Excellent Sound, Four Digital Inputs, Streaming Tied to Google Apps

I used to use iTunes with its built-in sharing over my network, which would allow me to play content from my server machine through a laptop running iTunes (old) or the Apple Music app (new), but Apple has removed that feature. I now have my library of music on a Synology NAS, and play it using either a web browser or Synology's DS Audio app. I previously had a Denon receiver, which supported AirPlay. That worked pretty well, although there were dropouts. Using AirPlay on an AudioEngine B-Fi plugged into it was more reliable (no dropouts), although it added long start/stop delay. The Denon was fried by a power spike so I am trying this device. This NAD supports Chromecast instead of AirPlay, which means you can ONLY configure it through the Google Home app. I'm uncomfortable having a piece of hardware tied to a single third-party company like this, but it _was_ easy to configure. Unfortunately using the DS Audio app on my iPhone to stream from my Synology NAS to this receiver is unreliable - the app freezes or loses sync and will no longer show what is being played. This may not be the receiver's fault, but it is a problem. Fortunately, this receiver has FOUR digital inputs, two TOSLink and two coax, so there are four easy ways to avoid Chromecast and use it as a DAC+amp. I can use it with the B-Fi. It also sounds great with a CD player going in by TOSLink.

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NAD C 338

I ordered my NAD C 338 on a Wednesday and received it the next day without paying for express shipping. I give Crutchfield 5 stars for the service alone. Now to the amp. I currently have it connected to a 25 year old pair of Polk RT55i speakers in my office. While the speakers are old and have seen many hours of hard use, I hear details in my music that I never have before. The imaging and soundstage are very detailed as well. I can't wait until I connect to my newer Wharfedale Diamond Towers. I have so far been using Google Chromecast to stream music from Qobuz and Sirius XM. This set up is very flexible and sounds wonderful. I can't wait to get a new turntable and start listening to vinyl again. I highly recommend this integrated amp for anyone that streams music without having to use bluetooth. The sound and dynamics are wonderful.

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Liking it more the longer I use it

An amplifier's prime function is to reproduce the input on the output changing nothing but the amplitude. This one does an excellent job at that task and you won't hear me talking about "soundstage", "openess", etc. I'm using it to temporarily (maybe permanently now) replace a 1970s era 60W per channel well respected receiver. At this time I have 2 input sources - Audifi wifi/Bluetooth streaming device using the optical link and a turntable. I tested the analog line level input also. I connected the amp to 3 different sets of speakers all with great results. I like that the amp can be used with or without the Bluetooth and Wifi functions simply as a basic amplifier with the front panel controls. Using the Wifi and Bluetooth functions adds greatly to the convenience factor, especially for streaming use. Since it has only been in use a short time I cannot comment on the reliability of the unit or customer service.

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NAD C 338

Great amp. Lots of power and life to the sound. Chromecast audio is fantastically simple and convenient.

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Great buy

Easy set up, great options!

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Great amplifier

Agreeing with comments that the alphanumerics on the display are way too small and that the buttons on the remote are too small as is the body of the remote which makes it feel cheap. But an amp is really about sound and having listened to nearly all kinds of music with wide sonic variations on this NAD for over a year it is the best sounding amp I've ever had and it replaced a 100 watt/channel amp made by a well respected brand. For digital sources from cd's or streaming the NAD delivers seemingly absolute accuracy from the digital source. The clarity, breadth and depth of the soundstage conveys the sound of a live performance, including deep bass, in my room. ( 16x35 feet) If connected to a pair of decent quality speakers (mine are Vandersteen 2ce) you should get great sound. Sound from the phono preamp seems very good but I am using a 40 year old Audio Technica cartridge so I won't judge the phono input . A final comment: Due to movie soundtracks and home theater systems of the last 30 or so years, a lot of people have the expectation that if there isn't pounding thump, whomp ALL the time there's not enough bass. If you have to hear thump whomp on everything this may not be your amplifier. If source calls for a whomp of a bass note or bass drum it will deliver but it won't interject it if the source of the recording doesn't call for it.

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NAD C 338

Easy to set up and connect to with Spotify and other apps. .No interruptions or drop outs yet in several weeks of heavy use. Looks nice.

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Good audio, nice build

Good audio, reasonable power and very solid build quality. I have had one of these for a few years and have been happy (other than with the NAD app and occasional compatibility problems with my Sonos preamp). When I needed another amp for a different location, I thought I would get something more basic so I ordered the Yamaha R-N303 but it turned out to be incompatible with my Elac speakers so Crutchfield kindly took it back. I was also very disappointed with the Yamaha build quality so I was happy to send it back. At that point I figured I would just splurge and get the NAD which I already knew and liked. I recommend it.

