Wharfedale Diamond 9.1's

Bob:

They are both good products. The resulting sound will be on the warm side of neutral. If you are looking for a CD player that pairs exceptionally well with the NAD , try the Music Hall CD 25.2. The 320 has a bit more finesse than the 370, but the 370 is still a nice sounding amp.

Depending on your room size and listening preferences, the C370 may be a bit of overkill. What Hi Fi magazine does shoot-outs with the 9.1's frequently enough and it has paired the 9.1's with the NAD C352 or C320BEE. Price wise that would be a more reasonable combination.

The 9.1's are rated at 100 watts and the 370 can put out 150 watts. This may seem like a bit of a mismatch, but in reality it is OK. Speakers tend to get damaged from amps that go into clipping, so the extra reserve should be OK.

As for buying used, the trick is in qualifying the seller. Price should not be the sole determinent.

Regards, Rich

I would go with the C370/9.1 combination, as the C370 is a much better amp than the C320BEE. Overkill? Maybe, but I would rather have more power than I need, than not enough. Just be careful when playing your music loud, if the speakers seem to straining, then back off on the volume some. Also, if you decide to upgrade your speakers at some point in time, having the C370 will give you more flexibility in speaker choices.

Or the new digital amps reviewed in Stereophile for $159 stereo integrated. Plus they're new.