Ventilation Notice

Important Advice for C272/C372 Owners

We have seen a small number of filter capacitor failures in and C372/C272 that we would like to bring to your attention. While the actual number of affected units is extremely small (about a dozen units over the last 5 years), the failure is quite spectacular. The problem is that one of the main filter capacitors overheats and blows open. There is a flash and smoke and in some cases the top cover paint melts. This can be alarming as there is an electrical burning smell. In all cases to date, the safety measures built into NAD products have contained the damage to the unit itself.

We have done a lot of research into this problem and have implemented some additional safety measures in order to reduce the number of failures to zero. This failure tends to occur when the mains voltage is high (+10 % of normal mains levels) which is typical in just some parts of the world. However, the main finding of our research is that failure is caused through poor ventilation. It is very important to ensure clear airflow around the unit and that it not be installed in close proximity to a shelf or has anything standing on top that impedes heat dissipation through the vents in the top cover. This includes avoiding having another unit standing on top and if so this must be avoided from now on.

We would like to state that this unit is the top of the range and is a very powerful amplifier. All amplifiers generate heat and the more powerful they are the more heat that needs to be dissipated. We would also suggest that consumers should switch the amplifier off on the front panel when not in use. It allows the unit to totally cool down and additionally it saves on electricity usage.

All units contain installation and operating warnings so we would recommend that consumers read the complete instruction manual from cover to cover.

One additional note: this failure is typically not covered by warranty as these units fail due to incorrect installation and the cost to repair any units that fail will exceed the cost of a new one. However, as a sign of goodwill NAD will replace any customer unit that suffers this failure with a brand new unit, free of charge. Again we cannot stress enough the need for free air flow around the unit.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding this issue, please contact your exclusive NAD distributor in your country.

NAD Electronics