analog to digital converter box mmc cartridge phono

#Analog to digital converter box mmc cartridge phono upgrade#
#Analog to digital converter box mmc cartridge phono Pc#

Dionne Warwick's voice in Hal David and Burt Bacharach's 'Wishin' and Hopin',' from her Golden Hits Part One (LP, Scepter SPM 565), was bathed in a golden ambient glow, and the trumpet counterpoint had a silky metallic sheen. The midrange exhibited a rich, vibrant, holographic character that made me want to listen to a broad palette of vocalists. So I was surprised to discover that, over a wide range of LPs, the PP 3, used as a regular phono preamp, was a more neutral performer than any other NAD component I'd heard, with extended frequency extremes and quite a bit of air. The 218 THX power amplifier I reviewed in the August 1999 Stereophile, although a much more modern design than the earlier products derived from the original 3020 integrated amp, had the same NAD house sound. At the time, I thought NAD electronics had a unique sonic signature: a rich, lush midrange, a slightly warm midbass, and slightly sweetened highs, but not enough HF extension or top-end air. I've enjoyed listening to a wide range of NAD gear over the years, beginning with the 7020 receiver I bought for my wife when we began dating, in the mid-1980s. I entered this reviewing process with some expectations of what I'd hear from the PP 3.

#Analog to digital converter box mmc cartridge phono upgrade#

(A Follow-Up review of the Epos M5i, an upgrade of the original M5, is in the works.)

I tested the PP 3 via its MM input using my Rega Planar 3 turntable with Syrinx PU-3 tonearm and Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood cartridge, driving a Creek Destiny integrated amplifier and Epos M5i speakers.

Moreover, the PP 3's A/D converter is powered by the USB bus, effectively creating separate analog and digital power supplies. NAD's Greg Stidsen told me that, in order for the PP 3 to perform to the 'NAD standards' of ultralow noise, wide dynamic range, high overload margins, accurate RIAA equalization, and low distortion across the entire audioband, NAD included high-quality, audio-specific transistors and capacitors. NAD also includes the VinylStudio Lite software, to facilitate converting the analog signal to a computer file. The PP 3 has both MC and MM inputs, as well as a USB output (a USB cable is supplied).

#Analog to digital converter box mmc cartridge phono Pc#

The PP 3 has circuitry identical to that of the PP 2 phono stage ($129), but adds a line input and a 16-bit analog-to-digital converter with USB interface, to permit the conversion of LPs to a digital format via a Mac or PC computer. NAD has solved this problem by offering the PP 3 moving-magnet/moving-coil phono stage ($199). (The Marantz PM5003, which I reviewed in the January 2010 issue, is a notable exception.) The problem is that so few entry-level integrated amplifiers and receivers available today include phono stages. And with the availability of affordable turntables such as the Pro-Ject Debut III, which I reviewed in the February 2010 Stereophile, the cost of entry to VinylLand is not very dear. I'm just getting used to CDs.) With abundant sources of new pop releases and a wide range of reissues on vinyl, and a variety of used LPs, every audiophile should own a turntable. Some pundits postulate that eventually CDs will die out, and we'll be faced with the choice of LPs or downloads. Even Mikey Fremer is surprised at vinyl's current popularity.