NAD 7250PE (circa 1986–1988)

The NAD 7250PE is a modestly powered stereo AM/FM receiver, built in Taiwan and introduced in 1986. The specifications are well documented. The history is not: original pricing, market positioning and contemporary review coverage are essentially absent.

The spec sheets agree on a clean, plain design. The 7250PE was rated at 25 watts per channel into 8 ohms from 20Hz to 20kHz with both channels driven, at no more than 0.03% THD. The phono stage accepted 2.5mV (MM) with a 47kOhm/220pF load, and line inputs sat at 150mV. Signal-to-noise was rated at 75dB for phono and 95dB for line. Tone controls offered ±6dB at 100Hz and 10kHz, and the loudness contour added +6dB at 100Hz and +3dB at 10kHz. The unit measured 420 x 121 x 346mm and weighed 7.7kg. Damping factor is listed as either 60 or >60 depending on the source - a minor discrepancy.

The "PE" suffix is the interesting part. Per hifi-wiki.com, the PE denotes the European-market version. The difference is in the loudness control: the US version used a simple switch, while the European PE model used a continuous potentiometer.

Documentation beyond the specs is thin. No original price has been found, and no period magazine review of the 7250PE appears in the usual audio publications. The classifieds and dealer ads in Audio (December 1988, p.199) mention NAD gear generally but not this model. Production end year is uncertain; one source tags it through 1988, though that may conflate variants. On the repair side, an audioheritage.org forum thread discusses overhauling the 7250PE and suggests upgrading output transistors to MJ15003/04 types, with some commentary on "weak filtering/regulator transistors". That is anecdotal owner advice, not a documented failure profile.

Known specs, in brief:

Power: 25W/ch into 8Ω, 20Hz–20kHz, both channels driven
THD: 0.03% at rated power
Input sensitivity: 2.5mV (MM phono), 150mV (line)
S/N: 75dB (MM), 95dB (line)
Tone controls: Bass ±6dB at 100Hz; Treble ±6dB at 10kHz
Dimensions: 420 x 121 x 346mm; Weight: 7.7kg
Made in Taiwan; introduced 1986

If you own a 7250PE, the missing pieces are first-hand: how it sounds, what it cost new, and whether the European loudness potentiometer behaves noticeably differently from the US switch version. The specifications tell a straightforward story — a competent, honest 25-watt receiver from NAD's mid-80s lineup — but the lived experience of the model remains undocumented.