NAD C3050 LE

Verdict

Typically, older-looking gear making an attempt to embrace extra fashionable applied sciences can have a touch of the pensioner on an eScooter about it. Fortunately, that’s emphatically not the case right here.

Introduction

How do you rejoice a giant birthday? By letting everybody make a fuss of you and offer you good presents? Nicely, that’s not how NAD is rolling on the event of its fiftieth birthday…

The NAD C3050 LE prices £1799, and on the time of writing may presumably be available for purchase. The clue’s within the mannequin identify, you see – the LE stands for restricted version. 

NAD formally constructed simply 1972 examples of the C3050 LE (as a result of the corporate was based in 1972), which suggests by the point you get to learn this they could all be gone. This assessment exists, although, as a result of in addition to protecting a vastly spectacular product, it additionally issues the course through which the normal hi-fi business could nicely determine it wants to maneuver if it intends to remain related sufficient for NAD’s a hundredth birthday to be a trigger for celebration too.

Design

• Actual wooden casework
• VU meters
• Un-retro distant management

Regardless of what you’ll have thought (and it’s actually opposite to what I used to suppose till very just lately), NAD merchandise weren’t all the time battleship gray in color. That design determination wasn’t taken till later within the 70s and solely turned ubiquitous with the 1979 launch of the legendary 3020 built-in amplifier. Earlier than then, NAD did what an terrible lot of hi-fi corporations used to do: attempt to disguise its bins of electronics as furnishings.

So the C3050 LE options an terrible lot of precise, real wooden in its casework. And the place it’s not wooden, it’s partially VU meters – one other nod to ‘The Previous Occasions’ and precisely the type of function I’m able to see make a correct comeback. 

In addition to illuminated VU meters, the fascia additionally additionally options extra buttons and rotary dials than have graced the entrance of an built-in amplifier for a few years – and the phrases ‘New Acoustic Dimension’ and stereophonic additionally function. It could be loudspeakers which might be on the forefront of the present pattern for ‘fashionable retro’ hi-fi, however these quite a few classic touches elevate the C3050 LE nicely past mere pastiche.

It’s a disgrace the distant management that accompanies the amplifier isn’t an identical type of throwback – however given {that a}) this amp isn’t in-built any form of amount, and b) many of the handset’s features will be taken care of by the BluOS management app, I assume it wouldn’t have made an entire lot of financial sense to design a ‘again within the day’ distant management too. 

So the C3050 LE seems simply the ticket if you wish to set your watch again 50 years. So long as you don’t look too intently at a few of the features of the fascia buttons, although, and also you don’t have a look at the again panel in any respect… 

Options

• Quite a few inputs, from phono stage to HDMI eARC
• BluOS management app
• 100 watts per channel

With regards to options, the NAD C3050 LE’s subterfuge doesn’t final. It’d strive its hardest to seem like a throwback, however its specification is right for Q1 of the twenty first century.

For starters, this can be a Class D amplifier – none of your last-century Class A inefficiency. There was a time Class D was derided as a triumph of affordability and space-efficiency over audio efficiency – however that was again within the day. At this stage of the sport, Class D has nothing to show. NAD is quoting an influence output of 100 watts right here, into each 4 and 8ohm hundreds. It’s in a position to drive two pairs of audio system concurrently should you so want – a rotary dial on the fascia takes care of enterprise.

The suite of connectivity that’s on provide right here makes the case for the C3050 LE as a paradigm of modernity much more forcefully. Past the 2 units of loudspeaker cable binding posts, bodily connectivity consists of a moving-magnet phono stage, a line-level analogue enter, optical and coaxial digital inputs, an Ethernet enter, a USB slot and an HDMI eARC socket. There’s a pre-out for a subwoofer and one other pair to be used with an influence amplifier. 

Wi-fi connectivity is feasible through Bluetooth (5.0 with as much as aptX HD codec compatibility) and Wi-Fi – the NAD’s rear panel is pretty bristling with wi-fi antennae. All digital inputs, whether or not wired or wi-fi, result in a 24-bit/192kHz DAC, with assist for quite a few file sorts together with FLAC and MQA. On the entrance panel, in the meantime, there’s a 6.3mm socket to be used with headphones.

The NAD is a part of the BluOS ecosystem, and so is suitable with the just about totally admirable BluOS management app. Somewhat wilful font apart, it’s a wonderful interface that covers each eventuality in some model, from integrating your favorite music streaming service(s) and web radio stations to setting quantity limits and different trivia. 

