Broken NAD C 230BEE

xJcBx · 9 Dec 2009 at 21:10

Hi all,
My NAD amp has recently just stopped working, the power light goes on, I can select between different inputs, however I get no output what so ever, from any type of input. It’s not the speakers, or the connection to the speakers. It stopped working while nobody was using it... Then just wouldn't work the next time it was needed. No blue smoke or anything.

So, firstly, does anybody know or think they might know what’s gone wrong?

Secondly, if its quite complicated, or unknown, is there somewhere/somehow/anyhow it can be fixed? Its not in warrantee, so taking it back is not possible, is there some place that fixes things like this?
There is a few stereo shops in the local cities (Bath, Bristol), do you think if I just drop in there with it they will be able to fix it for less than it would cost to buy a nice newer one?

If there's any other help I can give you (from a pretty novice stereo person) please ask!
Thanks for reading!

Sinopa · 10 Dec 2009 at 01:44

I've not heard of a C230BEE. Do you mean a C320BEE?

xJcBx · 11 Dec 2009 at 16:01

Yes I do, sorry!

monkeyspank · 11 Dec 2009 at 16:04

fuse in the plug?

I would have thought ringing up a local hifi specialist to see about a repair would be the way to go

Sinopa · 12 Dec 2009 at 02:47

xJcBx said:
Yes I do, sorry!

I did a Google search on a C230BEE and came up with some hits so I thought it might exist. Seems you are not alone with that typo

If it lights up and you can select between different inputs then I suspect the fault is in the pre-amp power supply or a short-circuit decoupling cap in one of the of the pre-amp modules.

If you have a volt meter and a soldering iron I bet I could talk you through fixing it

I could fix it for you. Not sure if I can advertise on here but if you search Google for "hi-fi repair cardiff" (without the quotes) you should find my little advert high in the results.

MikeHunt79 · 12 Dec 2009 at 03:16

Sinopa said:
If it lights up and you can select between different inputs then I suspect the fault is in the pre-amp power supply or a short-circuit decoupling cap in one of the of the pre-amp modules.

I've never seen inside a NAD amp, but do they use relays on the speaker outputs?

I've found that these can sometimes fail with older amps, which can easily be checked if you know what you're doing.

I suggest you take the lid off, and post some good quality pics, I always like seeing the innards!

Sinopa · 12 Dec 2009 at 04:17

MikeHunt79 said:
I've never seen inside a NAD amp, but do they use relays on the speaker outputs?

I've found that these can sometimes fail with older amps, which can easily be checked if you know what you're doing.

This amp does indeed have a speaker relay driven by a protection circuit. I doubt if the relay itself has failed though.

But yes, the relay could be off because of protection which would probably mean a power output stage fault. In my experience the faults I mentioned in my last post are more common in this amp unless... some one has overdriven the amp or shorted the speaker outputs.

xJcBx · 12 Dec 2009 at 17:01

Thanks for the help guys!
Sorry i've been rather distant in this thread, I've been D.I.Y'ing and being ill for the past 3 days

I'll try and get some pics up if I get some time to get it all out and appart in the next day or 2!

I can use a soldering iron but I don't have a volt meter, and I am not comfident playing witha hot iron with a few hundred quid of amp

I'd rather just leave it to a pro; I just wanted to know if amps are fixable things, I'll nip in to a local reapir shop and ask them how much they think it would be, not a fan of being ripped off by people in hobby shops, as I seem to attract them.

Cheers, Jes.

MikeHunt79 · 12 Dec 2009 at 19:55

Sinopa said:
This amp does indeed have a speaker relay driven by a protection circuit. I doubt if the relay itself has failed though.

But yes, the relay could be off because of protection which would probably mean a power output stage fault. In my experience the faults I mentioned in my last post are more common in this amp unless... some one has overdriven the amp or shorted the speaker outputs.

I guess if you can hear a click when the amp is turned on, then it means the amp is not going into protect mode. I guess a voltmeter connected to the speaker terminals may be able to determine if the relay is actually making a good connection?

I admit I haven't fixed many hi-fi amps really, I've done a few PA and car amps in the past tho, and while the PSU sections can be a little different, there are many similarities between car, pa and hifi amps.

xJcBx said:
Thanks for the help guys!
Sorry i've been rather distant in this thread, I've been D.I.Y'ing and being ill for the past 3 days
I'll try and get some pics up if I get some time to get it all out and appart in the next day or 2!

I can use a soldering iron but I don't have a volt meter, and I am not comfident playing witha hot iron with a few hundred quid of amp
I'd rather just leave it to a pro; I just wanted to know if amps are fixable things, I'll nip in to a local reapir shop and ask them how much they think it would be, not a fan of being ripped off by people in hobby shops, as I seem to attract them.

Cheers, Jes.

I can understand, it's easy to release the magic smoke if you don't know what you're doing! :eek:

There's not many places I can recommend in Bristol really, as I've never used any, but it could be something simple like bulging tank caps, and this would be something you can do yourself. I may even be able to look at it for you, but probably not until next year as I'm pretty busy at the moment...

Any chance of some pics?