New Products

NAD Electronics has announced a new Classic Series integrated amplifier/DAC that boasts a modular design and evokes the brand’s origins as a maker of fine value-oriented audio gear.

The C 379 HybridDigital DAC Amplifier, slated to sell for $1,099 when it becomes available at the end of June, mates a Class D stereo amp and a preamp/32-bit digital-to-analog converter (DAC) in the second generation version of NAD’s modular chassis. The MDC (Modular Design Construction) layout organizes critical circuitry on plug-in cards that can be swapped out to upgrade the amp’s capabilities and provides two expansion slots for adding new cards/features such as BluOS high-resolution multiroom streaming and Dirac Live room correction.

Featuring a custom UcD (Universal class D) output stage, the amplifier is rated to deliver 80 watts of continuous power per channel into 4 or 8 ohms, or 120 watts/channel of dynamic power into 4 ohms. For a significant boost in power, NAD says the C 379 can be linked with the company’s C 268 stereo amplifier in a bridged, fully balanced configuration to boost output to 300 watts/channel continuous or 500 watts/channel of instantaneous power.

The amplifier section incorporates an energy-saving power supply said to consume less than half the wattage of conventional amplifiers, while regulating voltage across a wide ranges of conditions with “near perfect” precision.

The C 379 also has a dedicated low-impedance/high-output headphone amplifier designed to drive a wide range of headphones.

The heart of the C 379’s preamp section is ESS’s critically acclaimed Sabre ES9028 DAC, which is known for its wide dynamic range and ultra-low distortion. Available connections include aptX HD Bluetooth for high-quality wireless streaming, eARC-enabled HDMI, three digital inputs (two optical, one coaxial), two RCA analog inputs, a moving-magnet (MM) phono input, a stereo pre-out, and two independent subwoofer outputs.

NAD is part of Canada’s Lenbrook International, which also owns the iconic PSB Speakers brand and Bluesound, inventor of the BluOS streaming platform. Lenbrook also acquired the high-resolution audio technology company MQA in the fall of 2023. For more information on NAD, visit nadelectronics.com.