Description

NAD C740 — Impedance Sensing Circuitry and 30 Amps of Current

NAD C740 AM/FM Stereo Receiver – 35 Watts Per Channel, Impedance Sensing Circuitry, Pre-Out/Main-In, Very Good Condition

NAD’s design philosophy in one box: modest published power, serious real-world current, and nothing spent on anything you cannot hear.

The C740 is what NAD called a Building Block product — it is the C440 tuner and the C340 amplifier on a single chassis, and other than a slightly lower rated output it is genuinely the sum of those separates rather than a compromise between them.

The published figure is 35 watts per channel continuous, and NAD were always deliberately conservative with that number. What matters more is what happens when the music gets difficult. The amplifier is built around Impedance Sensing Circuitry, designed by NAD’s Bjorn Erik Edvardsen, which reads the impedance characteristics of whatever speaker is connected and adjusts the power supply to suit it. The result is 140 watts of dynamic power into 2 ohms and up to 30 amps of current capability. In practice that means it holds its composure driving demanding speakers that make bigger-numbered receivers audibly struggle — which is exactly why NAD earned the reputation it has.

Soft Clipping is included and switchable. When an amplifier is pushed past its limit it normally clips hard, and hard clipping is what kills tweeters; Soft Clipping rounds that transition off instead. If you play loud, it is genuinely protective of your speakers.

The flexibility is unusually good for a receiver. Six pairs of RCA analogue inputs, including two tape loops with dubbing, and a pre-out/main-in pair that lets you separate the preamp from the power amp — so you can bi-amp later, add a power amplifier, or run the C740’s preamp into something else entirely without making it redundant. Two pairs of speaker outputs on 5-way binding posts will drive two or four speakers, down to a 4 ohm minimum load. All sockets are gold plated, there are rotary bass, treble and balance controls with a tone defeat switch for a straight path, and the headphone socket will drive virtually anything.

The tuner section is a proper one rather than an afterthought. A MOS-FET RF section and front end give it the sensitivity for weak stations and the selectivity to separate close ones, with 25kHz tuning steps and 30 presets across three banks in any mix of AM and FM. Each preset can be named with up to eight characters, so the display tells you the station rather than the frequency.

NAD-Link is fitted, which allows the C740 to be operated as part of a linked NAD system.

Speaker connection is via banana plugs, and a universal remote is included.

One thing to know before you buy: the C740 has no phono stage. It is a line-level receiver, so a turntable will need an outboard phono preamp. We stock them, and it is an easy and inexpensive addition — but we would rather you knew now.

Condition

Cosmetically this is in very good condition, and it has been thoroughly inspected and tested to confirm full functionality.

Worth noting on value: this receiver sold new for $599 CAD (approx. US$425) plus tax. NAD’s compact stereo amplifier in this position today, the C 700 V2, retails at $1,599 USD — comfortably over $2,000 CAD (approx. US$1,420) before tax.

Features: Impedance Sensing Circuitry — adapts to the speaker load 140 watts dynamic power into 2 ohms, up to 30 amps current capability Switchable Soft Clipping to protect loudspeakers Pre-out / main-in for bi-amping or later upgrades 6 pairs of RCA analogue inputs including 2 tape loops with dubbing 2 pairs of speaker outputs on 5-way binding posts — drives 2 or 4 speakers 30 nameable presets in 3 banks, any mix of AM and FM MOS-FET RF section and front end NAD-Link Gold-plated sockets throughout Rotary bass, treble and balance controls with tone defeat Headphone output Universal remote included

NAD C740 Specifications

  • Model: C740
  • Type: AM/FM stereo receiver
  • Year: 1998
  • Continuous Power: 2 x 35 watts into 8 ohms
  • Dynamic Power: 50 watts into 8 ohms, 140 watts into 2 ohms
  • Current Capability: up to 30 amps
  • Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20kHz
  • Total Harmonic Distortion: 0.03%
  • Signal to Noise Ratio: 104dB (line)
  • Speaker Load Impedance: 4 ohms minimum
  • Tuning Range: FM, AM
  • Tuning Steps: 25kHz
  • Presets: 30, in three banks
  • Speaker Outputs: Two pairs, 5-way binding posts
  • Phono Stage: Not fitted — line inputs only
  • Dimensions: (Width x Height x Depth) 435 x 110 x 290 mm (17.1 x 4.3 x 11.4 inches)
  • Weight: 8.1 kg (17.9 lbs)

⚠️ Important Information for International Buyers

This unit is configured for North American 110/120V power. Buyers outside North America will require a step-down transformer and appropriate plug adapter.

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Additional information
Weight19.9 lbs
Dimensions15.4 × 21.1 × 8.3 in