NAD C 298 Stereo Power Amplifier

Description

Redefining the State of the Art with Purifi Technology

NAD has introduced some of the most innovative amplifier
technology in its nearly 50 year history, starting with the 3020 on through
such cutting edge models as the 2200, the 208, and the M2. Now we are making
the amazing new Eigentakt™ (self-clocking) technology, recently introduced to
the world in the EISA Award winning Masters M33, available to a wider audience
with the very affordable C 298. We are thrilled to provide this unprecedented
level of performance. In short, a perfect companion for the C 658 BluOS
Streaming DAC pre-amp.

Powerful. Efficient. Eigentakt™

Amazing Flexibility

The C 298 may be a basic Power Amp, but we have carefully
thought through all the use cases typically encountered to create a rich
feature content. Selectable balanced inputs make the C 298 a natural for studio
use or connection to High End Preamps and Processors. These inputs include a
trim control useful for matching to other components. A line out allows further
addition of power on the same channel for additional speakers or subwoofers.
Auto-sense with selectable threshold is perfect for automating complex systems
or hiding the amp out of sight in a cabinet. We even include a Ground Lug that
can be very useful for eliminating ground loops and noise in complex multi-unit
systems. Added to all this connectivity is a Bridge Switch that turns the C 298
into an amazingly powerful Monobloc Amplifier. Start with one and add a second
C 298 later when you upgrade your speakers.

Getting the Basics Right

It is surprising how many seemingly advanced products in the
market today often miss many of the most basic requirements for satisfying
performance. Low noise circuits, accurate channel balance, proper input and
output impedance characteristics, high overload margins and stability with
difficult speaker loads. NAD starts by getting these things precisely right and
advances from there. Our line inputs, both Balanced and Single-ended, can
accommodate all kinds of analog source components by offering ideal input
impedance characteristics with linear ultra-low-noise buffer amplifiers to
prevent any sonic degradation caused by inappropriate loading of the source
device. These are all details you can hear.

Sophisticated Power

NAD has moved away from the old fashioned and very power
hungry linear power supplies and Class AB output stages that waste nearly half
of the energy consumed producing heat rather than sound. Instead we have
developed even better performing circuits based on switch mode power supplies
and Class D output stages. Once thought to be inferior to traditional
topologies, NAD’s advanced work in this area has created some of the best
performing amplifiers regardless of basic design principle. These new designs
are very linear over a wide bandwidth and provide consistent performance into
all speaker loads, providing a dramatic advance over previous models.

The generously dimensioned power supply easily allows for
185 watts continuous and over 570 watts instantaneous power for short term
musical transients. Innovative Asymmetrical Power-Drive fully utilizes every
last watt available with its vast reserves of dynamic power available to
accurately reproduce musical transients without distortion or compression. It
can operate with any AC mains voltage from 100v to 240v and provides pure DC
power to all the various stages of the C 298. This highly efficient supply also
provides near perfect regulation of voltage across a wide range of conditions
and provides a solid noise-free foundation for the amplifying stages.

Purifi ‘Eigentakt’ Amplifier Technology

Purifi is a Danish technology company that has brought
together several of the industry’s leading engineers to apply advanced
mathematical modelling to solve the last remaining limitations of audio
amplifiers. While there are many good sounding amplifiers on the market today,
Purifi has taken a fresh look at every aspect of amplifier performance and
found many seemingly small non-linearities that can make a dramatic difference
in the overall sound. This return to first principles has resulted in a
stunningly simple approach to some remarkably complex problems. With features
and technology unmatched by other amplifiers in its class, the C 298 amplifier
is an easy upgrade for any system and a surprising partner for the most
sophisticated and advanced loudspeakers on the market.

