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NAD C 399
The NAD C 399 HybridDigital DAC Amplifier stands as the flagship of the Classic Series, bringing Masters Series technology and refined engineering to a wider audience. Its HybridDigital nCore amplifier delivers 180 Watts per channel of clean, effortless power, while refined digital processing reveals fine musical detail with clarity and control. Widely recognized by reviewers and honoured with multiple Product of the Year awards, the C 399 has become one of NAD’s most trusted and popular amplifiers. With optional BluOS streaming and Dirac Live Room Correction (Limited Bandwidth) through MDC2, the C 399 adapts as your system evolves and helps deliver balanced listening in any room. HDMI eARC, a precise MM phono stage, and versatile digital and analogue inputs make it easy to enjoy music from all your favourite sources.
Includes Dirac Live® Limited Bandwidth licence and calibration microphone for room correction up to 500Hz - MDC2 BluOS-D card required
- 180 Watts per channel of HybridDigital nCore amplification
- Refined digital architecture for detailed, low-noise playback
- Dual MDC2 expansion slots for future upgrades
- Optional MDC2 BluOS-D module adds BluOS high-resolution streaming and Dirac Live Room Correction (Includes Dirac Live® Limited Bandwidth licence and calibration microphone for room correction up to 500Hz - MDC2 BluOS-D card required
- HDMI eARC input for seamless TV audio integration
- Ultra-low-noise MM phono stage with infrasonic filtering
- Two optical and two coaxial digital inputs
- Two sets of analogue inputs with low-noise buffer amplifiers
- Dedicated headphone amplifier and Bluetooth with aptX™ HD support
- Dual subwoofer outputs and two sets of speaker terminals
High-Current Power and Precision (Section 1 of 4)
The C 399 uses NAD’s HybridDigital nCore amplifier platform to deliver 180 Watts into 8 ohms per channel of clean, effortless power. Known for its wide bandwidth, stable performance, and exceptionally low distortion, the nCore design maintains composure even with demanding speakers. The result is detailed, dynamic playback that preserves the energy and expression of your music — performance that continues to earn praise from listeners and reviewers alike.
Clear, Dynamic Digital Performance (Section 2 of 4)
A refined digital architecture ensures low noise, accurate imaging, and wide dynamic range across all sources. This precision reveals greater texture, definition, and openness in your favourite recordings. Whether streaming high-resolution files or listening to digital sources, the C 399 delivers a natural, transparent presentation.
Built for the Future with MDC2 (Section 3 of 4)
With two MDC2 expansion slots, the C 399 adapts as new technologies emerge. Adding the optional MDC2 BluOS-D module enables high-resolution streaming, whole-home audio integration, and Dirac Live Room Correction (Limited Bandwidth) through the BluOS Controller app. Thanks to MDC2’s two-way design, room correction benefits apply to all connected sources, ensuring consistently balanced performance in any space.
Versatile Connections for Every Source (Section 4 of 4)
HDMI eARC, digital and analogue inputs, and a precise MM phono stage make it simple to connect all your music and entertainment sources. Two sets of speaker outputs, dual subwoofer outputs, and a dedicated headphone amplifier offer flexible system configuration. Bluetooth with aptX™ HD support adds the convenience of high-quality wireless listening,rounding out a system noted for its long-term value and reliable performance.
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Professional Reviews 93/100
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
94/100
Build Quality
88/100
Features Connectivity
93/100
Value for Money
96/100
With an inky-black noise floor, the C 399 brings muscular 180-watt control and a remarkably neutral, finely resolved presentation to demanding loudspeakers. HomeTheaterHifi praised its effortless scale and three-dimensional staging, while The Absolute Sound highlighted its transparent, composed power. HDMI eARC, strong DAC performance, and the MDC2 upgrade path make it a compelling long-term hub.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Exceptionally quiet, neutral, and detailed sound reveals low-level ambience without adding obvious coloration.
Powerful, controlled dynamics drive 4-ohm and demanding speakers loudly without audible strain or distortion.
