Ow my NADs!

mrk · 12 Sep 2020 at 16:24

Sad times, my NAD D 7050 is off to NAD UK for repair. A whole slew of issues have shown face over the last year or so and only the recent major ones have kicked me into gear to get it seen to.

I bought from Sevenoaks back in 2016 as an upgrade from the D 3020 and I specifically recall Sevenoaks offering 5 years warranty on these NAD gears at the time however inspecting the receipt it appears that the receipt states 24 months only.... Anyway I hopped over to Guildford today and spoke to the manager there as the Southampton store I bought from has now shut down. 3 hours of my day just driving back and forth today which was frustrating.

The issues in question are:

1:The volume seems to be creeping randomly, not always but every now and then it will change volume by itself up or down until I turn the dial and it stops and remains normal for days/weeks until it happens again.

2: The surface coating on the side of the unit's panels has become sticky as if the coating is wearing due to the heat generated by the amp when in use. This feels poor to the touch. I have only used the amp standing upright and on a desk so plenty of room for ambient air to get to it for cooling.

3: The display on the front has faded pixels which is clearly visible when changing volume or input source and looks out of place.

4: The LED on top for power indication is virtually invisible now it's so dim when the unit is on. When off the orange LED is visible but much dimmer than what it used to be.

5: Bluetooth no longer worked with my new phone and I saw a new D 7050 firmware was available on the NAD website as I was on a pre 2018 build. I followed the instructions and successfully updated the firmware but sadly bluetooth connection to my phone still didn't work. I suspect this is an issue with hardware compact than anything else as I have not used BT audio from my S10e since getting it but did from my previous phones.

6: The firmware update brought some new issues which are:
- Every time there's a long pause in audio playback, there's a pop or click that comes from the speakers as if the speaker output is being put into a standby state. When playback resumes, the same pop/click is heard right at the start of playback. There are no further pops or clicks until there's any pause in playback again for about 30s and the pop can be heard again as if the speaker output is being put into a standby mode. This is consistently repeatable and only started after firmware update.

7: The remote control no longer works after the firmware update.

8: There is some electrical buzzing randomly throughout the day coming from the amp if a USB device is plugged into the normal USB port (not the USB DAC port going from the PC to the amp). Really weird it's like as if something inside is shorting randomly sand buzzing as a result. The buzzing lasts 1-3 seconds at random times.

I have tried to factory reset the unit but this has not fixed anything. I have also used the NAD app to try and change the IR channels for the remote but none of the available channels work with the remote. I have also tried each power saving ad standby mode to see if that affects the pops/clicks but that has not helped.

The pops and clicks heard also only apply to the speaker output. When wearing headphones there is no issue. The pops and clicks remain through any input source used as well so is not input source related but something changed by NAD in the firmware with the speaker outputs

So yeah, I expected more from a NAD especially since this thing cost just over £650. I owned the C310 Bee and C325 Bee back in the day, the LEDs on those still looked as bright as they did brand new and they were solid amps. It's a shame that more modern and more expensive amps from NAD don't seem to last even 5 years. A comment on Reddit showed that others have had a mix of these issues as well.

I rate the NAD sound highly as it's sonically exact to my preferences but this sort of cabbage of issues will certainly force me to look elsewhere after this D 7050 comes back from repair. I might even put it up for sale and get a more conventional (but still half decent) DAC/hybrid amp.

I'm expecting it to be away 2 weeks or so so for the moment I am listening to audio through my monitor's speakers on the PC and headphones where possible from onboard audio. I kinda wish I swapped out the OpAmps on the mobo now as this onboard supports modding. I had Burr Brown ones years ago kicking about so wish I had kept those lol.

Oh well, my Saturday shenanigans....

mrk · 15 Sep 2020 at 22:02

I wish I still had my NAD C325 Bee, was such a beautiful and nice amp. My only want for it was a digital input then I could use my PC on it as a DAC which was my only requirement really!

mrk · 17 Sep 2020 at 23:13

This is my desktop setup so I don't want to overdo it by having something massive on my desktop!

I have bneen researching upgrade options though as I intend on selling the 7050 when it comes back from NAD repair.

Denon PMA-60
£450
This is a few years old now but looks stellar in design with metal panels on either side with an OELD display like the NAD has, so I suspect the OELD pixels will fade over the years too which was a negative point. It does seem to have excellent reference grade digital input circuitry though.

