NAD C446 review

The market moves fast; this needs an update and price cut to get back in the game Tested at £695

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

The market moves fast; this needs an update and price cut to get back in the game

Pros

  • +

    A delivery that's smooth and refined, but also subtly dynamic and detailed

Cons

  • -

    Competition is now cheaper

  • -

    lacks features, including AirPlay

  • -

    can't match best for timing and punch

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When we first reviewed this NAD, the Marantz NA7004 was the same price. While it couldn’t match the NA7004 for sonic excitement or features, the C446 offered a different delivery with its own charms.

Now, with the Marantz costing £265 less, this NAD is decidedly less charming.

The audio presentation hasn’t changed at all, of course, and those who like it smooth will find much to love. Like the Denon DNP-720AE, the NAD favours fluidity and refinement over attack and excitement, but the C446 also has a subtlety that its £250 contemporary can’t match.

The way it handles small-scale dynamics makes it the perfect foil for the nuance of a stripped-back acoustic recording such as Bonnie Prince Billie’s Wolf Among Wolves, and it’s perfectly capable of digging up the fine detail that breathes life into live sets.

Price gap is a problem
However, the NAD can’t match the Marantz for timing or attack. We could forgive that when they cost the same, but that price gap makes it a real problem.

What’s more, this expensive unit is also the least well-specified. The NAD has built-in wi-fi, internet radio and Last.fm, but it lacks AirPlay and support for 24-bit music; and if you want to connect an iDevice, you’re going to need to fork-out extra for the dedicated dock.

There’s no first-party control app, either, and we found using the standard remote to be a rather fiddly experience.

In this shaken-up class of streamers, the NAD now looks expensive, under-specified and sonically subdued – and that’s not a combination that sits well. Hence a drop to three stars.

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What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.

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