NAD Electronics Launches Retro-Inspired C 3050 Stereophonic Amplifier

Hifi components with wood panels (and VUs) are back! NAD Electronics is the latest audio manufacturer to embark on the retro trend with the C 3050 Stereophonic Amplifier. The classic seventies hifi component will be introduced at the 2023 High End show in Munich, Germany, where demonstration sessions of the C 3050 Stereophonic Amplifier will run in Room D108 in Atrium 3. Retro design elements include front-panel VU meters, push-button input controls, 1970s cursive branding, walnut-finished vinyl-clad cabinet, and a dark grey front panel.
 
The 1970's inspired C 3050 Stereophonic amplifier is only retro on the outside. Inside, it boasts class-leading amplification – a HybridDigital UcD output stage and high-performance Texas Instruments PCM5242 differential DAC, working together to deliver wonderful detail, immersive three-dimensionality, and thrilling dynamics. The C 3050 also features NAD's MDC2 future proofing module technology. By installing an optional module into the MDC2 expansion slot on the rear panel, owners can add exciting new capabilities like BluOS high-resolution multiroom streaming and Dirac Live room correction.

A mix of retro and modern elements on the C 3050 make for a visually striking yet functionally impressive amplifier that captures the essence of NAD’s history and tradition. Starting with the dual VU meters and push-button input selectors, the C 3050 displays the original New Acoustic Dimension logo in its 1970s cursive typeface seamlessly blend musings of the past with technologies of the future. Employing proven HybridDigital UcD amplifier technology, the C 3050 delivers 100 Watts per channel of continuous power and 135W per channel of instantaneous peak power for effortless reproduction of musical transients. The powerful digital section leverages Texas Instruments' PCM5242 high-resolution differential DAC, a design known for its excellent dynamic performance and immunity to clock jitter to ensure that every digital source is reproduced with musicality, stunning clarity, and pinpoint soundstage.

The C 3050 also features the latest generation of NAD’s Modular Design Construction future-proofing technology, MDC2, which allows users to add new functions and features by inserting a module into the MDC2 slot on the back panel. The optional MDC2 BluOS-D module delivers two highly desirable capabilities: BluOS high-resolution music streaming and Dirac Live room correction.

Featuring updated dual-band Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet, the highly acclaimed BluOS platform brings integrated support for more than 20 popular streaming services, including several that offer lossless and high-resolution audio, such as Amazon Music Ultra HD, Deezer, Qobuz, and Tidal. BluOS supports high-resolution audio to 24-bit/192kHz, with MQA decoding and rendering capability for studio-quality streaming. The MDC2 BluOS-D module also allows for playback from a personal library and thousands of Internet radio stations. With the MDC2 BluOS-D card installed, the C 3050 can be part of a whole-home music system with as many as 64 zones.

Various options for music control are made possible with the BluOS Controller app, available for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. The MDC2 BluOS-D supports Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect, so users can cue up music in the apps for those services, then transfer playback to the C 3050. Support for Apple AirPlay 2 allows streaming to the MDC2 BluOS-D from any app on an iPhone, iPad or Macintosh computer. Voice control is possible using Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple Siri, while advanced bidirectional aptX HD Bluetooth connectivity allows users to stream directly to the MDC2 BluOS-D from a smart device, or stream audio from the C 3050 to a pair of wireless headphones.

The optional MDC2 BluOS-D module lets C 3050 owners address the weakest link in most music systems: the listening environment. Using a series of test tones played out to the listeners’ speakers, Dirac’s powerful software analyses the results and creates correction filters to counteract common acoustic problems like standing waves and unwanted reflections.  With its full suite of digital and analog inputs, the C 3050 makes room for various source components. Inputs include an ultra-low-noise MM phono input for turntable connection, HDMI eARC, coaxial, optical digital, and a pair of line-level analog inputs. Users can even connect two pairs of speakers with Speaker A/B switching, as well as a subwoofer. The C 3050 also has a dedicated headphone amplifier, and pre-out/main-in jacks to connect to a more powerful amplifier, or the option to be used as a preamp only. The C 3050 includes an IR remote control and has installer-friendly features like 12V trigger and IR input.

"The C 3050 may look like a throwback to the 70’s, and deliberately so, of course," says Cas Oostvogel, Product Manager, NAD Electronics. "Yet at the same time it eclipses many of today's amplifiers in upgradability, performance and forward-looking features."

Retail availability globally will begin in May 2023 at a suggested retail price of US $1,399 / EUR €1,599.
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