jgriffin

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.67 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I bought this amp in January, mainly on the strength of the reviews below. The strengths and pitfalls of this amp are very well documented here. The 2200 effortlessly drives 6 pairs of paradigm speakers and (one sub woofer) throughout my house and yard, and it is everything I hoped it would be. However, because of the age of these amps, you have to be ready to deal with the burnt contacts problem, which eventually creates the dreaded "punch through" sound problem that is well detailed in previous posts. I want to share with readers who are contemplating buying one of these amps some of the lessons I learned from hard experience trying to get mine repaired. The first thing to realize is that, even if the amp is in perfect condition, and is being sold by the original owner, the burnt contact problem could suddenly begin to manifest it's self at any time. In my case, it happened a week after I had purchased my 2200 from the original owner. He offered to take it back, but I really loved the sound of the amp and wanted to restore it. I learned the hard way that, even though some shops will say that they have qualified techs who will fix your amp, it will cost you a pretty penny. In my case, even though I told the first shop up front that the problem was coming from burnt contacts, they led me on for 3 months with promises and needless parts replaced. When they finally gave in and admitted it could be the relays, they made me wait another 3 weeks just to tell me that NAD doesn't sell them any more! I asked them to just find equivalent relays, but they couldn't (which was an out and out lie). So at that point I had my amp back after spending hundreds of dollars and it still had the same "punch through" problem because of bad relays. On the Internet, I found a company called In House Service Company, which is located at 12 Technology Drive, Ste. 13 East Setauket, NY 11733 Have a look at www.angelfire.com/art2/stereorepair117/NAD.htm . They have a very reasonable service for NAD 2200s in which they upgrade the relays, and replace the input caps for $175. There is also a fellow I found on eBay who advertised a similar service for $125. These would be good options except for the problem of having to ship such a large and heavy piece of equipment back and forth without it getting damaged in transit. You are probably saying "why didn't you just find an honest local tech who would find you equivalent new relays. After all, this isn't rocket science!" Well, finally I did. The catch is, understandably, they don't' just want to tell you what the part is and order it for you. They can't make any money that way. Anyway, after spending the money, I am going to share with you where you can get replacement relays and what they are. You want part number R46-5D12-12 relays from NTE Electronics (www.nteinc.com). 12VDC, SPDT contact arrangement, coil resistance of 400 Ohms, Nom. power is 360 mW, and they can take up to 12 amps (instead of the original 8). Because the original relays have a unique pin arrangement, my tech wired the new relays up off the board. They are small enough to still fit neatly in place. So there you have it. If you are good with wiring diagrams and soldering guns go for it. Otherwise you could order a pair and give them to a competent tech in your area and get him to install them for you. Look on the Internet for the wiring diagram for his amp, you can find it for free if you look around, as the tech will need it. Or you could go with the other scenarios I described above. If you are in the SF Bay area, you can get your amp fixed at the place I did for around $200. SerTEch Electronics in San Jose. You can call them at (408) 267-3288, Norm is a great guy. Your amp will be ready for another 20 years of use.

gmeredith

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $450.00 from House of Records

Summary:
What can I say after having this about 23 years. I am the original owner. This amp has worked without a flaw the entire time and still going strong. No plans of ever departing with this great piece. I don't think todays equipment is made to last like this piece has nor to the same standard of quality. Very clean sound with all the reserve power I have ever needed. If you can find one of these, you will do yourself a great service. I have owned a couple newer amps/receivers (all NAD of course) for secondary system since owning the 2200 but the 2200 is second to none. Its far better than the NAD C372 int-amp I purchased last year for my secondary system in terms of dynamic performance and just as neutral in sound quality.

Strengths:
Clean, neutral sound with all the power you need on reserve when you decide to crank it up.

Weaknesses:
None. This amp has performed flawlessly for 23 years and still going strong.

Similar Products Used:
NAD C372 int-amp. NAD C162 pre-amp

Sathar

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $600.00 from Eardrum (no longer i

Summary:
Somewhere back in the late '80s I got my hands on a showroom floor demo pair of Carver Amazing loudspeakers (5' tall electrostatics each with four woofers the size of your head). My little 90 watt receiver couldn't budge them. So about a year later I went back for a pair of NAD 2200PEs. I was in college at the time, so I thought it was pretty neat how the room lights would flicker in sync with the heartbeat on Dark Side of the Moon. I also had a penchant for E. Power Biggs, thank the heavens my elderly neighbors were deaf as stones.

