You get what yo pay for. Maybe sometimes you get a bit more. I paid $400 for this amp. It is in beautiful condition. Maybe a bit more beautiful than the lady owner who I bought it from. For me, the lack of a phono stage is not a problem as I play my vinyl on a pair of Technics 1200 turntables through a Vestax mixer. I like that this amp can be used as a preamp. For now, I've got one of the line outputs connected to my AIWA AD6900 tapedeck so I can do mix tapes. I've got the other line output going to my MD. I'm super happy with the sound of this amp through my Dali Ikon bookshelf speakers. For me, it's got a warm flat sound with tight bass. Like most NAD amps, it's got way more welly than it's (40w) rating. I also like the classic NAD design and the dark grey colour. It has 7 inputs. It shows its late 90s vintage with an input for CD as well as DISC. I guess that's meant for digital video disc formats. Handy if you still watch DVDs. Or Laserdiscs lol.

No phono stage

I purchased this new to replace a Luxman SQ507. The NAD drives two Altec Lancing Voice of the theatres speakers. Technology had advanced and this unit seemed to have better specks ( al be it less power than the Luxman) for a fraction of the cost. With all my equipment I like to all all my dials to get a neutral sound and then never change them. I was a bit leery of the Nad as there are few dials but the dealer said, "Try it!" When it was all set up and turned on the sound was exactly to my neutral liking there for I have never adjusted the base or treble. The results were equal to the much more expensive Luxman with one exception. With the Luxman at close distance the horns had a slight white noise the NAD doesn't. There for it at a fraction of a cost it has exceeded my previous equipment.

To bring it into the 21first venture I had to add bluetooth bobble on it but that is not a biggie.

Typical with most NAD amps the c320 has a neutral and flat sound, its very smooth and laid-back, but with plenty of detail and quality. It just sounds good with all types of music. Compared to my Marantz & Denon receivers the sound quality difference is day-and-night, there is just more detail and control.
On the sales brochure NAD says the amp does 40watts/ch but it really does well over 150Watts short term, it sounds much louder than my Marantz receiver 90watts/chan receiver.
If your on a budget and your new to audio its a no brainer cheap NAD amps such as this are perfect, low ball price but sound that touches amps many times its price.
Wish i knew about these cheap NAD amps 20years ago, this was only about $300-400 new back then, as a struggling student this would have been perfect for me, but these amps look so understated and NAD does not do much advertising.

As for negatives,it manly due to been at the lower price, the c320 does not have as deep and controlled bass as its higher powered big brothers and there is no 12v trigger.

Refinement Bass Price

Build Quality is a little flimsy

An excellent product - there is nothing better within $100, and it has qualities to match many amps under $1K. This is an amazingly refined amp, and has plenty of current to offer.

Plenty of power. Great sound for well under $400. Solid enough that it can be shipped four times by UPS without parts falling off.

Annoying transformer hum. Having to double click panel buttons.