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NAD C 338

Nice Amp, it has a great sound

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Good sound, poor design, durability, support

I've had this for about 4 years now. Sounds really nice through Klipsch Heresy III, but a pain in the butt to use. After 4 years, Bluetooth just stopped functioning - which was my primary source. NAD support seems to be nonexistent. Volume display is insanely nonintuitive, and the unit just turns itself on now and then. Sometimes it's on for days before I go into my office and notice. I don't imagine I'd ever buy another NAD product.

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NAD C 338

I do like the amplifier and its chromecast abilities. It is very easy to use. Be aware that there are no tone controls to adjust treble and bass. It is very powerful even at lower volumes.

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Amp ok. Tech support terrible.

Took awhile for me to sync it to bluetooth ,all done now I have so much power in my new hi fi system almost too much. But hey,I asked for it and keeping it for sure. Only issues were adding it on to my bluetooth/ internet. Called tech support ,wow they could Not help me, so I figured it out for myself. Very disappointed with tech support team!!!! I put a call into a supervisor to Express my disappointment/ frustration with tech support as this is third time had little or No support!!!! I am a new Crutchfield customer, bought a turntable, Klipsch speakers, NAD c338 amp, Polk Audio speakers, and speaker wire. To be clear, the tech support reps I spoke with were very friendly,polite, just couldn't solve my issues, which were NOT complicated. One individual put me on hold for 15 minutes. came back on phone to advise he could understand why I couldn't connect/add to Bluetooth , then put me on hold a second time, never to solve or help in any way. Unbelievable. Said he is not familiar with this amp, or how to remedy the problem. As of yet have'nt spoken to a supervisor, one did call left a vm message. And Not even going to get into a prior call regarding a question on my Klipsch speakers, again no help. I was recommend highly to use Crutchfield, as told they are the best online buying experience. I DISAGREE. In fairness the NAD amp so far is meeting my needs. Can't say the same for tech support. Calls are recorded. I welcome management listen to my calls.

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NAD C 338

Easy to set up. Chromecast controls are super easy with Spotify Connect. Sound quality is excellent and balanced. Compared this side by side with my old integrated amp and the mids are much fuller and brighter. Honestly, I bought this while my old amp was being repaired, and was going to compare and I was not sure if I'd return it. I'm keeping it!

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NAD C 338

The sound quality is very good, I'm replacing an Arcam delta 290 while the weight and space is not quite there it's a Surprising good sounds stage for the money, the WiFi option for streaming is great, Spotify sounds great what an upgrade from a Sony Bluetooth speaker. The amp handles my Ruark prologue two's without issue. Very happy with this amp. Looking forward to adding a powered sub for occasional window rattling. Would definitely recommend

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Great Value for the Price

The C 338 is a great intro to the Integrated Amp world for the price. it is very easy to set up and use. The sound is very full no matter what speakers you run through the Amp. The remote, although very simple looking for the price, is very useful and doesn't complicate or confuse the user.

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Welcome upgrade!

Replaced a 30+ year old receiver to jump into the 2020s. Nice to be able to bluetooth in Pandora while still being able to spin my records and play the CDs.

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High hopes, lead to disappointing results

I had high hopes to have streaming/BT/Phone stage all in one, however I was disappointed after a couple listening sessions. I found this amp to be very thin and lacking in any dynamics (pairing this with KEF q150 and Pro-ject Debut Carbon TT). My previous vintage 45W Sansui 5050 sounds much warmer and provides twice the dynamics. This amp could really use Bass/Treble adjustments --even though it in includes a "bass boost" it still doesn't add much to the overall sound. Nevertheless, I will be returning and looking to Marantz as an alternative.

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NAD C 338

Works well with Bluetooth and sounds great with the Klipsch RP 600M speakers.

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OK.

So far, this works fine. I have a soft spot for NAD because of the design and history of the brand. That being said, I would probably be happier with a cheaper receiver that had Apple AirPlay. The manual for this unit is pretty skimpy. I have a REL subwoofer connected to this, and I had to learn from REL material that I should ground the high-level cable to the ground terminal rather than the positive speaker terminal due to the design of the NAD amp.

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Good integrated for $$$

Very nice integrated. Slightly warm very involving

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STAY AWAY FROM THE C338!

