NAD C 389 vs Arcam SA20 Detailed Comparison

NAD C 389 vs Arcam SA20

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NAD C 389

Integrated Amplifier | 130 watts RMS into 8-ohms

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Arcam SA20

Integrated Amplifier | 90 watts RMS into 8-ohms

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NAD C 389

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Arcam SA20

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NAD C 389

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Arcam SA20

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NAD C 389 vs Arcam SA20 Integrated Amplifier Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing C 389 and SA20, two Integrated Amplifiers from NAD and Arcam. Let's have a brief look at the main features of NAD C 389 and Arcam SA20 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	NAD C 389	Arcam SA20
Power	130 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms and 130 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms	90 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms and 150 watts x 2 channels into 4 ohms
Amplifier class	Class D	Class G
Built-in DAC	Yes	Yes
Phono input	Yes	Yes
Headphone output	1/4	3.5mm
Bluetooth	Yes	No
Weight	8.70kg / 19.1lbs	9.18kg / 20.2lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	3-15/16" x 17-1/8" x 15-7/16" 100 x 435 x 392 mm	3-7/16" x 17-1/16" x 14-5/16" 88.0mm x 434.0mm x 364.0mm

What size room are the NAD C 389 and Arcam SA20 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 389	Arcam SA20
Near-field	Poor	Poor
Small Room	Poor	Average
Mid-size Room	Good	Good
Large Room	Good	Average
Very Large Room	Average	Poor

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 389 over Arcam SA20

Watts into 8-ohms	130 watts vs 90 watts	Delivers higher power into 8-ohms speakers
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD)	0.02% vs 0.5%	Less Harmonic Distortion
Bluetooth	Yes vs No	Stream music via Bluetooth devices
Optical Digital Inputs	2 vs 1	More options for connecting Digital sources
USB Input	Yes vs No	Connect Sources via USB
Max Bit Depth	32-bit vs 24-bit	Play higher resolution range media
Max Sample Rate	384kHz vs 192kHz	Play higher resolution media

Reasons to choose Arcam SA20 over NAD C 389

MSRP Price(*)	1,249USD vs 1,499USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
Watts into 4-ohms	150 watts vs 130 watts	Delivers higher power into 4-ohms speakers
Signal to Noise Ratio	106 dB vs 95 dB	Higher ratings results in cleaner sound
Total Analog Inputs	4 vs 3	More options for connecting Analog sources
Base Surface Area	1579.8cm²/ 244.9inch² vs 1705.0cm²/ 264.3inch²	takes less space in your room
Height	88mm vs 100mm	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 389 and Arcam SA20 differs from each other.

NAD C 389 Inputs

Total Number of Analog Inputs: 3
Phono Input
2 Optical Digital Input
2 Coaxial Digital Input
USB Input:
- USB-A(Service Only)
HDMI eARC

Arcam SA20 Inputs

Total Number of Analog Inputs: 4
Phono Input
1 Optical Digital Input
2 Coaxial Digital Input

NAD C 389 Back View (Click the image for the larger version)

Outputs

Stereo RCA, Sub Preamp Outputs
1/4 Headphone Output
Subwoofer Output

Outputs

Stereo RCA Preamp Outputs
3.5mm Headphone Output

Arcam SA20 Back View (Click the image for the larger version)

What's in the Box of Arcam SA20?

Here are the items that come with the SA20:

Integrated Amplifier
6.5-feet AC power cord
Remote control
2 AAA batteries
Handbook Manual
Thank you Letter