Video Review - Click on the Video Tab Above

"Outstanding Product" Award Winner - Hi-Fi News Magazine

Performance Far Beyond Expectation

The NAD C165BEE stereo preamplifier is an all-new design representing a lifetime of design experience from NAD's renowned Director of Advanced Developments, Bjorn Erik Edvardsen. New semiconductors and improved production techniques such as surface mount devices (SMDs) have created opportunities for performance far beyond expectation when compared to previous products in this price range.

"Outstanding Product"

The NAD C165BEE preamp and C275BEE power amp together won an "Outstanding Product" award in the September 2009 issue of England's Hi-Fi News magazine. "Given its price, it clearly represents classic 'budget esoterica': first class high fidelity for only a second class budget price."

"The sound nicely balances the attack and 'bite' of each note with its sustain and decay and there's no sense of panic as more instruments join in and chords get thicker," reports Richard Black in his July 20, 2010 joint review of the NAD C165BEE preamp and the C275BEE power amp for TechRadar.com. "There's also a great dynamic flow to the sound…"

Improved All Around

Compared to its predecessor, the C162, the improved tone control circuit and revised PCB layout has reduced distortion and noise to unprecedented levels when combined with the high signal capacity of the NAD 'Class A' Gain Modules.

'Class A' gain modules combine the short signal path advantage of IC based op-amps with the higher signal and current capacity of discrete transistors. Here surface mount devices are used to miniaturize the circuit, while the extruded aluminum heat sink keeps all parts at the optimal operating temperature for ultra low distortion.

Lightning-fast Transient Response

This unique NAD development endows the C165BEE with lightning-fast transient response and bass extension, along with definition seldom encountered in this price range. High frequencies are extended, silky smooth and grain-free.

In the phono stage NAD has added three-position switches to individually select the resistance and capacitance for precise matching of most Moving Magnet and Moving Coil phono cartridges. Other refinements deliver lower noise and improve the overload margin. Precision close-tolerance parts are used to achieve nearly perfect RIAA response.

NAD has also improved the headphone amplifying circuit to better drive studio quality high impedance headphones. Taken together, these improvements mark a sharp upturn in performance that simply must be heard, to be fully appreciated!

Six Inputs Plus a Phono Stage

Unlike many high-end preamps that skimp on inputs and features, the C165BEE provides all the flexibility that you will ever need. Starting with six line level inputs and the MC/MM phono input, the C165BEE also includes a superbly designed tone control circuit.

High-Fidelity Tone Controls

While tone control circuits in general tend to hurt performance by adding noise and distortion, the C165BEE is a textbook example of how to correctly implement high fidelity tone controls. Affecting only the frequency extremes, they leave the critical midrange untouched. Their moderate action is perfect for touching up the tonal balance of all the less than perfect recordings in your collection. A Tone Defeat switch quickly selects flat response and bypasses all the tone control circuitry.

A full function remote control also includes controls for other NAD components allowing a 'one remote' solution for your NAD system.

Custom Installation Ready

With a 12V trigger output and IR inputs and outputs on the rear panel, the C165BEE is ready to integrate with custom installation control systems. Discrete On/Off codes and direct access to inputs makes programming easy.

The 'Greening' of NAD Electronics

NAD takes its responsibilities to the planet very seriously by pursuing forward-thinking, environmentally aware manufacturing. The company imposes strict measures in all its product designs to eliminate environmentally hazardous materials and minimize power consumption. It uses lead free solder throughout manufacturing, and has re-designed its circuit board production to eliminate environmentally dangerous chemical compounds.

Many of NAD's newer designs use less than 1 watt of power in standby mode, and NAD's unique PowerDrive™ technology improves amplifier efficiency during playback.