Received this as a Christmas present last year after about 4 months it gave me a C2 error which meant the power supply was broken so I was reffered by NAD to the local service center. They had it for more than a month before it was determined a replacement would be send out, 3 months later the replacement spikes in volume after being on for about an hour. NAD support has been giving me the run around very politely so the issue is still not fixed and the unit is unusable unless I want to risk it blowing some very expensive monitors. Aside from the overall bad experience with the quality of the unit and the NAD support process the C338 as another reviewer mentioned is anemic in sound, it is not "clear" just thin sounding and although it claims to have 50watts per channel it's weaker than my old die hard Sony garage unit that is rated at 25watts. I would never usually EQ but this amp would benefit from one but the only option is a crappy "Bass EQ" button that just further muddies the sound. Finally the bluetooth / streaming options are glitchy and inconsistent. If I could get a refund at this point I would, STAY AWAY.

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NAD C 338

Good: Great integration with Google Home - very seamless when you command Google to play a song, and it initiates the system to switch on. Bad: I wish the display was a little bigger or it was easier to tell which channel the audio was on so that I didn't have to stand from my couch every time I switched. Also, the remote isn't very pretty.

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Great simple amplifier, made complicated

Great simple amplifier, made complicated. The basic of the amp is great. great sound, driving Klipsch RP-160M. I like the simplicity of no tone controls. The 'connected' part of the amp is a down fall. The instructions do not mention the iOS App, but instead sends you to Google Home. Still not clear if you need to use Google Home to set the SSID then switch to the NAD App to control? The NAD app, does the basic of switching input and most if not all of the IR Remote does. The NAD app works over WiFi Bluetooth connection works well on an iPhone, But do not set the 'auto switch input' as the amp will switch to the iphone continuously.

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Not meant for high end sound reproduction

The NAD C338 just didn't perform well with a variety of floorstanding speakers I own. The sound was thin, anemic, lacking life, punch or breadth. This amp was perhaps meant for bookshelf or computer speakers, because it sure ain't up to providing the musical excitement through high end floor standing speakers I spend good money to experience at home. If you are looking for high end sound and lifelike sonic presence and drive, avoid this amp. BUT if you want a BASIC appliance to provide ordinary/AVERAGE BASIC quality audio music playing with digital and Bluetooth operability and don't have to have high end sonic vividness, AND you can afford this price point, then by all means buy this amp with all abandon. I will never spend another dime on any future NAD devices after my disappointed experience with the C 338.

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NAD C 338

The amplifier sounds very good. Works well. Small footprint. Easy to set up. Sounds great and looks great with the matching NAD CD player. This amplifier has a very clean sound. Not too sterile, but just uncolored for the most part. I would give it 5 stars except for a few nits: I have lots of vintage stereo gear; Pioneer, McIntosh, Adcom, etc., bass and treble used to be pretty standard fare. I am in my mid 50s. I wish the amplifier had bass and treble controls to help boost frequencies that I don't hear well. It also could use an extra set of speaker terminals. Even in a low power integrated amp,, these are basic features that should come standard for the price. The remote is pretty basic. Also, the display can't be read from more than a few feet away. Overall, I love this amplifier. Even with nits, a good value overall. I AM impressed with the sound quality.

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NAD C 338

Would be great if NAD included tone controls and USB.

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Incredibly irritating flashing blue light

Excellent sound, compact size, and runs cool... but the interface is a constant nightmare. When it loses the Wi-Fi settings, which happens all the time, a bright blue light on the front of the unit will flash forever, and it is unbelievably distracting and irritating. It will do this until you set up the Wi-Fi again. This procedure, requiring a cell phone and multiple passwords, is exasperating and buggy. Why do I care if the Wi-Fi is set up when I'm just trying to listen to music? Leave me alone! When I need the Wi-Fi, I'll set it up. I don't need a blindingly bright light pestering me incessantly. What kind of moron designed this? Why can't I turn it off? Oh yeah, when it decides it needs a firmware update, it doesn't care if you're in the middle of a great movie or classic album. It will, without warning, switch to the Wi-Fi input and take as long as it feels like to update the software. No, you can't stop it. If you turn it off and on again to prevent this, it'll just keep trying until you give up. Why am I at the mercy of my stereo? It should NEVER interrupt my listening. I have kids and pets for that.

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Great amp! Easy streaming music

Great amp! Set it up with a new turntable and old set of Cambridge Soundworks New Ensemble II speakers. Now i'm listening to my old vinyl, but I can also stream Spotify to the system right from my phone. Really easy to set up and use. Sounds great!

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NAD C 338

Bought this for my daughters Christmas gift, its something she will be able to use for many years, outstanding quality.

