Does anyone out there care for value for money? With focus on Value? Well, don't forget to look out for old NAD 3020 or 7020!
Though not a great integrated / reciever (it's still excellent if you consider the money you have to part with, but the "poweramp" part is the weak part) it makes a real budget hi-fi preamplifier preciever megadeal. The shortcomings of this little wonder is easy cured (vol.pot., a few components, upgraded internal wires and bypas of some "stupid" buttons) [Se Rays page for a hint.] And if you are bothered with the "tuner" part of the preciever to mess the delicate signals in the preamp, don't bother coz this baby turns most of those signals off when you don't use the "tuner"!
Well, considering the price anyone could check this preamp out to see what you may benefit from it (even if you have expencive stuff, this is less money than you don't put on much to cheap interconects). And if you don't benefit: Well, pass it on. Some other will for sure do. Personally I've gone for the preciever style (7020) as this is not only as good (or about as good), but gives you a excellent tuner (a little "loudnessy" but very appealing) as well and comes even cheaper. [One of them bougth for $15. And that would hardly by you an album even if you go for "nice price".]
Rating: I'll give it four star as a performer. But if you take performance versus money I'll give it something between twentyseven and twentynine stars. So I think a five star gives you the hint that this may be something that you shan't miss to check out if one [3020 / 7020 (3120)] passes you by.

Mid fi performance at low fi price. Very unfatiguing even sound up and down audio spectrum. soft clipping works very well.

Those damn plastic caps that keep popping off

I owned this unit since 1979 or 1980. One of my classmates recommended me this integrated amp from this up and coming bang for the buck mid to hi fi company. I auditioned this unit at Harvey Electronics and marvelled at the sound from such a power rating challenged unit. What I found was a gem and a classic. Probably still the most popular piece NAD has ever produced along with the 7020. I couldn't afford the amp and the tuner at the same time. It has served as my centerpiece while I discovered and explored music of which is known today as classic rock. To have a piece of equipment grow with you is a tribute to a product that defines longevity and classic quality. It had survived refinement in audio product taste and increased income. If the amp did not croak on me a few years ago, I would still be using it as my secondary source of music. There are not that many products that you can say that about. The soft clipping was a technological marvel that actually worked. God bless the 3020

Similar Products Used:

SAE, Onkyo, Sansui (all going back to late seventies and early 80's) A 20 watt integrated amp who has heard of such a thing.

Sound, value for money and reliability

None

I purchased my 3020A used, 12 years ago with a pair of huge Sony speakers. The input was an early no name brand Taiwanese cd player. Since then my music taste has grown to include blues and some jazz, not just the hard rock of my youth. This amp has handled all of it beautifully including some all night headbanging parties. Due to the acquisition of an Onkyo DS575 amp/processor and DV535 DVD player, the 3020 has been retired to the bedroom. I have now only come to realise how phenomenal this amp is.
It is now paired with Tannoy MX1 speakers and my latest addition is the NAD C521 cd player through some Audio Research interconnects.
This system sounds great with a clear and lively bass response. The mid range is warm but sometimes a bit refined with some female vocals. The highs are clear and friendly without discomfort.
Compared to the Onkyo system with the Energy XL26 main speakers, the system does lack some sound stage and overall frequency response, but value for money this is as good as it gets, even more so due to the fact that I don't have to argue with the kids as to what I can listen to in my bedroom!
If you find one, buy it!

Big beefy sound for a budget box. Still working well after 20+ years.

Watch out for the switches popping off! Now impossible to find spares for them! Some transformer hum (from the transformer itself, not through the audio section). Takes about a minute to warm up, probably due to aged power supply stage. Tacky plastics, later models better.

The first one I got had a fault on one channel but the shop exchanged it and this one has been working for 20 years. It is still in use today.

A stonking amp! Can still rock with the best after all this time. We use it in our dayroom where it doesn't matter if our 1 year old damages it. This one has provided the music at numerous parties over the years and has been driven so hard that the thermal overload cut in! This was driving a set of 150W Mission speakers after the oiginal amp failed 30 minutes before the party. I know it can sustain 20W per channel output indefinitely if required. Not so good with classical music and definitely not as clear sounding as the Combridge or Quad (but they cost a lot more). It has been used with a variety of speakers (Kef, Wharfedale, Mission) over the years but presently it is connected to an ancient pair of VideoTone Minimax 3s dating from 1982 with a cheap CD player. I can still listen to it confortably. With a bit of care it is possible to make a great budget system round one of these old NADs.

Similar Products Used:

Aiwa something or other, Cambridge A60, Quad 34/306.

beautiful sound, great for apartments, longevity

My 3020A has been my constant companion for the last 17 years, which I just realized is half of my life! :-O I think that about says it all :-)