supreme efortless power,dynamic and yet wonderfully subtle.

in my opinion nothing and contrary to other reviews loved the quirky remote.

I only have this amp 3 weeks and only since four or five days ago have I truly understood what I have in my possesion, it's a beast, the power on tap is incredible and yet its so controlled, refined and well balanced, of all the equipment Ive ever owned Ive never heard my cd collection sound so good, the first amp I ever had was a nad 310, I loved that amp but you move on, I had forgotten how good they were, the c370 is similar to the 310 in a lot of ways but has the grunt to really back it up, to finish if you buy one(which i definitely think anyone hunting for an amp even up to the $1500 price mark should)stick with it let it break in, in its own time and you will be rewarded with an absoloute peach.

Similar Products Used:

marantz,music fidelity,rotel.

See below.

NAD is stupid for not doubling its profits by doubling the asking price!

[NB: This is an update on my earlier review under my "Guoxiu" penname. The C370 seems to be a very closely monitored and desired component on Audioreview. I have received an avalanche of queries from potential C370 owners, and I can imagine the levels of correspondence entertained by the other owners who posted their reviews. Unbelievable.]

[ps: I have voided the email address used in my original review as "Guoxiu"; so future emails directed there will not connect.]


... ... ...

Well, the C370 is in its third month of service for me and so the "honeymoon" is over. However my love and adoration of its sonic prowesses is still very much intact. In my opinion, the C370 is simply a landmark achievement for NAD, worthy of sharing legendary status alongside the classic 3020. It does so many things right and exhibits not a single, glaring sonic foible.

And I reckon I am in a good position to claim that because my kid bro is also a hifi-lover and had embarked on several consecutive amp changes during the past six weeks. He had previously owned the Musical Fidelity X-A1 for two years but he sold it off (interestingly, soon after I got my C370; hmm... wonder why? :), and bought and sold several amps on the second-hand mart before finally settling for the Audio Analogue Puccini SE.

I had the chance to sample the distinct sonic characteristics of the amps he bought, and compare them with my C370. And each new comparison only had me appreciating the C370's value even more; even if some of those amps cost more than the C370.

Those comparative listening sessions convinced me of the impossibility for any amp to ever lay claim on being the absolute best. Every well-engineered mid high-end amp will have its distinct sonic palette; ensuring its own appeal/niche in the market. So there! :-)

The quality which sealed the C370's appeal for me (personally) was its sheer all-round sonic capability; in comparison with those amps. None of those other amps matched the C370's consistent and confident delivery of clean power, timing and dynamics. The Alpha 10 may boast slightly more depth to the soundstage, the Marantz may sound richer (but lazier!), and the Puccini SE's midrange may be more detailed and luscious, but when it comes to the ability to reproduce music on a grand, life-like scale, and without running out of puff, all fall at the C370's stubby little grey feet. ;-)

This does not go to say that the C370 lacks delicacy and subtlety. Au contraire! It has oodles of these qualities too. The midrange is palpable, rich and velvety, the deep bass is tight and nuanced enough to handle nimble jazz basslines, and treble performance is extended yet refined. Only in direct comparison with the more expensive (and dangerously seductive, mmm!) Puccini SE, say, does one's ears register the C370's fractional lack of midrange finesse and layering.

However, I can honestly say that I don't yearn for the Puccini's extra midrange magic when I listen to the C370 extensively on its own. It is negligle. BUT I can say that I could never live solely with the Puccini SE, because it can't power out a full-scale symphony or opera recording at convincing, life-like concert levels; even if its life depended on it. :-)

Thus, my description of the C370 as an "all-rounder" isn't damning it with faint praise; it is actually a very high compliment. I would imagine audiophiles who listen exclusively to small-scale jazz and classical music, and who do not have the tendency to play their music loud, will choose the excellent Puccini or Primare for the extra finesse. For people who lust for the effortless, 3-dimensional soundscaping prowess of a high-powered amp, and who also want the sound to also have much of the delicacy and finesse of a costlier (but under-powered) high-end amp, the C370 is what they want.


... ... ... ... ... ...
The Glory of Bi-amping
... ... ... ... ... ...

If there is anything that could surpass the C370, it's two NADs! The NAD web-site suggests that the NAD C270 power amp can be used with a C370 for bi-amplification or in bridged mode (300W/channel).

Well, I have not heard the C270 yet, but...

