Sweet and detailed music reproduction. Marvelous simplicity of design and operation. It drives a pair of old large Advents with ease and provides all the sound I need.

The remote handset adjusts the volume in preset "steps", so you can't always get just what you want. This world is a most imperfect place anyway-and getting worse all the time-but this NAD always sounds sweet and clear.

The L40 is a pretty ingenious device, sweet proof that good things come in small packages. I bought 2 of them at this unbeatable price.

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NAD C740, NAD 7100. The 7100 has a GREAT tuner, better than almost any I've ever used. Why do they muck around with these things?

as said

as said

Needed a low cost good sounding system for a young beginner in my family, one that would guide him to correct listening in the future. I did'nt have much time for separates hunting, so I put my trust in this NAD combo. What a disapointment it was to find its poor cd sound: no resolution, no detail, no bass. Uneven output power handling, an overall impression of a mini-system. My advise for you considering this product: take out some more energy and find old, good sounding separates.

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mini systems

No faults that would cause extended listening to become unpleasant. High sound quality FOR THE PRICE.

Rather flimsy CD drawer. FM tuning is a slow, arduous process.

After reading the other reviews, I feel compelled to comment. I'm a serious audiophile, and have been for 20 years. My current primary system is: Proceed PCD3 CD player (old, but great sounding) Sonic Frontiers SFL-2 tube preamp BEL 1001 MKII class A amp Thiel 3.6 speakers Everything connected by Transparent Music Ultra wire (Original price of this system about $20,000) I was looking for a small, good system for my teenage daughter to use now and be able to take to college, to cost not over $3,500. Also, the intention was to play in rooms about 15'x18' or smaller, and not at exceedingly high loudness levels. After a lot of research (ie. actually listening to many various combinations of components), I finally settled on the NAD L40, ProAc Tablette 2000 speakers, Wireworld Atlantis speaker wire, and Fanfare FM-2G antenna - total cost just under $2,000. The NAD-based system doesn't have the level of midrange transparency or the pure sweetness of mid- and high treble that my primary system does, and there's very little bass below 50Hz. BUT - for $2,000 it gets about 65-70% of the way "There", and most importantly of all, it doesn't do anything wrong that makes listening for extended periods unpleasant. If one listens with Sennheiser HD600 headphones plugged into the phones jack of the NAD, it becomes immediately clear that any significant brashness in the treble or muddiness in the mids is a result of poor speakers or wires; its not the NAD. In fact, listening this way shows that even the ProAc Tablettes aren't bringing out all this little NAD can do. In my opinion: 1. The NAD is a great unit FOR THE PRICE, and 2. Some of the other reviewers need to try changing speakers and/or wires.

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Also auditioned: Linn Classik K Adcom low-end separates Rotel low-end separates Nakamichi systems

Very good tuner when paired with ccrane Reflect antenna, musical CD player and amplification, very compact piece, preamp outs.

No digital out, volume pot speed is too fast.

The L-40 is part of my travel system as I medically contract nationally. Usually paired with Rogers LS3/5As and 24" stands in a smaller apartment setting I find this combination stunning for what it is. Imaging, decent detail and plainly musical. This combination would embarrass many systems as the darker nature of the Rogers paired with some brightness of the NAD offset each other. This piece paired with more colored British speakers is great.

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Linn Classik

Simplicity at its best. Enough power to competently drive good quality bookshelf speakers cleanly, accurately and loudly to the point where you can''t hear your spouse talking to you about Oprah. An invisible unit that does the job while not showing off what it is or needing attention.

Slow radio station tuning. Do not expect to zip from one end of the dial to the other - patience is the word here. CD tray is a bit skimpy but it works fine. Quirky remote but it doesn''t effect the music so I can live with it.

