Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE vs NAD C 3050 (with MDC2 BluOS-D module): which streaming amplifier is king?

The humble stereo amplifier has been at the core of any proper hi-fi system for decades, but for most of those it was useless until you added a source or two. These days that’s no longer the case.

Streaming amplifiers need nothing more than a pair of speakers to start singing, with amplification, DAC, connections and all the necessary network technology to play tunes from Spotify, Tidal et al already built in.

Cambridge Audio’s Evo 150 SE and the NAD C 3050 (with MDC2 BluOS-D module) are two of the best examples of this idea in action, but which premium streaming amplifier is better? Let’s take a look.

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Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE vs NAD C 3050 (with MDC2 BluOS-D module): price

When the original Cambridge Audio Evo 150 launched in 2021 it would have set you back £2249 / $3000 / AU$4299, but this revamped SE model comes in at £1999 / $3299 / AU$5795, which is nice if you live in the UK but less so if you don’t.

The standard NAD C 3050 is a stereo amplifier that costs £1349 / $1699 / AU$2699, but with the MDC2 BluOS-D module added to turn it into the Award-winning streaming amplifier, it raises the price tag to £1699 / $2199 / AU$3599. The price can fluctuate – we have seen it drop to £1499 during Black Friday, and at the time of writing, it’s available to order for £1749 in the UK.

Even without a discount that’s still a good £250 / $1100 / AU$2196 less than the Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE, which makes the NAD an easy winner as far as your bank balance is concerned.

**Winner: NAD C 3050 (with MDC2 BluOS-D module)**

Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE vs NAD C 3050 (with MDC2 BluOS-D module): features and connectivity

One of the Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE’s strong points is just how welcoming it is. If you’ve got something you want to plug into it, chances are you’ll find the necessary port or socket somewhere on the back.

RCA, optical, coaxial, USB (type B), balanced XLR, HDMI ARC and 3.5mm are all present and correct, plus you get two sets of speaker terminals too. There’s also a moving-magnet phono stage inside in case you want to hook up your turntable. It's an exhaustive list of connections that should keep everyone happy.

Its wireless capabilities come courtesy of Cambridge’s fourth-generation StreamMagic platform, so you get Bluetooth, AirPlay 2, and Google Cast, with Spotify, Qobuz, Tidal (and their Connect versions) all supported along with Amazon Music and Deezer. If you have a networked drive stuffed with digital music it’s also good news, as the Cambridge is UPnP compatible and can play hi-res files up to 32-bit/384kHz PCM and DSD256.

The C 3050 isn’t quite as well equipped on the physical connections front, but NAD has still found space for coaxial, optical, USB (type A), and HDMI eARC inputs, plus a 6.3mm headphone socket on the front. Like the Evo 150 SE, there’s also a moving-magnet phono stage built in. The essentials are covered, then.

Thanks to the MDC2 BluOS-D streaming module, which runs on the exhaustive BluOS streaming platform, the feature set is bountiful, although Google Cast is the only major omission. Spotify, Qobuz and Tidal Connect are available, as is Apple’s AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth, and it also has UPnP support for streaming hi-res files from your local network.

However, it doesn’t support DSD files (which might disappoint some) and PCM playback is limited to a maximum of 24-bit/192kHz. Considering most download sites don't offer tracks higher than that rate, we don't think it's an issue.

The NAD does also come with Dirac Live room-equalisation software, which is useful if your listening room is particularly troublesome from an acoustics point of view.

In terms of power, both use Class D amplification, but the Evo 150 SE also outmuscles the NAD. Cambridge boasts 150W per channel, while the NAD has a still-considerable 100W per channel (both into 8 ohms). It’s a knockout blow that means the Cambridge, combined with its greater features set and broader file compatibility, takes this round without breaking a sweat.

**Winner: Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE**

Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE vs NAD C 3050 (with MDC2 BluOS-D module): build and design

From an aesthetic point of view, these two streaming amplifiers could hardly be more different.

Cambridge Audio has gone for a modern look with the Evo 150 SE, although you can give it a slightly more retro feel by using the wooden side panels that come in the box rather than the plain black ones. The 6.8-inch colour screen on the front will always give it away as a contemporary bit of kit, though, and we do like how clearly it displays information.

The knurled control dial, which is used to select your sources, feels better to use than the looser-feeling volume one, and you also get a sleek remote control included. Much of your interaction with the Evo 150 SE is likely to be through the StreamMagic app, which is straightforward and intuitive to use.

The NAD C 3050, on the other hand, is very much a throwback, thanks in no small part to those lovely mechanical meters on the front. In fact, you’d be forgiven for mistaking it for something from the past century – and we mean that entirely as a compliment.

