NAD’s new C 298 amp joins its existing Masters M28 amplifier and Masters M33 BluOS streaming amp in using Purifi Eigentakt amplication technology.
The two-channel amplifier boasts 185 watts per channel into 8 Ohms and can be bridges to 620W x 1 into 8 ohms to create a Monoblock.
The generously dimensioned power supply easily allows for 340 watts continuous into 4 ohms and over 570 watts instantaneous power for short term musical transients. Innovative Asymmetrical PowerDrive fully uses every last watt available with its vast reserves of dynamic power available to accurately reproduce musical transients without distortion or compression. This efficient supply also provides near perfect regulation of voltage across a wide range of conditions and provides a solid noise-free foundation for the amplifying stages.
Purifi is a Danish technology company that has brought together several of the industry’s leading engineers to apply advanced mathematical modelling to solve the last remaining limitations of audio amplifiers. While there are many good sounding amplifiers on the market today, Purifi has taken a fresh look at every aspect of amplifier performance and found many seemingly small non-linearities that can make a dramatic difference in the overall sound, says NAD.
The Eigentakt modules are manufactured by NAD under license from Purifi, allowing NAD to optimize these specifically in combination with the custom designed power supply and input stages of the C 298.
It has selectable balanced inputs for studio use or connection to high end preamps and processors. These inputs include a trim control that’s useful for matching to other components.
A line out allows further addition of power on the same channel for additional speakers or subwoofers. Auto-sense with selectable threshold can automate complex systems or hide the amp out of sight in a cabinet. NAD even included a Ground Lug that can be very useful for eliminating ground loops and noise in complex multi-unit systems. Added to this connectivity is a Bridge Switch that turns the C 298 into a powerful monoblock amplifier. Start with one and add a second C 298 later should upgrading speakers be desired.
“With our recent introductions of the award-winning Masters M33 and shortly afterwards the M28, we knew there would be great enthusiasm for a pure two-channel amplifier using Purifi Eigentakt technology,” says Cas Oostvogel, NAD’s Product Manager. “The C 298 will find many applications wherever one desires a state-of the art, two-channel amplifier or a high-power Monoblock. Within the NAD brand, the C 298 is the perfect complement to the critically-acclaimed C 658 or as an additional two channel amp for reference home theatre systems.”
The NAD C 298 amplifier will start shipping in October 2020 for an MSRP of $2,799.