advertisement


A&R A60 or NAD 3130, best sound?

A&R A60 or NAD 3130, which for best sound quality

  • A&R A60

    Votes: 50 87.7%

  • NAD 3130

    Votes: 7 12.3%
  • Total voters
    57
Bob, I too have a Nytech CTA252XD MkII. Sadly although it sits like new in its box, it badly needs some TLC with new caps. Just one more project for sometime in the future...

Interestingly, my last A60 was a very early example and it sounded very nice in a warm and forgiving way but still had enough get up and go to keep you entertained. This new one is from 1982 and it's noticeably more spry (doubtless fresher caps help) but without losing the warmth. It's fascinating to compare Arcam through the ages. One might argue that the move to a faster more "Naimish" sound reached its height with the Delta 60 - a sound which is exciting but sometimes too much of a good thing. I actually really rate the Delta 60 (a much nicer amp than the comparatively dry and unexciting 90) although I know some feel it a little contrived against the A60. After that Arcam seemed to pull on the brakes year on year. By the time the Alpha 8 arrived something had definitely been lost imho.
 
Mignun said:
Bob, I too have a Nytech CTA252XD MkII. Sadly although it sits like new in its box, it badly needs some TLC with new caps. Just one more project for sometime in the future...

Interestingly, my last A60 was a very early example and it sounded very nice in a warm and forgiving way but still had enough get up and go to keep you entertained. This new one is from 1982 and it's noticeably more spry (doubtless fresher caps help) but without losing the warmth. It's fascinating to compare Arcam through the ages. One might argue that the move to a faster more "Naimish" sound reached its height with the Delta 60 - a sound which is exciting but sometimes too much of a good thing. I actually really rate the Delta 60 (a much nicer amp than the comparatively dry and unexciting 90) although I know some feel it a little contrived against the A60. After that Arcam seemed to pull on the brakes year on year. By the time the Alpha 8 arrived something had definitely been lost imho.
Click to expand...



I've never heard a A60, however, do own an NAD 3130 which I picked up for about $80 on Ebay a few years ago. The 3130 was built in the late 1980's and has more than acceptable MC and MM phono sections.

The real strength of the 3130 is that it errs by omission, rather than commission, meaning that it doesn't add anything to the music that is unpleasant.

On the contrary, the 3130 is a very pleasant sounding amplifier which, while not particularly dynamic, doesn't fatigue its listener the way that many inexpensive solid state amplifiers do.

The NAD 3130 is a well designed and constructed integrated amplifier last has stood the test of time.
 
Mignun said:
Bob, I too have a Nytech CTA252XD MkII. Sadly although it sits like new in its box, it badly needs some TLC with new caps. Just one more project for sometime in the future...

Interestingly, my last A60 was a very early example and it sounded very nice in a warm and forgiving way but still had enough get up and go to keep you entertained. This new one is from 1982 and it's noticeably more spry (doubtless fresher caps help) but without losing the warmth. It's fascinating to compare Arcam through the ages. One might argue that the move to a faster more "Naimish" sound reached its height with the Delta 60 - a sound which is exciting but sometimes too much of a good thing. I actually really rate the Delta 60 (a much nicer amp than the comparatively dry and unexciting 90) although I know some feel it a little contrived against the A60. After that Arcam seemed to pull on the brakes year on year. By the time the Alpha 8 arrived something had definitely been lost imho.
Click to expand...



I've never heard an A60, however, do own an NAD 3130 which I picked up for about $80 on Ebay a few years ago. The 3130 was built in the late 1980's and has more than acceptable MC and MM phono sections.

The real strength of the 3130 is that it errs by omission, rather than commission, meaning that it doesn't add anything to the music that is unpleasant.

On the contrary, the 3130 is a very pleasant sounding amplifier which, while not particularly dynamic, doesn't fatigue its listener the way that many inexpensive solid state amplifiers do.

The NAD 3130 is a well designed and constructed integrated amplifier that has stood the test of time.
 
interesting poll. (I thought competent amps were all supposed to sound similar.)
A60 for me, although it is ages since I heard the NAD. I compared both when I bought the A60.
 
By lucky coincidence I have just been able to compare the 3130, Creek 4040 S2 and the A60 - using SB Touch and modified BC1s.

The Creek was already in use, when compared to the A60 it sounded quite similar but the A60 won on smoothness and lack of switch on/off bumps, then the 3130 went in. First (and obvious) impression was quite reasonable bass and atrocious thin and screechy mid-range - this is with BC1 remember with its sometimes wayward bass and renowned BBC type mid-range. I left it connected for about a week and things did settle down and the whole system started sounding better (odd ?).

Anyway, I put the A60 back in last night and, it was no competition, although the 3130 did sound pleasant enough - at least until its deficiencies were made clear by direct comparison with the A60.

A60, followed closely by the 4040 (only £99 when new apparently), then quite a way back the 3130.
 
"A&R now known as Arcam"
Never put A&R + Cambridge = Arcam together before. Now it seems so obvious. Thanks.
Just got me a1975 Cambridge Audio P60 which is going in next week for a full service. Should be interesting to hear this again after 30 odd years since I last had one.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.


advertisement


Back
Top