Must all technology products eventually become obsolete? Not necessarily, as NAD proved when we launched our Modular Design Construction technology in 2006. MDC lets owners of NAD components add new capabilities by inserting optional modules into a slot on the back of their NAD amplifier or receiver.
NAD has MDC modules that add 4K video and Dolby Atmos immersive audio to legacy AV receivers. Owners of MDC-compatible NAD amplifiers can add features like multi-room music streaming and USB digital-to-analog conversion.
In 2021, NAD introduced our next-generation future-proofing technology, MDC2. MDC2 improves on MDC by enabling two-way communications between the module and host component. This allows exciting new functions, such as automatic room correction. The first NAD component to support MDC2 is the C 399 HybridDigital DAC Amplifier. NAD’s first MDC2 module is the MDC2 BluOS-D.
The model name gives a couple of clues about the MDC BluOS-D’s capabilities. “BluOS” refers to the award-winning software platform that underpins Bluesound streaming audio products and a growing number of NAD streaming amplifiers, while “D” refers to Dirac Live room correction. Here are of some of the exciting capabilities that the MDC2 BluOS-D will add to the C 399 – and future MCD2-compatible components as well.
Internet Streaming
The MDC2 BluOS-D has Ethernet and Wi-Fi networking. Using the free BluOS Controller app, listeners can play music from Internet streaming services and web radio stations. BluOS has integrated support for more than 20 services, including several that offer lossless CD-resolution and high-res audio, such as Tidal, Qobuz, Amazon Music Ultra HD, Deezer and Idagio. Like all BluOS-enabled components, the MDC2 BluOS-D supports high-res audio to 24-bits/192kHz PCM. Also, it has MQA decoding and rendering capability, for high-res streaming from Tidal.Multi-room Music
The MDC2 BluOS-D enables the C 399 to be part of a whole-home music system with as many as 64 zones. A BluOS multi-room setup can include Bluesound wireless speakers and amplifiers, and BluOS-enabled components from NAD and third-party licensees. You can have different music playing in different zones, or group zones together so that they play the same music simultaneously. Thanks to MDC2’s two-way architecture, you can even stream music from source components connected to the C 399 to other rooms. If you’re listening to an album in the living room through the C 399 when it’s time to prepare dinner, you can use BluOS’s FollowMe feature to transfer playback to a Bluesound wireless speaker in the kitchen.
Smartphone Support
The MDC2 BluOS-D supports Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect. With AirPlay 2, you can stream audio from an iPhone, iPad or Macintosh computer through the C 399. With Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect, you can cue up music in the apps for those services, then transfer playback to the C 399. The MDC2 BluOS-D also has two-way Bluetooth, so that it can receive audio wirelessly from a mobile device and transmit audio to Bluetooth earphones.File-based Playback
The MDC2 BluOS-D has a USB port for connecting an external drive filled with music. This can be music that you’ve purchased or music that you’ve ripped from a CD. You can also stream music from computers and storage devices on your home network to the MDC2 BluOS-D.Voice Control
The MDC2 BluOS-D supports the Amazon Alexa and Apple Siri protocols. Ask Alexa or Siri to play some soft jazz through the C 399, then sit back and listen.
