NAD C 389 HybridDigital DAC Amplifier

Description

C 389 HybridDigital DAC Amplifier

The NAD C 389 HybridDigital DAC amplifier can serve as
the cornerstone of a high-performance audio system now – and for decades to
come. Employing NAD’s proven HybridDigital UcD amplifier design and the same
ESS Sabre DAC used in NAD’s acclaimed M33 BluOS streaming amplifier, the
C 389 will deliver thrilling dynamics and exquisite detail from all your
sources.

With its full suite of digital and analogue inputs,
including an ultra-low-noise phono stage and HDMI eARC interface, the
C 389 can accommodate all your source components. And it incorporates the
latest generation of NAD’s Modular Designs Construction future-proofing
technology, making it easy to add exciting capabilities such as BluOS high-res
music streaming and Dirac Live room correction.

Power and Performance

For over 50 years, the NAD brand has been synonymous with
performance and value, and the C 389 HybridDigital DAC Amplifier continues
that tradition. Its output stage is based on a customized version of NAD’s
efficient HybridDigital UcD design, with multiple UcD amplifier modules in
balanced bridged configuration and an innovative switch-mode power supply that
provides ample reserves of current on demand. The C 389 can deliver a
staggering 130W per channel continuously, with virtually unmeasurable
distortion and noise through the audioband, and up to 350W per channel of
instantaneous power, for effortless reproduction of musical transients.

The digital section features the same 32-bit/384kHz ESS
Technology Sabre DAC chip used in NAD’s award-winning Masters M33 amplifier.
Renowned for its exceptionally wide dynamic range, ultra-low noise and
distortion, and near-zero levels of clock jitter, the ESS Sabre 9028 DAC
enables the C 389 to deliver astonishing clarity and near-holographic
imaging on all sources.

Future Friendly

In 2006, NAD introduced Modular Design Construction
technology, which lets users add new features by inserting an expansion module
into an MDC-capable component. In 2021, NAD introduced MDC2, a next-generation
future-proofing platform that enables two-way communications between the
expansion module and host component.

The C 389 has two MDC2 expansion slots, so that it can
stay current with new developments in A/V technology. NAD’s first MDC2 module
is the MDC2 BluOS-D, which features BluOS high-res multi-room streaming and
Dirac Live room correction.

The MDC2 BluOS-D connects to your home network via Wi-Fi or
wired Ethernet. Using the BluOS Controller app on a smart device or personal
computer, you can play music from your favorite streaming services and personal
music library through the C 389. BluOS has integrated support for more
than 20 services, including several that offer lossless and high-res audio,
such as Amazon Music HD, Deezer, Idagio, Qobuz and Tidal. Like all
BluOS-enabled components, the MDC2 BluOS-D has MQA decoding and rendering
capability, for high-res streaming from Tidal. It also supports Apple AirPlay
2, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect, as well as Amazon Alexa, and Google
Assistant voice control. With the MDC2 BluOS-D installed, the C 389 can be
part of a whole-home music system with as many as 64 zones.

By counteracting common acoustic problems like standing
waves and room reflections, Dirac Live room correction transforms your
listening experience. Connect the supplied microphone to the MDC BluOS-D’s USB
port, and then run the free Dirac Live app on a smart device or personal
computer. Dirac Live will play test tones through your speakers, analyze the
results, then transfer compensation filters to the MDC BluOS-D. You’ll enjoy
deeper, more textured bass; more precise imaging; greater midrange clarity; and
more accurate tonal balance. Thanks to MDC2’s two-way architecture, the MDC2
BluOS-D delivers these benefits on all sources connected to the C 389.

Everything’s Connected

The C 389 can accommodate all your analogue and digital
source components. Connectivity options include two optical and two coaxial
digital inputs and two sets of RCA line-level analogue inputs. The analogue
inputs have ultra-low-noise buffer amplifiers for greater sonic purity.

For vinyl enthusiasts, the C 389 features a precise MM
phono section with accurate RIAA equalization, high overload margins, and
extremely low noise. The phono section incorporates an innovative circuit that
suppresses the infrasonic noise that is always present during vinyl playback,
without affecting bass performance.

For movies and television, the C 389 has an HDMI eARC
input so that you can play TV audio from through your high-fidelity speakers
while controlling volume with the TV’s remote. Dual subwoofer outputs enable
the C 389 to serve as the hub of a 2.1- or 2.2-channel system for music
and movies. With the MDC2 BluOS-D installed, you can set crossover frequency
with the BluOS app, for a seamless blend between the subwoofers and main
speakers.

For private listening, the C 389 has a dedicated
headphone amplifier with low output impedance and very high voltage output
capability, making it a good match even for demanding studio headphones. The
C 389 also features two-way wireless Bluetooth, with support for
Qualcomm’s aptX-HD codec, for 24-bit streaming from your smartphone or tablet,
and wireless playback through Bluetooth headphones and speakers.

Truly Timeless

Building on five decades of innovation in amplifier design,
NAD’s C 389 HybridDigital DAC amplifier offers audiophile-class
performance, flexible connectivity, class-leading upgradability, and long-term
value. Thanks to its precise volume control, ultra-low-noise circuitry, and
cutting-edge amplifier design, the C 389 can deliver wonderfully refined
sound at lifelike listening levels through virtually any loudspeaker. Thanks to
NAD’s next-generation MDC2 future-proofing technology, you can update your
C 389 with exciting features like multi-room music streaming and automatic
room correction. With the C 389 HybridDigital DAC-Amplifier, the NAD
legend continues.

Preliminary Features & Details

• Customized
  HybridDigital UcD amplifier in fully balanced bridged configuration

• Continuous
  Power: 130 Watts per channel into 8/4 ohms

• Instantaneous
  Power: 210 W into 8 ohms, 300 W into 4 ohms, 350 Watts per channel

• Vanishingly
  low harmonic and intermodulation distortion

• Nearly
  unmeasurable noise through the entire audioband

• Dual
  MDC2 ports for expanded functionality

• Optional
  MDC2 BluOS-D module adds BluOS Hi-Res multi-room music streaming and Dirac
  Live room correction

• Jitter-free
  32-bit/384kHz ESS Sabre 9028 DAC

• Ultra-low-noise
  MM phono stage with infrasonic filtering circuitry

• Two
  optical, two coaxial digital inputs

• HDMI-eARC
  input

• Two
  pairs of line-level analogue inputs with ultra-low-noise buffer amplifiers

• Two
  sets of speaker outputs

• Two-way
  Qualcomm aptX HD Bluetooth

• Dual
  subwoofer outputs

• Dedicated
  headphone amplifier

• CI-Friendly
  – IR remote, 12V Trigger in/out, IR in/out, RS-232 Serial port

• Seamless integrations with smarthome control
  systems such as Control4, Crestron, RTI, URC, Lutron, and Elan