Amp overload,! NAD 2600 & maggies 3.5

It sounds to me that the amp you are using just can handle the load the speakers are presenting to the amp and it is clipping;I agree with the reponses to upgrade to a better amp;take a look at Belles,Odyssey and McCormack to just to name a few.

There is indeed an NAD 2600.

Also - when you say you turn it up to 4 - I'm not sure of the gain of that preamp - but a lot of receiver or integrated amps have a preamp section which will hit full power on the amp well before you go halfway. This is a trick to sell amps and make the consumer think "Well, it goes to 4 and my god - what incredible power this thing must have!" Not the case at all. It's not unlike amps you've heard that "go to 11" (okay, it's a movie amp but that's the point. The numbers don't mean anything.)

So, was it loud?

I've had NAD 2200 (used two in bridged mode) which were amazingly reliable and sounded surprisingly good. I've had them for years. Literally. Still working. HIGHLY recommend one or two as back up amps for your seriously expensive and probably tweaky gear. You can pick them up cheap and they sound pretty great. Still.

You may want to have someone check the amp. I have had a 2600A since 1987. Over the years it's driven some REAL tough loads. I'm talking Acoustat and Apogee, which have much more demanding impedances than the Maggies. I've also driven some tough dynamic speakers with them such as Thiels and Dynaudio(theirs and kits). I have NEVER had a problem with running out of steam. This amp has thoroughly outclassed some more "upscale" amps I've had over the years in the ability to drive these loads(but not in overall sound). I've have never had the amp go into thermal protection at all. Also, no other problems. You should have NO difficulty with the Maggies, as I believe they are a very stable, flat(compared to most speakers) 4 ohm load. Your amp SHOULD drive a continuous 2 ohm load. So, look into it.

If you are looking at Bryston - get the 4B-ST - its a great piece and can be had used for around $1600. Pass on the 3B-ST - not enough power for your speakers IMHO. I've owned 4 ohm speakers (Acoustats & Maggies) for the last 10 years and my old 3B always ran out of steam. Not enough to shut down like your NAD but it would start to clip. The 4B gets a little warm but never strains.

There are a number of Aragon 2002's and 4004's around that would do the job nicely at a reasonable cost.

Hmmm, NAD doesn't list a model 2600 amp. Their model 2700 is listed at 150 watts. But what watts; these are is questionalbe since the spec's report "Clipping Power" to be only 42 watts. See www.nadelectronics.com Since the 2700 went out of production in 1995, you might want to put it in the dust bin.

I had Maggie 3.5r's a few years back. You need good high-current power for these to sound right. If you're a bass freak get a quick sub and spend time to match it right. I drove my 3.5r's with Levinson ML-3. Pre-Madrigal/Harmon Group Levinson amp. Wonderful! Try Bryston if you like bright. Want more refined sound try and find yourself Classe M-700 or M-1000 monoblocks. I have M-1000's and they worked well with 3.5r. Maggies are a great audiophile speaker, they'll show you Everything good or bad ahead of them in the chain. You may not like the cost of makin' them sing, but you will like the singing! Paul

I would suggest getting a new amp that is more stable into lower loads. Or get a subwoofer and use the subs crossover to filter out the low's so the demand on your power amp would be less.