MDC2 expansion can add BluOS streaming, Dirac Live room correction, and advanced bass management.
Strong value proposition, with reviewers finding performance competitive with considerably pricier integrated amplifiers.
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Cons
The optional BluOS-D module adds significantly to the total cost for streaming and Dirac Live features.
One reviewer experienced intermittent HDMI eARC handshake issues that required rebooting the amplifier.
One review criticized the menu/software experience and reported problematic Dirac subwoofer integration.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 94/100
Reviewers consistently describe an exceptionally quiet, neutral and highly transparent amplifier with ample power for demanding speakers. Its presentation is praised for combining control and precision with natural warmth when the recording contains it, while the phono input draws one notable dissenting view versus dedicated external stages.
Transparency Resolution
95/100
HomeTheaterHifi calls the C 399 unfailingly neutral and finely detailed, with the quietest noise floor the reviewer has heard from an integrated amplifier. The Absolute Sound likewise calls the amplifier ultra-clean, amazingly transparent, and free of distracting artifacts, while SoundStage Solo heard virtually no hiss even at maximum volume.
Tonal Balance Musicality
93/100
SoundStage Solo praises the C 399's incredible tonal balance, exceptional neutrality, and rich, full-bodied sound even at low volume. The Absolute Sound found it faithfully reproduces warmth or aggression already present in the recording, with voices carrying warmth, dimensionality, and presence rather than a fixed sonic coloration.
Dynamics
95/100
Reviewers repeatedly praise the amplifier's authority and effortlessness. The Absolute Sound heard large crescendos land with startling force without congestion or hardness, while HomeTheaterHifi drove 4-ohm speakers loudly without audible distortion and SoundStage Solo describes the NAD as deliciously dynamic.
Soundstage Imaging
93/100
HomeTheaterHifi reports natural stage width and depth, along with a more three-dimensional sense of space. SoundStage Solo heard excellent imaging with a firmly centered vocal and keyboards extending well beyond the left speaker, while The Absolute Sound found images and staging solid, precise, and stable.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
88/100
Reviewers describe solid construction, tidy layout, and controls that feel tight and well made. SoundStage Solo particularly praised the ergonomics of the remote, the secure navigation control, and the substantial feel of the volume knob; longer-term durability is not discussed in depth.
Features Connectivity
93/100
The C 399 combines extensive digital connectivity, HDMI eARC, Bluetooth, a phono input, headphone amplifier, remote control, control-system integration, and analog bypass. Its MDC2 slot can add BluOS streaming, Wi-Fi/Ethernet, Dirac Live, advanced bass management, and streaming-service support, though that expansion module is optional; one reviewer only wished Bluetooth also supported AAC.
Value for Money
96/100
At roughly $1,999 before the optional BluOS-D module, reviewers repeatedly regard the C 399 as unusually compelling against substantially costlier equipment. The Absolute Sound calls its value "off the charts," HomeTheaterHifi says it delivers reference-level performance for about half the cost of larger rivals, and SoundStage Solo felt NAD could have charged considerably more and still offered strong value.
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Verified Dealers
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Authorized dealers for NAD C 399
- Holt Hill — online and in-store — Andover, Massachusetts, United States (website)
- Resolution A/V — in-store — New York City, New York, United States (website)
- The Music Room — online and in-store — Erie, Colorado, United States (website)
- Aalen Hifi — in-store — Schwäbisch Gmünd, Baden-Wurtemberg, Germany (website)
- Absolute Audio - Canada — in-store — Calgary, Alberta, Canada (website)
- Abt Electronics — online and in-store — Glenview, Illinois, United States (website)
- Acoustic Technologies — online and in-store — Montréal, Québec, Canada (website)
- AES — in-store — Mitte, Hessen, Germany (website)
- Ahead Stereo — in-store — Los Angeles, California, United States (website)
- Alex Audio Video — in-store — Sofia, Sofia City Province, Bulgaria (website)
and 281 more verified dealers