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NAD C 399 HYBRID DIGITAL DAC AMPLIFIER WITH BLUOS

Product Code: NA-DC399BSMDC2

Brand
NAD
RRP $4,499.00
 
 
Quantity In Cart:  
Unit of Measure
EACH

 

2 Year
Technical Specifications
Brands NAD
Amplifier Type Integrated Amplifier
Channel count 2
Series Classic Series
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C 399 Hybrid Digital DAC Amplifier

As the new flagship of NAD’s Classic series of integrated amps, the C 399 HybridDigital DAC Amplifier takes NAD’s commitment to lasting value and sonic excellence to a whole new level.

The C 399 employs NAD’s Hypex HybridDigital nCore amplifier circuitry, which until now has been available only on Masters Series amplifiers. Its digital section is built around a 32-bit/384kHz ESS Sabre DAC, the same chip used in NAD’s acclaimed M10 and M33 Masters Series amplifiers.

The C 399 is the first amplifier to incorporate the latest generation of NAD’s Modular Design Construction (MDC) technology. MDC2 lets users add optional modules that provide functions such as BluOS multi-room music streaming and Dirac Live room correction.


Features & Details

  • Hybrid Digital nCore Amplifier
  • Continuous Power: 180 Watts per channel into 8/4 ohms
  • Instantaneous Power: 250 Watts per channel
  • Vanishingly low harmonic and intermodulation distortion
  • Dual MDC2 Ports for expanded functionality
  • Optional MDC2 BluOS-D module adds BluOS multi-room streaming and Dirac Live room correction
  • Jitter-free 32-bit/384kHz ESS Sabre 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 low-noise buffer amplifiers
  • Speaker A/Speaker B outputs
  • Two-way aptX-HD Bluetooth
  • Dual subwoofer outputs
  • Dedicated headphone amplifier
  • IR remote
  • 12V Trigger in/out
  • IR in/out
  • RS-232 Serial port for control integration with home automation systems
  • Control4, Crestron, RTI, URC, AMX, Savant, Elan certified

Perfect Power
Trickled down from NAD’s Masters Series, the C 399’s HybridDigital nCore amplifier can deliver 180 Watts per channel continuous power, and 250 Watts per channel instantaneous power. Highly efficient and remarkably powerful, the HybridDigital nCore amplifier can produce musical transients effortlessly. The design is renowned for its wide bandwidth, flat frequency response, clean clipping behaviour with instant recovery, high current capability, and stability into demanding low-impedance speaker loads. Noise and distortion are vanishingly low under all operating conditions. The minute levels of harmonic distortion are dominated by sonically benign second and third harmonics. The Hypex nCore design enables the C 399 to produce neutral, distortion-free sound even at very high listening levels, with exquisite detail, superb portrayal of space, and thrilling dynamics.

Also trickled down from the Masters Series is the ESS Sabre 9028 high-resolution DAC, a design noted for near-zero levels of clock jitter, ultra-low noise and distortion, and wide dynamic range. This premium DAC enables the C 399 to reproduce all your digital sources with amazing musicality, stunning clarity, and precise soundstaging.

Future Proof
In 2007, NAD introduced Modular Design Construction, an innovative architecture for adding new functions to existing components. Many NAD products have rear-panel slots for MDC modules that perform HDMI switching, BluOS multi-room music streaming, Dolby Atmos surround processing, and other functions.

The C 399 is the first product to feature NAD’s new MDC2 architecture. By enabling two-way communications between the module and component, MDC2 opens up the future for new upgrades.

Equipped with Wi-Fi and Ethernet, the optional MDC2 BluOS-D module lets listeners play music from their favourite streaming services through the C 399, using the acclaimed BluOS Controller app for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. Like all BluOS-enabled products, the MDC2 BluOS-D has integrated support for dozens of streaming services; and supports Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and Tidal Connect. Two-way communications also enable the MDC2 BluOS-D to stream music from sources connected to the C 399 to BluOS-enabled components in other rooms.

The Dirac Live function lets you measure your room’s acoustics using a supplied microphone and intuitive app, and then upload correction curves to the MDC2 BluOS-D. By compensating for acoustic anomalies in your listening environment, Dirac Live dramatically improves bass clarity, imaging, and timbral accuracy. Thanks to its two-way architecture, the MDC2 BluOS-D performs room correction for all sources connected to your C 399.

