NAD

C 3050 LE Integrated Amplifier

£1,799 RRP

New Acoustic Dimension started back in 1972, and by 1979 was famous for its world-beating 3020 integrated amplifier. Arguably the world's first-ever budget audiophile design, it sold bucketloads to impoverished music fans for decades. It also gave NAD the reputation it has now, that of a no-frills, no-nonsense brand that reproduces music enjoyably and reliably. For example, my own NAD 402 tuner and 917 AV processor worked flawlessly for decades until I finally parted with them.

UP CLOSE

The C 3050 LE has been launched to commemorate NAD's fiftieth anniversary. It is stylistically inspired by the NAD 3030 that immediately preceded the 3020. Only 1972 units will be produced, priced at (you guessed it!) $1,972 in the USA. Okay, it's not small change, but it certainly won't break the bank either. Its styling follows the old 3030 closely with similar front-panel power meters and the same logo and cursive script. The modern descendant omits the spring-loaded speaker terminals and tape DIN socket of the past, neither of which will be missed today!

Lifting the unit is a surprise – the lightweight 10kg chassis results from the customised HybridDigital UcD modules from Hypex and a switched-mode power supply. Measuring a compact 450x110x355mm, you would be forgiven for thinking that this amplifier isn't powerful. However, with a claimed continuous power output of 100W RMS per side (into both 8 and 4 ohm loads) and peak current delivery of over 20A, the C3050 LE should drive most loudspeakers with ease.

The front panel is vintage alright, with tone control and balance knobs and a selector for two pairs of speakers. A central row of push buttons select the active input (phono, line, optical, coaxial and HDMI), while two touch-sensitive buttons on the right select BluOS-D or Bluetooth. The power-up sequence starts with the meter lights glowing angrily in red, before switching to white. A few seconds later, the speaker output relays kick in. From cold, it took a lengthy twenty-seven seconds before the NAD was ready to play music.

The nicely weighted volume control rotates freely, indicating the volume level via a row of LEDs below. While the LED indicators can be dimmed or switched off, the meter lights are switched on permanently. The meters can be toggled via a rear switch to display either signal level or speaker power output. However, if used as a power amplifier, they do not function.

You can also connect your wired headphones to the NAD via the 6.3mm socket on the front panel, or for Bluetooth headphones via the two-way aptX HD Bluetooth module. The rear panel suggests that the NAD is focused more on streaming and digital sources. A single HDMI eARC facilitates connection to your TV, while an optical and coaxial input take in digital signals. There is a single USB-A input for playing back files on a flash or hard drive. In a growing trend, there is no USB-B input.

There are two analogue inputs – one is line-level, and the other is for a moving magnet cartridge. A subwoofer and 12V trigger output are also provided. Purists should note that the analogue ins are digitised for processing inside the NAD, so your prized vinyl LPs will be handled in the digital domain whether you like it or not! The pre- and power amp sections of the NAD are connected via supplied bridging links and can be separated if required.

The unit comes pre-fitted with the company's MDC2 BluOS-D module, which provides streaming, multi-room, and room correction software capability. Word on the street is that NAD will release a regular version of the C 3050 in the future sans MDC2 for a lower price. BluOS is one of the leading multi-room music ecosystems on the market, and the app is polished and well thought-out. You can stream from popular streaming services (including Amazon Music, Deezer, Qobuz, Spotify and Tidal) and internet radio stations.

BluOS isn't perfect, though. There is no support for DLNA/UPnP media servers, and neither is there support for DSD files. Some legwork will be required for BluOS to connect to your music library via SMB file sharing, while DSD files must be converted to FLAC first. My Roon server was able to connect to the NAD as a Roon end-point, so you could also use that as an alternative to BluOS.

The MDC2 also brings Dirac, the popular room correction software to the table. Download the Dirac Live app, hook up the supplied microphone, and follow the on-screen instructions. Dirac will take up to seven measurements in different locations (you can take one measurement point, although Dirac recommends a minimum of three). It will suggest an automatic target curve, or you could adjust this to suit your preference. However, the included licence restricts Dirac adjustments to 500Hz and below unless you shell out an additional US$99 for a full licence. Since most room-related issues are in the low-frequency region, this is a reasonable compromise.

