NAD C 3050 BluOS-D vs NAD C 338 Detailed Comparison

NAD C 3050 BluOS-D vs NAD C 338

Amp to replace

Change

NAD C 3050

Integrated Amplifier | 100 watts RMS into 8-ohms

Check price atAmazon›

Change

NAD C 338

Integrated Amplifier | 50 watts RMS into 8-ohms

Check price atAmazon›

NAD C 3050

Check price atAmazon›

NAD C 338

Check price atAmazon›

NAD C 3050

See at AMAZON

NAD C 338

See at AMAZON

NAD C 3050 vs NAD C 338 Integrated Amplifier Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing C 3050 BluOS-D and C 338, two Integrated Amplifiers by NAD. Let's have a brief look at the main features of NAD C 3050 and NAD C 338 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	NAD C 3050	NAD C 338
Power	100 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms and 100 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms	50 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms and 50 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms
Amplifier class	Class D	Class D
Damping factor	—	300
Built-in DAC	Yes	Yes
Phono input	Yes	Yes
Headphone output	1/4	1/4
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes
Weight	10.00kg / 22lbs	4.86kg / 10.7lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	5-1/16" x 17-11/16" x 14-5/16" 129.0mm x 450.0mm x 364.0mm	2-13/16" x 17-1/8" x 12-3/16" 72.0mm x 435.0mm x 310.0mm

What size room are the NAD C 3050 and NAD C 338 Amplifiers good for?

The size of the room in which you are planning to use these amplifiers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their max power parameters:

Listening Environment	NAD C 3050	NAD C 338
Near-field	Poor	Average
Small Room	Poor	Good
Mid-size Room	Good	Average
Large Room	Good	Poor
Very Large Room	Average	Bad

C 3050 BluOS-D and C 338 are members of NAD's Classic series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

NAD Classic Series History

Model	Watts RMS (8-ohms)	Minimum Impedance	Built-in DAC
NAD C316BEE V2	40 watts	4-ohms	No
NAD C 389	130 watts	4-ohms	Yes
NAD C 399	180 watts	4-ohms	Yes
NAD C 388	150 watts	4-ohms	Yes
NAD C 368	80 watts	4-ohms	Yes
NAD C 328	40 watts	4-ohms	Yes
NAD C 368 BluOS-2i	80 watts	4-ohms	Yes
NAD C 700	80 watts	4-ohms	Yes
NAD C 338	50 watts	4-ohms	Yes
NAD C 3050	100 watts	4-ohms	Yes

The sections below take each area in turn: power output, inputs and outputs, features and physical size.

**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose NAD C 3050 BluOS-D over NAD C 338

Watts into 8-ohms	100 watts vs 50 watts	Delivers higher power into 8-ohms speakers
Watts into 4-ohms	100 watts vs 50 watts	Delivers higher power into 4-ohms speakers
Bluetooth Version	v5.0 vs v4.0	Higher transfer rate and range
USB Input	Yes vs No	Connect Sources via USB
Apple AirPlay	Yes vs No	Compatible with Apple Devices with AirPlay
Apple AirPlay 2	Yes vs No	Compatible with Apple Devices with AirPlay 2
Roon	Ready vs No	Roon Compatibility
BluOS	Yes vs No	Compatible with BluOS Wireless Ecosystem

Reasons to choose NAD C 338 over NAD C 3050 BluOS-D

MSRP Price(*)	799USD vs 1,899USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
Signal to Noise Ratio	98 dB vs 95 dB	Higher ratings results in cleaner sound
Optical Digital Inputs	2 vs 1	More options for connecting Digital sources
Coaxial Digital Inputs	2 vs 1	More options for connecting Digital sources
Built-in Chromecast	Yes vs No	Compatible with Chromecast Streaming
Built-in Chromecast	Yes vs No	Compatible with Chromecast Streaming
Base Surface Area	1348.5cm²/ 209.0inch² vs 1638.0cm²/ 253.9inch²	takes less space in your room
Height	72mm vs 129mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces

Inputs and Outputs

The input and output selections that are offered is an important factor when comparing two amplifiers. Here you can find how the I/O selections of the NAD C 3050 and NAD C 338 differs from each other.

NAD C 3050 Inputs

Total Number of Analog Inputs: 2
Phono Input
1 Optical Digital Input
1 Coaxial Digital Input
USB Input:
- USB A
HDMI eARC
Ethernet Port

NAD C 338 Inputs

Total Number of Analog Inputs: 2
Phono Input
2 Optical Digital Input
2 Coaxial Digital Input

NAD C 3050 Back View (Click the image for the larger version)

Outputs

Stereo RCA Preamp Outputs
Pre-out/Main-in Loop
1/4 Headphone Output
Subwoofer Output

Outputs

Sub Preamp Outputs
1/4 Headphone Output
Subwoofer Output

NAD C 338 Back View (Click the image for the larger version)

What's in the Box of NAD C 3050?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of C 3050 BluOS-D:

Integrated amplifier
6-feet AC power cord
Remote control (SR 10)
2 -inchAA-inch batteries
Auto calibration microphone
USB microphone adapter
3 Antennas
Quick Setup Guide
MDC2 BluOS-D Instructions
Important Safety Instructions
Dirac Live Quickstart Guide
Warranty Card

What's in the Box of NAD C 338?

Here are the items that come with the C 338:

Hybrid Digital DAC Amplifier
6-feet AC power cord
2 WiFi antennas
Bluetooth antenna
Remote control (Amp 3)
CR2025 3V battery
Quick Setup Guide
Chromecast Built-in installation instructions
Warranty Information
-inchAttention-inch note