Highly musical

A lot more money than the C-320 which sounds the same

I had the privilage to review several NAD products when I was in London last August. I was able to hear both the C-340, and it's twin the C-320. They sounded very much alike, musical, smooth, easy to listen to, and sometimes seductive but after several hours I concluded that the less costly C-320 was actually the better integrated, and the clerk agreed. I was about to put down some Pounds Sterling, when the clerk told me NAD does not make a North American version of the C-320. When I got home I contacted the North American Dist, (Now the owners) of NAD and was told in so many words, if I didn't like their distribution chices, too bad. I find it offensive that the rest of the world has the choice to purchase any NAD product, we here in the USA have to take whatever they throw at us.

Similar Products Used:

NAD C-317, NAD 312, Musical Fidelity, Cambridge Audio

Huge Power, good bass output, great price
Tone controles

No power button on remote, only i set of speaker terminals on back pannal

What I look for in a review is not the strengths of the product (anybody can always make up something good about it) but instead, i look for weaknesses; After all, I'm looking for reasons NOT to buy the product.
Here are the few low points that i can point out
-only 2 year warrenty
-No power button on remote control (there is one but it is inopperative with this modle)
-limited remote response (you have to point the remote right at the amp for it to work)
-inconviently only one set of speaker terminals (I have a sub along with by speakers and I like to be able to turn off the sub by remote for different types of music
Other than that, it's great; the only other amps I even considered buying was one from Cambridge audio, and one from Rotel.

Similar Products Used:

Kenwood Ar301 (Awful)

Clean,detailed sound; conservative power rating; price

No phono stage

I have always enjoyed music as a hobby, whether it be collecting records, attending live performances, or banging around on a Fender bass or acoustic guitar, but for reasons unknown even to myself, it has been only over the last year that I becamed genuinely interested with the quality of my stereophonic system. After trading in my mass-market receiver, I bought this "B-stock" unit as my (like countless others from what I've read!) first foray into Hi-Fi(or is it "Mid-Fi"?), and I have never looked back!

I did much research and given my budget restrictions-along with the opportunity to trade in my (5 year) old Sony and Onkyo pieces-purchased the NAD C340 for even cheaper than what the Sony originally cost! I auditioned it against the Rotel RA-971 and an entry-level Cambridge integrated amp. The first night, after only a few hours of warm-up, I discovered at least part of what I had been missing out on for so long: I was listening to my CD's with a "new" ear, hearing things as never before! Supertramp's "The Logical Song" and Steely Dan's "My Old School" just jumped out of my speakers and "shocked my brain"!

Since then, I've upgraded EVERY component of my system and can never go back to where I was-or wasn't-sonically. Though I didn't intend to, I've matched up the C340 with other NAD components, each of which has come from different dealers, ironically enough. Part of this is due to my only local option being a cheesy Home Theater store that would rather sell a $3,000 Sony/JVC HT system, and steadfastly sells NAD for MSRP when presented the opportunity. The other part is that by shopping around, I've gotten fair deals from much cooler audio dealers just a couple hours away who realize the value of both presenting the world with respectable and quality audio products and developing a return customer!
Furthermore, I feel NAD offers those of us on THIS end of Hi-Fi quality sound at an accessable price point. There is little doubt that I will be upgrading above and beyond as finances allow for.

As for the 340, I've read some negatives regarding it as bright, and having a fatiguing sound, so speaker matching- along with Interconnects and cables-deserve some deliberate attention. I've found that it's what's recorded on the CD or LP, the production values and variables, that seem to present the majority of difference and shortcomings. In other words, I have found that if the production is up to snuff, there will be no mistaking that on a competent system; the same philosophy applies to crappy recordings.
The C340 is a solid piece of entry-level equipment, very musical and clean, and is underrated in terms of it's 50 wpc specs. As mentioned, no phono stage, which is a downer.
*Tweak tip: Be sure to replace the metal connectors that run from the pre-out to the main-in terminals on the C340 with some upgrade jumper or IC cable.

