All amplifier measurements are performed independently by BHK Labs. All measurement data and graphical information displayed below are the property of the SoundStage! Network and Schneider Publishing Inc. Reproduction in any format is not permitted.
Notes: Measurements of the NAD C 275BEE power amplifier were taken at 120V AC line voltage, both channels driven. Both channels were measured, using the fixed-level inputs. Unless otherwise indicated, the data reported below are for the right channel.
Power output (stereo mode)
- Power output at 1% THD+N: 192.0W @ 8 ohms, 201.0W @ 4 ohms
- Power output at 10% THD+N: 203.8W @ 8 ohms, 243.8W @ 4 ohms
Power output (mono mode)
- Power output at 1% THD+N: 354.1W @ 8 ohms
- Power output at 10% THD+N: 468.7W @ 8 ohms
Additional data
- Input/output polarity: noninverting
- AC-line current draw at idle: 65.0W, 0.78A, 0.71PF
- Gain (stereo, Lch/Rch): output voltage divided by input voltage, 8-ohm load
- Fixed input: 28.6X/28.5X, 29.1dB/29.1dB
- Variable input, full clockwise: 50.7X/50.0X, 34.1dB/34.0dB
- Gain (mono), output voltage divided by input voltage, 8-ohm load
- Fixed input: 57.2X, 35.2dB
- Variable input, full clockwise: 101.1X, 40.1dB
- Input sensitivity for 1W output into 8 ohms (stereo, Lch/Rch)
- Fixed input: 98.9mV/99.2mV
- Variable input, full clockwise: 55.8mV/56.6mV
- Input sensitivity for 1W output into 8 ohms (mono)
- Fixed input: 59.4mV
- Variable input, full clockwise: 28.0mV
- Output impedance @ 50Hz
- Stereo mode: 0.042 ohm
- Mono mode: 0.084 ohm
- Input impedance @ 1kHz (stereo)
- Fixed input: 10.3k ohms
- Variable input, full clockwise: 205k ohms
- Input impedance @ 1kHz (mono)
- Fixed input: 10.3k ohms
- Variable input, full clockwise: 163k ohms
- Output noise with fixed input (stereo mode), 8-ohm load, termination 1k ohm, Lch/Rch
- Wideband: 0.45mV/0.33mV, -76.0dBW/-78.9dBW
- A weighted: 0.0257mV/0.0264mV, -100.8dBW/-100.6dBW
- Output noise with variable input set full clockwise (stereo mode), 8-ohm load, termination 1k ohm, Lch/Rch
- Wideband: 0.38mV/0.37mV, -77.4dBW/-77.7dBW
- A weighted: 0.0391mV/0.0433mV, -97.2dBW/-96.3dBW
- Output noise with fixed input (mono mode), 8-ohm load, termination 1k ohm
- Wideband: 0.70mV, -72.1dBW
- A weighted: 0.0540mV, -94.4dBW
- Output noise with variable input set full clockwise (mono mode), 8-ohm load, termination 1k ohm
- Wideband: 0.64mV, -72.9dBW
- A weighted: 0.0821mV, -90.7dBW
Measurements summary
The C 275BEE appears to be a linear design with load-sensing circuitry that causes it to output about the same amount of power into 4 or 8 ohms; usually, a solid-state power amp produces quite a bit more power into 4 ohms.
Chart 1 shows the frequency response of the C 275BEE with varying loads. In mono mode (not shown), the high-frequency rolloff was about twice that shown in Chart 1. In both cases, the output impedance was low enough that there was negligible variation with the NHT dummy speaker load.
The distortion measured in the C 275BEE’s left channel was quite a bit better than in the right. Chart 2 illustrates how the NAD’s total harmonic distortion plus noise (THD+N) vs. power varied for 1kHz and SMPTE intermodulation test signals, and with amplifier output for 8- and 4-ohm loads. Chart 2A shows the results for 8-ohm loading in mono mode. NAD does not recommend 4-ohm loading for the C 275BEE in mono mode.
Chart 3 plots the C 275BEE’s THD+N as a function of frequency at different power levels. The rise in distortion with frequency in the right channel is quite pronounced. Chart 3A shows the same measurement taken for the left channel.
The NAD’s plot of damping factor vs. frequency, shown in Chart 4, is typical of most solid-state power amplifiers: high at low frequencies, then declining throughout the audioband. In mono mode, the damping factor (not shown) was about half that indicated in Chart 4 -- a normal situation, as the two output channels are in series with the load.
Chart 5 shows a spectrum of the C 275BEE’s harmonic distortion and noise residue in a 10W, 1kHz test signal. AC-line harmonics are low but relatively complex. Signal harmonics are dominated by the third harmonic, with the second and higher harmonics of decreasing magnitude.
Chart 1 - Frequency response of output voltage as a function of output loading
Stereo mode
Red line = open circuit
Magenta line = 8-ohm load
Blue line = 4-ohm load
Chart 2 - Distortion as a function of power output and output loading
Chart 2A
Stereo mode
(Line up at 50W to determine lines)
Top line = 4-ohm SMPTE IM distortion
Second line = 8-ohm SMPTE IM distortion
Third line = 4-ohm THD+N
Bottom line = 8-ohm THD+N
Chart 2B
Mono mode
(Line up at 100W to determine lines)
Top line = 8-ohm SMPTE IM distortion
Second line = 8-ohm THD+N
Chart 3 - Distortion as a function of power output and frequency
Chart 3A
Stereo mode
(8-ohm loading, Rch)
Red line = 1W
Magenta line = 10W
Blue line = 30W
Cyan line = 70W
Green line = 150W
Chart 3B
Stereo mode
(8-ohm loading, Lch)
Red line = 1W
Magenta line = 10W
Blue line = 70W
Cyan line = 150W
Chart 4 - Damping factor as a function of frequency
Stereo mode
Damping factor = output impedance divided into 8
Chart 5 - Distortion and noise spectrum
Stereo mode
1kHz signal at 10W into an 8-ohm load