NAD C 338 Hybrid Digital DAC Amplifier

NAD's Most Versatile Amplifier Ever with Chromecast built-in and Hybrid Digital Technology.

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. Power, volume, source selection, and device settings are all controlled using the intuitive interface of the NAD Remote App for iOS and Android.

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 optimised 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 equalisation 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 inputNOTE: 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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