NAD C315BEE & C320BEE, What's the difference between them? Options

[sammydee]

The NAD C320BEE is listed as 50 watts rms per channel and the NAD C315BEE at 40 watts rms per channel.

Why then is the C315BEE more expensive than the C320BEE, at least here in the UK it is (not sure about elsewhere)?

Sam

[qristus]

Why then is the C315BEE more expensive than the C320BEE, at least here in the UK it is (not sure about elsewhere)?

The C320BEE is an older model - it has been superseded by the C325BEE. They probably sell it cheaper to get rid of old stock. If you're deciding between the two I see no reason not to go for the cheaper, more powerful model. NAD themselves say that they have "...only made subtle improvements to the original design over the past 30 years..." [source]. I've actually got the C320BEE myself and I'm very pleased with it.

Edit: In case you're interested, the link above has a list of what has changed between the C320BEE and the C325BEE:

• New DC Servo eliminates sound colouring capacitors in the signal path. This improves musical detail and eliminates harmful loudspeaker ‘offset’.
  
• Patented distortion canceling circuit uses both feedback and feed forward to reduce distortion and improve amplifier stability.
  
• Highly optimised circuit layout further lowers internal impedance, improves grounding, and eliminates subtle magnetic distortions. Lower noise and distortion, and improved channel separation are a direct result of this optimisation.
  
• Surface mount (SMD) technology shortens signal paths and lowers distortion in NAD's proprietary Class A gain modules.
  
• BEE Clamp improves HF stability when driving difficult speakers.
  
• Volume Control has minimum volume cancellation circuit to increase attenuation by 10dB.
  
• Tone controls are hand trimmed for perfect response characteristics.
  
• A new idling current circuit is more accurate with less unit-to-unit variation.
  
• More rigid chassis has improved mechanical integrity.
  
• MP Input for easy connection of iPod™, MP3 and other Media Players employing 3.5mm headphone sockets.

This post has been edited by qristus: Oct 4 2007, 11:12

[sammydee]

Why then is the C315BEE more expensive than the C320BEE, at least here in the UK it is (not sure about elsewhere)?

The C320BEE is an older model - it has been superseded by the C325BEE. They probably sell it cheaper to get rid of old stock. If you're deciding between the two I see no reason not to go for the cheaper, more powerful model. NAD themselves say that they have "...only made subtle improvements to the original design over the past 30 years..." [source]. I've actually got the C320BEE myself and I'm very pleased with it.

Edit: In case you're interested, the link above has a list of what has changed between the C320BEE and the C325BEE:

• New DC Servo eliminates sound colouring capacitors in the signal path. This improves musical detail and eliminates harmful loudspeaker ‘offset’.
  
• Patented distortion canceling circuit uses both feedback and feed forward to reduce distortion and improve amplifier stability.
  
• Highly optimised circuit layout further lowers internal impedance, improves grounding, and eliminates subtle magnetic distortions. Lower noise and distortion, and improved channel separation are a direct result of this optimisation.
  
• Surface mount (SMD) technology shortens signal paths and lowers distortion in NAD's proprietary Class A gain modules.
  
• BEE Clamp improves HF stability when driving difficult speakers.
  
• Volume Control has minimum volume cancellation circuit to increase attenuation by 10dB.
  
• Tone controls are hand trimmed for perfect response characteristics.
  
• A new idling current circuit is more accurate with less unit-to-unit variation.
  
• More rigid chassis has improved mechanical integrity.
  
• MP Input for easy connection of iPod™, MP3 and other Media Players employing 3.5mm headphone sockets.

Aaah I see, thanks for the info.

I doubt the incremental improvements made will be worth the extra £40 or so that could be spent on speakers.

I'll try and get the cheaper more powerful one. The amp is going to be driving a pair of Kef iQ3s.

Sam

[dedalus]

I own a c320bee. These newer models have been on display at my local store for awhile now. There's a minijack line-in in the front. Not sure if that or the other internal features listed amount to £40 from your speaker budget as you said. Your best bet, though it's a little late in the game, would be to find some c320 floor models on clearance, maybe even some with the 1337 old forest green power button.

£40 could nearly push you from the speaker class I am in (PSB Image B-25s) to something like those nice little dynaudio bookshelves. I know the UK budget market is quite a bit different though in terms of homegrown or continental vs canadian.