NAD C658 • Obsessed Garage

Description

The NAD C658 is a streaming DAC (Digital to Analog Converter) pre-amp designed for critical stereo listening. Built into it is the BlueOS streaming advanced operating system. This software allows you to access and stream lossless music up to 24-bit/192kHz to any room using your home’s network.

One thing that makes this amp cool is NAD’s upgrade path. To update the software on this unit and do HDMI switching, you’ll need the MDC (Modular Design Construction). On the back of the C658, there are two empty slots for the MDC to go in. Think of it like a PC where you can put in a different video card. This advanced technology makes this unit 4k capable and has 3 HDMI in and 1 HDMI out port.

Having a dedicated preamp like the NAD C658 solves my/your HDMI issue in the instance where we want to run a display without having to go with a full-blown home receiver. What we did with John’s garage in Atlanta was connect this unit to the Dynaudio Core Studio Monitors that have the amplifiers built into them.

The C658 also features Dirac Live room correction. This software prioritizes the speaker's impulse response alongside its frequency balance in the room - improving the imaging of your sound system and the clarity of your music.

Here’s what my setup looks like:

I get that this may be overkill for most people, but it’s what I wanted, and it looks/sounds freaking amazing.