The walnut vinyl-covered casework is solid, the controls feel suitably sturdy and the whole thing has a premium feel to it, which is exactly what you want when spending this sort of cash.

What gives the C 3050 away as something more modern than its appearance might suggest is its compatibility with the BluOS app, which makes getting it to stream music simple and hassle-free.

Of course, which of these two styles you prefer will be entirely personal and may just come down to which one matches the rest of your system, which means this one has to go down as a draw.

**Winner: Draw**

Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE vs NAD C 3050 (with MDC2 BluOS-D module): sound

The NAD C 3050 (with MDC2 BluOS-D module) is a current What Hi-Fi? Award winner so it sets the benchmark as far as sound quality from a streaming amplifier is concerned at this price.

It offers a clear, spacious and expressive presentation from both the streaming module and the wired inputs, uncovering detail in a wonderfully organic way that makes vocals really shine.

We say in our review: “It has the midrange clarity and fluidity to shine with a vocal-based group such as The Unthanks. Detail levels are good, but it’s the organic way in which the C 3050 arranges all that detail that draws us into the music. It captures the texture and tone of the sisters’ voices superbly and so communicates the heartfelt passion in the title track, Mount The Air, better than most alternatives we’ve heard.”

There’s plenty of punch and power on offer too, with the necessary dynamism to deliver it properly, along with rich, full-bodied lows that manage to avoid ever sounding sludgy. In our review, we note that Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances Op.45 “sounds muscular, delivering lows with a richness and punch that’s enjoyable.”

Even when the music becomes demanding, the soundstaging remains reasonably expansive and nicely focused.

The phono stage is fairly quiet but we never felt the need to bypass it for a separate one when connected to our Rega Planar 2/Nd3. It sounds agile, informative and dynamically interesting – NAD has done a great job of its built-in phono preamp here.

In comparison, the Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE is even more powerful, but it can struggle to match the NAD C 3050 when it comes to rhythmic cohesion and dynamic subtlety.

Our review notes that it’s capable of “a fluid and spacious sound that is wonderfully clear and detailed”, but you do need to be careful to pair it with the right set of speakers or it can sound rather emotionally detached. Paired with the KEF LS50 Meta or PMC Prodigy 5 speakers, there is a greater degree of warmth, dynamism and pep through the Cambridge.

Be wary of a less harmonious pairing, as it might lead the Cambridge to sound less dynamically exciting with a curious lack of grip and rhythmic propulsion.

When you do get the pairing right, though, the Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE is capable of delivering songs with great clarity, plenty of detail and the kind of low-frequencies that really thump you in the chest. Unfortunately, the last of those does sometimes go against it when playing delicate compositions such as songs from Joni Mitchell, Norah Jones or Nick Cave. During our testing, we found “that slightly relentless, muscle-bound lower end works with frenetic songs that require that high energy, but it does these gentler, emotive songs a disservice.”

We do find the Evo 150 SE prefers being played at louder volumes, relishing the chance to flex its muscles and show off its scale and power. The start and finish of notes are clearly defined, distortion levels are impressively low, and there is ample punch. In comparison, the NAD sounds smaller-scaled and less powerful, although it is less fussy with speaker matching.

Playing Midnight City by M83 and we find that the “Evo 150 SE’s soundstage is impressively large and wide, with ample space given over to the various instrumentals.”

No matter which input you use, the Evo 150 SE’s open, refined character comes across, although the one thing we would avoid using is the integrated phono stage. It sounds lightweight and muddy, with a lack of detail and dynamism – so if you’re serious about vinyl replay, you would definitely be better off using an external phono preamp.

There’s really only one winner here. While the Cambridge impresses with its scale, power and refinement, it’s the NAD’s greater expressiveness and fluid handling of rhythm that keeps our attention rapt and our foot tapping.

**Winner: NAD C 3050 (with MDC2 BluOS-D module)**

Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE vs NAD C 3050 (with MDC2 BluOS-D module): verdict

It’s probably not a huge surprise that the streaming amplifer with a What Hi-Fi? Award already sitting in its trophy cabinet is the winner here. But it's not quite so straightforward, as the Cambridge’s presentation has its strengths, while its greater set of connectivity and extensive file resolution specs will no double appeal to many.

The NAD C 3050 (with MDC2 BluOS-D module) has all the essential features, however, and more crucially, it is cheaper and sounds better than the Cambridge Audio Evo 150 SE. So unless you really have something against its retro styling or your music collection consists entirely of DSD files that it can’t play, there’s one clear winner here.

**Overall winner: NAD C 3050 (with MDC2 BluOS-D module)**

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