Many audiophiles like to go with separate components to attain maximum flexibility as your tastes change or budget increases. NAD is the GO TO company to go down this path.
You’ve heard about the law of diminishing returns. That’s what NAD is all about. You can buy uber expensive gear from many different companies. Yet if you’re blindfolded and compare affordable NAD to the unaffordables, you’ll be shocked at how close the performance is.
NAD C-268 Power Amp $1000 (80×2 or 300 monoblock)
Let’s start with the power amp. NAD’s C-268 ($1000, 80×2 or 300 monoblock) is among the best electronic values in our industry. While rated at 80×2, C-268 will exceed 120 w/ch. That’s half again higher than its standard rating. Most amps barely hit their rated power.
Check out Stereophile amp test results. Hidden in the fine print of measurements are some embarrassing numbers from many esoteric companies.
C-268 is stable into any impedance, even an ohm or 2. That means it can drive any speaker you own. Hence when you’re shopping for speakers, you buy the speakers you like. You’re not limited by a flimsy amplifier.
More importantly, C-268 doesn’t have a harsh, gritty sound. It is famously smooth and musical. It doesn’t bite or irritate. Whether you’re driving hungry speakers like Magnepans or efficient speakers like Klipsch or Amphion, C-268 is plenty powerful with a silent noise floor.
If you don’t think one C-268 is enough power, you can buy a second one and bridge- which triples your power. Do you need to? I doubt it. But the option is available to you.
With traditional amp design, the bigger it is, the worse it sounds. The more transistors it has, the more grainy it sounds. With NAD C-268 (or running monoblox) this never becomes an issue. We regularly have customers run “Row A” sounding speakers like Heresy 4 and Forte 4, with C-268. It’s a great combination! If you run these speakers with an age old design with nasty distortion, the speakers will sound harsh. Well, the speakers are not endemically harsh- if you run them with the right electronics- like C-268.
When you treat C-268 RIGHT, and marry it to great speakers like the ever revealing Amphions, Brystons, Klipsch or Maggies, you’ll be delighted with its flavorful but smooth balance. You’ll get great color without the VIVID control cranked up on the picture.
NAD C-298 $2400 (185×2 or 620w monoblock)
Do you want even more juice than C-268 delivers? Consider the stunning new C-298 power amp ($2400, 185×2 or 620w monoblock). As fine as C-268 is, C-298 is even a better amp if you can swing it. It has cutting edge Eigentakt technology to achieve industry low distortion. When Stereophile tested C-298, it pumped out 275×2. As I mentioned, most competitors barely reach their rated power.
NAD Preamps
Next up is the preamp selection. Most of our customers buy NAD’s C-658 ($2000) because it’s a Preamp/DAC/Streamer all in one unit. A fine discrete preamp runs over a grand alone.
You can buy NAD’s classic C165BEE ($1200) and you’re set. C-165BEE is a full analog piece- no DAC or streamer. But most people choose to get the C-658 because the Bluesound streamer is on board and…why not take advantage of that feature?
Yet if you do want a great, discrete (not just a pile of chips) preamp with tone controls, C-165BEE is your preamp. If you compare its sound with a chip based preamp (virtually anything under $1k), or an integrated with pre outs, you’ll much prefer the C-165BEE. The discrete preamp componentry provides much more engaging colors, ambiance and space around instruments.
Listening through any music system is like looking through glass to see what’s on the other side. It is impossible to eliminate the glass, hence we strive to get the cleanest, least obtrusive glass that we can.
Now, you can spend close to $100k for a Swiss built preamp. You can spend over $100k for a matching Swiss built power amp. They’re wonderful. But you’re paying for a lot of jewelry in the process. NAD is designed in Canada and built IN QUANTITY in Asia. Cosmetics are basic. You’re not paying for bling. You get great pricing due to economies of scale and less than ostentatious aesthetic design. The result is you get tremendous bang for your buck. Your money is buying PERFORMANCE.
As you read audio reviews, you’ll find writers saying they loved their time with esoteric electronics. But when they went back to NAD, which they actually own, the difference is surprisingly minimal!
If you can’t swing a preamp and power amp in one swallow, buy the power amp first. It will make more difference than the preamp. The power amp provides POWER as well as beautification.
NAD has been the audiophile’s value line since the 70’s. Today, it’s better than ever.