NAD C-298 Power Amp $2400
(185×2 or 620 Monoblock)
NAD’s new C-298 power amp has gotten raves, from me, and numerous reviewers and audiophiles since the day it came out last winter. Stereophile just gave it a rave, which you can read, along with my two cents at Dave’s Faves. It’s all great!
What I want to point out here is that C-298 actually produced staggeringly fine numbers on real tests- not just claims. Stereophile tests amplifier power at clipping. Most amps meet their rated power- but not much more.
That’s not NAD’s M.O.
NAD famously UNDER CLAIMS its numbers. Call it… being bashful.
No brag- just facts- that’s NAD.
NAD claims C-298, at 8 ohms, puts out 185×2. It clipped at 275×2!
NAD claims C-298, at 4 ohms, puts out 340×2. It clipped at 510×2!
Hey boys- you’re claiming 33% lower than what a fair number of your competitors would!
Let’s look at how a few other amps performed under the same Stereophile tests.
*Adcom GFA565 monoblocks: $1900pr in 1991: rated 300×1, clipped 322w
*Aexthetix Mimas Integrated: $7000: rated 150×2, clipped 180w
*ARC Ref 160 monoblock: $30,000pr: rated 140×1, clipped 150w
*Benchmark AHB2 stereo amp: $3000: rated 100×2, clipped 108w (1ch driven)
*Boulder 866 Integrated: $15k: rated 200×2, clipped 210w
*Cambridge CXA81 Integrated: $1300: rated 80×2, clipped at 89w
*Cary SLI-100 Integrated: $6000: rated 100×2, clipped at 3.2w
*Devialet Expert 140 Pro Integrated: $6500: rated 140×2 at 6 ohms, clipped at 103w
*Exposure XM5 Integrated: $1800: rated 60×2: clipped 70w
*Jadis Orchestra Integrated: $4000: rated 40×2, clipped at 14w
*Krell K300i Integrated: $7000: rated 150×2, clipped at 190w
*Line Magnetic LM845IA Integrated: $4950: rated 22×2, slipped at 2w @16ohms
*Lux SQ-N150 Integrated: $2800: rated 10×2 into 6 ohms, clipped 12.5w
*Mark Levinson 5805 Integrated: $8500: rated 125×2: clipped 133.5w
*Marantz Model 30 Integrated: $2600: rated 100×2, clipped 165w
*McIntosh MAC7200 Receiver: $7500: rated 200×2, clipped 255
*Musical Fidelity M8xi Integrated: $6500: rated 550×2, clipped at 500w
*NAD M33 Integrated: $6000: rated 200×2, clipped at 255w (460 into 4ohms)
*Parasound Halo Integrated: $2500: rated 160×2, clipped at 160w
*PS Stellar 1200 Monoblocks: $6000 pair: rated 600×1, clipped at 610w
*Rotel Michi M8 Monoblocks: $14k pair: rated 1080w, clipped at 1020w
*T+A PA 3100HV Integrated: $23,500: rated 300×2, clipped at 318w
*VAC Sigma 170i Integrated: $10,000: rated 85×2, clipped at 11.8w
*Vandersteen M5HPA Monoblocks: $15,800 pair: rated 150×1, clipped at 172w
*Vincent SV-737 Integrated: $3500, rated 180×2, clipped at 155w
*Yamaha A-S3200 Integrated: $7500: rated 100×2: clipped at 110w
C-298 was also tested, in Monoblock form, at 8 ohms.
It is rated 620w. It actually hit 980w!
Further, C-298 tested vanishingly low in distortion, 0-185 w/ch.
THD was .0005%!
Indeed, numbers are only part of the story in regards to how an amplifier sounds. You’ll read that C-298 is a killer sounding amp by any standards.
But I wanted to brag up these actual test results, not just claims, so those of you that need immense power, know that C-298 is a beautiful sounding Tyrannosaurus!