NAD C 338 Hybrid Digital DAC Amplifier
The C 338 adds big sound to your favourite music sources and brings incredible flexibility to any stereo system. With Spotify Connect®, Bluetooth®, and the first-ever hi-fi amplifier to have built-in Chromecast®, the C 338 allows you to stream and cast music directly from any music streaming app, letting you enjoy your music wirelessly. Add a turntable using the phono input and experience the warmth of vinyl collections with the room-filling sound of NAD’s HybridDigital™ amp technology.
NAD's Most Versatile Amplifier Ever with Chromecast built-in and Hybrid Digital Technology
Introducing the NAD C338
Getting the Basics Right
Built with NAD’s renowned music-first approach to audio architecture and amp design, the C 338 is equipped with the most advanced components commonly found in NAD’s class-leading line of amplifiers. Always starting with the details you can hear and advancing from there, NAD develops low-noise circuitry with the precision and stability to deliver incredible, near-zero distortion sound for the most difficult speakers.
HybridDigital™ Amp Technology
The search for a high-performance Class D solution led NAD to HybridDigital™, an innovative amplifier technology that uses a variable modulation frequency to bring out the life-like qualities of music, while reducing distortion under every operating condition. This highly optimized design gives phenomenal performance to the C 338 amplifier, both measured and subjective.
Efficient Class D Power
NAD has worked tirelessly to create the best performing Class D amplifiers that are energy efficient and produce beautiful sound—not heat—regardless of basic design principles. Using advanced measurements and data, NAD developed the C 338’s highly efficient power supply with a customised Hypex® UCD output stage to pump out 50 watts continuously and over 200 watts instantaneously to meet the demands of the most dynamic music. This new design is very linear over a wide bandwidth and provides consistent, noise-free performance for the amplifying stages with near perfect regulation of voltage.
Always Ready for Streaming
The C 338 has Chromecast built-in so you can cast music, tunes, podcasts, and playlists from your favourite apps on your phone, tablet or laptop to your stereo system. Spotify Connect® lets you discover millions of songs and stream them directly to your C 338 using the Spotify® app for a rich, wireless music experience. With the added flexibility of Bluetooth®, your music streaming possibilities are truly limitless with the C 338.
Built-in Phono Stage for Vinyl Listening
Using a MM phono stage and an innovative low-noise circuit path, the C 338 can reproduce the warmth of LPs with accurate RIAA equalization and control the infrasonic noise that is in all recordings, without ever affecting the bass response.
Flexible Connectivity
With a wide array of connections, including a separate headphone amplifier that can drive high-impedance studio monitor headphones, the C 338 is ready for any type of listening. Line inputs can accommodate all kinds of analogue source components, offering ideal input impedance with linear ultra-low noise buffer amplifiers to preserve the musicality of recordings. Also connect a subwoofer with low impedance line outputs and extend the versatility of this budget-friendly, do-it-all amplifier.
Key Features
50W x 2 Continuous Power into 8 or 4 Ohms | 90W / 150W / 200W IHF Dynamic Power into 8 / 4 / 2 Ohms |
First hi-fi amplifier to feature Chromecast built-in | Integrated Bluetooth® for added music streaming flexibility |
Built-in Phono Preamp for Turntables | Stereo Line, Optical Digital and Coax Digital inputs |
NAD Remote App support for tablet and smartphone | Dedicated Headphone Amplifier |
Subwoofer Output
Preamplifier
Line In, Subwoofer Out
THD (20Hz-20kHz) | <0.005% at 2V out |
Signal/Noise Ratio | >106dB (IHF; A-weighted, 500mV out, unity gain) |
Input Impedance (R and C) | 56 kilohm + 100pF |
Maximum Input Signal | >4.5Vrms (ref. 0.1% THD) |
Output Impedance | Source Z + 200 Ohm |
Input Sensitivity | 50mV (100Hz ref. 500mV out, Volume maximum |
Maximum voltage output – IHF load | >4.5V (ref. 0.1% THD) |
Line In, Headphone Out
THD (20Hz-20kHz) | <0.005% at 1V out |
Signal/Noise Ratio | >105dB (IHF; A-weighted, 32 Ohm loads, ref. 2V out, unity gain) |
Frequency Response | ±0.3dB (20Hz-20kHz) |
Channel Separation | >56dB at 1kHz |
Output Impedance | 0.5 Ohm |
General Specifications
Line In, Speaker Out
Continuous Output Power into 4 Ohms and 8 Ohms (Stereo) | >50W (at rated THD, 20-20kHz, both channels driven) |
IHF Dynamic Power | 8 Ohm 80W 4 Ohm 150W 2 Ohm 210W |
THD (20Hz-20kHz) | <0.03% (250mW to 50W, 8 Ohm and 4 Ohm |
Signal/Noise Ratio | >98dB (A-weighted, 500mV input ref. 1W out in 8 Ohm) |
Clipping power | >60W (at 1kHz 0.1% THD) |
Peak output current | >18A (in 1 Ohm, 1 ms) |
Damping Factor | >300 (ref. 8 Ohm, 20Hz to 6.5kHz) |
Frequency Response | ±0.3 dB (20Hz-20kHz) |
Channel Separation | 1kHz >75dB 10kHz >65dB |
Input Sensitivity (For 50W in 8 Ohm) | Line In: 380mV, Digital In: 18% FS |
Sample Rate | Up to 24 bit/192kHz |
Phono In, Speaker Out
THD (20Hz-20kHz) (Stereo) | <0.3% at 50W out |
Signal/Noise Ratio | >82dB (200 Ohm source, A-weighted, ref. 500mV out) >76dB (MM cartridge source, IHF A-weighted, ref. 500mV out) |
Input Sensitivity | 4.1mV (ref. 50W 1kHz 4 Ohm out, Volume maximum) |
Frequency Response | ±0.3dB (20Hz-20kHz) |
Input Impedance | 47 kilohm + 100pF |
Maximum Input Signal | >80mVrms (ref. 0.1% THD) |
Power Consumption
at ECO Standby mode | 0.4 Watts* |
at Control Standby mode | 1.8 Watts** |
OFF mode (Power switched OFF) | 0 Watts |
* – After 20 minutes of no user interface interaction and no active source input
** – With established wireless Bluetooth connectivity and 20 minutes of no user interface interaction and no active source input
NOTE: Bluetooth connectivity can be enabled or disabled via press and hold of PLAY button of AMP 3 remote control
Weight & Dimensions
Gross Dimensions (W x H x D)* | 435 x 70 x 285mm (17 1/8 x 2 13/16 x 11 1/4)” |
Net Weight | 4.85kg (10.7lb) |
Shipping Weight | 5.85kg (12.9lb) |
*Gross dimensions include feet, extended buttons and rear panel terminals
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