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NAD D3045 hybrid digital DAC/integrated amplifier

NAD D3045 hybrid digital DAC/integrated amplifier

Back in the 1970’s, NAD created what turned out to be a modest-looking, sensibly priced, wildly overachieving, and downright unlikely high-end giant killer in the form of its legendary 3020 integrated amplifier. The little amp wasn’t terribly powerful (at least not on paper), it didn’t have many flashy technical ‘bells and whistles’, and its muted charcoal grey finish gave it a humble and unassuming appearance. But it did possess an astonishingly fine phono section and a deceptively capable amplifier that could handle real-world loads better than many ostensibly more powerful amps. As a result, when connected to good analogue source components and sensitive high-performance loudspeakers the 3020 flat out sang as few other amplifiers—large or small—could do.

To give you an idea of just how big an overachiever the original 3020 really was, let me mention that I once knew the manager of a high-end audio store who could have taken home any of the store’s products. What did he choose for his personal home system? An NAD 3020 amp driving a pair of original Mission 770 stand-mount monitors as fed by a well-equipped Linn analogue rig, which combination sounded simply marvellous. The irony, of course, was that the 3020 amplifier was by far the least expensive component in the system. At the time, I too owned a similar NAD/Mission system and audiophile friends routinely commented that my little grey NAD actually sounded better than the far more expensive preamp/power-amp combination it had replaced. In this way the 3020 earned its reputation for being a simple, no-nonsense, everything-you-need/nothing-you-don’t kind of product that, for obvious reasons, became a runaway sales success.

, NAD D3045 hybrid digital DAC/integrated amplifier

Now let’s fast-forward to the present day, where audio systems can in many respects be far more complicated than back in the 1970s. In recent years, NAD sought to recreate the magic of the original 3020 with its contemporary, DAC-equipped D3020 v2 integrated amplifier. It was a credible and laudable effort, but one whose only practical limitation was the fact that its honest 30Wpc amplifier section was perhaps not quite enough power to take full advantage of some of today’s better mid-priced loudspeaker systems. However, this is where our review subject, the remarkably versatile and twice as powerful 60Wpc NAD D3045 comes in.

In a high-end world where hyperbole and self-aggrandising adjectives have become the norm, an amp like the NAD D3045 might seem modest to the point of being mundane, but trust me on this; it’s not. To be candid, the word ‘versatile’ is not one likely to get most dyed-in-the-wool audiophiles salivating in anticipation, but perhaps it should be. Given the incredibly broad scope of practical use cases facing modern day integrated amplifiers, product versatility becomes something that is not merely desirable, but downright necessary. Happily, versatility is one of the D3045’s greatest strengths.

Let me explain. The D3045, much like Thomas the Tank Engine, is a ‘really useful’ amplifier thanks to its brilliant and very carefully thought-out range of inputs and outputs. On the analogue side the amp provides two conventional line-level inputs (one via RCA jack, the other via a mini-jack), a high quality MM phono input, plus an analogue preamp/subwoofer output. Completing the picture are a stereo pair of five-way speaker output binding posts on the rear side of the D3045 chassis, plus a front panel-mounted mini-jack output for the built-in low impedance/high-current headphone amplifier.

On the digital side, the amp incorporates one coaxial and two optical S/PDIF inputs supporting up to 24-bit/192kHz digital sources, an asynchronous USB input providing MQA and DSD decoding and supporting up to 24-bit/384kHz digital sources, a rarely-seen but very desirable HDMI ARC (Audio Return Channel) input, and a two-way Bluetooth input/output that supports Qualcomm aptX HD (24-bit/96kHz-capable).

 

Just stop for a moment to think about all the real-world use cases the D3045 can address. Are you a vinyl/analogue fan? The D3045’s phono and line-level analogue inputs have you covered. Do you have legacy digital sources that require optical or coaxial inputs? The D3045 is happy to oblige. Are you a computer audio or music server enthusiast? The D3045’s USB input stands ready to serve. Are you more the sort of listener who likes to stream high-quality musical content to or from his or her phone? The D3045’s two‑way aptX HD Bluetooth interface is just what the doctor ordered. Or, have you quietly wished for an integrated amp that could accept HDMI ARC inputs from your television, so you could add a high-quality two-channel sound system? The D3045 is one of few integrated amps to include an HDMI ARC input. Do you look at the D3045 and think, “I’d really like to use it more as a source component/preamp?” No problem: the D3045’s preamp/subwoofer output exactly fills the bill.

My point is that the D3045 does almost anything you might ask of a contemporary integrated amplifier, meaning that versatility is the D3045’s first, last, and middle name. But so, too, is sound quality.

