NAD 533 TurnTables
NAD 533 TurnTables
USER REVIEWS
[Nov 24, 2000]
music fan
Audiophile
Strength:
none at the price. This is a follow-up. |
[May 12, 2000]
Colin
Audio Enthusiast
Weakness:
Interconnects and Isolation Hello All, I have some new great news on this turntable. Aside from the tweaks I have mentioned before in my other submition I have come across a great discovery that will more than double the sound quality value of this table. In one word it is simple "Vibrapods", I just tried these on the NAD table a week ago and the sound improvement was almost undescribable. Better Bass, Greater clarity, Much wider soundstage, etc. I cut out a slab of 3/4 MDF to the size of the NAD and placed 7 #1 vibrapods, Three a side and one in the back middle just because the tables heaviest part is where the motor is located. Each pod will support between 2-3 lbs a piece with a recommended weight range of 2 1/2 lbs each. Check out these if you havent heard at www.vibrapod.com. This is a 42 USD investment that is worth atleast a grand in quality!!!. Lets put it this way, this turntable isnt going anywhere soon, I LOVE IT!. With the vibrapods its definately worth 5 stars! |
[Feb 18, 2000]
Slint
Audiophile
Strength:
Great sound for money!
Weakness:
Can't change that dang interconnect... I just upgraded to the Rega Planar 25. A nice improvement, but the NAD more than holds it's own in comparison. It is an AMAZING value at $350. Similar Products Used: Rega Planar 25 |
[May 12, 2000]
Matthew
Audiophile
Strength:
Warm and musical, untiring. Great value.
Weakness:
Cheap interconnect attached (judging by its appearance, anyway) I bought this used for $260 (could be gotten cheaper, I'm sure, it not having much re-sale value, but I wanted to support local business). I haven't the slightest regret about buying it. In summary, I have been listening to a lot of vinyl the past few weeks. I was using a Technics SL-1350 (an older model with record-stacking, the early 80's equivalent of the CD changer), which worked fine, but sounded rather brittle, plus I didn't like having my records dropped several inches every time I played them; auto-stop was a nice feature, though). The NAD 533 sounds lovely. I never get tired of listening to it. This is worthy of comment, since my Bryston pre-amp and amplifier are not known for being forgiving of harsh sounding equipment. Like the Rega 2, which it is, this table is a stunning piece of artistic engineering. I have not tried any of the tweaks suggested below, nor have I upgraded the cartridge. I have learned the hard way that you should wait until you are dissatisfied with the sound of your equipment before trying to improve it; otherwise, you forget what you were trying to achieve in the first place. Anyway, the turntable is not as detailed or precise as the MSB Link DAC I'm using for CD's. But, to my ears, it is truer to the spirit of the music. It swings plenty. Relative to the DAC, the soundstage is further back--it starts just in front of the speakers and extends back from there; I think I prefer it this way, since it allows me to listen into the music, rather than having the music plant itself in my ears. Anyway, this turntable is a great buy, new or used. And I feel so much better about myself buying records rather than CD's. Similar Products Used: Technics SL-1350 |
[Jun 14, 2000]
Scott
Audio Enthusiast
I admit, I am not much into vinyl and know very little about it. I originally purchased a VPI 19-Jr which I used to play the handful of LPs I had that I, at the time, did not have on CD. I eventually traded the VPI in because I had little use for vinyl. Overtime, I realized that I do occasionally like to spin vinyl so I opted to buy an inexpensive turntable which is where the NAD came in. If my memory serves me right, I really don't think there is much of a difference in sound between the two tables. The phono stage I use with the NAD is from the Spectral DMC-20 Series 2 preamplifier which can lay claim to being state-of-the-art. Certainly, the NAD/Spectral combo is musically engaging and enjoyable. I really have had no desire to upgrade as I am pretty satisfied with the sound. However, I do not believe, like some, that vinyl is the mode of choice of true audiophiles. In my, less than humble, opinion the best digital outperforms the best vinyl (which I have heard at various dealers). What I will say is that the NAD/Spectral combo performs well enough that I don't mind listening to vinyl instead of digital. As a result, I feel that the NAD is a genuine bargain. Similar Products Used: VPI 19-Jr |
[Jun 15, 2000]
Jon
Audio Enthusiast
Strength:
Excellent value.
Weakness:
Crappy stock cartridge. This turntable is a fantastic bargain for the price, but do yourself a huge favor and upgrade the stock Goldring Elektra cartridge. I replaced it with a Sumiko Blue Point Special and the difference was HUGE. My analog rig now sounds better than my Pioneer PD-65 CD player. Hotter signal, better highs, more detail without being strident. Similar Products Used: AR EB-101 |
[Oct 05, 2000]
music fan
Audiophile
Strength:
Everything.
Weakness:
Your knees will go weak after listening to this baby. Set up: Similar Products Used: Thorens TD125/SME 3009, Dual 1019, Acoustic Research (forgot the model, the 2 speed full manual one from the 70's.) |