I have the 320CBEE. It replaced a mid-range Kenwood receiver, thus it obviously sounds wonderfully better than what I had. As an avid collector of LPS, the first concern was the lack of a phono pre-amp. This was fairly easily solved with adding the separate NAD pre-amp. The amp has plenty of power and seems well matched with the equipment that I have. This includes some very vintage but deep and warm sounding Dynaco AR-35 speakers I've had for 20 years. I tried it with a pair of new Wharfedales, but the sound with that combination was definitely too bright with tinny bass. Surprising, it has been its best with a used Denon TU280 tuner I picked up almost as an afterthought. The improvement with the tuner and this amp is light years ahead of my old receiver. Have not upgraded my Philips CD player yet, but the sound is extremely clear, again a big improvement over what came before. It also matches well with the DVD and TV (as long as one is ok with just two channels, which is perfectly fine for me). The match with the pre-amp is ok, but I was surprised that one has to boost the volume when I play LPs. Perhaps that is more of an issue with the pre-amp. The turntable I use is another museum piece - a Connoiseur BD2A, with a Shure V15VxMR cartridge. So once the volume is boosted, LPs are sharp and clear. The loud volume is just an annoying surprise when I forget to turn it back down when switching to CD. (Given the finnicky nature of the volume knob makes this a more noticable problem). As others have mentioned, the knobs are a bit clunky, especially the volume knob that is too sensitive, especially when using the remote. Also there is on odd double click one has to do when switching inputs using the panel buttons. It happens mostly when I have just turned on the unit, and I am making the initial input selection. Once its warmed up, this does not happen. My biggest beef - and what sent me on a long unsuccessful odyssey with the dealer is that the power transformer hums. It's not terribly loud, but easily noticed if one is close to the amp and during soft music (such as 3/4 of the classical LPs I have). The fact that the hum is roughly at the frequency of a mosquito does not add to the joy. I see another reviewer has noted this hum too, and that it might be a harmonic problem with the cabinet that some fiddling with the cabinet might fix. Tightening screws did not make it go away for me however. I spoke with the dealer, but never got a straight answer, if this is an endemic problem in this model, or just my particular unit. After a month of phone calls and inventive responses from the dealer, I was finally allowed to ship the item back to the him for repair or exchange. Alas, the exchange did not happen, as the amp came back to me with new tape on the box, but the same old hum. Well I guess the solution is maybe to pack the whole amp into a soundproof cabinet, or never sit closer than within 7 or 8 feet of it. As long as one is outside of the range of the transformer hum, what comes out from the speakers is very very good. Fortunately the hum doesn't come across over the speakers. Nor is there any hiss. I think the bottom line, it's got some flaws but ok for the money. However, I would suggest that you hear the exact unit you will be buying, to avoid getting a hummer. Or, if buying on-line go with a dealer who has track record for reliability, and a proven sincere exchange/repair policy (a lesson that I have learned the hard way). If I had a unit that did not hum, I would have given it at least one higher rating in both categories.

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Adcon.

solid, distortion, coloration free power.

none

for $400 , this is an amazing amp. (320 bee) I've heard higher end stuff, like arcam, larger NAD, adcom, anthem, and rotel etc. If you have more cash, go ahead and use it. This amplifier easily competes at the $1000 level or more. Loads of power beyond it's ratings. Drives my ref 80's with no problems. defeatable tone controls are a nice option for those poorly mixed records... You won't be disappointed unless you really wanted to spend 1k or more...

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arcam 65, rotel, higher end nad

r u kidding??...afta 3 months i felt like killing the NAD dealer n throwin away my kit...but i m a poor guy so i had 2 sell eerything off for a small fraction of wat i bought those NAD stuff..yucksss

everythin u can think of when u accept the fact that 4 a little bit more money, u can get so much more quality sound n build...its a RIP OFF...

i was alwiz led by hifi magazines 2 believe that NAD is the way 2 go 4 quality sound n budget..i was fooled 4 a few months i have 2 admit...after a few months with the 320BEE i was sick of the sound...disgusted even...it was givin me a sound tat bugged me..bright, harsh, boomy uncontrolled bass, unnatural...yes u all may b thinkin wat does this guy expect from such a budget machine...well, i got a rega brio now..its retails for 70 pounds more which is not a lot..n i reckon every single penny spent if i had bought the brio initialy n not the NAD is well worth it.. wat i m tryin 2 say is tat do not let journalism corrupt u...NAD is not as good as it is cheap...slightly costlier models provide u with much more quality sound...i say this cos i had a NAD 541i cd player as well...again, few months down the road i changed it 2 an arcam cd 72...which is also only 70 pounds more expensive...but honestly the sound is ten fold as impressive as the NAD's... doubt me??...hate me??...go ahead...have a listen 2 some of the other makes at around the same price...i assure u will not b disappointed...i felt so dumb when i changed my entire setup..i sold every NAD off 3 months after buying them...incurred a whopping 70% loss!!!...if u r wantin 2 buy NAD, please dont..trust me...go audition other brands...i m just like anyone of u out there...tryin 2 get the best bang outa my buck...dun work 4 rega nor arcam...so dun buy now n regret...make sure u get it right the 1st time...n ur upgrade path 2 higher end components can b delayed...TRUST ME!!...