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Awesome little amp

I did receive a defective unit, but the folks at Crutchfield were great to help resolve the issue and I have enjoyed this amplifier so much, that I now own two and am considering purchasing a third. This NAD amp has put a breath of new life into my old speakers and sounds amazing. I love the built-in Chromecast Audio and the ability to create groups to play music in parts or all of the house is fantastic.

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NAD C 338

I needed an integrated amplifier for my phonograph and this gave me additional flexibility to stream as well as connect a couple of optical digital connections. Audio is very clean. Interaction with the computer could be a little better. It would be nice if there were options to prevent unwanted devices/neighbors pairing with it.

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NAD C 338

It sounds as good a s it looks! Very clean lines, smart design and solid construction. Fast delivery, showed up a day sooner than expected!

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Buy it! Best blend of new and old school technology.

Wow! It took me a little while to wrap my head around the Chromecast Audio, but it really works! It also supports Spotify Connect which seems similar to Chromecast Audio. It of course also supports bluetooth. Both Chromecast Audio and Spotify connect have better audio quality then bluetooth due to higher bandwidth. Also has a great phono preamp, opt and coaxial connections plus analog RCA's. What more do you need? Sound is amazing. I bought the NAD c 516BEE CD player it it sounds great. I'm running this with an old school Yamaha DP-211 Turntable and B&W DM303 bookshelf speakers. I've blown away a few of my friends already. This is really the best blend of old school and new technology.

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C338 - Great Feature Set - Ideal for Streamers

Usable infrared remote with only the useful buttons, but a little small/cheezy Amp can be programed to respond to other remotes. I programmed it to respond to the TIVO remote volume buttons, for use with TV. Produces little heat Bluetooth on your phone is required for the one-time initial configuration of the amp's Wi-Fi. Not required thereafter. All control of the amp is then done by phone via Wi-fi from anywhere in the house, or from the amp's front panel or remote. Music streaming over Wi-Fi works well; I used the 5gz band. Music streaming relies on built-in Google Chromecast Audio software. That built-in Chromecast can be grouped with another Chromecast Audio to play music simultaneously on both. If the unit is off, you can turn it on automatically by turning on a digital source (e.g. your TV) that sends it a signal. This means if you turn on your TV, the amp will come on. Also, if the unit is off, you can turn it on automatically just by "casting" music to it from your phone. This is true even if the amp was previously set for TV input; it will turn on and switch to Wi-Fi input. It will turn itself off automatically after 20 minutes of no use. You can also "cast" music from your computer using the Chrome browser's "casting" capability. The NAD amp's Chromecast is subject to same limitations as a stand-alone Chromecast Audio.

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Ideal for a Smaller Modern Audiophile System

Superb integrated amp. The option to stream from wifi, bluetooth, and chromecast streaming, as well as connect via cables allow this amp to be the heart and soul of a small home theater set up. I paired it with some Klipsch RP-150m

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NAD C 338

So far this little unit has performed at expectations. The app control is a plus, as is auto-detect source (great for auto turn on). The unit puts out good power for its size and I think produces a great soundscape. Speakers I use are wharfedale 10.1 (though I would prefer to match this unit with something a little bigger like an ELAC unifi B6). Where i'm not entirely convinced is the internal chromecast. I assume due to the software, spotify over chromecast seems to be streaming at 128kbps, a relatively low quality. This results in the sound coming through somewhat flat and lifeless. Bluetooth sounds about the same. When fed a good quality audio source, the unit shines. Testing with a digital connection and FLAC files this has great depth and great punch. What I'd like to see is airplay/airplay 2 support, which should be able to be done given the wifi chipset inside, but no guarantee of this, I can live without a USB input. I considered this unit against the ELAC integrated amplified and do not regret my choice.

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NAD C338

This amp is a big step forward from my old Kenwood KA-8300. Minimalist by comparison in appearance, but loaded with modern features. I use this amp with a Pro-Ject Debut Carbon turntable and a pair of JBL Studio 230 "bookshelf" speakers. The thing that immediately grabbed my attention at first listen was the outstanding level of transparency and detail in the music. It picks up on the little things that the Kenwood just couldn't summon. The highs and mid-range seem to be the NAD's strong suit, and I'll admit the bass response is slightly weak compared to the older amp, but the NAD is a smaller amp, and the bass hits when it counts. There is also a subwoofer output in case I feel the need to add one at some point. The Bluetooth function works great and sounds amazing compared to the adapter that I had been using. I have yet to connect a CD player although I'm looking forward to it having read great things about the DAC. My only disappointment about this amp is its headphone amp. I've read several reviews recently harping on this and they seem to be right, unfortunately. I was really looking forward to not having to buy an outboard set-up for my headphones but it's quite alright. Overall I'm very pleased with the sound quality that this amp brings out of my JBL's, and the connectivity that it offers. It also brings life to my vinyl records and keeps them honest. It's been fun hearing what I've been missing this whole time.

