Unbeatable sound and quality for under $400.00. Our drywall replacement team truly impressed by C320BEE! This is a fine integrated amp that is only found to be lacking when doing side by side comparisons

So while this isn't a terrible product, I think that there are probably better options at or near the price point, at least if you like the same sort of sound that I do.

The quality of the build is excellent, and the metal chassis helps to reduce interference and vibrations. The amplifier also has a lot of features, like multiple inputs and a preamp output, which makes it flexible and good for a lot of different audio setups. Overall, it is a great option for people who want a reliable, high-quality amplifier at a price they can afford. | Lewisville Concrete Contractors

It doesn't have as many features or as much style as higher-end models. The design and quality of the build are also pretty basic and boring. Also, some users might not like that there aren't many ways to connect.

It was easy to change the belt, but removing the middle plate with the capstan motor needs some care. Changing the heads needs more than only correcting azimuth. The amp is very sensitive. This deck has more adjustments than it's opponents. Merced On-Site Truck Repair

None . .

Nice product! I'm so impressed with the details. Aquasana Rhino

none so far

it may be good to understand that it is never just about the kitchen. Bathroom remodeling el paso

NONE SO FAR

Pretty great integrated; amazing power amp section; ok preamp. I have used it as an integrated and as just a preamp with asunfjre signature 2x300 Power amp. I have also used it as as a Power amp with a Sunfire Vacuum give contol center preamp. I bought th. AR to replace a Cambridge Audio A3 integrated that had died on me. The NAD sounded less warm and full but more precise prhqps than the Cambridge Audio it replaced.

After the NAD’s pre and Power sections in combinations with components usually considered of at least one tier above (and considerable more expensive) than the NAD, it’s clear that the preamp section is ok. It’s fine for the NAD’s price and target use but I think the weakest part of this amp. It just sounds too dry and thin. The power amp section however is nothing short of phenomenal, especially given the size of the unit and rated wattage. as a Power amp only it held its own with the Sunfire 2x300. at High very high volumnes the limitations appear in the mid bass and lower mid range compared to the Sunfire that is rated at 6 times the NAD’s power. But even at extremes the amp is obviously much more powerful than its rated power. NAD’s headroom is the real deal! At reasonable to loud listening levels it’s downright amazing. Very clean, never harsh but also not overly warm. Treble is clean and timbre is excellently renderd. Very precise with amazing sound staging and imaging. Almost holographic. Individual Instruments can be located in space and heard; very spatial soundscape, wide but not diffused. Again precise. Also very very fast; the excellent damping and headroom at work Bass drums and bass notes for example are precise. Bass is deep but never boomy. All in all I am blown away by the power amp section.

Never had a problem with th amp in over 12 years of use. It’s needs a recap now ( I can see one electrolytic starting to bulge) which is a bit early but not unreasonable and easy to do. The circuit layout is very elegant and well thought through.

I am not a huge fan of the NAD binding posts. They work fine with bare wire
up to 12 AWG and bananas. But they restrict the use of spades to small and thinner spades. On the other hand, once you get a spade that fits into the slot for them, the posts will hold it securely and won’t allow spades to twist in the posts, preventing l accidentally shorts from spades touching each other or anything else they shouldn’t.

Plastic faceplate looks great actually and has held up well. As had the text and markings. Looks new after 12 years of Unpampered use. The case it’s very well ventilated and sturdy and ridgid even with the cover/sides removed. This amp is built to last and easy to service when normal age related service is required or repairs are needed. The power cord is at hardwired in but well made. That’s a non issue for me as I don’t buy into audiophile superstitions about fancy powercords; the NAD’s power cord’s gauge is correct for 15 amps and the Power demands of the component and the cord well constructed; it is extremely unlikely any meaningful difference in performance can be attained by changing the powercord.

extremely impressive all in all. If only the preamp section lived up to the power amp section this would be a giant killer.

This is the first review I have ever given and I am only here to boost ovarall rating. Not because I am a NAD fan, because it has performed so well over past four years. It looks. sounds and works great. I have had no problems at all and it is used daily, 2-24 hours a day for 4 years. Volume stays between 1/4 -1/2 open and never runs hot. Bass stays at 0 to -3, trebble at +3. I have a pair of KEF's and a Velodyne Sub. Most often used in video but at times with a super old NAD 515 CD. The 515 has been flawless for 21 years, that is another review. The performance it has given me has made me want to defend the couple bad reviews it has recieved here. Not just performance, the overall sound quality. Unbeatable sound and quality for under $400.00.

