Onkyo A-9555 vs NAD 3020? Integrated for rock on a budget!

[ggkasper]

Could anyone who experienced them compare these 2 budget integrated?

As for the 3020 sound, I guess any BEE more recent model would be equally welcome to the comparison.

I'm between those 2 for an integrated amp on a budget. The onkyo + new fuse (audiophile.com) would cost me 250 more than a 3020i with a little problem on the tape monitor button, not a big deal.

I have a Rega rp6, dyna 10x5 and Heed Quasar and i listen to Rock, Blues, Jazz. No classical. I like punch but detail and musicality in general are more important.

Also i would use the headphone jack quite a lot for some time, but speaker sound is important as well.

Cheers!

[13oots2]

I would be cautious of an amplifier that needed a fuse replacing, you never know what caused it to blow. The NAD was a classic of it's time and much more powerful than the 20W it was rated at. I found the amp to be quite dark and warm sounding and is very musical, if not the best in resolving fine detail, it also has very good phonostage built in. It can also be used as a pre amp if you wished to upgrade to a new power amp.

[ggkasper]

The fuse change is an upgrade. not a repair. The 9555 should sound better with the better fuse compared to the stock fuse. That's all. Thanks for the comment!

I forgot to say. Phono stage is not important as I'm using a Quasar stage.

[pivot]

The NAD 3020 was a classic and considered a giant killer when introduced and the 3020i was pretty much the same unit. The main issue I would have with this is a 3O year old unit. What has been done to it and how "tired" is the power supply?

35 years ago the NAD 3020 was THE budget integrated. Are you interested in owning a classic or a daily driver? Can you hear both? The age of the NAD, unless you want to invest in a rebuild, concerns me.

...and what made the NAD a top buy was the above average phono stage. If you just want it for an amp that makes me less interested in reccomending it.

[ggkasper]

Thanks pivot, I'm probably going with the onkyo

[brianmch]

Hey,
I can say that for the 10 years I've used my 3020 as my office stereo I've not had 1 problem. Its been a solid daily driver so to speak.

Someone above said the sound was warm and lacking the finest in detail resolution. I would agree with both of those. It's also a tad grainy.

I'm not familiar with that specific onkyo, but I've never heard one that I liked. And, a fuse replacement is unlikely to have a significant change in the sound unless the rest of your rig is up to that level of resolution. IDK the rest of your chain (speakers, cable, positioning, room acoustics, etc) so its hard to say.



I

[ggkasper]

Thanks man, I've talked to a friend who builds amps and we're gonna work on one. I guess, as he said "that's the only way to go". I hope he's right.

Cheers

[Audio Maniac]

There's nothing wrong with NAD-3020. It's a nice budget amplifier. That's all about it. Don't expect an audiophile performance from it. NAD 3020 can't challenge modern mid-priced amplifiers like Primare i21 or Creek Evolution 5350.

As regards Onkyo A-9555, it's a switching output amplifier. I wouldn't purchase it as I'm not keen on highs of class D amps. The main drawback of this king of amplification is the lack of harmonics which affects mainly high frequencies. Trebles sound usually dry and cold. Bass lines are punchy, quick and tuneful, but lacks warmth and body. For rockers Onkyo A-9555 is likely outperform the NAD 3020i.

If you own a Rega RP6, you'd better to buy a more sophisticated amplification.

[dlaloum]

I remember the 3020 well from when they were new - and they were competitive in sound quality with amps which cost three to four times as much at the time.

Their audio performance has no nasties - yes they are power constrained - but what they give is good.

If we are talking budget integrated - a 3020 is one of the best.

Once you start going far enough up market, it does indeed get overtaken by others.

[Audio Maniac]

I used to own a NAD 3020i NAD 3020/3020i sounds warm and powerful on low frequencies, but it's not a kind of quick bass lines. It's a bit boomy bass. Moreover, its mid band is veiled and highs lack definition in comparison to modern amplifiers. Anyway, I'd prefer NAD 3020 over Cambridge 640A V2 or 650A. Howver, side by side with amplifiers like Creek 4240, 4330 or Rega Mira, the 3020 gets ashamed.

[kelvinMunson]

The fuse change is an upgrade. not a repair. The 9555 should sound better with the better fuse compared to the stock fuse. That's all. Thanks for the comment!

I forgot to say. Phono stage is not important as I'm using a Quasar stage.

I'm really interested in this fuse upgrade; it's possibly a very cheap option ?

How does the new fuse differ from the original ?

Can you tell us more about the effect potential improvements from changing the fuse ?

[Audio Maniac]

Fuse upgrade?

That's one of those urban legends among audio enthusiastics. Electrically it doesn't make any sense. A simple fuse rolling doesn't improve anything and so the power cables.

[PeterW.]

The fuse change is an upgrade. not a repair. The 9555 should sound better with the better fuse compared to the stock fuse. That's all. Thanks for the comment!

I forgot to say. Phono stage is not important as I'm using a Quasar stage.

Question on 'upgraded' fuses.

If you consider the action of a fuse, depending on the design, it is a varying function of current over time. Fast-Blow fuses are designed to fail at a specific current level within a specific period of time, and not fail below some point on that curve. Slow-blow fuses (my opinion on these will be saved for another time) have a wider (longer/steeper) curve between current and time. Dual-element fuses will tolerate a large over-current for a specific period, then behave more like a fast-blow device.

By definition, a properly designed fuse will fail *at* a certain point and maintain *until* a certain point. Meaning it will pass current based on its *INTENDED DESIGN AND PURPOSE*. If it does not, it will not perform its required function. If it does, it cannot be different from any other that also does.

So, how does the upgrade alter the function of the fuse and/or cause it to be any different than a similarly rated (and also properly designed) fuse that is not considered to be 'audiophile'?

By the way, have you ever observed a typical AGC fuse at/near the failure point? The element dances!

Peter Wieck
Melrose Park, PA