Overview

by Crutchfield's Eric A.

A sophisticated turntable for vinyl lovers

NAD has a reputation for precision engineering that makes music sound amazing, so I was excited to see the C 558 turntable show up in our warehouse. It's built on a solid MDF base with rubber feet to minimize vibration. The 9" aluminum tonearm features a pre-mounted Ortofon OM10 cartridge that brings beautiful music out of every record groove. This turntable is a beauty that will look — and sound — amazing in any vinyl lover's listening room.

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A sophisticated turntable for vinyl lovers

Harmonious design

While I was researching the C 558, preparing to write this page, a company rep explained the C 558's design in a way that stuck with me: "The specific combination of a glass platter, felt mat, MDF base and aluminum tonearm combined with the particular rubber in the feet all interact in a way that extracts maximal energy from the LP groove," he wrote in an email. In short, these specific materials were chosen because they work well together.

We love that kind of fanatical attention to detail, and we think your ears will love it, too.

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Product highlights:

heavy glass platter with felt mat provides excellent speed stability
high-precision stainless steel and bronze bearing assembly for smooth, quiet platter rotation
9" high grade aluminum tonearm
includes pre-mounted Ortofon OM10 moving magnet cartridge
isolated DC synchronous motor for reduced vibration and superior speed stability
medium density fiberboard (MDF) base with adjustable vibration-damping feet
gold-plated RCA audio jacks with detachable phono cables
high-gloss black lacquer finish
fully manual operation
33-1/3 and 45 rpm speeds (manual speed change)
speed variation: ±0.5%
wow and flutter: ±0.15%
frequency response (with included cartridge): 20-22,000 Hz (±3dB)
requires a phono preamp or phono input on receiver or preamplifier
17-1/8"W x 4-11/16"H (with dust cover down) x 14-3/8"D
weight: 17.6 lbs.
warranty: 1 year
MFR # C558

This turntable requires either a receiver or amp with a phono input or a separate phono preamp.

What's in the box:

NAD C 558 owner's manual

Turntable chassis
Tone-Arm (installed)
Cartridge (installed)
Sub-platter (installed)
Platter
Belt
AC power adapter (attached 4' DC cord)
3 AC plug inserts (US/UK/EU)
Dust cover
Felt pad
Counter-weight
45RPM adapter
47" Stereo RCA cable with ground lead
Stylus pressure gauge
Plastic tonearm bearings tool
Paper cartridge alignment tool
2 Allen keys
Pair of white cotton gloves
Owner's Manual (En/Fr/Sp)

Reviews (16)

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Details

Researched by Crutchfield's Stacey B.

Features & specs

Features
Color	Black
Operation	Manual
Speeds	33-1/3, 45
Drive Type	Belt
Pitch Control	No
Phono Preamp	No
USB Output	No
Bluetooth Built-In	No
45 RPM Adapter	Yes
Audio Cable	Detachable
Power Cable	Detachable (12-volt DC adapter)
Materials and Construction
Plinth	MDF
Platter	Glass
Tone Arm Shape	Straight
Tone Arm Material	Aluminum
Tone Arm Lift	Finger, Lever
Cartridge Info
Included Cartridge	Ortofon OM10
Cartridge Type	MM
Removable Headshell	No
Tracking Weight	1.5 g (15mN)
Frequency Response	20-22,000
Output Voltage	4
Load Impedance	47,000
Load Capacitance	200-500
Audio Specs
Signal to Noise Ratio	68
Wow and Flutter	0.15
Dimensions and Warranty
Width (Inches)	17.125
Height (Inches)	4.6875
Depth (Inches)	14.375
Weight	17.6 lbs.
Turntable Parts Warranty	1 Year
Turntable Labor Warranty	1 Year
Cartridge Parts Warranty	1 Year
Cartridge Labor Warranty	1 Year

The NAD C 558 replaces these items:

NAD C556

Product Research

Features
Specifications

Features

Belt Driven w/ Precision AC Motor: The NAD C 558's motor is isolated from noise and voltage fluctuations that occur in the unfiltered AC mains that can cause instability in the motor. The motor uses a specially developed rubber belt that is flat ground for precision and drives a non-resonant sub platter that is precisely machined for smooth rotation and sits in a brass bearing with a hardened steel shaft. The belt can be moved to either the 33 or 45 rpm wheel of the drive pulley to attain the correct speed.

9" Tonearm w/ Ortofon OM10 Phono (MM) Cartridge: The NAD C 558 turntable is pre-fitted with an Ortofon OM10 phono (MM) cartridge in a 9" tonearm that offers vertical tracking angle and azimuth adjustment. At 9" long it offers low tracking distortion while maintaining rigidity and low mass required to stabilize the cartridge. By allowing VTF and Azimuth adjustment you get precise tracking with low distortion and record wear.

Non-Resonant Construction: The NAD C 558's features a non-resonant sub platter and 10mm glass platter with a felt pad. The turntable's plinth is solid MDF, not particle board or plastic, and is CNC machined for precision. The removable dust cover is made from a non-resonant Perspex with a counter-sprung hinge design that allows the cover to remain in almost any intermediate position from open to closed. Integrated rubber feet isolate any unwanted external vibration.

Isolated AC Power Supply with Universal Voltage: The NAD C 558 employs a sophisticated power supply that transforms the AC alternating voltage of your wall socket into a pure DC voltage. The DC voltage is then regenerated into a precise AC voltage that powers a precision clock motor to achieve nearly perfect speed consistency and smoothness.

