NAD and proton same company?
- Thread starter ke4mcl
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62vauxhall
Addicted Member
This thread began in 2009?
I don't know from which country or countries Proton originated but NAD products were from several. Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and Japan. There may have been others but these were those that I remember from speaking with the distributor's sales rep when I was with a retail chain carrying NAD.
It would not be a stretch to believe Proton components came from one or more sources that also produced some NAD models.
The spiel I got was that NAD was a UK company where the designs originated. Construction was contracted to Asian manufacurers. The objective to maintain affordability. Another info nugget I was given was that if design and manufacture occurred in the UK, consumer prices would have been three or four times higher. From a reliability standpoint, some products were better than others but the rep never disclosed which plant made the models with the higherst failure rate.
It was not uncommon back then for it to be said that NAD was an acronym for Nearly Alway Defective.
I don't know from which country or countries Proton originated but NAD products were from several. Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia and Japan. There may have been others but these were those that I remember from speaking with the distributor's sales rep when I was with a retail chain carrying NAD.
It would not be a stretch to believe Proton components came from one or more sources that also produced some NAD models.
The spiel I got was that NAD was a UK company where the designs originated. Construction was contracted to Asian manufacurers. The objective to maintain affordability. Another info nugget I was given was that if design and manufacture occurred in the UK, consumer prices would have been three or four times higher. From a reliability standpoint, some products were better than others but the rep never disclosed which plant made the models with the higherst failure rate.
It was not uncommon back then for it to be said that NAD was an acronym for Nearly Alway Defective.
Since this thread has been revived, I’ll add some info for posterity. I own a Proton 440 tuner, and on the inside it is not at all like the NAD it supposedly resembles.
But it is well-made and quite sensitive. Selectivity, not so much, but it’s great for listening to stuff that isn’t being buried by a strong adjacent station.
Larry Schotz designed the noise reduction system, and it does exactly what he designed it to do, which is to blend L+R when the signal level is low and reduce the blending as the signal level increases. This eliminates multipath and multiplexing noise during quiet passages, at the expense of separation (when, presumably, it matters less), but restores the separation for louder bits when the noise would be covered by the music. It works pretty well and gives the impression of deep black backgrounds. Sound quality is really nice around this circuit, too.
But it lacks narrow filtering and is wide as a barn door. (Which is why it sounds good when not having to pick a signal out of the crowd).
At the price they usually fetch (I think I paid $35), they are a good buy.
Rick “who heard that NAD’s one-time contractor made similar stuff under the Proton brand, but they certainly licensed the Schotz technology” Denney
But it is well-made and quite sensitive. Selectivity, not so much, but it’s great for listening to stuff that isn’t being buried by a strong adjacent station.
Larry Schotz designed the noise reduction system, and it does exactly what he designed it to do, which is to blend L+R when the signal level is low and reduce the blending as the signal level increases. This eliminates multipath and multiplexing noise during quiet passages, at the expense of separation (when, presumably, it matters less), but restores the separation for louder bits when the noise would be covered by the music. It works pretty well and gives the impression of deep black backgrounds. Sound quality is really nice around this circuit, too.
But it lacks narrow filtering and is wide as a barn door. (Which is why it sounds good when not having to pick a signal out of the crowd).
At the price they usually fetch (I think I paid $35), they are a good buy.
Rick “who heard that NAD’s one-time contractor made similar stuff under the Proton brand, but they certainly licensed the Schotz technology” Denney
sae-7125
Super Member
i wonder who came up with the pcb layout for the proton d1200, it certainly has self destruct issues. rather odd to see an 1/8th watt resistor near the physical center of the board. from what a dmm tells me this isnt a dual mono since the floppy rca input negatives are tied together and speaker outputs are both at chassis/gnd potential. unless the amp i am measuring/repairing has issues.
If you're referring to the speaker negative terminals, at what potential would you prefer them to be?
sae-7125
Super Member
isolated. is that not the point of a true mono block is complete channel separation/isolation. a shared ground either input, output or both is typically a cost savings maneuver i.e. cheap.
seems like the 80s or perhaps late 70s was the manufacturing transition era into inexpensive mass production and cutting corners to saturate the masses. at least from what i am seeing on the repair bench.
seems like the 80s or perhaps late 70s was the manufacturing transition era into inexpensive mass production and cutting corners to saturate the masses. at least from what i am seeing on the repair bench.
Did the Proton ever claim to be "true mono block"? It's a stereo amp, built with a common ground, like thousands of other stereo amps.
sae-7125
Super Member
that is what i am wondering as well. there seems to be an increasing number of owner posts claiming dual mono design. i continue to be skeptical of such claims.
here are some examples, ak and elsewhere:
https://reverb.com/item/38925250-pr...mic-power-on-demand-dual-mono-great-condition
post #11:
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/proton-d1200-power-amplifier.556132/
some units had a bridge-to-mono switch although many others do not, like the one i am working on (channel kaboom syndrome).
nothing mentioned here about "dual mono":
http://www.hifi-classic.net/review/proton-d1200-165.html
nor here:
https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/I.../HiFI-Stereo-Review-1986-09-OCR-Page-0051.pdf
*mentions toroid txf, i dont see a circle/doughnut just a pair of ovals.
the quagmire continues..
here are some examples, ak and elsewhere:
https://reverb.com/item/38925250-pr...mic-power-on-demand-dual-mono-great-condition
post #11:
https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/proton-d1200-power-amplifier.556132/
some units had a bridge-to-mono switch although many others do not, like the one i am working on (channel kaboom syndrome).
nothing mentioned here about "dual mono":
http://www.hifi-classic.net/review/proton-d1200-165.html
nor here:
https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/I.../HiFI-Stereo-Review-1986-09-OCR-Page-0051.pdf
*mentions toroid txf, i dont see a circle/doughnut just a pair of ovals.
the quagmire continues..
tube-a-lou
Addicted Member
I have a Proton CD player I got from the Salvation Army and it still works and sounds good,
I like their stuff I had NAD and after awhile I just sell it, but tell you the truth I still have a Nad
CD and cassette deck somewhere. I like said above the they were kinda the same but different.
I like their stuff I had NAD and after awhile I just sell it, but tell you the truth I still have a Nad
CD and cassette deck somewhere. I like said above the they were kinda the same but different.
AudioFeline
Super Member
The Proton 320 clock radio was a great product - mine is still working since I bought it in ~1990.
I thought the NAD and Proton gear was good for what it was.
BTW, I always liked the clean NAD industrial design approach, that was stylish and established a recognisable brand.
I thought the NAD and Proton gear was good for what it was.
What is the link between NAD and AMC? (the AMC link doesn't work). I have an AMC turner and noted the design similarities to NAD and Proton, and wondered if it was copying the design or if there was anything more behind it.
BTW, I always liked the clean NAD industrial design approach, that was stylish and established a recognisable brand.