• 6 Line Level Inputs
• Phono Input with selectable Moving Coil and Moving Magnet sensitivity settings
• 3 position Resistance and Capacitance settings for Phono Input
• 2 Line Level Outputs, one variable from 0dB to -12dB
• Subwoofer Output
• Independent Headphone Amplifier
• Pure Class A Gain Modules
• Sealed Reed Relays for Input Switching
• Heavy Gauge Steel Chassis
• Bass and Treble Controls with Defeat Switch (bypass]
• Gold Plated Sockets
• 12V Trigger Output
• IR In and Out
• Detachable Power Cord
• SR 8 NAD 4 Device System remote Control
• <1 watt Standby Consumption

• Input impedance (R and C): 100 k ohm+ 320 pF
• Input sensitivity: 159 mV (ref. 500 mV out)
• Maximum input signal: >9 V
• Signal/Noise ratio, A-weighted: >108 dB (ref. 500 mV in 500 mV out, volume set to unity gain); >112 dB (ref. 2V out, Volume maximum)
• Frequency response: ± 0.1 dB (ref. 20 Hz - 20 kHz, Tone defeat ON); ± 0.5 dB (ref. 20 Hz - 20 kHz, Tone defeat OFF)
• Frequency response (subwoofer out): 100 Hz (ref. -3 dB)

• Output impedance: Pre out 75 ohm; Tape out Source Z + 1 kHz; Sub out 100 ohm; Headphones 10 ohm
• Maximum voltage output: Pre out >10 V into 600 ohm; Tape out >10 V into 10 k ohm load; Sub out >7 V into 1 k ohm load; Headphones >7 V into 600 ohm, >2 V into 32 ohm
• THD (CCIF IMD, DIM 100): >0.005 % dB (ref. 20 Hz – 20 kHz, 2 V out)

• Treble: ± 5 dB at 10 kHz (ref. 2V in 500 mV out)
• Bass: ± 5 dB at 100 Hz (ref. 2V in 500 mV out)

• Normal operation: 21 W
• Standby mode: <0.8 W

• Input impedance: MC 40,100,600 ohm (R), 1 nF (C); MM 47 k ohm (R), 220,300,400 pF (C)
• Input sensitivity: MC 0.15 mV (ref. 1 kHz 500 mV out); MM 2.6 mV (ref. 1 kHz 500 mV out)
• Input overload: MC 0.8 mV/7 mV/65 mV (20 Hz/1 kHz/20 kHz); MM 14 mV/140 mV/1.2 (20 Hz/1 kHz/20 kHz)
• Gain: MC in - Tape out 62.4 dB1 (ref. 1 kHz, 10 k ohm load); MM in - Tape out 36.7 dB (ref. 1 kHz, 10 k ohm load)
• THD (CCIF IMD, DIM 100): <0.009 % (ref. 20 Hz – 20 kHz, 5 Vrms Tape out)
• Signal/Noise ratio, IHF A-weighted: MC >78 dB2 (ref. 0.5 mV); MM >78 dB3 (ref. 0.5 mV)
• RIAA response accuracy: ± 0.5 dB (ref. 20 Hz – 50 Hz); ± 0.3 dB (ref. 50 Hz – 20 kHz)
• Infrasonic filter: 10 Hz (at -3 dB), 5 Hz (at -14 dB)

• Dimensions: 17 1/8" wide, 3" high, 11 1/4" deep
• Weight: 13.23 lb

"Outstanding Product" Award Winner - Hi-Fi News Magazine

"It's not only in detail resolution that the NAD excelled, but also in bass control, weight, and extension. It sounded boldly confident on all musical selections."

"Given its price, it clearly represents classic 'budget esoterica': first class high fidelity for only a second class budget price."

- Hi-Fi News magazine, September 2009, joint review of NAD C165BEE preamp and C275BEE power amp

"The sound nicely balances the attack and 'bite' of each note with its sustain and decay and there's no sense of panic as more instruments join in and chords get thicker."

"There's also a great dynamic flow to the sound, something of a hi-fi intangible but something two listeners commented on explicitly. This all ties in with the general feeling of energy and drive and does make for quite exhilarating listening, especially at high volumes (obviously a temptation with all that power on tap)."

- Richard Black, TechRadar.com, July 20, 2010, joint review of NAD C165BEE preamp and C275BEE power amp

Video Review - Click on the Video Tab Above

Audio Advisor Review - Introduction to NAD

Audio Advisor Review - NAD Reviews

Audio Advisor Review - NAD and Obsolescence

Audio Advisor Insight - NAD A Green Company