NAD C298 Power Amp $2400, 185×2 or 620w Monoblock
(4 3/4h, 17 1/8w, 15 3/8d, 25 lbs)
NAD‘s brand new C-298 power amp, has just landed. This magnificent amp is the first on the market with the new Eigentakt design. This technology blends edge of the art detail and big punch, with the smoothest sound of its price point.
It’s bold to say BEST SOUNDING at any price point. There is always room for discussion, which involves opinion and taste. Fair enough.
Yet, there are a few givens that must be considered as we address this topic. For an amp to be state of the art at a price point, it has to be able to check a few boxes.
*It has to be happy with any impedance of any speaker.
This… is a tall order. The vast majority of amps out there simply lose their poise with most speakers. Even if a speaker is rated at 8 ohms, that’s just an average “nominal” rating. In the bass it could dip to an ohm or two. They virtually all dip to 4.
*It has to maintain low distortion regardless of load
Many amps sound good at low volume. But as you turn them up and they’re challenged.
They can literally scream. A true best of class amp has to be immune to this oscillation. C-298 attains new standards of low distortion. C-298 challenges the best measuring equipment on the market.
*It has to have dynamic contrast that can make a plucked guitar string or highly emotive human voice downright take your breath away.
*It needs to maintain controlled bass response for tight drum skins, stand up basses and the lower register of a piano.
NAD has launched a new power amp with updated technology. NAD’s HybridDigital amps have been better than other D designs for a host of reasons, not the least of which is its use of an analog power supply. C-298 is a cut above- in that it will use NAD’s new Purifi Eigentakt amp technology.
Purifi is a company in Denmark that has brought on a host of engineering talent to revisit all aspects of amplifier design. Purifi has created a new D module technology it has dubbed “Eigentakt.”
NAD has been licensed to manufacture the Eigentakt modules that Purifi has designed. It is the core technology of C-298.
NAD augments the Eigentakt modules in C-298 with some of its own schemes to create uniquely linear performance. Eigentakt (means self clocking) modules are self oscillating ANALOG amplifiers.
IM and THD are virtually unmeasurable. The amplifier is comfortable (Eigentakt is impedance invariant) with any impedance so you can drive the speakers of your choice without regard to its impedance curve. C-298 enjoys state of the art performance in regard to clean clipping without ringing distortion. C-298 will maintain its low levels of distortion all the way up to clipping level. Most amps get rickety and go off the rails at that point. NAD’s Eigentakt implementation will achieve precision and lack typical amplifier artifacts of distortion, whether in midrange grunge or bass overhang/fuzz. Damping factor is high with a rating of 800.
C-298 can be run in stereo (185×2, 8 ohms, 340×2, 4 ohms) or mono = 620w! C-298 runs RCA and XLR inputs. There is an input level control you can use, or bypass.
NAD C-298 will handle a large speaker with a wide array of drivers better than designs of yesteryear. Think of all the big B&Ws, KEFs and other large cabinets with a massive driver counts and complex crossovers. Further, some of those big dogs needed outboard equalizers to make them even more schizophrenic than their passive networks alone.
C-298 stays low in distortion and high on control even with Frankenstein’s speaker designs.
C-298 has now arrived. We have driven a wide variety of speakers with it. Here are the results.
*The transparency of the amp is remarkable- game changing. It depicts details to a greater degree than similarly priced amps. It competes with the biggest and priciest amps out there.
*The noise floor is nil. You can listen to C-298 through high SPL speakers, like Klipsch, and NOT have to eat any hiss or hum.
*Bass control is superb. Even through the devastatingly revealing Bryston towers, C-298 hits hard and tight. There is no hint of hangover.
*Smooth- but loud. Yep, C-298 can run speakers at high volumes without sounding nasty. Try running your old amp at a GOODLY volume and you’ll find, the harder you drive it, the nastier it bites. It is likely that your speakers are even better than you knew- because your amp has been making them sound MEAN as you enjoy them more.
My take is that Eigentakt is more than just the latest thing- although it certainly IS that. NAD’s incorporation of this new technology is highly successful and massive fun!