In fact, you could favor to make use of the properly tactile buttons on the fascia, and who may blame you? Keep in mind that the amount management takes means too many turns to make worthwhile changes to quantity ranges, although… 

Sound High quality

• Detailed, balanced and constant sound
• Glorious powers of organisation and management
• Not probably the most powerful-sounding amp round

So far as organising goes, there’s just a little extra to the NAD than hook up audio system, connect supply(s) and provide with mains energy. Like a couple of current NAD amplifiers, the C3050 LE is suitable with Dirac Dwell Room Correction calibration software program – there’s a mic and a USB dongle within the field. Obtain the software program, comply with the directions and Dirac will do its utmost to calibrate the amp’s output to finest swimsuit the atmosphere through which you’ve positioned it. This free taster works from 20Hz to 500Hz, however chucking some cash Dirac’s means will get you the complete (20Hz – 20kHz) expertise.

Provided that issues, ought to you might have any, are prone to be on the bass finish of the frequency vary, although, the free expertise has each probability of sorting you out. And after that, you’re free to benefit from the NAD C3050 LE within the data that it is aware of and understands your listening area.

Regardless of the (very helpful) HDMI eARC socket, the NAD is primarily a stereo music system – and in order that’s how most of our testing is undertaken. A turntable is hooked to the amp’s phono stage, a CD participant to the digital coaxial enter, and an Android smartphone with aptX HD codec functionality is used for wi-fi streaming.

And regardless of which supply is in play, regardless of the type of music that’s deployed (I am going from a vinyl copy of Prince’s Signal o the Occasions to a Bluetooth stream of Weyes Blood’s It’s Not Simply Me, It’s Everyone through a CD copy of Public Picture Restricted’s Poptones), the C3050 LE proves a constant, and unflappable, system.

The positives of its efficiency far outweigh the negatives, so I could as nicely get these out of the way in which early on, with a purpose to have a run at what precisely is so likeable about it. So sure, it’s not probably the most demonstrative amplifier you ever heard – there’s a neutrality about its sound that might fairly simply be confused for a scarcity of animation within the incorrect circumstances. 

The incorrect circumstances on this occasion, actually, start and finish with the loudspeakers the NAD is driving – if they’re equally neutral, the sound may conceivably appear just a little indifferent. And regardless of the ability ranking, the C3050 LE simply doesn’t sound all that {powerful} – it does nicely to keep up its sonic angle regardless of the extent at which you’re listening, however actually blasting it out simply doesn’t appear to be on the menu.

In any other case, the information is fairly good. Actually the NAD maintains a constant tonality from the underside of the frequency vary to the highest, and manages to combine each space of the frequency vary with the type of smoothness that makes transitions all-but imperceptible. 

Bass sounds are deep, textured and information-heavy – there’s loads of perception into the best particulars of low-frequency exercise, and the type of rigorous consideration paid to assault and decay meaning rhythmic positivity is just about assured. There’s nothing frantic about the way in which the C3050 LE presents music, however it undoubtedly doesn’t hold about – music has genuine (however well-controlled) momentum.

The other finish of the frequency vary assaults with equally well mannered willpower, and treble sounds have correct substance to enhance their chunk and shine. Element ranges are equally excessive, and the NAD retains an in depth eye on the type of transient high-frequency info that’s such a giant a part of, say, the Prince recordings. The steadiness the C3050 LE strikes on the high finish, making treble sounds crisp however by no means permitting them to develop into edgy or onerous (even at what passes for large volumes right here) is spectacular too.

In between, the midrange is concentrated and spacious sufficient to permit vocalists of all types the area to precise themselves. The NAD’s potential with soundstaging actually comes into its personal right here – with out shedding any of its profitable sensation of unity, the C3050 LE organises a stage to the purpose that each ingredient of a recording is locked in place, free from interference from another ingredient. 

The wide-open areas and massive areas of silence which might be a giant a part of the Prince recordings (sure, him once more) are given acceptable prominence – and people silences are darkish and absolute. Element ranges are simply as excessive right here as elsewhere, and the result’s a degree of eloquence and poise that’s not at all a given even when spending this type of cash on two-channel amplification. The NAD sounds naturalistic and convincing by way of the midrange – with just a bit extra positivity it could be completely superb. 

The low-level dynamics of a recording, the tonal variations which might be obvious particularly when listening to a solo instrument, are recognized and contextualised with actual confidence. The extra visceral dynamics of hushed center eight to ultimate climactic refrain are made obvious too – however the C3050 LE doesn’t fairly go the entire hog. Different price-comparable designs have higher headroom and breathe extra deeply. 

Fortunately, all the things that’s pleasant concerning the sound the NAD makes is carried over to the HDMI eARC socket. Simply as absolutely as with music, in fact, the standard of the audio sign going into the C3050 LE dictates the standard of sound that comes out – however as a sublime and fuss-free means of placing a rocket up the sound of your TV, this amplifier is profoundly helpful. 

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