Stepping Up Performance to the Next Level
NAD's C 546BEE CD player takes the superb performance of the company's five-star-rated C 545BEE player and steps it up to the next level. Every aspect of sonic performance is enhanced and refined, making the C 546BEE the ideal companion to NAD's C 356BEE amplifier, or to any system in need of a performance upgrade.
Considering the worldwide acclaim and numerous awards for the C 545BEE's outstanding performance and value, you might wonder why NAD would 'mess with success.' Well, NAD has never rested on its laurels, and development is ongoing at the NAD Lab. NAD launches new models when it feels a significant improvement has been achieved.
Such is the case with the C 546BEE. Besides more refined cosmetics, the circuit layout and component choices have been extensively updated. The cumulative effect of these changes is dramatic, improving low frequency slam and extension, while maintaining the pace and timing for which NAD's CD players are so lavishly praised. Image depth and scale are further enhanced, while retaining the timbral accuracy and lucid harmonic structure of the C 546BEE's predecessor.
Also very welcome is a USB input that supports external memory devices and audio rates up to 384kbps.
Superior Build Quality
The 24-bit high-resolution Wolfson DAC chip was chosen for its excellent low-level linearity and detail retrieving capabilities. Metal film resistors and polypropylene capacitors are used in key areas to ensure a highly accurate frequency response. High quality 5532 op-amps are used instead of the much lower grade type used in lesser players. Apart from the single film type output capacitor, no other capacitors are used in the signal path. The output impedance is very low at 300 ohms, making the C 546BEE less sensitive to cables or the ancillary equipment it is partnered with.
Separate power regulators for the digital and analog sections isolate the two reducing electrical interference effects. Careful layout of the PCB tracks around the digital-to-analog converter helps to optimize the audio performance.
High Quality Inputs
Not all digital inputs are created equal. In the case of the C 546BEE, NAD paid careful attention so that best use can be made of the ever-increasing number of products now available with digital outputs. Unusually at this price point, the coaxial output is buffered and isolated by a 75-ohm transformer, thus isolating the converter to ensure perfect matching. This attention to detail reduces timing errors (jitter) that could otherwise distort the digital data signal. An optical Toslink output is also provided, allowing connection to devices that only provide this option.
Playback and Convenience Features
Creating a favorite compilation CD-R or CD-RW on a PC or CD recorder continues to be popular. Unlike older CD players, the C 546BEE will easily play these discs –even those encoded with MP3 and WMA compression. Nearly ten hours of music can be recorded onto one CD-R when using 128kps compression, allowing 'all day' background music listening.
NAD has included a number of additional features to make your listening more enjoyable: 'random' gives you a random selection of all tracks on the disc in play, and 'repeat' allows repeat playing of either the entire disc or individual tracks. Individual tracks can be quickly accessed using the SKIP function (forward and back), and the SCAN function (forward and back) gives an aural preview of individual tracks.
The Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) provides clear and understated, yet comprehensive information. The track number is displayed, and the button displays the current time elapsed or remaining for complete CDs or individual tracks.
New NAD CD-8 Wireless Remote
The C 546BEE comes with the new NAD CD-8 full function remote control, offering all of the features described above from the comfort of your listening chair. On top of that, the remote control handset gives you direct track access and programming facilities, too.
Listen to the NAD C 546BEE with a wide range of program material and with the best ancillary equipment to fully appreciate the refinement of this modest looking – and inexpensive by high-end standards – CD player. You can spend a lot more money for a CD player, but you'll have a difficult task finding a more musically complete and rewarding performance than what's offered by the C 546BEE. | 