My "entry-level" system, as it is presently constituted:

NAD 533 Turntable ($359)>
ROTEL RQ-970BX Phono EQ ($140)>
Monster Cable M550i Interconnect ($50)>;
NAD 515 CD Changer ($429)>
TARA LABS Prism 33i Interconnect, ($60/.6m) >
NAD C340 ($229)
TARA LABS Missing Link [$30] b/w Pre/Main Amp;
TARA LABS Prism Nexa Speaker Cables terminated w/ gold Banana Plugs ($120)
VANDERSTEEN 1C Speakers ($600)

My musical taste ranges from folk(Pete Seeger, Joan Baez); and jazz(Miles Davis, Coltrane, Billie Holliday); to Motown /R&B (Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, The Staple Singers, the Rev. Al Green); reggae (Bob Marley, of course);and new and clasic rock-the following artists:
Cowboy Junkies, Steely Dan, Rolling Stones, The Who, The Beatles, Grateful Dead, Frank Zappa, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Phish, REM, Tom Petty, The Band (Rick Danko, RIP). Oh yeah, throw in some punk, funk and metal, which keeps me honest!

It earns a value rating of five stars based on the combination of performance and price; four starsAny questions

NAD C340
Tara Labs Missing Link Jumper Cables

Similar Products Used:

Rotel; Cambridge (both auditioned with the NAD)

Excellent for the price

Hmm...the volume control

I was looking for an all-round budget amplifier and I was thrilled when I first listened to NAD C340. It was connected to a pair of Mission floorstanders and the result was excellent. Fluid vocal and deep bass, treble is natural and detailed without sounding harsh or bright, and excellent dynamics. I bought it immediately without much thinking since it was really cheap (I mean the price :>).
When I connected it to my two-year-old coda 7, the result was breathtaking. You'll be amazed how a low-priced system can perform when they are well-matched.
I am not really an audiophile since I don't have the MONEY to be one, but I am a music lover and I demand a high quality and revealing Hi-Fi system. I have also listened to other so-called hi-end systems in many showrooms. But I am really contented with my humble system now since they really sound wonderful despite the price, and they can stand up against systems that cost several times as much. The vocal has a great presence and the HF is clean and natural. The bass, though not the wall-shaking type, is well-defined, clean and fast. The system is not for the Rock'n Roll(sounding too refined for this genre), but if you're into acoustic music such as jazz and classical you'll be satisfied. And the NAD actually has the power to handle anything you throw into the CD player. Don't be fooled by the underrated 50W rating...
Yes, an excellent amplifier for the price and none of the others in this price-range can even come close. The only complaint goes to the quality of the volume control. When I plugged my Grado SR225 into the amp, I could noticed that the two channels were not in absolute balance as I turned up the volume. The soundstage would fluctuate when I move the volume knob. It's actually less noticeable when you listened to speakers, but it's still a flaw. I would like to ask NAD to improve on this issue in the future.
Anyway, you can't fault it for the price. Anyone who is really into music and is hoping to build a hi-endish budget system, this amp is a dream come true.
Here is my system:
Marantz CD-67mkIISE
Musical Fidelity X-DAC
NAD C340
KEF Coda 7
Interconnect: Kimber PBJ
Digital coaxial cable: Furukawa PCOCC

Everything

None

Well, I actually have the C350 but seeing as that Audio Review doesn't list the C350 for review . . . I figured I would. Most retailers are pushing the C350 because the C340 is discontinued (although you can still find it around). The C350 is a little beefier with rated watts at 60 per (I think??).

I bought the C350 for $310 + $10 for S&H from Soundcity.com. What a deal!! These guys are hungry and probably sell on huge volume so, as Monty Hall used to say, 'Let's make a Deal.' It arrived double-boxed, insured, in 2 days via UPS ground - no problems.

Performance seems great, given the price point. Seems like it can really kick some tail. Right now, I'm using Event Studio monitor speakers, which, incidently, just crapped out on me (high end, tweeter problem, it seems). I bought them about 45 days ago - - they're going back where they came from. So, I'm off looking for speakers . . . but, I digress. This speaker problem, by the way, has nothing to do with the amp as I have only played it a very moderate volumes. But I'm impressed with the amp's "umph." Also, I'm using a Harman Kardon CDR-2 player / recorder (which SoundCity offers at $359 - another great deal).

I have seen and read the comments about the remote control and the construction of NAD stuff, which I would agree with. But, I would overlook that small stuff and admire this amp for its great sound.

Cheers!

Deep detailed sound. Very much detail even when played softly. Although the unit has plenty of power it hasn't been designed for very loud listening.

