Our Take
The NAD C 389 HybridDigital DAC Amplifier is a high-performance audio system centerpiece, designed to deliver exceptional sound and versatility for years to come. Featuring NAD’s HybridDigital UcD amplifier design and the renowned ESS Sabre DAC used in NAD’s M33 BluOS streaming amplifier, the C 389 brings dynamic range and exquisite detail to every source. With a range of digital and analog inputs, including an ultra-low-noise phono stage and HDMI eARC, the C 389 integrates seamlessly with all your source components. Its next-generation Modular Design Construction (MDC2) allows for easy upgrades, supporting capabilities like BluOS high-resolution music streaming and Dirac Live room correction.
Product Details
Power and Performance
NAD’s 50-year legacy of value and quality continues with the C 389. It uses a customized HybridDigital UcD output stage with multiple amplifier modules in a balanced bridged configuration and an advanced switch-mode power supply, providing on-demand current and achieving an impressive 130W per channel continuously with virtually unmeasurable distortion and noise. With up to 350W per channel of instantaneous power, the C 389 effortlessly reproduces musical dynamics.
The digital section features the 32-bit/384kHz ESS Sabre 9028 DAC, known for its wide dynamic range, ultra-low noise and distortion, and extremely low jitter, enabling remarkable clarity and imaging from all sources.
Future-Proof with MDC2
Introduced in 2006, NAD’s Modular Design Construction (MDC) allows users to add features by inserting expansion modules. The C 389 features two MDC2 slots, compatible with the MDC2 BluOS-D module that brings BluOS high-resolution multi-room streaming and Dirac Live room correction. With BluOS, the C 389 connects to your network via Wi-Fi or Ethernet, enabling music streaming from over 20 services, including high-res options like Amazon Music HD, Deezer, Qobuz, and Tidal. The BluOS-D module also supports Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect, and voice control through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. With BluOS, the C 389 can connect with up to 64 zones for a whole-home music experience.
Dirac Live room correction adjusts for room acoustics, enhancing bass depth, imaging, and midrange clarity. The included microphone connects to the MDC BluOS-D’s USB port, and the Dirac Live app calibrates the system for your room, applying compensation filters to the module. Thanks to MDC2’s two-way architecture, Dirac Live benefits apply to all sources connected to the C 389.
Comprehensive Connectivity
The C 389 supports analog and digital sources, with two optical and two coaxial digital inputs, and RCA line-level analog inputs with ultra-low-noise buffer amplifiers. Vinyl enthusiasts can enjoy the MM phono stage, which offers precise RIAA equalization, high overload margins, and infrasonic noise suppression for cleaner bass.
For movies and TV, the HDMI eARC input lets you play TV audio through your speakers while controlling volume with the TV remote. Dual subwoofer outputs make the C 389 a capable hub for 2.1 or 2.2 channel setups, and with BluOS, you can set crossover frequency for seamless integration between subwoofers and main speakers.
A dedicated headphone amplifier with low output impedance and high voltage output matches well with demanding headphones, while two-way Bluetooth with aptX HD supports high-quality 24-bit streaming from mobile devices and playback through Bluetooth headphones and speakers.
Timeless Performance
The C 389 builds on NAD’s five decades of amplifier innovation, offering audiophile performance, flexible connectivity, and unmatched upgradability. With its ultra-low-noise circuitry, precise volume control, and cutting-edge amplification, the C 389 delivers refined sound at realistic volumes on nearly any speaker. Thanks to MDC2, the C 389 is future-proof, ready to add features like multi-room streaming and room correction. NAD’s legacy of high-quality audio lives on in the C 389 HybridDigital DAC Amplifier.
Tech Specs
| THD (20Hz - 20kHz) | <0.002 % at 2 V out |
| Signal-to-Noise Ratio | >106dB (IHF; A-weighted, ref. 500 mV out, unity gain) |
| Channel Separation | >100dB (1 kHz); >90dB (10 kHz) |
| Input Impedance (R and C) | 56 kohms + 100 pF |
| Maximum Input Signal | >4.6 Vrms (ref. 0.1 % THD) |
| Output Impedance | Source Z + 320 ohms |
| Input Sensitivity | 65mV (ref. 500 mV out, Volume maximum) |
| Frequency Response | ±0.3 dB (20 Hz – 20 kHz) |
| Maximum Voltage Output - IHF Load | >>5 V (ref. 0.1 % THD) |
| Continuous Output Power | 2 x 130W into 8 ohms and 4 ohms |
| THD (20 Hz – 20 kHz) | <0.02% (250 mW to 130 W, 8 ohms and 4 ohms) |
| Signal-to-Noise Ratio | >95 dB (A-weighted, 500 mV input, ref. 1 W out in 8 ohms) |
| Clipping Power | 150W |
| IHF Dynamic Power | 210W into 8 ohms, 300W into 4 ohms, 350W into 2 ohms |
| Peak Output Current | >26A (in 1 ohm, 1ms) |
| Damping Factor | >150 (ref. 8 ohms, 20Hz to 6.5kHz) |
| Frequency Response | ±0.3 dB (20 Hz – 20 kHz) |
| Channel Separation | >90dB (1 kHz), >75dB (10 kHz) |
| Input Sensitivity (for 130 W in 8 ohms) | Line In: 201 mV, Digital In: 10.25% FS |
| Bit Rate/Sample Rate Support | Up to 32 bit/384 kHz |
| Frequency Band | 2.402GHz - 2.480GHz |
| Maximum Transmit Power | 7 dBm ± 2 dBm |
| Gross Dimensions (W x H x D) | 435 x 100 x 390mm (17.1 x 3.9 x 15.4“) |
| Net Weight | 8.7kg (19.1lb) |
| Shipping Weight | ~11kg (24.2lb) |
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