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Old NAD or newer high powered Denon?

I am currently running a NAD 3020 in my main system. I love the amp. When paired with my Sequerra MET7's it sounds great. I also have a pair of Vandersteen 1C's and I am thinking that the NAD's don't have enough power to drive them. I am getting relatively poor sound quality out of the 1C's with the NAD. It closed in and not very dynamic (when compared to the MET7's). I have heard the 1B's in the past and they sounded amazing which is why I initially purchased them.

So my question is: would I gain anything in terms of sound quality of I purchase a higher powered more recent model Denon or am I just hearing the differences between the MET7 and the 1C's?
hifibear
rrog
1,958 posts
 
If you are on a tight budget look for a higher powered integrated from the late 1980s to early 1990s. A Denon in the 100 watt range is a good choice. Before you purchase make sure the amp has never needed repairs and that it has never been modified. You can expect to pay between $200-$300 for a nice one.
tmsorosk
1,013 posts
 
Dosen't sound like much of an upgrade. If your on a very tight budget you might be better off waiting till a better time.
hifibear OP
17 posts
 
Thanks for all of your comments.
@Tmsorosk - What do you think I need to drive the 1c's properly?
It's clear that I don't have the equipment do drive them properly now. Do I need to put in another $1000 or so?
stringreen's avatar
stringreen
6,468 posts
 
..of the 2 I vote for NAD
ths364
181 posts
 
I would agree that you need more and better power. I had a pair of the Vandersteen 1b and they weren't happy with the NAD 7125. The Harman Kardon 655vxi or the Luxman Rx 103 drove them very nicely. The 655vxi was 90 watts and the Luxman was 70 or 90 watts. Much better all around over the NAD. A McIntosh 4100 would also work well, another option would be to run a power amp using the NAD as a pre-amp (if it has pre-amp outs).
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