[The13thGryphon]

Has anyone done a direct comparison betwen these two integrated amps?

The C352 has been getting rave reviews for a while now, and while there isn't much information out about the PM-7001 yet, what there is sounds very positive. I've always liked and admired both brand, and I'm not sure which would be the better alternative.  

I love all kinds of music, though acoustic and vocals are my "make or break" points. I'll be using the amp in a 13' x 15' den for a second, two-channel system. I'm using Magnepan speakers, so whatever I choose has to have some grunt and be able to handle their 4 ohm load.

If you've listened to the two, especially if back to back or through the same speakers, can you tell me your perceptions of the two units? What did you like and dislike about each, now does their sound quality compare, and did you ultimately choose either of these amps for yourself?

[john1970]

While I have not done a comparison of the NAD and Marantz I do recommend that you get the largest integrated amp that you can afford for the 4 ohm speaker.  I currently use the NAD C372 to power a larger pair of tower speakers (VMPS RM40) in a 13 x 25 x 8 foot listening room.  At 9' listening position the NAD C372 can drive the speakers to 100 dB peak levels (normally I listen at much lower volumes).  

Given the small price increase between the C352 and C372 I would recommend highly considering the C372.  If you look at the nad website you will notice that the C352 dynamic power into 4 ohms is 185 watts and the C320BEE dynamic power into 4 ohms is 160 W.  Only the NAD C372 offers a significant improvement by offering a dynamic power of 340 W.  

Before owning the NAD C372 I had the NAD C320BEE.  The C372 is a huge step up in performance and the internal build quality is amazingly good given its reasonable price of ~$800.  

Hope that you find this advice useful.