For one MAGICAL evening, I managed to borrow a NAD 216THX power amp to use with my C370. The 216THX is the C270's predecessor, and its 125W rating closely matches the C370's 120W. I connected the 216THX to the C370, and used it to drive the bass sections of my Castle Acoustics speakers, while the C370 drove the treble sections. This is a biamplification setup.

I was not quite prepared for the new sound that emerged. The soundstage coming out from my Castle Harlech S2s doubled both in height, width and depth. Huge! Monstrous! And simply awe-inspiring! If the bass of the single C370 wasn't big enough, the one produced by the C370&216THX combo was frighteningly powerful with awesome, devil-may-care SLAM. BANG BANG BANG! One has to hear it in person to believe it. This is a power duo which will make mincemeat of even the most demanding/large-scale of recordings. The C370/216 combo simply took my Castle speakers up to a higher sonic league; than with a single C370.

I did not try the C370+216THX combo in bridged mode because (i) I feared my Castles could not handle the sheer 300W of power, and (ii) I feared hearing another great leap in sonic performance too soon. It suffices to say that I returned the 216THX power amp reluctantly, and that I am now saving up for the NAD C270 power amp. Will post another update when I finally get the C270. Fellow C370 owners: if you can, borrow a C270 to try it out with your C370. They will bring you very close to Audio Nirvana.



My current setup:
NAD C370 (improved with van den Hul PB5 interconnect)
Denon DCD-835
van den Hul D102III interconnect
Castle Acoustics Harlech S2 loudspeakers
DNM Reson cable (for the Harlech's treble units)
Cable Talk Concerto 2 cable (for Harlech's bass units)

Similar Products Used:

(owned): NAD 310 and Marantz PM-66SE
(heard): Audio Analogue Puccini SE, Arcam Alpha 10, two Rotel RB-971s (bridged), Densen Beat B-100, Marantz PM-7000, Musical Fidelity X-A1, Primare A20

An incredibly subtle, crisp, and powerful unit

none so far

I've owned NAD equipment in the past, and have been meaning to check the new items out for some time. When I moved into a house that would actually allow me to boost my power, and quality a bit, I bought this amp.

Immediately, I remembered why I owned NAD previously. The separations were astounding, the musical transfers were so unfamiliar to me I thought I was listening to discs for the first time. Everything was completely altered from the sound of my Harmon Kardon (which was fine, but not great).

This amp is the cornerstone of a reasonably priced, but supremely competetive, system. Don't bother spending $2000 on equipment that wouldn't surpass this $600 gem!

Similar Products Used:

Harmon Kardon

Very good sound quality with great everything and i havent broken it in yet, good looking, great build quality and power

None i have seen

I just bought it and I really like it with the great sound quality and the very massive power output. I use a pair of Cerwin-Vega LS15 and they really pound with this amp. I think it will sound even better with som running in time...................i will post a follow up when i runned them in

High current output, will drive any speaker, great bass.

At this price, none.

I bought this amp as a stopgap until I could afford to buy quality separates. In the first couple of weeks that I had this amp, I had to strongly resist the urge to return it; the C370 sounded very harsh and rather congested. But I decided to give the amp another week or so before returning it and I'm glad I did. The sound has since opened up considerably---the highs are no longer harsh, the midrange is uncongested and the bass continues to be very impressive, especially at low volumes which is important for apartment living.

Compared to its lower powered siblings such as the C310 or the C340, this baby delivers a much cleaner and uncongested sound as well as improved bass---I guess the extra power does help. NAD claims that the C370 will deliver up to 70 amps of peak current into 1 ohm and I believe it. It had simply no problems dealing with my Hales Revelation 3 whose impedance dips down to 2 ohms in the low frequency region.

Not the final word in transparency or bass control to be sure: for instance the Musical Fidelity A300 (twice the price) has a much more refined mids and highs and the Krell KAV300i (more than thrice the price) has palpably superior bass slam and better highs. But for the price ($699 list), it is hard to beat this gem from NAD.

Associated equipment:

Pioneer DV525
MSB Link DAC
Hales Revelation 3

Similar Products Used:

NAD C310, Musical Fidelity A300, Krell KAV300i

power

none

I really like the Nad for it's power and dynamic in soundstage. The Rotel and Arcam amplifiers which I compared the Nad with were less powerful and the sound of them was less detailed. At first I had the Nad connected to a pair of B&W 603, but I missed somethings in the soundarea. Now I have it connected to a pair of Mission 753, which is a perfect combination, especially if you like to listen metal/hardrock. The amplifier has a detailed sound and produces much power. It also has good bassound and the amp is easy to handle. When you like to listen to very dynamic music and you hook the amp on a pair of Mission, I'm sure you're going toe spend many hours in musiclistening, the amp produces a very warm sound.

