Full product details
Pure. Simple. Effective.
The C162 is everything it appears to be. Simple and easy to use and of course as the NAD logo implies, it is loaded with premium grade circuitry backed by decades of design experience that yields unparalleled performance.
Even in the digital world, the purist still exists. The arrival of the C162 marks the pinnacle of ultimate in performance combined with simplicity and ease-of-use. Now sound that is pure and true to original recordings can be enjoyed with the convenience of a remote control. With 6 line level inputs and 2 line level outputs, (including variable) 12-volt triggers and a remote control, the C162 offers the flexibility of a contemporary preamp with the ease of use previously found on those “simple” components of yesterday. Spec sheets alone can only prepare you for the experience of an NAD preamp, but it is an emotion best felt with a personal audition.
C162 Stereo Preamplifier Features
• 6 Line Level Inputs including 2 Tape In/Outputs with dubbing facility
• Switchable MM and MC Phono Input
• 2 Line Level Preamp Outputs; one is variable from 0dB to –12dB
• Gold Plated RCA Connectors
• Pure “Class A” Discrete Amplifier Modules
• Independent Headphone Amplifier
• Bass and Treble Control with Tone Defeat Switch
• “Blue Velvet” Alps motorized volume control
• Input switching through hermetically sealed relays
• NAD Link
• 12V Trigger Output
• NAD SR-5 Full System Remote Control
CLOSER LOOK
Features:
With 6 line inputs (two of which are Tape In/Out) and an MM/MC phono input available it’s unlikely you will run out of inputs to connect your sources to. The C 162 is fully remote controlled and comes supplied with the NAD C Series system remote control. As the C 162 has NAD Link, the remote control will also operate many other NAD products such as CD players, tuner etc. The headphone socket will drive virtually any non-electrostatic headphones.
It is fashionable to omit tone controls nowadays: However, provided that the tone controls are properly designed, they can really be a useful tool to make improvements to the overall sound. The C 162 tone controls only work at the frequency extremes leaving the critical mid-band essentially unaltered. The tone control circuits can be completely bypassed by using the tone defeat switch.
For remote on/off switching of ancillary components in a system, such as power amplifiers or active speakers, the C 162 is equipped with a 12V trigger system. When switching the pre-amplifier on, the 12V trigger output is also activated which in turn can activate a 12V trigger input and switch on the remote devices.
Unique is the Variable Pre-out 2 facility. Many systems can benefit from the use of multiple power amplifiers for “Bi-Amping” (using separate power amplifiers to drive the bass and treble section of a loudspeaker). Many speakers are all ready set up for this with separate inputs for the low and high frequency sections. But not all power amplifiers are identical in gain (amplification factor). With the Variable Pre-out 2 facility differences in loudness between power amplifiers up to 12dB can be dialled out precisely. The low output impedance on the Pre-outputs allow the C 162 to drive several power amplifiers in parallel and/ or the use of long interconnect cables (without the degradation of the performance that can so often become apparent when long cables are used).
Design:
Following NAD’s “Music First” design brief, the C 162 utilizes completely new, innovative circuit topology which allows for investment in high specification and close tolerance components. Metal film resistors, polypropylene capacitors, hermetically sealed relays and the Alps “Blue Velvet” motorized volume control are a few examples of this.
Special attention has been paid to the power supply section of the C 162. The toroidal transformer has 4 separate secondary windings followed by 6 main lownoise regulators. From here no less than 6 super lownoise subsidiary regulators and active filters are used to maximize supply rejection for all sections of the C 162 to more than 100dB.
Often other manufacturers disregard the importance of a phono stage. NAD recognizes the performance potential of a good turntable and has made sure that the C 162 will not be the limiting factor. The MC phono stage is built pretty much like a small “power amp” so that a wide range of MC cartridges can be used while keeping noise very low combined with a high overload margin. Likewise, the MM phono stage also can cope with a wide range of cartridges and operates entirely in Class A. The built-in infrasonic filter filters out unwanted rumble components from the turntable or record itself but without introducing any significant group delays. To ensure accurate RIAA response the entire circuit uses 1% tolerance metal film resistors and 2% tolerance capacitors.
Essentially the same circuitry used for the phono circuit is also used for both the line input and output stage: A modular FET amp operating in Class A. The line output stage is capable of driving 10V into 600 ohms. This, combined with the high input impedance of the line input amplifier (500k ohms) means that the C 162 can be combined with a vast range of sources and power amplifi ers. For the inputs themselves, the NAD engineers have opted for using relays rather then using electronic switching between sources. All input and output sockets are gold plated.
Often it is said that performance and convenience don’t go together, but the NAD Model C 162 is the exception to the rule. At this reasonable price, the Model C 162 deserves to partner with the finest of ancillary components.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
Phono Inputs
Input impedance (R and C):
• MM F500k ohms + 320pF
• MC 100 ohm + 1nF
Input sensitivity:
• MM 2.10mV MC
• MC 115microV
Input overload at 20Hz/1kHz/20kHz:
• MM 20mV / 230mV / 2V
• MC 1.3mV, 12mV, 110mV
Signal/Noise ratio (A-weighted w/ cartridge) :
• MM 80dB ref. 5mV
• MC 81dB ref. 0.5mV
Signal/Noise ratio (5V rms at Tape out) MM/MC : <0.03%
RIAA response accuracy: MM,MC ±0.4dB
Line Level Outputs
Output impedance:
• Pre Out 75 ohms
• Tape Source Z + 1k ohms
• Headphones 100 ohms
Maximum output level: • Pre Out 15V (IHF Load)
• Tape 15V (IHF Load)
• Headphones 190mV into 8 ohms
Controls (Volume Setting @ 12:00 position)
Treble: ±5dB@ 10kHz
Bass: ±5dB@ 50Hz
Physical Specification
Dimensions (W×H×D) : 435 x 80 x 285mm
Net Weight: 4.8kg
Shipping Weight: 6.0kg
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