It isn't a powerAmp. Perhaps I'm going to use the C-340 as a pre-amp and add a NAD Power Amp

Does this Amp have any weakneses you might ask yourself. If you have any complaints, just spend more money.
If you also use a C-540 cdplayer and some 400 bucks a peace speakers you won't complain.

Similar Products Used:

Rotel, Marantz, Denon

Demure Fascia.

High "haze" floor, textured and generally unexceptional top 2 octaves.

Still breaking in, but a great transformation will be necessary to seperate the qualities of this humble integrated from the other flotsam available at your corner megalomart. No harmonic richness to speak of, all timbers are bleached out and overcast with haze and noise; The controls are hard to turn and feel poorly damped, The preout-powerin jumpers are a sound killer right out of the box. Lets give it a few days to "burn-in" and see what happens, but appears to be another unexceptional NAD product.
Give it to your 13 year old.

Similar Products Used:

Pioneer A3r, Rotel, Marantz Receivers, Cambridge ...

warm and musical, rich and satisfying

Binding posts, volume control

I will always be grateful to my C340. It's leaving tomorrow as I have sold it via ebay.

Several months ago I moved into better sound with this amp a Marantz CD5000 cd player and Paradigm Mini Monitors. All in all a very good entry into hi-fi and all three components gave me just enough of a taste of what was possible to inspire me to upgrade them (MM's for Paradigm Studio 20's, Marantz CD5000 for Rotel RCD971 and the 340 for Rotel 1070 pre amp a 1070 amp. All amzing gear for the price and a whole different level of experiencing the music)

The 340 does so many things righ; it has to be one of the best values in audio. The sound is clean, detailed and rich. Paired with Rotel's RCD971 cd player it astounded me with it's ability to pass through (with very little coloration) the cd players high resolution.

The bass has been strong and tight, the highs smooth and sweet; but it's the mids where the 340 really shines offering full, rich, emotional sound.

My only complaints are the binding posts (cheap plastic jobs) and also that the NAD manual says that they accept spade connectors which they do not. Also it's hard to control the volume with the precision that I like when turned down low (between 7:30 & 6:00).

All in all a can't go wrong product. Had I not pursued what little I felt I might be missing by going to stores and listening. I would have been happy with this for many years.

Similar Products Used:

none used but many auditioned

Very well balanced, no trace of "transistor glare", great bass and very palpable midrange. Thanks to its high current output will drive the toughest loads.

Hard to find any even for twice the price.

This is simply one amazing little amp! Personally, I think the C340 is NAD's greatest achievement so far. The sound is very well balanced and fluid. The mids are gorgeous and rich, treble is smooth and free from any glare that often plagues solid state gear. Bass has a good degree of "punch" and never seems to get out of control.
This is an amp that will drive almost any speakers. I tried it with Maggies 1.6 that are a pretty difficult load and the little NAD handled it with no sweat at all.
IMHO it is one the best integrated amplifiers on the south side of $1000.

Smooth power, dead silent stage, precise sound, attractive understated NAD design

Lack of precise control at low volume

After doing research on the internet and in audio stores for over a month, I finally purchased what I considered to be an entry-level hifi system. After listening to many integrated amps, I chose the C 340.

The C 340 is an excellent sounding unit with great price-performance value. The sound is perfectly crisp and accurate and adds depth to the music I listen to. The preamp mantains its transparency at low volumes and the amp performs impeccably at high output for extended periods of time. After running at high volume for several hours, the unit was getting a bit hot (but not abnormal under the conditions), but a small fan on top quickly cooled it.

My only complaints are minor and only arise because of the sensitive nature of the Klipsch towers that the 340 is paired with. First, at low volumes (the first 15 degrees of volume knob travel), I would like some more precision on the knob itself, and more importantly on the remote. The remote is useless when making small adjustments when listening at night. One press of the down button to soften the sound often leaves me with none at all. The second small grief is that the mute button does not completely kill the sound. When it is pressed, the song is still very faintly eminating from the speakers. Not a big concern, also caused partly by the speakers.

Overall, this integrated amp is an exceptional piece of equipment. The sound quality is comparable with units far exceeding it in price and its price is comparable with units of far lower quality. Solid construction and delightful sound make this a great piece of equipment.

Similar Products Used:

Denon, Arcam