Arcam Alpha 9 vs. NAD C326

[sb1691]

I am listening to these two amplifiers and like both very well. I'm having a hard time deciding which I prefer, they both sound so good. The Arcam is used but has been completely tested okay and comes with only a 30 day warranty. It seems to have slightly more dynamism in the bass and mid-range. What significant differences should I beware of, and which is considered to produce better quality sound...the Arcam, I presume.

 

[3db]

I am listening to these two amplifiers and like both very well. I'm having a hard time deciding which I prefer, they both sound so good. The Arcam is used but has been completely tested okay and comes with only a 30 day warranty. It seems to have slightly more dynamism in the bass and mid-range. What significant differences should I beware of, and which is considered to produce better quality sound...the Arcam, I presume.

The best way is to listen to them in single blind test without knowing which one is at play. Also, they need to be driving the same speaker with the speaker/listener position to be identical between teh two amps and the output requires to be level matched, ie same SPL when witching back and forth. I'm afraid your opinions expressed so far are based on more than what you are hearing . There are many subconsious artifacts that come into play that sway a person's decision as how an amplifier sounds compared to another.

 

[sb1691]

Actually, the way I listened to the two amps was in exactly the way you described. My opinion of the listening experience is totally based on what I heard with my ears, and it was a virtual dead heat, so to speak. I was asking others for their opinions of the two amps, possibly from a technical point of view, and possibly because they may be familiar with one or both of the amps, and may have heard something different in their listening.