The NAD C 589 is a high-performance CD player designed to bring out the best in your music library. Whether you're rediscovering a long-standing collection or exploring the unique satisfaction of physical playback for the first time, the C 589 offers a refined and rewarding listening experience. Its advanced digital architecture and precision mechanical design deliver accurate, natural sound that captures the full character of every disc. Built for performance, longevity, and seamless system integration, the C 589 is a modern solution for those who still value the tangible connection of CD playback.
 
KEY FEATURES
NAD’s Dynamic Digital Headroom (DDH) technology for improved clarity and dynamics
QRONO d2a filtering for enhanced timing accuracy and musical realism
Fully balanced DAC implementation with low noise and excellent dynamic range
High-precision disc loader and laser pick-up for reliable playback
Stereo RCA and balanced XLR analogue outputs
Coaxial, optical, and AES/EBU digital outputs for system flexibility
Rugged mechanical design ensures quiet, consistent disc handling
Designed to integrate easily with high-performance audio systems
 
More Music, Less Distortion
NAD’s Dynamic Digital Headroom architecture minimises inter-sample clipping and preserves dynamic range. By avoiding digital filter overload and distortion common in conventional circuits, this technology delivers cleaner transients, greater musical clarity, and a more expansive soundstage. Working in tandem with QRONO d2a — a precision time-domain filtering technology developed by MQA Labs — the C 589 maintains the integrity of timing information, ensuring playback that’s smooth, detailed, and sonically accurate.
 
Analogue Sound with Digital Precision
The C 589 features a high-performance digital-to-analogue stage designed to preserve the integrity of every recording. At its core is a fully balanced DAC from ESS, known for low noise, low distortion, and excellent dynamic range. NAD’s careful implementation ensures that the final analogue output retains clarity, tonal depth, and subtle musical detail. The result is natural, transparent playback that brings your CD collection to life.
 
Precision You Can Hear
Developed by MQA Labs and implemented by NAD, QRONO d2a is a time-domain filtering technology that improves resolution and timing accuracy during digital-to-analogue conversion. By replacing traditional digital filters with a more precise solution, QRONO helps preserve critical timing information in the audio signal. The result is smoother, more lifelike playback with improved imaging and clarity, especially on recordings rich in spatial detail and acoustic nuance.
 
General Specifications
Output level:
Line Out: 2.2 ±0.1V Balanced: 4.4 ±0.2V Digital Audio Out
Balanced: 2 - 3 Vp-p 110 ohms Digital Audio Out
Coaxial: 0.5 – 0.8 Vp-p 75 ohms
Frequency Response:
20Hz - 20kHz (±0.3 dB)
Total harmonic distortion:
≤ 0.005% (1kHz, LPF 20kHz)
Signal/Noise ratio:
≥ 115 dB (1 kHz, A-weighted LPF 20 kHz Play)
Channel balance:
0.3 dB (0 dB 1 kHz)
Channel separation:
≥ 110 dB
De-emphasis:
-3.73 to -5.33 dB (0 dB 1kHz, 5 kHz) -8.04 to -10.04 dB (0 dB 1 kHz, 16 kHz)
Linearity:
-3 ±0.1 dB (0 dB 1 kHz at -3 dB)
-6 ±0.2 dB (0 dB 1 kHz at -6 dB)
-10 ±0.25 dB (0 dB 1 kHz at -10 dB)
-20 ±0.25 dB (0dB 1 kHz at -20 dB)
-60 ±0.5 dB (0dB 1 kHz at -60 dB)
Standby power:
<0.5W
Idle power:
≤ 20 W
 
Weight & Dimensions:
Gross Unit Dimensions: (WxHxD):
435 x 83 x 294 mm (17 1/4 x 3 3/8 x 11 5/8 inches)
Net weight:
5.1 kg (11.2 lbs)
Shipping weight:
6.6 kg (14.6 lbs)