NAD is a brand that is renowned for its high quality and affordable amplification that traditionally had minimal features and were housed in nondescript looking grey boxes. The D3045 keeps the quality you would expect from NAD but also comes in sleek black housing with some extra features thrown into the mix.
Pros
- Feature-rich
- many connections
- clean and dynamic sound
Cons
- 3.5mm headphone jack may not be suitable for high-end headphone cables
- could use some added swiftness to the sound
This “mini” stereo amplifier is slim and tall making it a perfect fit for your study space without being too intrusive.
You could use it standing up or on its side depending on which suits your setup better. The front of the box has two knobs on it.
The larger of the two control knobs are for controlling the volume while the smaller is for source selection.
These knobs are accompanied by a digital display that shows the volume level in dB and which input source is selected.
The NAD 3045 produces a very balanced sound with very little intrusion from noise. It is well-matched to a pair of lively speakers as its tone is transparent and laid back. You will find the soundstage to be very spacious in both its depth and width.
If you have listened to the smaller versions of this stereo amplifier and felt them to be a little lightweight then you well be happy with the meatier presentation provided by the 3045. That being said, the 3045 lacks a little of the dynamic punch and expression of the 3020.
The mids can feel a little scooped for some tastes and without a control knob on the unit you will have to use software to compensate for this if the amplifier does not suit your listening tastes.
Specs & Features
Hi-res Up to 24-bit/384kHz
RMS Power @8ohms 80W
Dimensions (hwd) 9.25 x 2.76 x 10.43 inches
Weight 2.6kg
There is a plethora of inputs and outputs for this amplifier including two way Qualcomm aptX Bluetooth connection, an asynchronous USB 24/192 Input supporting MQA and DSD for media streaming services, HDMI, optical coaxial and RCA, dedicated sub out, and a headphone connection.
Video
You can find an in-depth video review of this product.
Last update on 2022-03-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
