Stereophile Recommended Component 2018
Brand New Rebirth of a Classic with 21st Century Features Now Includes a Built-in Phono Stage
The original NAD 3020 introduced a generation of music lovers to true high fidelity sound. The term 'high fidelity' literally means 'true to the original.' In the 1970s, over a million people rediscovered their music when they placed a NAD 3020 between their turntable and loudspeakers. This little gem embarrassed amplifiers costing 10 times more with its big, warm, detailed sound. Once people realized what they had been missing, it led them to a lifetime of enhanced musical enjoyment.
Today, the music source is more likely to be a computer or smartphone than a turntable, but the ability to choose speakers that perfectly suit one's taste is still a compelling argument for upgrading to a NAD amplifier. The D 3020 starts with the original NAD 3020 concept and takes it straight to the 21st century using the latest high-speed digital technology.
By adapting to today's media sources and using state-of-the-art digital technology for the new world of digital music, the D 3020 puts a completely modern spin on an old icon. The original designer of the 3020, NAD's Director of Advanced Technology, Bjorn Erik Edvardsen, has been pivotal in developing the D 3020 for the new digital generation. Offering an excellent quality 24/192 DAC with eight channels mixed to two for improved resolution, the D 3020 represents the same kind of value-bending innovation that gave the original 3020 its legendary overachieving phono stage.
New V2 Version
And here's great news! NAD continues pushing forward with the D 3020 and has just come out with a new V2 version of this favorite. The D 3020 V2 includes a built-in MM phono stage, which means that you can directly connect your turntable to the V2 without the need for a standalone phono preamp. That's a fabulous feature considering the steadily increasing popularity of vinyl (all over again!) as an audiophile source of choice. So plug in your turntable and get right down to listening to your favorite albums.
Stereophile Recommended Component 2018
The NAD D 3020 V2 was honored by being listed as a Recommended Component in the October 2018 issue of Stereophile. "Right now, NAD's D 3020 is the best bargain in all of hi-fi," notes the magazine. "The sound from every input was warm, present, and naturally detailed; even low-quality MP3s streamed wirelessly via Bluetooth were engaging."
Real World Performance
NAD rewrote the rules for amplifiers when designing the original 3020. Instead of letting laboratory test equipment have the last word, NAD made sure that it could properly drive real loudspeakers with real music for the real world. The D 3020 V2 lives up to this promise through a unique implementation of NAD PowerDrive developed by Bjorn Erik Edvardsen that allows low impedance drive (current) and high dynamic power (voltage) at vanishingly low distortion levels. This refinement of PowerDrive, combined with a precision soft clipping circuit, lets the D 3020 V2 sound even more powerful than it already is. An innovative Bass EQ circuit helps small speakers sound big without overdriving or damaging ported woofers.
Lots of Connectivity
The D 3020 V2 offers inputs for your digital and analog sources. Coaxial and optical inputs allow many different digital sources to be connected, from CD and DVD players, to set top boxes, media streamers like AppleTV, or satellite and cable receivers. There are also analog inputs including a sophisticated MM Phono input. Far from just another set of input jacks, this Phono stage includes highly accurate RIAA equalization, an Infrasonic Warp Filter, and features both high overload margins and extremely low noise.
Stream with Bluetooth
The D 3020 V2 delivers the convenience of wireless streaming with its Bluetooth capability. Stream all your music from a smartphone, tablet, or laptop. The D 3020 V2 even supports the highest audio quality Bluetooth aptX that is becoming ever more popular for its excellent sound quality and low power consumption compared to Wi-Fi.
Power that Really Delivers
Power output may sound small at 30 watts per channel, but like all NAD amplifiers this is very misleading, as a properly designed 30-watt amplifier can sound superior to a 100-watt amplifier from a lesser brand. With its very small form factor, the D 3020 V2 will astound you with its ability to drive difficult loudspeakers to satisfying levels without adding noise or distortion.
Mean and Green
The D 3020 V2's highly efficient design wastes less energy, requiring only 20% of the power needed by traditional hi-fi amplifiers. It's like trading in a gas guzzling car for a hybrid vehicle. Standby power consumption is a miniscule <0.5W. NAD has taken amplification to new lows, with lower distortion, lower noise, and lower power consumption. NAD's major focus is to find new technology that improves musical performance while consuming less power and using fewer non-renewable resources in manufacturing.