Everything’s Connected
The C 399 can accommodate all your digital and analogue sources. Its MM phono stage delivers ultra-precise RIAA equalization, extremely low noise, and high overload margins. The phono preamp also features an innovative circuit that suppresses the infrasonic noise present on all LPs, without compromising bass response. There are two sets of line-level line inputs, with low-noise buffer amplifiers to prevent sonic degradation. The C 399 has two optical and two coaxial digital inputs, plus an HDMI-eARC port for playing audio from a connected TV, while controlling amplifier output with the TV’s remote control.

In addition to two sets of speaker outputs, the C 399 has preamp output jacks and dual subwoofer outputs. Two-way apt-X HD Bluetooth allows 24-bit streaming from mobile devices, and high-quality output to Bluetooth headphones. Also built-in is a dedicated headphone amplifier with low output impedance and high output voltage capability, enabling the C 399 to drive demanding high-impedance studio monitor headphones.

A Timeless Classic
As with every NAD amplifier ever made, the C 399 gets the basics right: a precise volume control with accurate channel balance, low-noise circuits, and correct input and output impedances. But it goes far beyond the basics. With its HybridDigital nCore output stage and high-resolution ESS Sabre DAC, the C 399 can reproduce all your digital and analogue sources with a level of excitement and refinement that is unprecedented for a Classic-series integrated amplifier.

Thanks to NAD’s innovative MDC2 platform, the C 399 will keep pace with future developments. Essentially, MDC2 makes obsolescence obsolete. The C 399 can serve as the hub of a world-class music system today, and for years to come. With NAD’s C 399 HybridDigital DAC Amplifier, the legend continues.


Specifications


Amplification

  • Line In, Speaker Out (Analog bypass on)
    • Continuous output power into 8 ohms and 4 ohms
      >180W (ref. 20 Hz-20 kHz at rated THD, both channels driven)
    • THD (20 Hz – 20 kHz)
      <0.02% (250 mW to 180 W, 8 ohms and 4 ohms)
    • Signal/Noise Ratio
      >95 dB (A-weighted, 500 mV input, ref. 1 W out in 8 ohms)
    • Clipping power
      210W (at 1 kHz 0.1 % THD)
    • IHF dynamic power
      8 ohms: 217 W
      4 ohms: 400 W
      2 ohms: 506.4 W
    • Peak output current
      >26 A (in 1 ohm, 1 ms)
    • Damping factor
      >150 (ref. 8 ohms, 20Hz to 6.5kHz)
    • Frequency Response
      ±0.3 dB (20 Hz – 20 kHz)
    • Channel Separation
      >90dB (1 kHz)
      >75dB (10 kHz)
    • Input sensitivity (for 180 W in 8 ohms)
      Line In: 201 mV
      Digital In: 10.25% FS
  • Preamplifier
    • Line Input, Pre Out (Analog bypass on)
    • THD (20Hz-20kHz)
      <0.002 % at 2 V out
    • Signal/Noise Ratio
      >106dB (IHF; A-weighted, ref. 500 mV out, unity gain)
    • Channel Separation
      >100dB (1 kHz); >90 dB (10 kHz)
    • Input Impedance (R and C)
      56 kohms + 100 pF
    • Maximum Input Signal
      >4.6 Vrms (ref. 0.1 % THD)
    • Output Impedance
      Source Z + 320 ohms
    • Input Sensitivity
      65mV (ref. 500 mV out, Volume maximum)
    • Frequency Response
      ±0.3 dB (20 Hz – 20 kHz)
    • Maximum voltage output – IHF load
      >>5 V (ref. 0.1 % THD)
  • Phono
    • Phono Input, Pre Out (Analog bypass on)
    • THD (20Hz-20kHz)
      <0.01% at 2 V out
    • Signal to Noise Ratio
      >84dB (200 ohms source; A-weighted, ref. 500 mV out)
    • Input Impedance (R and C)
      46 kohms/100 pF
    • Input Sensitivity
      1.08mV (ref. 500 mV out, Volume maximum)
    • Frequency Response*
      ±0.3 dB (20 Hz – 20 kHz)
    • Maximum Input Signal at 1kHz
      >80 mVrms (ref. 0.1 % THD)
  • Headphone
    • Line Input, Headphone Out (Analog bypass on)
    • THD (20Hz-20kHz)
      <0.005% at 1V out
    • Signal/Noise Ratio
      >107 dB (32 ohms loads; A-WTD, ref. 1V out, unity gain
    • Frequency Response
      ±0.3 dB (20 Hz – 20 kHz)
    • Channel Separation
      >62 dB at 1kHz
    • Output Impedance
      2.2 Ohms
  • General Specifications
    • Supports bit rate/sample rate
      up to 24 bit/192 kHz
    • Frequency band
      2.402G- 2.480G
    • Maximum transmit power (dBm)
      7 dBm ± 2 dBm
  • Weight & Dimensions
    • Gross dimensions (W x H x D) **
      435 x 120 x 390mm(17 1/8 x 4 3/4 x 15 3/8)”
    • Net Weight
      11.2kg (24.7lb)
    • Shipping Weight
      13.6kg (30lb)


