NAD C538 Compact Disc Player

Douglas HiFi NAD C538 Notes : Many people are still after a good, musical sounding CD player that is reliable and not too expensive. The NAD C538 CD Player is engineered to a level normally reserved for far more expensive players. NAD is upholding a long tradition of delivering high quality, good value HiFi products that are easy to use, look good and sound musical. The C538 is the best value CD player we can find - it has a great midrange with a non-fatiguing sound that makes long CD listening sessions a musical pleasure.

A solid mechanical foundation is paramount in reducing external vibration and providing precise location of the CD drive mechanism. This allows smooth operation and a minimum of tracking errors. Heavy gauge steel and non-resonant plastic mouldings are carefully engineered to provide optimum results. The transport is mounted on reinforced steel rails and over 30 fasteners are used to lock the assembly together and maintain precise dimensional integrity.

Precise clocking of the digital data stream allows the built-in Wolfson 24 bit DAC to provide accurate linearity for the PCM digital data conversion to output on regular analogue RCA sockets. Audio OP Amps buffer the RCA output without adding noise or distortion to the music - this helps ensure compatibility with all RCA inputs. There are two digital outputs (Optical and Coaxial) to run into a seperate DAC Multi-layer PCBs using surface mount components allow for an enhanced circuit layout with very short signal paths. Powering these elements is a custom designed active power supply that provides multiple regulated voltages to the transport, digital circuits, analog circuits, and the control and display circuits. The result of this careful engineering is a sound that is at once both detailed and natural, with dramatic dynamic contrasts. 

NAD C538 Specifications

• Output level - Analog: 2.2 ± 0.1 V
• Frequency response - ±0.5 dB (ref. 0 dB 20 Hz-20 kHz)
• Total harmonic distortion - ≤0.01% (ref. 1 kHz, Audio LPF)c
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio - ≥110 dB (ref. 1 kHz, A-weighted)
• Channel balance - ±0.5 dB (ref. 0dB 1kHz)