NAD C 3050 Integrated Amplifier Retro Look, New In Open Box

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General:
Highly desirable and difficult to source vintage reissue piece from NAD.

Open box meaning it was unpacked, tested, and then put right back in the box.

Comes complete and intact like the way it left the factory.

NAD C 3050 Features & Details
• Retro design elements include front-panel VU meters, push-button input controls, 1970s cursive branding, walnut-finished vinyl-clad cabinet, and dark grey front panel
• HybridDigital UcD Amplifier
• Full Disclosure Power: 100 watts continuous per channel into 8/4 ohms
• Instantaneous Power: 135 watts per channel
• Vanishingly low harmonic and intermodulation distortion
• MDC2 port for expanded functionality
• Optional MDC2 BluOS-D module adds BluOS high-resolution multi-room music streaming and Dirac Live* room correction (Not Included)
• High-performance 32-bit/384kHz TI PCM5242 differential DAC
• Ultra-low-noise MM phono stage with infrasonic filtering circuitry
• One optical, one coaxial digital input
• HDMI-eARC input
• One set of line-level analogue inputs with low-noise buffer amplifiers
• Speaker A/Speaker B outputs
• Subwoofer output
• Dedicated headphone amplifier
• Bidirectional Qualcomm aptX HD Bluetooth
• IR remote control
• CI-Friendly – 12V Trigger out, IR in
• *500Hz limited version of Dirac Live included. Full bandwidth license can be purchased from Dirac.com

More from NAD:
NAD C 3050 Stereophonic Amplifier
In the C 3050 Stereophonic Amplifier, NAD’s 50-year history of innovation meets the future of hi-fi. With its dual VU meters, push-button input selectors, walnut-finished vinyl-clad cabinet, and 1970s cursive-style branding, the C 3050 recalls the components that helped a generation of music-lovers discover the joys of great audio. With its 100-watt-per-channel HybridDigital UcD amplifier and Texas Instruments high-resolution differential DAC, the C 3050 delivers sound that will thrill today’s discerning listeners. And thanks to NAD’s MDC2 future-proofing technology, C 3050 owners can add leading-edge capabilities like BluOS high-resolution multi-room streaming and Dirac Live room correction.

Vintage Inspired
The C 3050’s industrial design was inspired by the NAD 3030 Stereophonic Amplifier, a 1970s classic. Vintage styling elements include dual illuminated VU meters, push-button controls for source selection, a walnut-finished vinyl-clad cabinet, and a dark grey front panel with the original New Acoustic Dimension logo in its 1970s cursive typeface.

Thoroughly Modern
Employing NAD’s renowned HybridDigital UcD amplifier technology, the C 3050 has a Full Disclosure Power rating of 100 watts per channel continuous and 135wpc instantaneous, for effortless reproduction of musical transients. Noise and distortion are virtually unmeasurable through the entire audioband. The result is neutral, inviting sound through any loudspeaker load—even at high listening levels. The
C 3050 will reproduce the music you love with wonderful detail, immersive three-dimensionality, and thrilling dynamics.

The digital section employs Texas Instruments’ PCM5242 high-resolution differential DAC, a design known for its excellent dynamic performance and immunity to clock jitter. This enables the C 3050 to deliver amazing musicality, stunning clarity, and pinpoint soundstaging from all your digital sources.

Future Friendly
The C 3050 features the latest generation of NAD’s Modular Design Construction future-proofing technology, MDC2, which lets users add new functions and features by inserting an add-on module into the MDC2 slot on the back panel. MDC2 is an all-new design that enables two-way communications between the expansion module and host component. The optional MDC2 BluOS-D module delivers two highly desirable capabilities: BluOS high-resolution music streaming and Dirac Live room correction.

A World of Music
Featuring dual-band Wi-Fi and Gigabit Ethernet, the MDC2 BluOS-D connects you to almost all the music ever recorded through BluOS, the award-winning wireless music-management system. Using the intuitive BluOS Controller app, listeners can access 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, and has MQA decoding and rendering capability, for studio-quality streaming. The MDC2 BluOS-D also lets you play music from your personal library and thousands of internet radio stations through the C 3050 Stereophonic Amplifier.

The MDC2 BluOS-D supports Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect, so you can cue up music in the apps for those services, then transfer playback to the C 3050. Also supported is Apple AirPlay 2, so you can stream audio to the MDC2 BluOS-D from any app on an iPhone, iPad, or Macintosh computer. You can also control playback by voice using Amazon Alexa or Apple Siri.

With the MDC2 BluOS-D installed, the C 3050 can be part of a whole-home music system with as many as 64 zones. You can have different music playing in different rooms, each with independent volume control, or play the same music in different rooms simultaneously. Thanks to MDC2’s bidirectional architecture, music from any source connected to the C 3050 can be streamed to BluOS-enabled components in other rooms.

Work the Room
The MDC2 BluOS-D lets C 3050 owners address the weakest link in most music systems—the listening environment. Connect the supplied microphone to the MDC2 BluOS-D’s USB port, and then follow instructions in the easy-to-use Dirac Live app. Dirac will play test tones through your speakers, analyze the results, and then create correction filters that counteract common acoustic problems like standing waves and unwanted reflections. The results are transformative. With Dirac Live***** enabled, you’ll experience vastly improved bass definition, greater tonal accuracy, and more precise imaging. With MDC2’s two-way communications capability, you’ll enjoy these benefits with all sources connected to the C 3050. You can create up to five Dirac settings for different listener positions or room conditions, for example whether the drapes are open or closed.

