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NAD 3020 rebuild

That's a major help Jeff, thank you very much.

I'll look out for the UCC GXF first, try to buy overseas and hope they can do, but if not, I'll use panasonic FC.
 
Can't get hold of any GXF, tried KZN which high ripple as well but no luck.

Only available option I went was Panasonic FC 2700uf 35V, cause everything oos now.

Will put this on now, and if I like it I'll get on with it until next upgrade :D

Also, does anyone have modify the RCA socket for input? the AUX right channel need a wiggle to make it works, planning to at least upgrade the 3 inputs phono aux tuner section.

I've seen this photo, with the similar RCA shape with the original one, namely the vertical mounting RCA PCB.
maxresdefault.jpg

Has anyone tried this and gives improvements?
 
Last edited:
It's been around a week, so I'll go with the sound's review.

My system:
- Speaker: Monitor Audio Bronze 6
- TT: Rega Planar 25
- Phono Stage: CNC MM Phono https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/i...igh-end-phono-stage-no-expense-spared.371889/
- RCA cables: Mogami 2459
- Speaker cables: Canare 4S11
- DAC: Bludento HD + Nakamichi DAC 101
Note:
a. the NAD3020 plays in flat tone control.
b. There are several changes to the caps namely:
- main filter caps using Panasonic FC 2700uf 35v
- signal path on phono changed to WIMA 4.7uf 50v and nichicon ES BP 10uf 50v (there's hum on phono stage that fixed using this)

Sound review:
1. Using DAC:
Stream through youtube, spotify and tidal
The NAD3020 seems bass heavy compared to Marantz 1060 or my other 33000+250M combination
the punch is quite there, vocal's airy, the singer is laid back and a bit dry, but this is the magic, there's no fatigue listening this like 8 hours non-stop (marantz more front and lush/wet, but fatigue after like 4 hours)
mid -> this is crazy, I'm not expecting that the mid could be quite this good, clarity and harmonic, this bringing all the musicality together.

Songs:
Jordy Waelauruw - Come Back Baby
Trumpet -> airy but not attacking
Kick drum -> punchy! giving the overall song a tad more bass with all the settings flat
vocals -> a bit laid back, giving overall warm

Yao Si Ting - Speak Softly Love
Guitar -> the clarity is there, when the bass string stuck, the punch is also there
Violin -> laid back, giving no fatigue nor attacking
Vocal -> Airy and lush in this song

Jacintha - Black Coffee
Vocal -> Airy and lush, but not as wet as Marantz!
Piano -> Clarity and non fatigue

2. Using TT:
The New Standard - Clarissa, Miles Davis - Kind of Blue, Jazz at the Pawnshop - Limehouse Blues
MID MID MID MID MID MID!
I can listen to this all day long, the only fatigue I got is from changing the records.

There are so many songs I played but overall the conclusion would be the same, the treble is clear but not attacking hence gives you no fatigue for long listening, the Bass is punchy but a bit slows, this non-technical bass and crazy mid gives the musicality that you can't get in says like Sansui brands, as their bass is very technical and fast to my liking.


I also plan to modify the face plate a bit with a cost of 5-7 bucks, hope it's audiokarma quality but it has high risk to fail
 
Reflow all the back connection attachments to the board, it only takes a couple minutes. Also do the same with all the pots and switches in the front. Everything one changes attachments, there is a bit of flex and after 40 years
 
AndreasR14 said:
Can't get hold of any GXF, tried KZN which high ripple as well but no luck.

Only available option I went was Panasonic FC 2700uf 35V, cause everything oos now.

Will put this on now, and if I like it I'll get on with it until next upgrade :D

Also, does anyone have modify the RCA socket for input? the AUX right channel need a wiggle to make it works, planning to at least upgrade the 3 inputs phono aux tuner section.

I've seen this photo, with the similar RCA shape with the original one, namely the vertical mounting RCA PCB.
View attachment 2306856

Has anyone tried this and gives improvements?
Click to expand...
Go at least 50 volts
 
AndreasR14 said:
It's been around a week, so I'll go with the sound's review.