While the NAD is solid and generally well put together, the front bezel and chassis cover were not flush, with a slight bowing towards the centre. Also, the cheap binding posts and RCA sockets on the rear are a let-down for the asking price. The amp wasn't fussy about partnering gear and drove all of my speakers without any issues (KEF LS50, Tannoy Kensington GR and Falcon LS3/5A Gold Badge). The best match was with the KEFs, which were used for the rest of the listening sessions…

THE LISTENING

Past experience with NAD products suggested that this amplifier would have a warm and inoffensive sound, which was pretty close to the mark. The 3050 LE gives a warm tone and a weighty bass, the latter being nimble, articulate and flowing. Class D detractors often criticise the technology for having a mechanical one-note bottom end and for sounding flat and sterile, but I heard no hints of this – thanks in no small part to the UcD power modules being some of the best sounding around.

Listening to Sweet Child O' Mine by Guns n Roses, the vocals from Axl Rose and the guitar work from Slash et al were reproduced clearly and with good separation. Steven Adler's drumming was tight, impactful and fast. The fullness in the midbass gave this track a solid foundation and warmth, avoiding the harshness that tends to plague loud tracks like this. Similarly, Kim Min-seok's clear and slightly nasal vocals shone through while listening to Love, Maybe by MeloMance.

Acoustic tracks like Be Yourself by EB Duet, showed the NAD's high level of transparency and detail. Both Eve Wong's vocals and Billy Ho's guitar work were reproduced with ruler-flat neutrality and fine detail. Likewise, Jacqueline du Pre and Daniel Barenboim performing Beethoven's Cello Sonata No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 5 No. 2: 1(a) Adagio sostenuto ed espressivo live at the Edinburgh Festival had me captivated by the realistic soundstage and instrumental tone. I could hear the expressiveness and emotional engagement in the performance. I was so engrossed that I was shocked by the coughing at the 5:26 and 5:44 marks; I turned around to realise that I was alone in my listening room – so full points for realism!

The cymbals and hi-hats on Barbados by Arne Domnerus from the audiophile favourite Jazz at the Pawnshop were conveyed clearly with incisiveness and natural decay. There was no hint of high-frequency roll-off or restraint. Class D designs require a low-pass output filter to reduce ultrasonic noise, and lesser incarnations have been known to kill air and high-frequency naturalness, but this didn't happen here.

Activating Dirac was a surprise for me. Apart from the expected reduction in bass boom, I also enjoyed improved bottom-end detail, midrange transparency and soundstage precision. Despite being restricted to frequencies below 500Hz, the midrange presentation moved a few rows back, and improved focus and delicacy was audible. The differences were as noticeable as upgrading a component, and there were no downsides, so consider Dirac a free system upgrade.

The phono stage sounded decent enough, with good clarity and low noise. It did not have the effortlessness nor dynamics of more costly phono stages, so trying out an external unit may be worthwhile if vinyl is your main source. The low output impedance headphone stage sounded good and had enough drive for most of the headphones I had around the house, with one caveat – stick to sensible loads. My Audeze LCD 2.1 sounded strained at higher volumes. Otherwise, the quality is likely to please, so check one more box for reducing the component count!

THE VERDICT

If you're a classic hi-fi fan, the new NAD 3050 LE is undeniably attractive, both aesthetically and as a musical performer. It takes a classic nineteen-seventies look and adds a totally modern integrated amplifier with excellent connectivity. It's a powerful, engaging and fun thing to listen to, with a characteristically NAD 'house sound' – namely warm and gutsy, with no harshness. To top it off, DIRAC is the game-changer here and comfortably sets it apart from the competition. Overall, it's well worth auditioning if you're a digital fan – with only its non-native handling of analogue signals letting the side down.

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