NAD C-328 Integrated Amp $600 (50×2)
My favorite low priced integrated amp from the day it came out is NAD’s C-328. Rated at 50×2,
C-328 will more than double on peaks and is comfortable into low impedances.
You can contrast that with any number of well known $900-1200 integrateds rated at 100×2. They PEAK at 101 if you’re lucky, and won’t even drive a 4 ohm load. They warn you right on the back of the unit!
C-328 has a wide array of features and sounds smooth due to its Hybrid Digital design. It has an analog power supply which makes it different and BETTER than its similarly priced competitors. You can run speaker level into a sub, and jump speaker level into any speakers, and C-328 is totally happy with the impedance. Try that with any of the big box brands and you’ll see the amp will SHUT DOWN because it can’t drive the load.
Here are some comments from Stererophile’s review on C-328: Greg Stidsen, NAD’s Tech Director is quoted frequently.
“Stidsen pointed out that in today’s world of mass produced digital components with inherently lousy DACs, the C-328 can improve the sound not only of CD players, but of anything with a coax digital input. ‘We use a very high end implementation to squeeze a lot more performance from the DAC. Other products in this range achieve about 10dB less dynamic range that we achieve with the same part.”
NAD employs a very useful BASS EQ circuit, a 7dB bump at 80Hz.
“We expect this amplifier will often be used with smaller speakers that have limited bass extension, we have brought back NAD’s Bass EQ feature. This gives just the right amount of heft to small bookshelf speakers without adding chesty coloration to the male voice.”
“The NAD C-328 Hybrid Digital integrated amplifier easily met the challenges I set, making sweet music with minimum fuss. Its bass frequencies were warm and full. I’ve heard integrateds at this or higher prices with brawnier sound, but none that provided so much music for so little money. C-328 was a consummate overachiever that never failed to please.”