TEAC AI-301DA-X
£450
Newer model and also compact and better engineered than the Denon. Both are superior in material finish than the NAD D 7050 though. This is all machined metal with a metal motorised volume dial. Specs seem to outdo the Denon and I kinda like the old skool casing design, very minimalist almost old skool NAD in a way mixed with a bit of Rotel.

I am siding with TEAC on this one I think, never had one from this brand before but I read nothing but good things in general?

I should be able to get at least £400 or so for the NAD I guess as it will be sold as refurbished and have repair warranty alongside it.

If I made some desk space and upped my budget I'd probably go for the QUad Vena II: https://www.richersounds.com/hi-fi/amplifiers-receivers/quad-vena-ii-lancaster-grey.html

But that's quite big really and I don't really want to shuffle things around or up the budget!

mrk · 23 Sep 2020 at 14:53

I have ordered the TEAC AI-301DA-X :cool:

Frustrating that nowhere online has a review of the X, only the non X. TEAC say the X has improved output circuitry for even better sound. SHould be here tomorrow so will put it through its paces.

mrk · 24 Sep 2020 at 15:43

I actually got nowhere with NAD. Whatever angle someone looks at it, NAD are unable to assist because it's well out of warranty and Sevenoaks have their hands tied but did empathise with the situation. I did try some other amps in between all this and today I returned the TEAC AI-301DA-X to a store because it just doesn't deliver the "NAD sound" I am used to (lack of wide soundstage, vocals felt too central whether in music of movies, and treble seemed to lack detail) and like so after contacting Sevenoaks today, I have bought a NAD D 3045 which looks like an updated 7050 so will keep a keen eye on it before the 24 month warranty is up and at least within a month of expiry will send it away to be sorted under warranty for even the smallest thing like an LED being dimmer.

The store manage understood my situation and gave me £100 off too. As much as I hate to say it, looks like I am staying with NAD purely because the sound presentation for both speakers and headphones out seems to be unmatched in this class by anything else under £600. Hopefully the 3045 has the issues of the older models resolved but we shall see....

mrk · 24 Sep 2020 at 19:08

I could have kept the old C325 Bee and just added a DAC to middle man the connection from PC but really didn't like the space it used up and the heat it generated!

mrk · 3 Oct 2020 at 06:08

Gotta say though, the 3045 is really impressive. The 7050 really brought out what was capable of the KEF Q300 but the 3045 seems to go further by having even richer and punchier bass. I'm watching movies and trailers that have highly detailed sub-bass extensions that the 7050 could never reproduce and the bass before was excellent as it was.

Given that the continuous power output is only 10wpc more it can't be that alone but something else in the power amp stage or DAC. It's got a dynamic output of up to 200 watts though so maybe has something to do with that.

Whatever it is, I've found a new lease of life in these speakers through this little adventure.

mrk · 3 Oct 2020 at 20:12

It was outside the 5 years as the 5th year from the date of order ended in Feb 2020 so I'm guessing SOGA would not apply in this instance?

mrk · 12 Nov 2020 at 21:10

Sounds like Quad are what NAD are to those who are accustomed to the signature presentation of the respective brands? I reckon I'd really enjoy a Quad unit for sure and from what I can see online, they are nicely toned and easily paired with most speakers and headphones alike. I just love the design of the Quads, it reminds me of my old NAD amps which were rectable plain boxes that didn't shout about their presence, just presented excellent sound in discreet but large form factor presence.

In the future if I end up having a dedicated man cave for music and reading then I will get a Quad and a pair of KEF standmounts and that will be me sorted for business and pleasure

RussZS said:
I have a D3020 - are the new models a worthwhile upgrade?

I only have DM601 S2's and a small MJ sub running off them on my desk, but would like perhaps some Kef LS50's eventually

Having had the D 3020 v1 since launch and then the 7050, the new ones seem to be well regarded. The 3020 v2 keeps the same front panel array though so I fully expect the LEDs on that will dim over the years. How have you found yours? My v1 dimmed to the point in daylight it was near impossible to see the volume level as the LEDs were so dim. I know the new models have a dim function on the remote so the ageing process of the LEDs effect should be far less an issue.

The sound quality and signature seems the same though as before, it's just a lot more powerful, you can certainly feel and hear the difference in power from the D 7050 to the D 3045 with both headphones and speakers. My speakers are KEF Q300 which are fairly efficient and easy to drive and paired with these amps seems perfect to my ears.