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rega brio arcam cd 72 both r exceptional components 4 their price (which is only a little more expensive than the NAD's)

+ Performs well above its 50W rating + Excellent image and sense of space + PreOutMain In allows an upgrade path + Useful tone controls (at last!) + Sexy Titanium finish

- Can get hot when used for long periods - Only one ser of binding posts (Who REALLY needs two?) - So damn addictive I havent left my room for a while!

This review is for a C320BEE. What can i say, this amp has blown me away! It performs well above its rated 50W RMS power rating. And thanks to ISC in NAD's PowerDrive design, it can handle complex loads without breaking a sweat. Of course, having good specs on paper would mean NOTHING if it wasn't backed up by real-world performance, which is the case with so many other amps these days. Rest assured, the little NAD delivers. Once it has been given a chance in break in (about 30h play time, patience is a virtue!), the C320BEE shines. Paired with a NAD C521BEE CD player (review coming soon) and Vifa-driven DIY monitors you can expect supurb imaging that makes it sound like the band is in the room with you. Theres also an excellent sense of depth to music which makes it any type of music far more enjoyable. The C320BEE does its best not to add colouration to music. What's on the recording is what you get. This may be a good or bad thing depending on your preference. Feature wise, the C320BEE is well specified for an entry level product. Included is a single PreOutMain In, Infrared InOut, NAD compatible remote, 12V trigger, defeatable tone controls, 7 inputs including 2 tape loops (all gold plated) and NAD's own "Soft Clipping" protection. I must say its simple design is dead sexy in the Titanium finish (sorry, can't get it in North America) Downsides? The only one I can think of is the fact that it can get pretty hot in intensive use. A good rack or placing it on the top of a stack sorts this out however. Highly Recommended for a budget system.

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Nothing worth mentioning here.

plays all kinds well, has soul, not made by SONY, worth the dough if you're bent on doing the 2 channel thing

no built in phono stage....but then again, maybe that's a strength.... volume control contributes some static sometimes, but goes away after turning off and back on.

Ya know, I love this amp. I almost bought a Rotel integrated for 2x as much...but I'm glad I didn't. This awesome NAD gets me 99% of the way there for 1/2 the price. I love the fact that NAD is making a pure stand for 2 channel stereo. A few things though. Volume control can make some fuzzies. Not sure what causes that, but if you turn the amp off and on again, it usually quits the bad behavior. Tone controls are worthless. Why even include them? Remote is good. You can point it at the moon and the amp will still pick it up- but, as others have noted, the dial just moves too fast. No built-in phono section, but the $119 PP-2 phono stage is also available from NAD. Maybe it was better that way. Offers flexibility to those who take their vinyl super-seriously. You can skip NADs phono stage (which is just great, if you ask me) and take a step up to the Creek phono stage, which is competitive with the PP-2. But most of all, I've got these hooked up to my B&W 602 S3s....and when I turn it up, it THUMPS. That's basically it. There's no part of the range that sounds like it's missing or distorted. I have a hugely diverse musical collection- I listen to Paul Van Dyk and Neil Young and Beethoven and Bjork and Radiohead and David Bowie and accordion music- nothing sounds inadequate from my chair...that's that

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Onkyo crappy crap crap receiver

Conservatively rated; much fatter sound than what the stated wattage level suggests. Lifelike, "live" sound on the kinds of music I like (country, jazz, classical, and classic rock). Dead quiet on the speakers, no hum at all on quiet passages. Good filtering. Thoughtful placment of controls on front panel, and more inputs than amps from the old days. Sleek, easy to handle remote with glow-in-the-dark buttons. Easy to use once you know the button positions. Good internal build quality, thoughtful placment of components.

