NAD C3050 Stereophonic Amplifier

Paying tribute to NAD’s 50-year history of innovation and value, the C 3050’s vintage design was inspired by the NAD 3030 Stereophonic Amplifier, a 1970s classic. Retro design elements include dual VU meters, push-button input selectors, a walnut-finished vinyl-clad cabinet, and a dark grey front panel with the original New Acoustic Dimension logo in its 1970s cursive typeface. Underneath its vintage-inspired exterior are advanced features like a HybridDigital UcD output stage, high-performance Texas Instruments PCM5242 differential DAC, and NAD’s MDC2 future-proofing technology. Listeners can add exciting new capabilities like BluOS high- resolution multi-room streaming and Dirac Live room correction to the C 3050 by inserting an optional module into the MDC2 expansion slot on the rear panel.

AMPLIFIER INNOVATION

Employing NAD’s proven HybridDigital UcD amplifier technology, the C 3050 can deliver 100 Watts per channel of continuous power and 135Wpc of instantaneous peak power for effortless reproduction of musical transients. Noise and distortion are virtually unmeasurable through the entire audio-band. The result is neutral, distortion-free 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 C 3050’s digital section is built around 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 sound-staging from all your digital sources.

A FEAST FOR THE SENSES

With its vintage-inspired design and innovative technology, the NAD C 3050 Stereo Integrated Amplifier is a feast for the eyes and 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. In the C 3050, NAD’s 50-year history of amplifier innovation meets the future of hi-fi.

PLUG AND PLAY

With its full suite of digital and analogue inputs, the C 3050 can accommodate all your source components. In addition to an ultra-low-noise MM phono input for connecting a turntable and an HDMI eARC port for connecting an HDTV, the C 3050 has a pair of line-level analogue input and coaxial and optical digital inputs. Listeners can connect two pairs of speakers with Speaker A/B switching, as well as a subwoofer. The C 3050 also has a dedicated headphone amplifier, and pre-out/ main-in jacks that let you connect a more powerful amplifier and or 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.

FEATURES:

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 Technology
Continuous Power: 100 Watts 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
High-performance TI PCM5242 differential DAC
Ultra-low-noise MM phono stage with infrasonic filtering circuitry
One optical, one coaxial digital input
Pre-amp out / Main-in connections
HDMI eARC input
One set of line-level analogue inputs with low-noise buffer amplifiers
Speaker A / SpeakerB outputs
Subwoofer output
Dedicated headphone amplifier
IR remote control
CI-Friendly IR remote, 12V Trigger out, IR in

Performance Specs
Watts RMS per Channel (8-ohms)	100
Watts RMS per Channel (4-ohms)	100
Frequency Bandwidth	20-20kHz
THD	0.03%
Minimum Impedance	4 ohms
Signal to Noise Ratio	>95dB
Digital Music Features
Built-in DAC (Digital to Analog Converter)	Texas Instruments PCM5242
Bluetooth	Two-Way aptX HD
Wi-Fi	Yes, on optional MDC2 card
Connections
Phono Input	Yes (MM)
Optical Digital Inputs	1
Coaxial Digital Inputs	1
USB Input	Yes, on optional MDC2 card
Preamp Outputs	Stereo RCA Pre-outs, sub out
Headphone Output	1/4" front panel jack and Bluetooth
Dimensions
Width	435mm
Height	110mm
Depth	355mm
Weight (net)	10kg

C3050
Data Sheet

What is Dirac Live?

Dirac Live is an advanced room correction and sound optimisation technology that dramatically improves your audio experience. By analysing how sound behaves in your space, it automatically adjusts your speakers to eliminate distortion, correct timing issues, and balance the overall sound.

When integrated with an AVR, Dirac Live measures the acoustic characteristics of your space using a calibrated microphone, analysing how sound interacts with the room. It then adjusts the speaker’s output to ensure that the sound is balanced and true-to-source, regardless of the room’s shape, size, or materials. This process includes aligning the timing and phase of the speakers to provide a cohesive, immersive sound field—something that would be impossible to achieve with just speaker placement alone.

Contrary to basic EQ systems that mainly flatten the frequency response, Dirac Live corrects both the frequency and impulse response. This means it not only addresses tonal balance but also ensures that transient sounds (like a clap or a drum hit) are reproduced cleanly without smearing or delay. With its capability to adjust for phase issues between speaker drivers, Dirac Live creates a more accurate and immersive audio experience that feels more natural and more true to the recording . By using Dirac Live, you’re essentially enhancing the performance of your sound system by making the sound more realistic and detailed, even in challenging spaces.

Select Bluesound and NAD products are compatible with Dirac.
Unless otherwise stated, a Dirac software license is required (sold separately).

Want to learn more? Check out this video about room correction:

Ready to go? Check out the official Calibration Guide to see how it's done:

Performance Specs
Watts RMS per Channel (8-ohms)	100
Watts RMS per Channel (4-ohms)	100
Frequency Bandwidth	20-20kHz
THD	0.03%
Minimum Impedance	4 ohms
Signal to Noise Ratio	>95dB
Digital Music Features
Built-in DAC (Digital to Analog Converter)	Texas Instruments PCM5242
Bluetooth	Two-Way aptX HD
Wi-Fi	Yes, on optional MDC2 card
Connections
Phono Input	Yes (MM)
Optical Digital Inputs	1
Coaxial Digital Inputs	1
USB Input	Yes, on optional MDC2 card
Preamp Outputs	Stereo RCA Pre-outs, sub out
Headphone Output	1/4" front panel jack and Bluetooth
Dimensions
Width	435mm
Height	110mm
Depth	355mm
Weight (net)	10kg