My wife and I are pairing down our stuff to a simpler lifestyle after discovering back a few years ago that the volume knob does turn to the left. Part of the paring includes the audio equipment. (See down below the gear we got rid of) I wanted a good system while she wanted something easy to use. The NAD filled the bill and had the reputation of quality to match. This was the easy part, the hard part was getting the speakers and after auditioning many, we decided on the Linn Tukans. The NAD L40 is a very easy to use and powerful enough for casual use. Since we do not play metal, rap or coronary inducing grand organ music, this was enough for our jazz, vocal and occational salsa orchestra dance music. As far as ability to play loud and cleanly, we have yet to tax the system, rarely gone past halfway on the volume dial. The system plays clean, effortlessly and with enough bass to satisfy us but not annoy the neighbors. There is something to be said for simplicity. I do not want to mess with knobs, dials, accessories and other assorted "audio geek" gear anymore. I just put in the CD, adjust the volume and relax to the music. The build quality of the unit is good with the buttons and volume knob giving a good solid feel. The cd tray feels a bit flimsy but since I''m not going to put a coffee cup on it, as long as it takes in the cd and plays it unerringly, so what. Ascetics being what they are, this is an invisible unit. It has no shiny dials, polished face plate or other colorful meters. It certainly does not subscribe to the "Industrial" look of present high end audiophile gear but then looks have nothing to do with peformance and that''s where your money should go. I would not recommend this unit to hear the stomps of virtual jurassic critters but if your creatures are the voices of "Anonymous 4" singing in a medieval monastary or the "Scott Hamilton Quartet in concert in Toyko" or Tito Puente banging out some infectious hip shaking salsa, then by all means listen to this unit. I recommend that you buy this reciever and then spend the rest of your time auditioning quality and efficient speakers suited to your taste. After all, this isn''t a Zen experience...you want to get to your destination of music pleasure and not go through an equipment journey.

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Dalquist and Polk speakers Denon CD player McIntosh tube integrated amp Scott kit tube tuner and matching integrated amp Nakamichi and Harmon Kardon tape decks B&O turntable Technic''s reciever

1.Sound! It is really cleary, true and audiophile way of presentation. No doubts. However of course specific. 2. Weeknesses change after some time in adventages. Please, look at weeknesses.

Bad first impression - it is so humble, so ascetic in functions, so toy-looking remote, so awful front panel. Ugly, like most of NAD.

I''ve changed my only 2 weeks old Kenwood using the last possibility (money back) of leaving this very poor source of sound - very huge receiver + CD player and I have now L40 NAD from shop window''s discount. What a good decision! Speakers 90 dB/4ohm with 90 W sinus are driven pretty good: Eltax Monitor III. I can''t agree that CD player is poor compare to radio part. My impression is opposite. Tuner part plays with a bit too much stress on lowest frequencies and highest tones are a bit sharp. CD plays more smoother but still very clear and accurate. Musical space is creating in the great and clear way, perfect dynamic. No hissing. Bass works fast and surely. Amazing highest dingles and so much details in whole range of frequencies. The true is that output level means something for proportions and either the very high as the very low loudness level seems to be improved by going into the middle range of scale (10 o''clock sounds the best). I always use ''tone defeat'' option because nothing needs improve. All details are able to realize. Remote control is really humble but it is possible to live with. One function I really miss it is time reminding for each song. I used to be see this info if I listen music :-). Other useful and missing function is scrolling on CD - impossible from remote controller :-(.

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Maranz, Kenwood :-(.

-Superb musicality: quality live recording sound so true that it is scary! (price wise of course)
-Surprising capacity to provide the feeling of the music (something that you just doesn't expect from an all in one unit in this price range!)
-Neutral sound. The L40 may be a bit on the warm side but overall, it sound well balanced.
-Dynamism and energy. I still can't believe that the amp only produce 20 watts per channel (onto 8 homs). It sound so huge and powerful comparatively to several more expensive integrated amps that I have listened.
-Imaging and depth
-The tuner with rds capability.
- Sober look, overall simplicity.
-The mechanic of the cd transport is really quiet which give a quality feel.
-No frills
-Tone defeat control which allow to bypass bass and treble controls.

-Don't have the flexibility of a setup based on separates. You may upgrade your speakers or the whole unit, that's about it!
- Sufficiently analitycal to make some cd's and some radio station fairly annoying...
-The volume turn down or up way too fast when using the remote.
-The bass eq function is totaly useless (at least with my speakers...)