MECHANICAL noise from the power supply, perhaps the transformer. This is reduced as the unit warms up for 20 minutes or so. The noise (hum) is higher than 60Hz. A cabinet resonance may be at fault. Will have to tighten some screws perhaps (this knocked off a star on the overall rating). Volume control is a bit touchy from the remote (too quick). Plasticy front panel. My 7020 has a metal front panel. Rather drab, but NAD is known for lack of flash. No magnetic phono input (this is more common on amp/receivers these days).

Owning a 7020 receiver for more than 20 years, it's time to replace it with a more updated unit. The 7020 is showing signs of age; more mechanical and electrical noise. Likely candidate; the C320BEE. I'm a big NAD fan, particularly of thier amplification. NAD is still in touch with us stereo fans. NAD addresses the real-world performance issues. I was looking into purchasing the C320BEE. Art Dudley's review in the 7/03 Stereophile mag, and another in Absolute Sound (2/03) made that a definite. I also purchased the C420 tuner. The speaker cable was changed out (oxidated ole Monster stuff), and AudioQuest type 4 replaced them (10ft pair). The speakers are still from my original (7020) system; ADS L620's, 2-way acoustic suspension; 1in dome tweeter, and 10in woofer. Bjorn really outdid himself on this tweek of the C320! He designed the amp section of the 7020 receiver (3020 amp, I think), and this is 7020/3020 amp matured. A definite improvment in imaging, with a more open soundstage, just as Dudley described using more elaborate components than what I have. I find the midrange more forward thus having a more live sound. The bass was much more controlled (tighter) on the L620's with the 320BEE connected than the 7020. At 50 WPC, as opposed to the 20WPC of the 7020, the dynamic headroom is much more robust (as shown in the spec; >3.5db vs 3.0db for the 7020). NAD has allways been more conservative with thier tone controls, particularly the bass. On the C320BEE a few more db's were added to the bass end of the curve. This may be that designers in the UK and Europe try to shoot for more of a tone curve with less coloration, as I read some years ago in an audio magazine (can't remember which one, perhaps Audio). Currently, my system is in a small room, but once I move it into a larger area, the C320BEE will be more natural and at home with higher volume levels. There's plenty of volume to spare on the unit. You don't have to turn it far to get decent output (and then some). The exclusive NAD soft clipping is a big help on continuous high volume material (Van Halen for example). The high end is slightly brighter than the 7020, but not distracting at all. With the volume turned down all the way, there was not a single bit of low level 60Hz leakage when I placed my ear right over the woofer on the L620's with the C320BEE. The 7020 had a little, and it was more so recently. Have to say that I'm very pleased with the C320BEE, and again tip the hat to Bjorn who really did up a winner. The build quality is much better; robust heat sink, and buss bars. The circuit board with it's components is well laid out. The radial (toroidal) transformer along with meaty filter caps work in concert to bring out lifelike sound with all the dynamics (proof is in the hearing). The transformer with caps, and heat sink look impressive under the vent holes on top. All said, their are some caviats, see below under weaknessess. My CD player is a JVC XLV-282 and am ditching a B&O Beogram 1700 with it's proprietary cartridge-tonarm arrangement. I plan on getting the PP2 phono preamp, and getting a music hall table perhaps. The CD player I plan on replacing the JVC with is a Denon DCM-380 changer with HDCD decoding (and mp3). Since 9/11/01, I've been listening to more country music and thus buying more of those CD's. Many country CD releases use HDCD encoding. The NAD CD player with HDCD is a single disc unit, and is just a bit out of my price range. The Denon seems to use the same design principle for the most part, and is a 5-disc changer.

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NAD 7020 receiver (R.I.P.)