John Darko
NAD has announced the latest member of its Classic series. The C379 is a more traditional-looking integrated amplifier where a volume control, source selector, menu navigation rocker and visual display front a full-width chassis housing a customised UcD output stage. That’s Class D in case you were wondering. According to NAD, the HybridDigital DAC-amplifier design will push 80wpc into 8 Ohms and 4 Ohms (assuming only one of its two speaker terminal sets is used) and 120wpc of ‘dynamic power’ into 4 Ohms should the music call for it.
Also on the rear panel sit three analogue inputs – including an MM phono input for turntables – plus pre-amplifier outputs, two subwoofer outputs and six digital inputs: aptX Bluetooth, 2 x coax, 2 x TOSLINK and HDMI eARC. The internal DAC is built around an ESS Labs 9028 chip and supports PCM up to 32bit/384kHz.
Now for the simple twist.
The presence of two MDC 2.0 card slots means we don’t necessarily need an outboard streaming source. Installing the BluOS-equipped MDC module (sold separately) into an empty MDC slot adds Bluesound Node functionality to the C379. Hello Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, Apple AirPlay 2 and Roon Ready. The press release also suggests an MDC module for Dirac Live (room compensation) will eventually be forthcoming. Dirac Live is also on that BluOS-D MDC 2.0 board.
I’ve emailed NAD asking how the dual subwoofer outputs function when a BluOS-D module isn’t present and will update this post as soon as an answer is forthcoming. Lastly, the front panel headphone socket is backed by a headphone amplifier with “low output impedance and high output voltage capability”.
The NAD C379 will begin shipping at the end of June for US$1099, €1199 or £899 but will make its first public appearance next week at Munich High-End.
Further information: NAD Electronics