I have looked for a setup based on separates for over 2 years and I was really interested by tubes gears. However, budget considerations (i am still a student) didn't allowed me to spend the kind of money that I wished for a sound system. Anyway, I eventually came across the L40 by a stroke and i never regreted it! I am simply blown away since the very first time that I have heard this unit (through Paradigm Atom's speakers that I have also bought). The L40 really is the kind of unit which make want to keep listening to your music. It just sound so good! Beside, i would like to specify how good the built in tuner is. I am not a radio listener and wasn't looking for a tuner when i was shopping for separates. However, I have to admit that the tuner of my L40 sound way better than I thought a tuner ever could. Actually, I am quite curious to hear what an high end tuner such a Magnum Dynalab can do since then.
Frankly i strongly suggest this unit to anybody in my situation or for anyone looking for a simple second system. The L40 sound way better than what I had ever expected from such an inexpensive product. It can easily be compared to a 2 time more expensive setup based on separates. In fact, i believe that the L40 offer the sound of NAD separates for the price of a mini-system. That's it!

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I have tried several separates from brands such: Rotel, AMC, Jolida, Rega and Cambridge Audio to name those few. Actually the only product really similar to the L40 that i can thing of (although being 3 time more expensive) is the Linn Classik which is also an all in one unit. The Classik actually is better than the L40 in every aspects but doesn't represent a good value (as far as i am concerned) considering the huge price difference.

Size, simplicity

Limited CD controls on remote

I bought this unit last summer to power some living room bookshelf speakers, and also some speakers in the kitchen and basement. I wasn't looking for fabulous sound. Instead, I wanted a workhorse component that could stay on for hours at a time as I did errands around the house.

Paired with Paradigm Mini-Monitors in the living room, I did get fabulous sound. I'm not a home-theater enthusiast, but I've begun running my TV sound through this unit. It's top-notch sound for the money.

My road to the L40 was an interesting one. When I began shopping for a compact, all-in-one unit, I started looking at Bose. Thankfully I steered clear of that trash. Mini-systems came next (Denon, Sony, etc.) They just didn't have the punch I wanted. A Marantz receiver/CD player caught my eye online. I sought out the unit at a local stereo shop, and the salesman steered me toward the L40 -- for which I'm grateful.

The remote control is very simple -- a fact that NAD seems proud of. It's a little too simple for my taste; it would be nice to have more control over the CD player from the remote.

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I also own an NAD C740 receiver

Rich & natural sound, perfect for efficient speakers in small rooms

Few features

I tried similarly priced Marantz separates and they had nowhere near the harmonic richness or bass punch of this unit. I am currently using it with Monitor Audio Silver 5 loudspeakers (which cost 1.5x as musch as the unit) with Audioquest Crystal Speaker cable. Overall I'd say it sounds very good, but the NAD does not have great control over very deep bass (20 - 80hz). One strange thing on my unit is that the CD's center image is quite far left of center, but the radio's isn't. I can't quite understand why. In fact, you probably won't get much in the way of soundstaging or imaging at all.

I suggest removing the top metal cover of the L40. It will improve clarity in the treble, allowing it to sound less sibilant. The difference is really quite astonishing. Next I am going to try putting it on a Bright Star platform. This unit can provide excellent sound for a very reasonable price, albeit at the expense of power, bandwidth & features.

If you have very efficient speakers (>88db) and a small room, this unit will surprise you with its rich, dynamic and neutral sound. If you want good looks and many features, however, you should look elswere.

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Marantz

Super sound and good current for a 20 w/ch amp! If space is at a premium and you don't need high dBs then its great

Remote volume control is too quick. Cd drawer is the typical flimsy NAD drawer.

I bought this for the wife for Xmas as she is always cranking up either my 2 channel gear or the HT system (both located on another floor) to hear music while she putzes...
This is a simple to use machine and is a delight to operate.
Wonderful NAD sound (maybe a little laid back for some) with enough current to drive any monitor type speaker(spl 89 or higher) to sufficient levels. This type of all in one unit would make the perfect office/bedroom system if space is at a premium. Don't be fooled by its size - it does a super job.
Associated gear:
Speakers - JM Lab Tantal 505
Speaker cable - old Monster cable (color is close to carpet and neutral so she likes it!)

It also has preouts in the event you want to add a sub later on.

I am going to give this 5 stars for value as it does exactly what its supposed to do within one little unit.

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