How does the D3045 sound? To find out I connected the D3045 to a pair of superb and very revealing Dynaudio Special Forty stand-mount monitors and fed the amp with digital inputs from both my television and from Tidal (so I had access to a wealth of MQA material). The results proved eye opening in a good way.

Suffice it to say that adding an NAD-driven, Dynaudio-voiced sound system to my television proved revelational and led me to question the need for a complicated surround system. When done right, two channel systems can be plenty enveloping and their inherent sonic purity and focus is hard to beat. Until you add high-quality sound, you may not realise just how much soundtrack information and vocal intelligibility gets lost in translation when listening through the TV’s own speakers.

On music and especially on MQA-encoded material the NAD proved a delight. When first powered up from a cold state, the amp/DAC could initially sound overly crisp or sharp-edged, but after a few minutes of operation it seemed to me the amp’s sound smoothed out; took on greater warmth, impact, and depth; and showed improved resolution, nuance, and three-dimensionality.

The D3045 is sufficiently resolving that it can show subtle differences in recording quality when comparing early vs. later and better recordings from the same artist. This became very clear when I listened to an early Joni Mitchell track, ‘Help Me’ from Court and Spark [Elektra/Asylum, MQA], and then compared to a well-recorded later track, ‘Jericho’ from Don Juan’s Reckless Daughter [Elektra, MQA]. The latter track showed that recording techniques and production quality had increased dramatically over the course of Mitchell’s career. The earlier track, though appealing in its way, seemed flat and lacking in nuance, whereas the latter track sounded much more three-dimensional and dynamic, revealing the delicious ‘mwaaaah’ sound of Jaco Pastorius’ fretless Fender Jazz Bass playing in perfect counterpoint to the lilt of Mitchell’s voice and the delicate shimmer and sparkle of her guitar accompaniment.

, NAD D3045 hybrid digital DAC/integrated amplifier

Similarly, the D3045 proved highly articulate and delicately nuanced on Hélène Grimaud’s thoughtful piano performance of Satie’s ‘Gnossiennes’ – No.1 [Memory, Deutsche Grammophon, MQA]. Specifically, the NAD did a beautiful job of revealing the subtle attack, sustain, and decay characteristics of the piano within the context of the recording venue. Musically, the performance was simply mesmerizing.

Some of the D3045’s greatest strengths involve its bass grunt, pitch definition, and—for want of a better term—grip. This was forcefully driven home to me on Minu Cinelu’s ‘Soon I Will Be Home’ from Cinelu’s eponymous album [Minu Cinelu, Blue Thumb, MQA]. ‘Soon I Will Be Home’ is a swaying, syncopated World Dance track that features the interplay of a variety of percussion instruments with a gently bouncing electric bass line. The NAD conveyed both bass and percussion with authority, depth, and serious propulsive ‘snap’.

Taken together, my comments add up to one conclusion: NAD’s D3045 sounds more articulate, nuanced, and impactful than it has any right to for its price. It’s sound is honestly reminiscent of the qualities we normally associate with far more costly high-end components. Even if you already own a higher-priced reference audio system, you may find the NAD’s combination of sonic performance, versatility, and an accessible price will win it a place in your home. What’s more, the NAD makes an ideal platform on which to build a first serious music system.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

  • NAD D3045 hybrid digital DAC/integrated amplifier
  • Analogue Inputs: one live-level stereo input, one MM phono input
  • Analogue Outputs: one headphone output via mini‑jack, one pre-amp/subwoofer output via RCA jacks, one stereo pair of loudspeaker outputs via 5-way binding posts
  • Digital Inputs: two optical and one coaxial S/PDIF, one USB, one HDMI, Bluetooth aptX HD
  • Digital Outputs: Bluetooth aptX HD
  • Power Output: 60Wpc @ 4 or 8 Ohms, (20Hz–20kHz at 0.03% THD, with both channels driven)
  • Distortion: <0.005% (@ 1W, 4 and 8 Ohms)
  • Supported bit rate/sample rate: 24-bit/192kHz digital inputs, 24-bit/384kHz USB/computer input, Bluetooth 26/94, MQA and DSD compatible
  • Accessories: Power Cord, Remote Control
  • Dimensions (H×W×D): 235 ×70 ×265mm
  • Weight: 3.6kg
  • Price: $699, £599

Manufacturer: NAD Electronics

URL: nadelectronics.com

UK distributor: Sevenoaks Sound & Vision

URL: sevenoakssoundandvision.co.uk

https://hifiplus.com/reviews/

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