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Digital Drive: REVIEW: NAD C521BEE CD Player/Recorder by gads

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REVIEW: NAD C521BEE CD Player/Recorder

213.8.52.97


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Model: C521BEE
Category: CD Player/Recorder
Suggested Retail Price: $250
Description: cd player
Manufacturer URL: NAD
Manufacturer URL: NAD

Review by gads ( A ) on August 03, 2005 at 10:11:17
IP Address: 213.8.52.97
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for the C521BEE


I don't give reviews mostly for the reason my English is bad, thou many people who know me come to me for advise when it comes to audio gear, I have some time off at the office so I'll make some contribution to this beloved site, for the reason that a non-audiophile friend of mine asked me to find a decent budget cd player for him, and yes, I am so anal, I usually don't even waste my time bothering with these.
What I think about the sub 1000$ players you can find in the digital-general forum, but I managed to put my hands on A NAD c521BEE brand new for 190$ and that's what I gave my friend.
I can understand the hype around this player. Most people who listen to it get excited by its speed, openness and the even handed tonality. It does create an immediate false impression of state of the art technology some of the higher-end products posses. But give some time for incisive listening, with good headphones/headphones amp as well, and you'll discover that there's nothing to write home about except from the fact that it is not as bad as other players in that same price range, yet still more musical than the average DVD.
It sounds natural and smooth enough, fast and revealing, but it has no real drive and substance as others have suggested. There is quite a ot of background noise and a metallic "aftertaste' to notes.
There is no 'magic factor' to the sound even if every thing sounds right, the poor harmonic structure might explain this. Also complexed parts don't hold together. OK, OK, 200$, you know what ? I couldn't resist to tweak it, and for, say 50 t0 75$ more, here's what I got:
Replaced PS caps for Rubicon YXF and Nichicon VX, diodes to Schotky's, OsCons around DAC, two BlackGates near SCR's other 1000 and 2200uF CAPS With Daewoo RSS, and a couple of OPA2604 op-amps, Elne Silmic s around them, basic Cardas RCA jacks, and whehehey, I got a Rotel rcd-1070 for 275$.
I know, when NAD asked BEE to come out with a 200$ winner this is the best he could do, but when I read that in the 542 model NAD had listened to tweakers when they set down to the drawing board, I wonder..


Product Weakness: Noise floor, metallic decay, no real body, cant hold complex material.
Product Strengths: Dynamic, balanced, natural enough, big soundstage.


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):
Sources (CDP/Turntable):
Speakers:
Cables/Interconnects:
Music Used (Genre/Selections):
Room Size (LxWxH): x x
Room Comments/Treatments:
Time Period/Length of Audition:
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):
Type of Audition/Review: Friend's System
Your System (if other than home audition):




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Topic - REVIEW: NAD C521BEE CD Player/Recorder - gads 10:11:17 08/3/05 ( 8)