What Hi Fi Sound and Vision
12 MAR 2009
NAD C326BEE
You can always spot a slab of NAD electronics: the company has managed to slowly evolve the look of its products, with slightly smoother lines and added gentle curves, without detracting from the recognisable NAD style.
Conversely, pinning down NAD's sound has been a trickier business these last few years: there's been less of a consistent sonic palette in recent times, but with the C326BEE, the company may have settled on something rather splendid.
It's not just the look of the machine that maintains a standard - the build and feel are solid for the money, too. The cheap and cheerful remote control lets the side down a little, but what it lacks in aesthetic appeal it makes up for in terms of intuitive ease of use.
And it's in use that we really start to enjoy this new NAD. Instantly engaging, in no time at all we've rattled through half of Kanye West's 808s & Heartbreak album, reaching that joyous feeling of forgetting we're 'reviewing' (or indeed working) and simply sitting back and enjoying the music - a good sign.
Fluidity and timing
Our first instinct is to praise the NAD's excellent timing. Drums hit with punch and precision, while bass notes are fluent and articulate.
The Watchmen OST shows the NAD knows instinctively when to keep the reigns tight and when to give a little more slack, allowing for dynamic power and excitement while at the same time delivering a solid, cohesive, flowing yet controlled sound.
At the top end of the sonic spectrum there's just enough sparkle to grab our attention without ever sounding bright or forward, while the midrange is solid, revealing and muscular when required.
Given a proper bass work out by Pinch's Motion Sickness, the NAD is perfectly capable of delivering depth and weight without sacrificing agility or speed. The more we listen the more we're convinced of its all-round talents.
There are no holes in the specification either. Rated at 50 watts per channel, you'll find seven line inputs, two tape loops and a 3.5mm input for a portable or laptop on the front of the unit.
Two subwoofer preouts and a set of tone controls complete the socketry line-up. As we said in its First Test in April 2009, the NAD struggles more than some rivals when partnered with more expensive kit.
But if you keep your partnering speakers below the £500 mark you'll find this amp to be nigh-on faultless
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