The perfect integrated amp for under $400

Realistically speaking nothing is "perfect", but the NAD C340 for its price is darn close to perfection. I've owned this integrated amplifier for about 3 months, a time frame in which I was able to listen to different music on 3 different speakers and 2 different cd players both at home and at the dealer.

This amplifier has been highly recommended by Stereophile and What-Hifi magazines (please check www.nadelectronics.com for further detail). This means nothing, you have to listen to it and decide.

Build quality:

If you are into simple looking and well built components then the NAD classic series is for you. The C340 was designed in London, England and is put together under NAD supervision in Malaysia. Basically, you will not be disappointed by build quality.

Features:

In the rear panel, you can switch on the Soft Clipping mode if you plan to play music at very loud volume. I don't use this mode since I play my music at moderate volume and I get to save my precious hearing too. All the RCA leads are gold plated. You can bypass the amp and use it only as a pre-amp when upgrading to a more powerful amp or a tube amplifier. You can also connect another pre-amplifier to it. The speaker terminals are designed to accept banana plugs, bare wire or pin sockets. You can connect a tuner, 2 cd players, 1 video player, 2 tape decks and 1 AUX. There is also an NAD link where your can connect other NAD components and use 1 remote control for the whole system. One very nice feature is the "tone defeat" button which allows you to play the music flat. I like this feature alot and I never mess around with the bass or treble because you don't need to with this amp. Anyway, the midrange is not affected, only the low and high frequencies.

Current setup and system:

NAD c340
Infinity sm155 loudspeakers
Sony 5 CD changer
Radio shack gold plated cd to amp interconnector
Monster cable 10 gauge speaker wires with pin terminals.
Room size 11' X 30'

Hint: Keep amplifier on all the time and turn off other components. This will prolong the life of the amp and make the music sound warmer from the beginning of the session.

Make sure you plug in your CD power cord into the back panel of the NAD!
TRUST ME it makes a difference in the sound as compared to just plugging in the CD player power cord into your wall socket. It seams that the amp provides cleaner power to the cd player. I don't know why, I am not an electrical engineer, but I trust my ears!!! Also, make sure you place the cd player on its own shelf separate from the amp. This provide better isolation from vibrations and the laser reader does not have to correct for errors as much. This means BETTER SOUND!!!! Trust me I spent the last 3 hours experimenting in my basement :-)

The sound:

This amplifier is very musical. I listen to jazz, classical and classic rock. Whatever the music, the NAD C340 can deliver. It has an impedance Sensing Circuitry which allows it to deliver its maximum performance under virtually any circumstance, independent of the speaker load it faces. My infinity speakers are 8 ohms and the NAD has no problem driving them. I must say that the quality of the recording you are using can be revealed by the C340. The bass is tight, accurate and powerful but remember that this also depends on the speakers. The midrange is accurate and warm. The higher frequencies are bright but controlled. I have listened to B&W 602 S2 bookshelf speakers and the bass was tight and accurate. Not as powerful as my Infinity's 12" woofers but nevertheless very accurate. At the dealer the CD player was the NAD 523 (5 cd changer). The voice of Patricia Barber's Cafe Blue was wonderfully full and warm with B&W 602 S2. I highly recommend using B&W 600 series with this NAD.
With Pink Floyd's shine you crazy diamond and Wish you were here, the music sounded very dynamic, clear and articulate with a strong punch.
Chesky records' Paquito D'Rivera's Portraits of Cuba and Havan cafe are both excellent recordings and the NAD C340 revealed a good soundstage as though the band was with you in the room. I admit that the infinity's are better for rock and electronic music than jazz. This is why I ordered a new set of Magnepan MG12 magnetic planars from my local dealer.
The Magnepans are 4 ohms electromagnetic flat panel speakers. These speakers ( I will review them once I receive them) require a high current amplifier to drive them. My magnepan dealer only had the NAD C320 integrated amp which is rated at 35 watts per channel. This amp is almost identical the the c340 but with less power. I was shocked to hear the sound from the magnepans. The less powerful C320 had no problem driving them. The dealer mentioned that NAD under-rates its amplifiers. Magnepans are known to require high quality/high current stable amps. The fact that the C320 produced such beautiful sounds is a proof that both it and the C340 are very well designed amps.

In conclusion, if you are a novice audiophile who likes to listen and seriously enjoy all types of music with accuracy, ease and comfort and still have some money left to buy more CDs then consider NAD's C340. This amplifier can drive any speakers you give it. Enjoy the music.