NAD C 338

Audio Section
Variety of Sources
Remote Control

Audio Section

Hybrid Digital Amplification: NAD has moved away from the old-fashioned power-hungry linear power supplies and Class AB output stages that waste nearly half of the energy consumed and produce heat rather than sound. Instead, NAD has developed even better performing circuits based on switch mode power supplies and Class D output stages. Once thought to be inferior to traditional topologies, this new Hybrid Digital Amplifier design is very linear over a wide bandwidth and provides consistent performance into all speaker loads, providing a dramatic advancement over previous Class AB and Class D amplifier designs.

• Customized Hypex UcD Output Stage: The C 338 uses a customized version of the proven Hypex UcD output stage operating in a fully balanced bridge configuration. This allows for massive power with nearly un-measurable distortion and noise in the audible range. Every detail of this design has been carefully planned and perfectly executed to deliver every last drop of performance.
• Sophisticated Power Supply: The C 338's power supply is capable of 160 watts continuously and over 300 watts instantaneously to allow for short-term musical transients. It can operate with any AC mains voltage from 100 to 240 volts and provides pure DC power to all the various stages of the C 338. 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.

Full Disclosure Power (FDP): NAD uses Full Disclosure Power (FDP), the most demanding criterion for performance measurement. FDP specifies distortion under the most extreme conditions of low impedance loads and frequency extremes, rather than the simple and easy 1kHz @ 8 ohms test quoted by many of other manufacturers. NAD uses this stricter performance criterion because it more closely matches the demands of real music and real loudspeakers. Maintaining specified distortion at 4/8Ω and at 20-20kHz is a much more difficult achievement. The benefit of NAD's Full Disclosure Power is the total elimination of audible distortion at any listening level. This provides pinpoint imaging and realism with music and movies alike.

• Continuous Power: 50 watts x 2-channel (@ 20-20kHz, into 4Ω or 8Ω, at 0.03% THD, with both channels driven)
• IHF Dynamic Power: 80 watts into 8Ω / 150W watts into 4Ω / 210 watts into 2Ω

Binding Post Speaker Outputs: The amplifier features four binding-post speaker terminals to connect up to one pair of loudspeakers (minimum impedance of 4Ω). The binding posts that will accept single banana plugs (single only), pin connectors, spade lugs, and bare wire (up to 10AWG).

Discrete Headphone Amplifier: The NAD C 338 incorporates a discrete headphone amplifier with low output impedance and very high output voltage capability, enough to drive even high impedance studio monitor headphones. Connecting a set of headphone to unit's front-panel 1/4" jack will mute the speaker outputs. Volume, tone, and balance controls are all operable during headphone listening.

Sub Output: The C 338 features a low impedance line-level, mono-RCA output that can connect to a powered subwoofer (sold separately). Low frequency information up to 200Hz is sent to the connected powered subwoofer.

Bass EQ: The Bass EQ feature boosts the overall bass response by at least 6 dB.

Variety of Sources

Wireless Network Connection: The NAD C 338 is equipped with built-in WiFi for a wireless connection to your home's wireless router and network. It uses dual band (2.4GHz/5Ghz) Wi-Fi (802.11b/g/n) for high-performance streaming. This wireless connection allows you to access Chromecast Built-in and Spotify Connect.

Chromecast Built-In: Chromecast Built-in lets you instantly stream select music apps from your Apple iOS or Android mobile device to the NAD C 338 hybrid digital integrated amplifier. Unlike Bluetooth, Chromecast Built-in works over WiFi so you can connect more than one device to the NAD C 338 at a time and control what's playing from anywhere in the house on your mobile device. Because the music apps are streamed from the cloud, you get crystal clear sound and your mobile device's battery won't drain as fast compared to Bluetooth.

• Google Home App: Use the Google Home App for Apple iOS 8.0+ and Android OS 4.2+ to connect the NAD C 338 to your home's wireless WiFi network from your Apple iOS or Android device. You also get to configure compatible apps within the Google Home App, plus adjust various settings.
• Supported Content: Chromecast Built-in offers Internet Radio apps like TuneIn & iHeart Radio; plus online music service apps like Pandora, Spotify (requires Premium subscription), Google Play Music, and more. You can even mirror exactly what's playing on your Android phone or tablet to the C 338. Or, if you're on your laptop or computer, you can also cast any music streaming website through the Chrome browser.
• Simple-to-Use: Simply tap the Cast button from a Chromecast Built-in compatible music app to start streaming to the NAD C 338. You can even adjust the volume or change the song, right from your mobile device. And with Chromecast built-in, you can keep using your phone to send texts, answer calls, and scroll through social media without disturbing your music.
• Multiroom: Using the Google Home app Apple iOS 8.0+ and Android OS 4.2+, you can sync multiple products with Chromecast Built-in in multiple rooms of your home to play the same song throughout your house at the same time.

Note: Chromecast Built-in is a cloud based function and requires that the NAD C 338 and your Apple iOS or Android mobile device are on the same wireless network, and have access to the Internet.

Spotify Connect: The integration of Spotify Connect will enable Spotify Premium users to instantly see, select, and stream to the NAD C 338 hybrid digital integrated amplifier from within the Spotify app (for Apple iOS 8.0+ / Android OS 4.0+) on your compatible Apple iOS or Android OS device.

Bluetooth Music Streaming: You can wirelessly pair and connect instantly to the C 338 with Bluetooth, allowing you to stream stored music and music apps wirelessly from your Bluetooth-enabled source device; like your smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer. There is no control or song/artist info display from the C 338.

Digital Inputs: The NAD C 338 is equipped with two optical (toslink) digital inputs and two coaxial (RCA) digital inputs. These digital inputs will support 2ch PCM audio up to 24-bit/192kHz (not compatible with Dolby Digital/DTS).

Analog Inputs: The NAD C 338's stereo RCA inputs (2 Line/1 Phono) 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.

MM Phono Stage w/ RIAA Equalization: The NAD C 338 hybrid digital DAC amplifier includes an MM Phono stage with precisely accurate RIAA equalization, high overload margins, extremely low noise, and an innovative circuit to suppress infrasonic noise that is present on all LPs - all without affecting bass response.

Remote Control

NAD Remote App: Power, volume, source selection, and device settings are all controlled using the intuitive interface of the NAD Remote App (for Apple iOS 9.0+ and Android OS 5.0+) from your compatible Apple iOS or Android OS device..

IR Remote: The included IR remote control provides wireless operation of the C 338. The remote offers the following control functions - Power On/Off, Source Select, Volume Up/Down, Bass EQ, Cast Playback (Play/Pause & Previous/Next Track), Mute, and Dimmer.

Auto Standby: The C 338 can be setup to automatically go into standby mode if there is no user interface interaction and no active source input for 20 minutes.

Auto Sense: The Auto Sense feature enables the C 338 to wake up from standby mode when triggered by an active source input with an audio signal.