Test digital tuner NAD C446

In fact, NAD C446 serves as media player, or rather its audio part. The main functional difference from the media player is that it can be connected to the Internet, allowing you to surf the network stations and play high-quality streaming audio. In addition, this unit is equipped with a high-quality FM/AM tuner with RDS function. Another feature is the presence of DAB-tuner for digital signal reception – although so far its presence in America is not relevant, but its presence in this device can be seen as a reserve for the future. NAD C446 also supports playback of music from USB-devices thumb drives, portable hard drives, etc.d. .

NETWORK CAPABILITIES

NAD C446 allows you to play digital music collections or streaming audio over the network with the highest possible quality that meets the criteria of hi-fi systems.

Network devices can be connected via DLNA and UPnP Universal Plug and Play . NAD C446 uses a UPnP Universal Plug and Play client to play audio files located on any of the devices on your home network as long as those devices also have UPnP support such as a computer, Android phone, Apple iOS device, NAS, etc.d.

The connection method can be either wireless Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet. Internet radio station search is done using the portal, created by NAD Electronics specifically for users of this device. Today the portal offers about 16 500 radio stations, and new ones are added every day.

The device is also able to support music streaming services, similar to last.fm probably the most famous portal of this type , – access to music as desired by the user by selecting tracks similar to those that are already in the collection.

As for access to audio files stored on hard drives, the network player offers the user easy navigation through the different folders of all devices in the home network. Information about the user’s music collection can be displayed on the unit’s front panel display, but this is by no means the only way to control and navigate comfortably.

Thanks to UPnP Digital Audio Renderer DAR technology you can browse folders and files, create playlists and sort files from anywhere in the house using one of the network devices.

Just connect your iPhone, iPad, Android or PC with Windows7 OS installed to your network and start managing your music collection. All major digital audio formats are supported: MP3, FLAC, WMA, WAV/PCM and AAC.

Of course, it is difficult to combine support for all existing formats in one device, also due to the corporate policy of their creators. For example, this unit does not support ALAC files an audio codec for lossless digital music compression developed by Apple Inc. . As it is written on the forum of NAD Electronics, this was Apple’s solution. There the creators also advise to convert unsupported files if necessary.

SOUND

It’s no secret that all technique, created by NAD Electronics, is focused on Hi-Fi lovers, and NAD C446 is no exception. The device is equipped with Burr Brown 24-bit/192 kHz DAC, which allows to transmit sound of HD level, and an analog audio pathway of the corresponding level.

A nice detail is the possibility to convert analog signal to digital and vice versa as you wish. For example, analog AM/FM radio signal can be transmitted via SPDIF digital output, and FLAC file format or any other supported digital format can be transferred via analog RCA output, which has gold-plated connectors.

SWITCHING AND CONTROL

For more versatility when connected NAD C446 has RS232 interface and 12V trigger input. Information about your music collection can be displayed on the unit’s front-panel display, but that’s not the only way to control and navigate comfortably.

Thanks to UPnP Digital Audio Renderer DAR technology user can browse folders and files, create playlists and sort files from anywhere in your home using one of the network devices.

Just connect your iPhone, iPad, Android or PC with Windows7 OS installed to your network and start managing your music collection. To recharge your iPhone, iPad, there is a docking station NAD IPD2, which can be connected to the device.