MDC2 BluOS D
BluOS multi-room music streaming

NAD Electronics is proud to announce the next generation of our innovative Modular Design Construction future-proofing technology, which allows owners of NAD components add exciting new features simply by performing a software upgrade and slipping a hardware module into an MDC slot on the back panel. Modular Design Construction2 features an all-new design that enables bidirectional communications between the module and host component, allowing a dramatically wider range of upgrade options.

Compatibility
C 399 Hybrid Digital DAC Amplifier

NAD Electronics is proud to announce the next generation of our innovative Modular Design Construction future-proofing technology, which allows owners of NAD components add exciting new features simply by performing a software upgrade and slipping a hardware module into an MDC slot on the back panel. Modular Design Construction2 features an all-new design that enables bidirectional communications between the module and host component, allowing a dramatically wider range of upgrade options.

NAD’s first MDC2-Enabled component is the C 399 HybridDigital DAC Amplifier. Our first MDC2 module is the MDC2 BluOS-D, which adds Dirac Live room correction and BluOS multi-room music streaming to the C 399, and future MDC2-enabled components.

Dirac Live Room Correction
The weakest link in most sound systems is the listening environment. Room modes can cause boomy, uneven bass response; and reflections of sounds from room surfaces can smear transients and disrupt stereo imaging. Dirac Live analyzes room acoustics, and then uploads compensation filters to the MDC2 BluOS-D module. The MDC2 BluOS-D module corrects peaks and dips at frequencies up to 500Hz, which is the area where room modes are most problematic; a license for the full-bandwidth version of Dirac Live is available as an option. Dirac Live also optimizes impulse response by analyzing how sounds are reflected off room surfaces.

With Dirac Live enabled, listeners will enjoy vastly improved bass clarity, imaging, and timbral accuracy on all sources. The MDC2 BluOS-D module can store up to five Dirac profiles for different listening positions or room conditions—for example whether the drapes are open or closed.

The MDC2 BluOS-D module is NAD’s first module to enable Dirac Live room correction on a two-channel component—a testament to the versatility of the MDC2 platform. A calibrated microphone is included for performing room measurements.

BluOS Music Streaming
The MDC2 BluOS-D module features BluOS, a multi-room high-resolution streaming platform acclaimed for its versatility and ease of use. With the MDC2 BluOS-D module installed, owners of the C 399 and future MDC2-enabled components can access hundreds of Internet radio stations and over 20 streaming services, including several that deliver lossless and high-resolution audio. Thanks to MDC2’s bidirectional architecture, users can share audio from any source with up to 63 other BluOS-enabled components on the same network.

Playback can be controlled from the intuitive BluOS Controller app, available for iOS, macOS, Android, and Windows; by Alexa or Google voice commands; and from smart home control systems such as Crestron, Control4, Lutron, and RTI. Like all BluOS devices, the MDC2 BluOS-D module supports high-resolution audio to 24-bit/192kHz, and can perform MQA hardware decoding and rendering.

Future-Friendly
The MDC2 BluOS-D module incorporates the latest Wi-Fi and Ethernet protocols, as well as two-way Qualcomm aptX HD Bluetooth. It supports Apple AirPlay 2, Siri voice control, Spotify Connect, and Tidal Connect. Listeners can also play music from their personal libraries, stored on an external drive connected to the MDC2 BluOS-D module’s USB port.

The MDC2 BluOS-D module provides a vast range of options for playing local, networked, and cloud-based content throughout your home. And with its bidirectional communications architecture, the MDC2 platform is ready for innovations that have yet to be conceived.


FEATURES & DETAILS

  • Dirac Live Room Correction*
  • Calibrated microphone included for Dirac setup
  • Wi-Fi and Ethernet networking
  • BluOS music streaming to up to 63 zones
  • Support for hundreds of Internet radio stations and over 20 streaming services
  • High-res audio to 24-bit/192kHz
  • MQA decoding and rendering
  • Apple AirPlay 2 and Siri voice control
  • Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice control
  • Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect
  • Two-way (send/receive) Qualcomm aptX HD Bluetooth
  • * The MDC2 BluOS-D modile will include a license for Dirac Live with the option for advanced users to upgrade to a Dirac Live Full Frequency version.

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