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NAD C 338

The NAD C 338 amplifier is one amazing device. While I initially purchased this with the primary purpose of connecting the record player to it (and maybe a TV), I quickly found myself really enjoying the bluetooth, wifi, and Spotify Connect capabilities. Being able to put music on through your phone, when you don't have hands or time free to enjoy a physical record, comes in very handy. And the setup of the amplifier is about as easy as it gets.

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NAD C 338

Sound quality outstanding, footprint very convenient for small places, a very attractive piece, very user friendly. One issue; volume indicator silly (decibels instead of simple numbers to indicate volume level). Other than that I'm completely happy with it.

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Stunning audio clarity, but lacks AirPlay support

I've gone "all digital" with lossless streaming audio - no more CDs or LPs. So I wanted an amp that could do native Wifi and Bluetooth so I wouldn't need adapters. The audio of the C338 is stunning - a huge improvement over the Airport Express -> Rotel solution I replace. Love the audio. The downside is that while the amp supports native Wifi, by this they mean Chromecast ONLY - AirPlay is not supported. Since iTunes is AirPlay only, this was a huge disappointment to me. So I've switched to Bluetooth, which sounds great but has two huge downsides: 1) Now my source has to be in line of sight from the amp (can no longer send audio to the Living Room from the office), and 2) My old AirPlay stayed connected at all times - it was always ready. But now every time I want to play audio I have to fiddle with the Bluetooth selector on the Mac - a bit of a hassle. I'm hoping they can add AirPlay support in a future update.

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You cannot go wrong with this one.

Excellent piece of equipment. Really cutting edge.

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Excellent sound, easy to install

This is my first NAD and I love it. Clear and precise sound, I am listening to rock and classic and I am amazed about the sound quality. I run the amplifier with Monitor Audio Radius 90 and the 360 Subwoofer. Installation was easy, the system needed a few attempts to connect to the Wi-Fi and Google home seem to be a bit the problem here. however, it was installed fast, speakers connected and the sound from CD or from MP3 is just fantastic. I have connected the subwoofer with a RCA subwoofer cable and could not find the crossover frequency. While NAD did not respond to my e-mail, the Crutchfield team responded very fast and informed me that the NAD C 338 has a fixed 80Hz crossover - which in my case works perfectly fine. other with I would have switched to the other connection method and could have used the speakers cross over adjustment. I am very happy with the NAD and the service.

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Well connected, Great Sounding, Killer value!

I finally got a chance to demo this amp!! I heard it on a pair of Monitor Silver 10 peakers, then a pair of PSB Bookshelf Speakers w/ Sunfire sub (my personal setup is an old pair of B&W DM602 S2's, and an SVS NSD 12" sealed sub). The50W per Channel rating is very conservative, as this amp had plenty of power to drive these speakers. Sound was rich, lush, and brilliant, playing some instrumental ensembles. I wanted to hear my own music, so I paired my AptX enabled Android Phone (I didn't try the Wif stream yeti) and played familiar songs from Pantera, Metallica, At The Gates, Unearth, Shadows Fall, and Kreator. The Bluetooth streaming quality was astoundingly better than that of my HK BTA10 adapter; crystal clear, and didn't get that bloated and grainy degredation. Side note: IMO the PSB speakers were a little too pronounced in the low mids around 500-700 Hz. The C 338 produces a very honest, warm, and balanced sound across the spectrum. The presence was smooth, but ever flat, even on songs with less treble in the mix; the top end had an excellent shimmering brilliance without ever being harsh or excessive. Articulate, bass. (IMO 6db Bass Boost was too much ~100hz, but might be beneficial for mix/masters lacking lows). Stereo separation was excellent! Dual rhythm guitars, and drum fills had a huge soundstage, vocals came out of the wall in front of me. My only con was that no matter how loud, it left me wanting just a little more forward, punchy oompf.

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Great amplifier

I am very happy with this new NAD C338. I was looking for a new amplifier that would allow both phono connectivity for my record player and 21st century connectivity with Internet, Bluetooth... And here it is! Great amplifier, really love the sound and easy set up. Everything work great and without a glitch. The Bluetooth range is good. Only thing is the remote, it feels really cheap and looks like an old remote.

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