Those speakers are long gone, and probably turned back to dust by now. After some dark years in the closet or driving an old set of modest JBLs, the 2200s got called back up in '98, unbridged into "Stereo" so they could bi-amp a pair of Vandersteen 2's. I haven't even turned them off in five years except to dust, and they have yet to complain.

Now I just got my hands on a pair of Dahlquist DQ-10s, which I'm getting ready to rip apart and refurbish. Every single person whose posted a word about these in the last ten years keeps saying how they are just bottomless buckets for electricity that will leave any amp crying, how their power "Sensitivity" is a joke and how you need to wire them straight into a nuclear reactor to get enough current. I described the NADs' print specs to one of the engineers at Regnar (owners of the Dahlquist name), and all he could say was "Be careful..."

Strengths:
Put on a early CD of Bolero (back when the engineers were just exploring the full dynamic range of the new medium). These puppies will run the 105dB marathon from "Is it on?" to "My teeth are numb" with clarity and precision.

Delicate enough for a gentle sonata and able to turn on a dime when that 32 foot pipe has its stops pulled out. And if your home is plagued by negatively charged ectoplasmic entities, I'm pretty sure you can plug your Proton Pack into one of these.

Strong and dependable, will run for years without a shrug.

I'd love to say Transparent, but I haven't had a reason to listen seriously to another amplifier in twenty years, so if they're Colored, my ear is the same shade.

Weaknesses:
I've read some of the other users' issues, and I vaguely recall one amp having a dead channel ten or fifteen years ago. I don't remember if it was the relay problem that others have described, or something more serious. Eventually I got it fixed, and neither have given me a lick of trouble since.

I wish the NAD A/V receiver I picked up five years ago was built even half as well.

ken price

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.40 of 5, 5.00 votes

Price Paid:  $500.00 from audio center wichita

Summary:
I purchased my Nad 2200 in 1986, I had a smalll night club and used iit to drive the sound system. iI used it for about three years and wasted many speakers , and i thought kplish speakers were quailty! after the tour in the club it came home with me to power my home stero system. I have two ancient RTR tower speakers that keeps the neighbors informed. I use a DJ mixer as a preamp and running at 50% on main setting 5 rids the neighbor hood of stray or unconfined animals.

I always loved this amp and have never had it looked at or repaiired. it has worked flawlessly and spent many nights running 90% of full output ( and yes the soft clip works! ) many speaker manufactor reps couldnt believe this amp had the power to melt thier speakers down! I was told it easily exceeded 250 watts per channel. I was interested in what else Nad made so i ended up here on this site. I agree with the other subscribers , this is one hell of an amp , and no its NOT for sale .....LOL

Strengths:
value
capability
sturdiness
response and clarity
I would give product 10 stars if available!

Weaknesses:
heavy ( everyone says that, suppose theres components in the case?)
does get warm
keep you out of stereo stores , you dnt need anything else if you have one of these!

View Comments (1)

Would you like to Comment?
Join audioReview for a free account, or Login if you are already a member.

trellix78

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $240.00 from Ebay

Summary:
Wow! I usually don't write reviews, but listening to the beautiful, full sounds that this NAD amp reproduces is making me do thing I don't normally do. The sound is absolutely clean, very detailed and bass is lightening quick even when playing using my Xbox/DVD player and so-so Pioneer bookshelf speakers. Maybe it's the NAD 1155 preamp but I've never had a need to turn the volume up more than half way to get full, rich sound. I was listening to some Thievery Corporation the other night and had to turn around a few times to make sure my Pioneers hadn't turned into something more expensive. Can't wait to finish bidding on a pair of Acoutic Research 38 BX speakers to complete the deal. I don't think I'll leave my house after that.

Strengths:
Very clean power. Built to last. Smooth, excellent controls (power button).

Weaknesses:
NONE.

Similar Products Used:
Harmon Kardon AVR 225. Onkyo TX-8511.