My system:
- Speaker: Monitor Audio Bronze 6
- TT: Rega Planar 25
- Phono Stage: CNC MM Phono https://www.audiokarma.org/forums/i...igh-end-phono-stage-no-expense-spared.371889/
- RCA cables: Mogami 2459
- Speaker cables: Canare 4S11
- DAC: Bludento HD + Nakamichi DAC 101
Note:
a. the NAD3020 plays in flat tone control.
b. There are several changes to the caps namely:
- main filter caps using Panasonic FC 2700uf 35v
- signal path on phono changed to WIMA 4.7uf 50v and nichicon ES BP 10uf 50v (there's hum on phono stage that fixed using this)

Sound review:
1. Using DAC:
Stream through youtube, spotify and tidal
The NAD3020 seems bass heavy compared to Marantz 1060 or my other 33000+250M combination
the punch is quite there, vocal's airy, the singer is laid back and a bit dry, but this is the magic, there's no fatigue listening this like 8 hours non-stop (marantz more front and lush/wet, but fatigue after like 4 hours)
mid -> this is crazy, I'm not expecting that the mid could be quite this good, clarity and harmonic, this bringing all the musicality together.

Songs:
Jordy Waelauruw - Come Back Baby
Trumpet -> airy but not attacking
Kick drum -> punchy! giving the overall song a tad more bass with all the settings flat
vocals -> a bit laid back, giving overall warm

Yao Si Ting - Speak Softly Love
Guitar -> the clarity is there, when the bass string stuck, the punch is also there
Violin -> laid back, giving no fatigue nor attacking
Vocal -> Airy and lush in this song

Jacintha - Black Coffee
Vocal -> Airy and lush, but not as wet as Marantz!
Piano -> Clarity and non fatigue

2. Using TT:
The New Standard - Clarissa, Miles Davis - Kind of Blue, Jazz at the Pawnshop - Limehouse Blues
MID MID MID MID MID MID!
I can listen to this all day long, the only fatigue I got is from changing the records.

There are so many songs I played but overall the conclusion would be the same, the treble is clear but not attacking hence gives you no fatigue for long listening, the Bass is punchy but a bit slows, this non-technical bass and crazy mid gives the musicality that you can't get in says like Sansui brands, as their bass is very technical and fast to my liking.


I also plan to modify the face plate a bit with a cost of 5-7 bucks, hope it's audiokarma quality but it has high risk to fail
Click to expand...
Other than cleaning don’t mess with the faceplates
 
AndreasR14 said:
I agree, I wonder the 3020 version with the floor transformers could sound, this version is the first version. I might hunt one of these if it has reasonable price and condition
Click to expand...
This 7020 is a version 2. I haven’t spent any time comparing the schematics between the 7020 and the 3020 but hifiengine lists the 3020 @ line S/N 110 db while the 7020 @ only 84 db and Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz and 10Hz to 70kHz for the 3020. .02% Thd for both. I still have a very slight 60 hz hum when you put your ear up to the speakers and with headphones with volume turned all the way down. Wondering if it’s worth trying to run that down?
 
I don't have any hum at low level volume, when the volume at max there's a slight hum only, the hum decreases when I put my finger in the ground.
 
I rerouted all the external power cables and isolated the speaker cables and the 60 hz hum pretty much went away. I also noticed that at outputs from the transformer to the regulator board and the feeds from the speaker selector switch to the terminals are run in the same bundle and tie wrapped together. Rerouting and isolation of all these audio signal cables might even quiet things down further?
 
So I got my second NAD3020 for a fairly cheap price, has been recapped with some cheap caps, dirty pots, and several issues.
to summary it doesn't sound good.

So I recaped this NAD, with the available capacitors locally.

I used WIMAs or Epcos for the signal path, when the value isn't available, I simply use Nichicon ES.
Main filter are using Panasonic FCs, PSU board is a combination of FCs and FMs
Signal path in the preamp sections are bypassed by Vishay MKP1837 0.001uf 160v.

I did busted up the power switch to take the button out (as it seems not original), however find out that it was glued to death and ended up breaking the plastics inside the switch.
Replaced with an ALPS 2 pins, as this is for the AC line it's compatible.
Without a button, I drilled a dice and make it as a button.

Also did some drilling into the old speaker post and convert it into binding post

Here's some photos.
17E56F72-8F9C-4A66-ADDD-F3F3AA2238A2 (1).JPG D8C0842F-68E9-4F02-93EB-157AFE361F37.JPG IMG_7957.jpg IMG_7958.jpg IMG_7960.jpg IMG_7961.jpg
 
I have to ask, how did you make that wonderful faceplate? I love it! I've been playing with the same idea, but are clueless of how to put the writing on the plate.
 
AndreasR14 said:
Managed to make an aluminum face plate for the NAD 3020.

3mm thickness, installed using PCB plastic snap in spacer, quite neat.
View attachment 2354970 View attachment 2354971
Click to expand...
Hi Andreas!
I have read your update, nice process! I'm working on getting info before recapping my 3020 (later model with 4caps on center and transfo on back)

Where did you got that plate? It does look really nice!
Also, if you have any tips for me I'll be happy to know :)
 
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