NAD C 268 User Manual

C 268 STEREO POWER AMPLIFIER

Powerful. Innovative. Efficient.

Introducing the NAD C 268.
Expansive Power

The C 268 is an amazingly affordable amplifier with features and technology unmatched
by other amplifiers in its class. This advanced amplifier includes many cutting edge
technological breakthroughs developed by NAD over a 40-year history of creating
affordable ultra-high performance audio components.

Amazing Flexibility

The C 268 may be a basic Power Amp, but we have carefully thought through all the use
cases typically encountered to create a rich feature content. The C 268 features amazing
flexibility. Selectable balanced inputs make the C 268 a natural for connection to High
End Preamps and Processors. These inputs include a trim control useful for matching to
other components or for use in Bi-amping Speakers. A line out allows further addition
of power on the same channel for additional speakers or subwoofers. Added to all this
connectivity is a Bridge Switch that turns the C 268 into an amazingly powerful Monobloc
Amplifier. Alternatively the C 268 can be paired with our NAD C 368 Integrated DAC
Amp, and with both units bridged for Mono, 300 distortion-free watts per channel are
available for your listening pleasure! Auto-sense with selectable threshold is perfect for
automating complex systems or hiding the amp out of sight in a cabinet. We even include
a Ground Lug that can be very useful for eliminating ground loops and noise in complex
multi-unit systems. Added to all this connectivity is a Bridge Switch that turns the C 268
into an amazingly powerful Monobloc Amplifier. Start with one and add a second C 268
later when you upgrade your speakers.

FEATURES & DETAILS

• 80W x 2 Continuous Power into 8 or 4
Ohms

• Stereo Dynamic Power 120/200/250 @
8/4/2 Ohms

• 300W x 1 Continuous Power into 8 or 4
Ohms Bridge Mode

• Mono Dynamic Power 500/540W @ 8/4
Ohms

• Balanced Line Inputs

• Single-Ended Line Inputs

• Variable Input Level Control

• Line Output for Daisy Chaining

• 12V Trigger In/Out

• Auto Turn-on with Selectable Threshold

• Ground Lug

• Detachable AC Power Cord

Getting the Basics Right

It is surprising how many seemingly advanced products in the
market today often miss many of the most basic requirements
for satisfying performance. Low noise circuits, accurate channel
balance, proper input and output impedance characteristics,
high overload margins and stability with difficult speaker loads.
NAD starts by getting these things precisely right and advances
from there. Our line inputs, both Balanced and Single-ended,
can accommodate all kinds of analogue source components by
offering ideal input impedance characteristics with linear ultra­low-noise buffer amplifiers to prevent any sonic degradation
caused by inappropriate loading of the source device. These are
all details you can hear.

Sophisticated Power

NAD has moved away from the old fashioned and power hungry
linear power supplies and Class AB output stages that waste
nearly half of the energy consumed producing heat rather than
sound. Instead we have developed even better performing circuits
based on switch mode power supplies and Class D output stages.
Once thought to be inferior to traditional topologies, NAD’s ad­vanced work in this area has created some of the best perform­ing amplifiers regardless of basic design principle. These new
designs are very linear over a wide bandwidth, providing dramatic
advances over previous models with consistent performance into
all speaker loads.

The power supply is capable of nearly 200 watts continuously
and over 500 watts instantaneously to allow for short term musi­cal transients. Innovative Asymmetrical PowerDrive fully utilizes
every last watt available with its vast reserves of dynamic
power available to accurately reproduce musical transients with­out distortion or compression. It can operate with any AC mains
voltage from 100V to 240V and provides pure DC power to all
the various stages of the C 268. This highly efficient supply also
provides near perfect regulation of voltage across a wide range
of conditions and provides a solid noise-free foundation for the
amplifying stages.

The C 268 uses a customised version of the proven Hypex UcD
output stage. This allows for massive power with nearly unmea­surable distortion and noise in the audible range. Every detail of
this design has been carefully crafted and perfectly executed to
wring out every last drop of performance.