Similar Products Used:

Arcam and Rotel

Clarity of sound. Upgrade options.

None

I bought the NAD 370 based solely on the reviews posted here. I'm glad I did. This a very good piece of equipment. And for those who want good sound without selling the farm, you'll love this amp!

Equipment:
Amp: NAD 370
Source: NAD 523 CD Carousel
Speakers: Soliloqy 5.0s
Interconnects: Synergistic Research Alphas Sterling
Speaker cable: AudioQuest Tpye 6

Similar Products Used:

An early 1980's Kenwood system.

I bought this unit over the weekend to replace an aging Nakamichi SR integrated amp that was over 10 years old (about time). The clarity of the sound was amazing and vocals seem to spring out of the box and into your living room. Maybe because my old Naka was on its last legs, but it certainly bought life into the KEF Reference 102 speakers that I have. Power was readily on tap, with the sound effortlessly getting louder as I turned the volume dial. I never did venture over the 10 o'clock position as that was plenty loud enough. The pre-out hooks up to my CT-100 Velodyne subs which seems to crossover well.

None that I can mention. Initial sound out of the box was not impressive but after 'warming' up a few hours, clarity improved significantly.

Powerful, well-rounded, and big value for money. Similar amps at 120 RMS (no fooling with the power figures by NAD) would much more. I like the simple low profile look, while options on the back is enough to satisfy the toughest critic. Beautiful clear sound with my KEF Ref 102 and Velodyne CT-100.

Similar Products Used:

Nakamichi SR-7

Powerful, Detailed, Crisp Sound,Bargain price sound quality as good as $1500 amps.

Takes time to break-in. Harsh and congested to start with.
Remote so and so. Not so good looking,

Give it time to break-in and it will reward you with detailed smooth sound.
Can sound a little cold. therefore use quality interconnects that balance things out. I highly recommend Van Den Hul D102 III Hybrid.
I replaced the metal links connecting Pre-Out 1 and Mains with short interconnects again Van Den Hul D102 III, the result was smoother sound and deeper bass. Was sceptical at 1st but difference was noticeable straight away. If anyone else has tried it then, what do you think?

Similar Products Used:

Kenwood 5040 R

Transparency, finesse, wonderful coherence and control, weighty bass, tonal purity, and p-p-p-p-p-p-P O W E R!!!

The remote control's design could use a little more imagination.

My first amp was the wonderful little NAD 310 and it gave me so many moments of audio pleasure, that when time came for me to upgrade to a third amp, I decided to go NAD again. I purchased the C370 without even auditioning it, confident that it will deliver the same sonic signature as the 310; but on a far grander scale.

And it did just that, with some extra surprises thrown in too... I am flabbergasted by the sheer amount of power lurking underneath the C370's chassis. Oh my, its official 120W power rating is extremely conservative! I can't imagine myself cranking the volume-dial beyond 9 o'clock: at this vol level, the C370 is already a full-fledged, fire-breathing loudspeaker-bully. It drove my Castle Acoustics Harlech S2s to soar like heaven-bound angels and thump like ancient Nordic sledgehammers(;-).

Fortunately, all that power is allied with finesse. At no point did I feel that I was listening to a showy-but-ultimately-fatiguing amp. Instruments and vocals were reproduced with an enchanting and silky sheen, and orchestral tuttis were powered out with both gossamer delicacy and weight. This amp does all types of music well, but it seems to have a special affinity for classical music.
I am re-discovering my symphonic discs all over again.

The only quibble I have with the C370 is its remote. It is well-built, but the designers have opted to use triangular buttons for the master volume control instead of round ones for the others. The sharp point of the triangular buttons can get momentarily stuck in its hole. This happened once when I pressed the Vol-Down button and removed my finger. Unknownst to me, that button stayed down and I watched in motionless terror as the volume knob travelled all the way back to "O". And then I discovered the stuck button on the remote. Oh THANK GOODNESS it wasn't the Vol-Up button! Mr Designer of this remote, whoever you are, please kick yourself once in the posterior.

So in conclusion: sound-wise, this NAD is a total Caveat-Emptor. Its appeal is hardly compromised by that wacky remote. If you are shopping for an integrated in the up-to-$1500 price-range, be sure to include it on your short-list.

Similar Products Used:

NAD 310, Marantz PM-66SE