Features

• 185W x
  2 Rated Output Power into 8 Ohms

• 340W x
  2 Rated Output Power into 4 Ohms

• Stereo
  Dynamic Power 260/490/570W @ 8/4/2 Ohms

• 620W x
  1 Rated Output into 8 Ohms Bridge Mode

• Mono
  Dynamic Power 1000/1100W @ 8/4 Ohms

• Purifi
  Eigentakt™ Amplifier Technology

• Balanced
  Line Inputs

• Single-Ended
  Line Inputs

• Input
  Level Control

• Line
  Output for Daisy Chaining

• 12V
  Trigger In/Out

• Auto
  Turn-on with Selectable Threshold

• IR
  In/Out

• Ground
  Lug

• Detachable
  AC Power Cord

ANALOG AUDIO INPUT/LINE OUT

• THD
  (20 Hz – 20 kHz)

• <0.0005
  % at 2V out

• Signal-to-Noise
  Ratio

• >120
  dB (IHF; 20 Hz – 20 kHz, ref. 2V out)

• Channel
  separation

• >110
  dB (1 kHz)

• 
  >100 dB (10 kHz)

• Input
  impedance (R and C)

• Single-ended:
  56 kohms + 280 pF

• 
  Balanced: 56 kohms +280 pF

• Maximum
  input signal

• >7.0
  Vrms (ref. 0.1 % THD)

• Output
  impedance

• 390
  ohms

• Frequency
  response

• ±0.1
  dB (20 Hz – 20 kHz)

• Maximum
  voltage output -IHF load

• ≥>7.0
  V (ref. 0.1 % THD)

ANALOG AUDIO INPUT/SPEAKER OUT

• Rated
  output power into 8 Ohms and 4 ohms(Stereo mode) 80 W (ref. 20 Hz-20 kHz
  at rated THD, both channels driven)

• 185 W
  at 8 ohms

• 
  340 W at 4 ohms

• Rated
  output power into 8 Ohms (Bridge mode, ref. 20 Hz-20 kHz at rated THD,
  both channels driven)

• 620 W
  at 8 ohms

• THD
  (20 Hz – 20 kHz)

• <0.005
  % (1 W to 185 W, 8 ohms and 4 ohms)

• Signal-to-Noise
  Ratio

• >98
  dB (A-weighted, 500 mV input, ref. 1 W out in 8 ohms)

• 
  >120 dB (A-weighted, ref. 185 W out in 8 ohms)

• Clipping
  power (Stereo mode, at 1 kHz 0.1 % THD)

• >200
  W

• Clipping
  power (Bridge mode, at 1 kHz 0.1 % THD)

• >690
  W

• IHF
  dynamic power (Stereo mode, at 1 kHz 1 % THD)

• 8
  ohms: 260 W

• 
  4 ohms: 490 W

• 
  2 ohms: 570 W

• IHF
  dynamic power (Bridge mode, at 1 kHz 1 % THD)

• 8 ohms:
  1000 W

• 
  4 ohms: 1100 W

• Peak
  output current

• >25
  A (in 1 ohm, 1 ms)

• Damping
  factor

• >800
  (ref. 8 ohms 20 Hz – 6.5 kHz)

• Frequency
  response

• ±0.2
  dB (20 Hz – 20 kHz)

• 
  -3 dB at 60 kHz

• Channel
  separation

• >100
  dB (1 kHz)

• 
  >80 dB (10 kHz)

• Stereo
  Mode input sensitivity (for 185 W in 8 ohms)

• Fixed
  Gain mode: 1.43 V

• Stereo
  Mode Gain

• Fixed
  Gain mode: 28.6 dB

• Line
  In – Balanced and Single-ended

• Variable
  Gain mode: 8.5 dB – 28.5 dB

• Bridge
  Mode Sensitivity

• Fixed
  Gain mode: 3.78 V for 620 W in 8 ohms

• Line
  In – Balanced and Single-ended

• Variable
  Gain mode at maximum: 1.41 V for 620 W in 8 ohms

• Bridge
  Mode Gain

• Fixed
  Gain mode: 25.4 dB

• Line
  In – Balanced and Single-ended

• Variable
  Gain mode: 14.5 dB – 34.5 dB

• Standby
  power

• <0.5
  W

DIMENSION AND WEIGHT

• Gross
  dimensions (W x H x D)

• 435 x
  120 x 390 mm (17 1/8 x 4 3/4 x 15 3/8 inches)

• Net
  weight

• 11.2
  kg (24.7 lbs)

• Shipping
  weight

• 13.6 kg (30 lbs)