NAD C 298 Power Amplifier With Purifi Eigentakt Amplification

[vitty0425]

Hey all, I’m looking at either getting a VTV Purifi eval1 stereo amp or the NAD C298. I currently have an RME ADI-2 DAC FS. Planning to run balanced cables to either of the power amp. My question is.. how do I integrate subwoofers with just the RME DAC?

I see the C298 has two RCA line outs. If I am connecting this to a single or dual SVS subwoofers, would this act similar to a pre-out? Then I can use crossover settings / low pass on the sub’s amp?

Otherwise I was thinking of replacing the RME with the PRO version since it has dual DACs or getting a MINIDSP SHD and that would easily allow me to integrate subs. Which would be advised?

 

[litemotiv]

Hey all, I’m looking at either getting a VTV Purifi eval1 stereo amp or the NAD C298. I currently have an RME ADI-2 DAC FS. Planning to run balanced cables to either of the power amp. My question is.. how do I integrate subwoofers with just the RME DAC?

You can use both the balanced and unbalanced on the RME at the same time, is there a reason you don't want to do that?

 

[vitty0425]

You can use both the balanced and unbalanced on the RME at the same time, is there a reason you don't want to do that?

Wait so you’re telling me I can connect the balanced out from my regular RME DAC FS to the VTV / C298 Purifi power amp. Then run RCA out to my subwoofers and play it as a 2.1 setup? I didn’t even know this was a possibility. I see that the RME PRO version has 2 dacs so the outputs of 3/4 can be used to drive subs. Hence why I am intrigued about the Pro FS version.

Otherwise, the line out of the C298 will not serve as a pre-out to connect to subs that way?

 

[litemotiv]

Wait so you’re telling me I can connect the balanced out from my regular RME DAC FS to the VTV / C298 Purifi power amp. Then run RCA out to my subwoofers and play it as a 2.1 setup? I didn’t even know this was a possibility. I see that the RME PRO version has 2 dacs so the outputs of 3/4 can be used to drive subs. Hence why I am intrigued about the Pro FS version.

Otherwise, the line out of the C298 will not serve as a pre-out to connect to subs that way?

You can run XLR from the RME to the C298 and RCA L/R to the subwoofers (mono) yes!

The RME PRO has 2 DAC's i think in order to playback and record at the same time, so that serves a different purpose.

 

[Chagall]

You can run XLR from the RME to the C298 and RCA L/R to the subwoofers (mono) yes!

The RME PRO has 2 DAC's i think in order to playback and record at the same time, so that serves a different purpose.

Yeah, but can RME high pass main XLR and low pass RCA independently?

 

[litemotiv]

Yeah, but can RME high pass main XLR and low pass RCA independently?

They would both be the same signal so you would have to use the low pass on the subs to dial them in manually.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

I see the C298 has two RCA line outs. If I am connecting this to a single or dual SVS subwoofers, would this act similar to a pre-out? Then I can use crossover settings / low pass on the sub’s amp?

These will convey out whatever in coming in to the C298.

 

[aslan7]

Just for the record, I have the VTV Eval 1 and the RME DAC and am very delighted with it.

 

[Rottmannash]

I just got my VTV Eval-1 up and running. I was a bit skeptical with the Class D and accounts of VTV issues... but overall very satisfied and impressed with the Eigentakt platform. Night and day upgrade from my Marantz PM6007 which was a bit under-powered for my Focal Chora 826s.

One question for you: I'm getting an audible idle hiss when you get about 6 inches from the tweeter. Have you experienced this with yours?

No.

 

[eduardw]

Yesterday I ordered two NAD c 298 they will replace my 17 year old acoustic reality ear power amps. The Nad will power my front and center speaker.
The Ear power amps will power my for surround speaker. I hope to receive them by next weekend.

 

[nick-v]

I finally ordered my C298 today.

It will be paired with a miniDSP SHD driving some Wisdom Audio in-walls in a living room "lifestyle" system (with dual subs).

Should be here sometime next week, although it might be a month or so before I get the system installed.

 

[matteroll]

So the manual says to not use a speaker switch due to grounding (i think) but I'd like to share that I've been using a passive one for the past few days without any issue. I'm sure speaker switches are wired differently depending on the brand and type so your mileage may vary.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

So the manual says to not use a speaker switch due to grounding (i think) but I'd like to share that I've been using a passive one for the past few days without any issue. I'm sure speaker switches are wired differently depending on the brand and type so your mileage may vary.

The issue is that the switch box should switch both + and - sides of the speaker cable but some cheap out and only switch the +; they short together all the - sided of the connected amps.

 

[matteroll]

The issue is that the switch box should switch both + and - sides of the speaker cable but some cheap out and only switch the +; they short together all the - sided of the connected amps.

Thanks for the detailed reply, I knew that not all switch boxes are made equally but never knew why. If for example, I have a speaker switch box that shorts together all the - sides, will that just short the amplifier and damage it? I'm not really knowledgeable on the subject matter.

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Thanks for the detailed reply, I knew that not all switch boxes are made equally but never knew why. If for example, I have a speaker switch box that shorts together all the - sides, will that just short the amplifier and damage it? I'm not really knowledgeable on the subject matter.

Whether it matters depends on the design of the amp. Obviously, many such switches are offered to the public and used without problems because many (most?) amps are not affected by having one side of their output pair shared with another (similar) amp. The C298 is not one of them, according to NAD, and I am not game enough to find out if they are over-cautious. I think is applies to all the Purifi-based amps.

 

[mSpot]

Whether it matters depends on the design of the amp. Obviously, many such switches are offered to the public and used without problems because many (most?) amps are not affected by having one side of their output pair shared with another (similar) amp. The C298 is not one of them, according to NAD, and I am not game enough to find out if they are over-cautious. I think is applies to all the Purifi-based amps.

In general, it applies to amps that have balanced speaker outputs. That is the case for Purifi, Hypex and probably some other class D designs.

 

[lkilon]

I have firmware 2.1. Checked firmware many times 5-10 sec. and 2 blink 1 blink. Unit is brand new. No buzz from speakers. Buzz from amp. I hear it only when it is not playing. Should I return the unit? Turned off automaticly when i had medium auto sense and very silent music, so set to low, but not checked if it will turn off with low volume. So what you think? Return the unit?

 

[SIY]

I have firmware 2.1. Checked firmware many times 5-10 sec. and 2 blink 1 blink. Unit is brand new. No buzz from speakers. Buzz from amp. I hear it only when it is not playing. Should I return the unit? Turned off automaticly when i had medium auto sense and very silent music, so set to low, but not checked if it will turn off with low volume. So what you think? Return the unit?

Yes, amps shouldn't be making mechanical noises.

 

[JoetheLion]

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Does anyone know the difference with the C298? The specs seem to be very similar.

 

[nothingman]

Well that didn’t take them all that long. The Masters version of the C298. The build quality will certainly be better, but it’s hard to imagine it’s worth the 1400€ difference. Gotta wonder what that spread will be in USD.

Here’s side by side comparison of the published spec on the German website. No word of this model on the US website yet.

Very little in the way of promised spec differences, which is to be expected given the guts of the system is the same.

Negibible power difference in terms of real world dBs, and no extra dynamic power. They’re just working at the edges here, and “>98 db” on the SNR spec doesn’t tell us much. I notice the German website has far less spec details than the US website. [sorry, thought I was looking at the NAD website]