Price Paid:  $100.00 from Used product

Summary:
I have used this amplifier for a couple of weeks now and i've been somewhat satisfied with it. According to numbers, it doesn't deliver very much power. Although for very unsensitive speakers (84 db/w for example) this may not be enough, I wouldn't care about that. More important is the sound, this amplifier creates. One big pro, this amplifier has, is the cleaness of the sound. Although it's a bit dark and resolution is not that good, you can totally live with it with speakers of the same pricerange. Dynamics work pretty well if you again consider about the power. Bass is somewhat lame. Compared to some basic hometheater-amps (sony str-db840QS) it's also a bit flat. But i must strongly remind that these are microscopic differences. With speakers of the same pricerange you won't even notice this. It became accesible to me after buying my current penaudio apprentice speakers. Mid-range is definitely the best part of this amp. It is clean and musical. Works very well even with cheap high-end speakers. Flute sounds vrey natural and soft. Piano is a bit flat, but otherwise good. Especially the beginning of a note doesn't have all the power it needs to sound natural. But then again, you need very good speakers to even notice this. Highs sound very natural as well. Triangel has the brightness it needs. I think neutral is the best word to describe this end of the sound-scale. Even though i have said some negative things about this amp, let's face the truth. With this price there isn't many amps that compete with this one. I personally would like to call this the cheapest high-end amplifier i've heard so far. Unfortunately there's two big cons with this amplifier. One is the lack of remote control. Everyone knows how helpful it is, so no explanations. Other is that bass and treble controls have far too big area, those have effect to. My suggestion is that even with "low-end" speakers, you leave them alone and use that useful tone-defeat button. Besides that saves you from a lot of work from trying to find the "best" sound instead of the "natural". So in a nutshell, if you are new into hifi, try to find this amp somewhere. It's definitely worth of every penny! And you can get a lot of use out of it even if you have pretty good speakers. It's the flagship of most budget-stereosystems.

Strengths:
clean, musical sound, simple outlook, price

Weaknesses:
slight lack of dynamics, lack of remote control

Similar Products Used:
CA A500

Price Paid:  $260.00

Summary:
First, it''s too bad that the NAD 312 is discontinued now. I''m using this integrated amplifier in a computer-based near-field (I''m 3 feet away from the speakers) desktop listening system. Although I wouldn''t describe the sound as "warm" as other reviewers have, I do know the sonic character that they''re talking about with regards to the NAD 312. However, to me, replacing the stock U-shaped jumpers with Pure Silver Sound Integre'' jumpers eliminates this "warm" sonic character. Using those jumpers raises the price $50 and it takes a month for them to arrive, but considering it changed the NAD''s sonic character flaw it was worth it. I''m using a pair of Axiom Millennia M2ti speakers with the NAD 312, and an M-audio Delta/Audiophile 24/96 soundcard for the computer.

Strengths:
price

Weaknesses:
stock steel or steel/brass jumpers

Price Paid:  $175.00 from Hifi-Klubi (Scandinavia)

Summary:
I would recommend it to someone who wants maximum performance for minimun price. Don't use with too big speakers (for example Cerwin-Vega VS12)...

Strengths:
Good price, no useless buttons or lights, more power than you would expect looking the numbers

Weaknesses:
The bass is a little flat (escepcially with bigger speakers) and there is not remote controller.

Similar Products Used:
NAD 314 (and few other similar amps, can't remember)

Price Paid:  $250.00 from local high end store

Summary:
This was my second high-end amp, which I traded from a 310 because I wanted to be able to listen LP's on my HiFi. It worked out great and the sound was beautiful. Do not buy this product if you are expecting something with a bunch of features, it only has what you need and no more. As long as you use it with a decent set on monitors it will play very loud, I noticed when I hooked up bigger speakers it still played well, just not as loud.

Strengths:
The over all consistency of quality sound through the audio spectrum. I used some wharfedale diamond 7.2s and they really rocked the house. Imaging and control of the bass were some of the highlights

Weaknesses:
usually costed to much to upgrade to bi-amping.

Similar Products Used:
NAD 310(though has no phono stage) and Rega Brio

Summary:
I've been running the 314 with NHT supertwos. The sound is definitely musical and at a price of $120...I got a steal.

Strengths:
Price, sound, simplicity

Weaknesses:
Cheap buttons and cabinet color is drab