Sound quality

Poor quality trays Un-user friendly recording process Cost of discs Expensive product

I have mixed feelings about this product. I wouldn't purchase it again if I had the choice after a year's experience with it (and having purchased a computer with a burner). Having said that, I'm very happy with the sound of this unit and the quality of the copies I've made (at least 200 cd's so far). The remote control is of high quality, but it would have been nice to have a volume control so that one could do more easily without the amplifier remote - I solved this by getting a universal remote. Another good feature is how you can play discs in both trays - great when you want to play deejay. It would be nice if you could program the disc in one tray while the other one is playing, though. The quality of the machine leaves a little to be desired. The trays are a cheap plastic that rattle about if you touch them. I had an old Sony cd player before replacing it with this unit. I can't remember the specific model but it weighed about 40 lbs and just exuded quality. I probably got a bit spoiled by the quality of that machine. This unit is fairly easy to use but has some annoying features, which another reviewer has noted - long delay between loading the cd and it being able to be played and the need to reset the recording speed after each disc. Another problem is that you have to use music cd-r's to record. Standard data discs don't work. There's a significant difference in cost. Since getting a computer with a burner I've not used the unit to copy any discs. Another drawback was the cost. At $799 Canadian it was overpriced. A few months after I bought it, it was reduced to $599, much to my annoyance.

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Beautiful smooth sound, tight and solid bass, stereo imaging, detail brought out of recordings. HDCD compatibility (haven't played one yet, so can't comment, but if it's better than standard CDs, it will be phenomenal), build quality.

The loading time (from disc insertion until it plays) is longer than I'm used to, I don't know why this should be. And after you've recorded a CD and record another, the speed setting (1x, 2x or 4x) must be reset for each disc, otherwise it will default to 1x, which could be a nuisance.

This £400 CD player has changed the way I think about hi-fi. From the first second I heard it, I was stunned. It takes the place of a 12-year-old Rotel RCD-965BX, which was considered great in its day. But the detail and solidity of the music produced by the NAD is incredible. It's a cliche, I know, but I'm now hearing detail that I never knew existed in CDs that I've had for 10 years or more. Detail not just in discovering new instruments and sounds that I'd never heard before, but in hearing the realistic tones of guitars, voices, pianos, drums, and bass for the first time. The music has become captivating. I want to move with it, I tap my feet to it, it moves me. The stereo definition is the most solid I've ever had from my system, and I was blaming the speakers and amp. And, the most ironic thing is - I only bought the deck so that I could make copies of my demos (which it does with great ease, speed and fidelity). I didn't expect it to be a truly audiophile product as well! And, to my delight, it plays HDCDs too. Well done, NAD, for bringing music back to me. Superb machine.