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3020 series 20
Integrated Amplifier
Date of manufacture : ? - Jan 81
Please note that this document contains the text from the original product brochure, and some technical statements may now be out of date
The NAD 3020 is a no-frills moderately-priced amplifier designed to provide state-of-the-art performance
at volume levels far in excess of what would be expected from its conservative 20-watt per channel
power rating. This remarkable characteristic is made possible by high-voltage, high-current output stages
which can deliver short-term bursts of two to five times the rated continuous power output into
loudspeakers of widely varying impedances.
The 3020’s exclusive Soft Clipping™ circuit permits listening levels even beyond these limits by reducing
harshness at high volume settings.
The phono preamplifier section of the 3020 contains a sophisticated 6-transistor circuit which has been
engineered for extremely low noise and nearly distortion-free performance. Built-in infrasonic and
ultrasonic filters further reduce the interference of non-musical signals caused by turntable rumble, floor
vibration, tone arm or stylus resonances.
These uniquely designed input and output stages combine to create an inexpensive amplifier which is
easily capable of driving the very best loudspeakers.
EFFECTIVE CONTROL FEATURES
Like every other part of its design, the 3020’s controls have been carefully considered for genuine
usefulness. The Bass and Treble controls are tailored for musically effective response in the high and low
frequencies without altering the critical mid-range tonal balance.
For listening at low volume levels or with sensitive headphones, the 3020’s Audio Muting button
reduces levels by 20 dB, expanding the useful range of the Volume control and subduing any residual
circuit noise. A simple, elegant set of five LEDs accurately displays the peak power level which the
amplifier is delivering to the loudspeakers, from 1 to 35 watts into 8 ohms or 2 to 70 watts into 4
ohms. The circuit monitors both channels and displays the higher output at each instant.
DESIGNED FOR REAL-WORLD PERFORMANCE
If you read specifications tables and magazine test reports you will find that the majority of modern
amplifiers measure well on the test bench, with impressive figures for signal-to-noise ratio, power
output at 8 ohms, and ultra-low harmonic distortion, But outside the laboratory many of these products
don’t perform as well as their specifications suggest. In the home you don’t listen to signal generators
and 8-ohm test resistors, you listen to complex musical waveforms generated by phono cartridges and
reproduced through loudspeakers whose impedance is seldom 8 ohms Rather than incorporating costly
refinements that may test well, but yield little audible improvement, NAD’s engineers have designed the
3020 for optimum performance in everyday use.