Stereo RCA Outputs: The NAD C 558 is outfitted with stereo RCA output jacks and ground terminal. A 47" stereo RCA cable with ground lead is included. Make sure the turntable is connected to the Phono (MM) input of your receiver or integrated amplifier. If your receiver or integrated amp is not equipped with a Phono (MM) input, you will need to purchase an external phono-preamplifier (such as the NAD's phono-preamps, sold separately).

Specifications

Turntable:

Speed: 33-1/3rpm, 45rpm
Speed Variance: 33-1/3rpm (< +/- 0.50%), 45rpm (< +/- 0.45%)
Wow & Flutter: < +/- 0.15%
Signal to Noise: 68dB
Downforce Range: 0-30mN, 0-3.0g
Counterweight System: 5-12g

Tone Arm:

Length: 9" (230mm)
Effective Mass: 9.5 grams
Overhang: 18mm

Cartridge:

Frequency Range: 20 to 22,000Hz
Channel Separation: 22dB / 1kHz
Output Voltage: 4mV
Recommend Load Impedance: 47k Ohms (MM-input)
Compliance/Stylus Type: 20um/mN - elliptical
Recommended Tracking Force: 15mN
Weight: 5g

Physical Dimensions:

Dust Cover Down: 17.125" (w) x 4.6875" (h) x 14.375" (d)
Dust Cover Up: 17.125" (w) x 14.625" (h) x 16.25" (d)
Weight: 17.6 lbs

The NAD C 558 replaces these items

NAD C556

Manual belt-drive turntable with pre-mounted cartridge

5 reviews

low-vibration belt-drive design
handmade aluminum alloy tonearm for superior rigidity and low resonance
pre-mounted Audio-Technica AT91BL moving magnet cartridge

Accessories

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Q&A

3 questions already asked

Yes i purchased the Nad C558 Manual Turntable, sometime mid 2018 and i must say i am truly impressed by it's simple appearance and excellent engineering, but my only gripe is why didn't they use a solid stainless steel spindle instead of this light weight plastic. Other than that i love this table?

richard Jun 23, 2019

2 answers

Good turntable, no complaints.

russell Jul 01, 2019

I own a NAD C558 manual turntable and have found its reliability, stability and performance exceptional. The glass platter spins up quickly and runs silently without any hint of any rumble. The performance is smooth and the design is simple elegance. Something to make you smile, recently out on Craig's list was an add, "a life times set of vinyl, classic and opera, for sale to one owner only who can appreciate the collection, will not split to sell". Sold, and 6 hours and three truck loads later, I am the astonished and immensely proud owner of at least 1700 opera and classic albums, in mint condition. A collection that would make NPR jealous and that's no doubt. The NAD C558 is now tasked spinning up each and very platter with the superb reliability expected from a quality of a NAD component, the Ortofon HiFi cartridge hugs every groove to reproduce the analogue sound with such richness and clarity that you enjoy just the physical presence of being with the music. The Yahama receiver and Klipsch reference speakers paired with the NAD manual turntable deliver a sound quality that I had almost forgotten existed in our world being so utterly dominated with digital. I thank Crutchfield and their excellent advisors for creating that moment that only exists when playing analogue on high quality HiFi components, that includes the sleek and high quality NAD C558 manual turntable

stephen Jul 01, 2019

I brought the NAD 556 from Crutchfield the purchase was great.However I moved the unit to Barbados and set it up to a horrible speed problem . I checked the with the electric company and found out that it is operating at 120V @ 50 Hz. Anyone have a remedy ?

bajan Dec 20, 2018

4 answers

You would have to look for a frequency convertor but this is not easy Look online for options, not best option for a turntable Expensive solution for a turntable

stephen Jan 02, 2019

I just looked online and found freq converters that change 50 hz to 60z. for about $179. They also provide voltage out.

charles Jan 01, 2019

You might want to check with NAD to find out if they can supply you with an international wart. Power supply. Good luck! I would think Crutchfield would be able to point you in the right direction.

kevin Dec 30, 2018

If you purchased the product from Crutchfield, feel free to contact our Tech Support team. They can walk you through the settings on the product and see if there may be a fix. Our toll-free Tech Support number is printed on your invoice, and is also available under the "My Orders" tab in the "My Account" section of our website. If you did not purchase the unit from Crutchfield, then you may want to contact the manufacturer.

kristina Dec 30, 2018 (Staff)

Is the NAD C558 upgradable? The earlier model NAD C556 is basically a re-branded Rega Planar 1 and could be upgraded in the same way as the Rega. The new C558 looks like it shares a Rega tone arm, platter and spindle/bearing assembly but other then that appears to be an entirely new design.

chris May 04, 2018

3 answers

I can only say it is upgradeable as far as the cartridge. I installed a Nagaoka MP 110 and was very pleased. I don't know about any other possible upgrades.

charles May 04, 2018

I would say the mechanics if the tone arm are more similar to the Pro-ject RPM with an aluminium arm instead of the carbonfiber "S" style. Not a fan of the cartridge, so upgraded to the Sumiko Black Pearl which in my opinion was huge! Sound is all in the beholds ears. The overall build is nice. The magnetic anti-skate is very nice touch instead of the fishline and sinker you see on a lot of TTs. Glass platter is nice, flet matt, what ever, will be replacing that soon. Read through the manual it will help. I ordered 4 TT's all in the sam price range and thought this was the best. There are trades offs with each but I'm happy with it so far.

kevin May 04, 2018

Well the NAD is it really a Rega product, it is a project turntable that is pretty much maxed out in terms of what you can upgrade. It is a nice turntable however in its current form without any upgrades necessary. I really like it over the project turntables mostly because of the magnetic anti-skate adjustment as opposed to the string and weight that project seems to like on as their usual setup.

aaron May 04, 2018

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