Nad C388 Break in

[SuyashMoorpana]

Hi guys,
I bought myself an amplifier NAD C388.
Could you guys tell me the best way to break in the amp?
Are there any specific tracks that I can play?
Also, is it okay to leave it on for the first 100 hours?

 

[alankar1977]

IMO...It should sound good right out of the box. Being a NAD owner myself, I didn't hear any change in sound quality.

 

[insane79]

Hi guys,
I bought myself an amplifier NAD C388.
Could you guys tell me the best way to break in the amp?
Are there any specific tracks that I can play?
Also, is it okay to leave it on for the first 100 hours?

nothing like that required, just enjoy it..

 

[SuyashMoorpana]

nothing like that required, just enjoy it..

Actually, it is sounding veryy bright, harsh and sharp..and i have read that nad sounds nice and warm. That’s why i asked for the break in process

 

[SuyashMoorpana]

IMO...It should sound good right out of the box. Being a NAD owner myself, I didn't hear any change in sound quality.

Actually, it is sounding veryy bright, harsh and sharp..and i have read that nad sounds nice and warm. That’s why i asked for the break in process

 

[DB1989]

Actually, it is sounding veryy bright, harsh and sharp..and i have read that nad sounds nice and warm. That’s why i asked for the break in process

There's a break in period associated with most, if not all, speakers, amplifiers and subwoofers. I have had to burn in all the 4 amps and 4 speakers that i have before they started sounding right (actually, that applies to my car speakers as well so make that 7 pairs of speakers). For instance, the Evo 4.2 was practically unlistenable straight from the box and a good 3 hours was required before they started sounding anywhere proximate to high fidelity sound. The time required may vary from brand to brand. Never heard a NAD so cant say.

 

[alankar1977]

Actually, it is sounding veryy bright, harsh and sharp..and i have read that nad sounds nice and warm. That’s why i asked for the break in process

Speakers might require some break in for sounding their best. But for amplifiers, I don't think its required. However, play it for a week and see if the sound mellows down.

 

[insane79]

Actually, it is sounding veryy bright, harsh and sharp..and i have read that nad sounds nice and warm. That’s why i asked for the break in process

What are your speakers? None of the Nad Class D amps sound warm, i had the Nad T758 v3(Class AB) avr & yes that was abit warm but also have the Nad M32 stereo integrated & that is not warm nor bright, its neutral. The speakers play a big role too..

 

[Lizard King]

Actually, it is sounding veryy bright, harsh and sharp..and i have read that nad sounds nice and warm. That’s why i asked for the break in process

Could be an issue of system matching. Class D sound with Focal Chora, which isn't a warm speaker to start with.
Did you audition before buying?

 

[DB1989]

IMO...It should sound good right out of the box. Being a NAD owner myself, I didn't hear any change in sound quality.

Is it a class A/B design?

Hi guys,
I bought myself an amplifier NAD C388.
Could you guys tell me the best way to break in the amp?
Are there any specific tracks that I can play?
Also, is it okay to leave it on for the first 100 hours?

Which speakers are you using? Are they broken in yet and have you experimented with positioning?

 

[abhi80]

Actually, it is sounding veryy bright, harsh and sharp..and i have read that nad sounds nice and warm. That’s why i asked for the break in process

The break in process IMO does not make a very huge difference, if the inherint sound you find to be sharp there can be several reasons. It can be matching speakers and trait of speakers primarily, position of speakers on axis or off axis.. try the speakers with an alternate amp.. quotes such as an amp sounds warm, bright or laidback and a zillion audio jargaons are as good as individual setups which include room acoustics, room size, source hardware and software, DAC, Cables to an extent and many more. Out of the box breaking in can slightly mellow things and slightly open up the sound but it does not change the original trait IMO. System matching is the key bro.

 

[SuyashMoorpana]

What are your speakers? None of the Nad Class D amps sound warm, i had the Nad T758 v3(Class AB) avr & yes that was abit warm but also have the Nad M32 stereo integrated & that is not warm nor bright, its neutral. The speakers play a big role too..

Hi I have focal chora 826.

 

[SuyashMoorpana]

The break in process IMO does not make a very huge difference, if the inherint sound you find to be sharp there can be several reasons. It can be matching speakers and trait of speakers primarily, position of speakers on axis or off axis.. try the speakers with an alternate amp.. quotes such as an amp sounds warm, bright or laidback and a zillion audio jargaons are as good as individual setups which include room acoustics, room size, source hardware and software, DAC, Cables to an extent and many more. Out of the box breaking in can slightly mellow things and slightly open up the sound but it does not change the original trait IMO. System matching is the key bro.

i am using focal chora 826 with the amp..the room size is 11 X 13 feet. Speakers have been breaked in as i have them from 5-6 months

 

[bluestar]

i own a NAD 388 with the blusound chip, haven't been able to tell the difference over time. Unless you have superman hearing, i would suggest don't bother. Changes in room treatment, speakers , tow in etc will make way more difference than the amp break in IMO

 

[Doomster69]

Focals are inherently bright sounding, thanks to the treble detail/resolution they can do. (as i recall from my experience and being a PSB speaker user)

Just a thought to explore - you may try 2- 3 changes

a. Speaker placement tow in - Non-directed tow in on sweet spot, straight tow in may quell the directional high freq. I experienced this with my ELAC debut speakers, the highs became smoother when pointed straight.

b. First reflection points - for experiment sake, cover the first reflection points with thick towels/pillows, dense foam and see if it makes any audible difference. That will help fig. out if the room reflections are the culprit.

c. Cables - really poor quality cables can sometimes come in handy in times like these. I would want to try a cheap cable and check for degradation in higher freq. ranges/smoothening out of sibilance. That will help identify whether the brightness is on speakers side more than the amp side of things..

Hope this helps!