However, there are 2 issues I have. I dont like having to select a function every time I turn the unit on. If it is in CD mode when I turn it off that is where it should be when I turn it on. I also do not like the function buttons in general. It would be better off with a knob but that would leave empty space. Personally I would like the empty space. These are minute issues and not enough to change how I feel about it.

I purchased the NAD C320BEE in March 2003. Within months it was sent in for repair. After years of little use, I tried to sell it, and discovered that once again it was malfunctioning. I wound up stripping it for the few parts of (very little) value I could salvage, and tossed it into a dumpster.

I have owned A LOT of audio equipment over the years, and the C320BEE is one of the biggest pieces of junk ever to grace my shelves. Sticking a "BEE" suffix on a cheaply built component doesn't make it any better. It's marketing.

When products like the C320BEE garner some favorable reviews in the audio press, budgeteers think they're getting high-end sound on the cheap. The reviews are rarely written by people who've lived with the product for an extended period, and those trying to sell one probably won't mention how many times it's been in for service. If you're going to buy a used integrated amplifier, look at something else.

NAD's "BEE" versions of its older amplifiers aren't necessarily an improvement. Be certain you're really getting something better before you pay a premiium for a designer label.

I purchased the NAD c320Bee used on Audiogon for a friend. While it was in my possesion I was able to compare it to both the Krell KAV 300iL and the YBA YA 201 integrated amps. The speakers used were Dynaudio Contour 1.3 SEs. I realize that thse components are in a far different price levlel than the NAD but the point for me was to see how it would perform when mated with associated equipment that would not be the limiting factor for its performance.

The c320BEE acquitted itself finely. I would rated its resolution as fair it is definitely on the slightly warm side with a pumped up bass/midbass. This slight plumpness of the bass makes it sound more powerful than its 50 wpc rating would suggest but it runs out of steam when the volume gets loud. Soundstge width and depth are quite good its treble detail is not the last word in air and detail but it is non-fatuiging to listen to which will make it a good match for the speakers it will generally be mated with.

If you are looking for one of these (or the c325BEE) and think that you are buying Krell type performance on the cheap, you're not. Top flight gear with top flight performance comes at a price. On the other hand if you want an inexpensive integrated amplifier that can grow with you system through a few upgrades than look no further. It does enough right to give you a taste of upper end sound reproduction and for its price on the used market it is an absolute steal.

Buy the NAD c320BEE, a good CD player and a pair of used Dynaudio Audience 52s and you will likely have a stereo system that is the envy of you friends and it will not have caused you to take out a second motgage on you home.

This is a fine integrated amp that is only found to be lacking when doing side by side comparisons with more expensive equipment. Highly recommended!

Attractive.
Well built.
Good remote.
Neutral.

Too laid back and clinical-sounding.
Insufficient sonic "presence"..
Lack of clarity and detail.
Flat soundstage.
Poor low volume performance.
Poor design re headphone jack.

I'm reviewing this after using it for several years, and replacing it with new electronics (read below). I was using it to power a pair of Paradigm Reference Studio 20's. Music was largely classical and jazz.

At the time I purchased, it seemed like the best choice, but now I wonder. Compared to what I'm currently using (an Outlaw RR2150 receiver), the NAD's sound is too laid back, too sterile and uninvolving. On the positive side, it's fairly neutral, and does well with voices (which is probably why I bought it back then). But it really lacks presence and provides insufficient detail. Soundstaging is inferior to the Outlaw, too. These flaws are magnified at low volumes.

And the NAD has a design flaw, one that I found the hard way. When you plug in a headdphone, it automatically shuts off the speakers. One day, I wanted to listen via headphones, and when I removed the plug, the tip stayed in the jack, which rendered the amplifer useless. I couldn't anyone to fix this trivial problem for less than $200, so I tried to fix it myself. Bad idea.

So while this isn't a terrible product, I think that there are probably better options at or near the price point, at least if you like the same sort of sound that I do.

Similar Products Used:

Outlaw RR2150