Published On: June 4, 2018

NAD Introduces New C 538 CD Player

Published On: June 4, 2018
Last Updated on: October 31, 2020
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NAD Introduces New C 538 CD Player

Designed for Redbook audio enthusiasts on a budget, the C 538 features a Wolfson High Spec 24/192 DAC and support for MP3 and WMA playback.

NAD Introduces New C 538 CD Player

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Think the CD is dead? Well, okay, you'd be mostly correct in that, but these five-inch shiny discs still have their devotees. And why don't those devotees deserve a rocking disc player with great performance for not a lot of money? That's what the new NAD C 538 CD Player represents: a great disc player with a high-performance DAC, WMA and MP3 file playback (via burned discs, since there's not an Ethernet input or USB port to be found anywhere on its chassis), and utter simplicity of operation.

In fact, "utter simplicity" is probably the best way of describing this one. It's been a long time since we've seen an audio component with so few outputs--just digital coaxial and optical, along with a stereo line-level output.

But really, what more do you need?

For complete deets, read the complete press release below:

NAD Electronics, the highly regarded manufacturer of high-performance audio/video components, announced their new C 538, a performance CD player engineered for musicality, simplicity and value - all virtues true to the brand's proud tradition. Designed as either a music lover's first CD player or as a quality replacement, the C 538 employs many of the same engineering techniques found in audiophile players but at a fraction of the price. The C 538 is available now with an MSRP of $299.

Though music downloads and streaming continue to grow in popularity, many consumers still have a vast collection of CDs and need a quality player to enjoy them. NAD has been at the forefront of digital technology and offered excellent CD players for decades. In fact, as many manufacturers have ceased production of CD players, the demand amongst existing manufacturers has increased. As a result, NAD has continued to develop its CD players as part of its leadership in digital technology.

Many of the techniques NAD has perfected for Hi-Res Audio playback have been applied to the venerable CD format, including a high precision clock for lowest possible digital jitter performance and the latest generation Wolfson High Spec 24/192 DAC. The C 538 outputs include Stereo Analogue along with Coaxial and Optical Digital Outputs.

The C 538 supports MP3 and WMA playback. In addition to playing CD discs, it is also compatible with CD-R/CD-RW discs, allowing you to play customized CDs burned from a computer. Because these songs are encoded in MP3 or WMA, the user can fit up to 10 hours of music on a single disc which is perfect for party mixes or ambient listening. There are also both optical and coaxial digital outputs that allow connection to an external DAC or digital component (like an AVR) to provide the most efficient and best sounding system setups. The C 538 comes supplied with an IR remote and detachable AC cord.

The NAD C 538 includes many desirable features that enhance listening experiences. Front panel controls are duplicated on the hand held remote allowing Play, Pause, Skip, and Scan functions. In addition, many more features are available from the remote handset, such as Random: Tracks/files are played at random mode, Program: Enter or exit program mode, Repeat: Track, file or whole disc is repeated, and RPT A-B: Playback sequence is repeated. The dimmable dot matrix display shows tracks and total playing time. Track time, disc time and remaining time are all clearly viewable.

"Although music downloads and streaming continue to grow in popularity, CDs are still the primary listening source for millions of people around the world," explained Greg Stidsen, NAD's Director of Technology and Product Planning. "NAD continues to innovate and develop its CD players to get improved performance while keeping prices affordable. So, whether you are creating your first home system, or upgrading your current CD player, music lovers should choose one like the C 538 that delivers high quality sound."

Complete Features of the NAD C 538 CD Player:

      • Plays CD, CD-R and CD-RW
      • Supports MP3 and WMA playback
      • Wolfson High Spec 24/192 DAC
      • Stereo Analogue Output
      • Coaxial Digital Output
      • Optical Digital Output
      • Repeat Mode for single track or entire CD
      • Program Play up to 20 tracks
      • Random Play
      • Functions: Repeat, Track, File Folder, All, A-B
      • Comes supplied with IR Remote
      • Detachable AC cord

Additional Resources
• Visit the NAD website for more product information.
NAD T 777 V3 Seven-Channel AV Receiver Reviewed at HomeTheaterReview.com.
What AV System Would You Buy for a 14-Year-Old? at HomeTheaterReview.com.

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