Well Connected
With its full suite of digital and analogue inputs, the C 3050 can accommodate all your source components. Vinyl fans will appreciate the C 3050’s ultra-low-noise MM phono stage. For movie and TV viewing, the C 3050 has an HDMI eARC port for connecting an HDTV, enabling the C 3050 to serve as the hub of a high-performance two- or 2.1-channel home-theatre setup. The C 3050 also has line-level analogue coaxial digital, and optical digital inputs.

Listeners can connect two pairs of speakers with Speaker A/B switching, as well as a subwoofer. Bidirectional aptX HD Bluetooth connectivity lets you stream audio to the C 3050 from a smart device and stream audio from the C 3050 to a pair of wireless headphones. The C 3050 also has a dedicated headphone amplifier, and pre-out/main-in jacks that let you connect a more powerful amplifier and use the C 3050 as a preamp only. The C 3050 includes an IR remote control and has installer-friendly features like 12V trigger and IR input.

Truly Timeless
The C 3050 is a fitting tribute to NAD’s 50-year history of amplifier innovation. With its vintage-inspired design, the NAD C 3050 Stereophonic Amplifier is a feast for the eyes. With its innovative technology, the C 3050 is a feast for the ears. The C 3050’s MDC2 port makes it easy to add compelling features like BluOS multi-room streaming and Dirac Live room correction—not to mention new capabilities that have yet to be developed.

Ownership:
Brand New

General Sound:
Smooth, uncolored, undistorted natural and clean

Cosmetic Condition:
9/10 = Excellent. Perfect physical condition, gently used.. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab and listening room.

Included:
Unit, remote, manual, power cord and original box.

Packing:
Original Manufacturers Packing

Reviews:
Click Here

Original MSRP:
$1,399.00

Specs:
Click Here

Dimensions:
17-11/16" W x 5-1/16" H x 14-5/16" D

Weight:
22 lbs.

Approximate Age:
2023

Recommended Cables:

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - RCA Interconnects - Best

Kimber Kable - Subwoofer Interconnect

Kimber Kable - Coaxial Digital Interconnect

Kimber Kable - Optical Digital Interconnect

Kimber Kable - Phono Interconnects - Better

Kimber Kable - Flagship Phono Interconnects - Best

Testing Process:

We start with a visual inspection of all internal components to make sure that there are no signs of heat stress or damage. Capacitors are checked for telltale signs of predictive failure including bulging, shrunken wrappers, or physical leakage. We also inspect the PCBs for discoloration from resistors or transistors that may have been running hot. On vintage units we often spot check select capacitors for value and ESR.

If the device has the ability to decouple the preamplifier from the power amplifier, we remove the jumpers and independently test each section. If the device cannot be decoupled, we assess the electronic condition of the piece by analyzing the speaker level output only.

We start by connecting the “preout” jacks of the integrated to a Sencore PA81 Power Analyzer which simulates real world loading conditions and gives us an oscilloscope interface. The first order of business is checking that the volume control works smoothly throughout its entire range with acceptable channel balance. This is accomplished by feeding a 1KHz sine wave into one of the preamp’s line level inputs while monitoring the preamp’s output on an oscilloscope. We then switch to a 1KHz square wave to test the tone controls, loudness function, and filters where applicable. During this step we are watching for equal alteration of the test signal by both channels. This also helps us identify dirty controls that will need treatment. Once the basic line stage functions are verified, we test each input individually. This is especially important for devices that use relays to select their sources. If the preamp section is equipped with a phono stage we test that as well. We use an inverse RIAA filter which allows us to feed a reference test signal into the phono input with the proper RIAA equalization and level. A square wave or sine sweep is used to verify that the device’s phono stage is faithfully reproducing the RIAA curve.

Next, we test the power amplifier section by connecting the integrated’s speaker outputs to a Sencore PA81 Power Analyzer which acts as a dummy load, DC offset monitor, and oscilloscope interface. We start with a low level 1KHz test signal at the “main in” jacks and slowly increase its amplitude while monitoring the output on an oscilloscope for signs of noise, clipping, distortion, or improper channel balance. We continue increasing the signal level until the amplifier reaches clipping. At this point we take an output power measurement and compare it to the spec sheet of the amplifier to verify proper performance.We finish off the bench evaluation with a 1KHz square wave check and a 20Hz to 20KHz sine sweep to assess the amplifier’s frequency response characteristics. This battery of tests will usually reveal if the amplifier has any issues that need further attention.

If the preamp and power amp both pass these tests, we reconnect the sections and verify that the preamp section can drive the power amp to rated power with a 1KHz tone on one of the line level inputs.

Before the device leaves the bench, we perform a listening test with actual music using a variety of preferred test tracks. Our benches are outfitted with familiar monitor speakers which help us identify inconsistencies that will not always show up on our test gear. The main things that we are listening for are hum or noise with no signal present, proper center image, clicks, pops, or any other obvious undesirable audio characteristics.

If the unit passes all of these tests it is moved to our long term testing rig where we simulate real word operating conditions for 6-8 hours. This allows us to monitor the unit for signs of thermal runaway or intermittent issues that only crop up when the unit has fully come up to temperature.