Nad M33 Review

Nad Masters Series Streaming Integrated Amplifier, M33

On the cold and sunny morning of February 19, 2020, a dozen or so audio critics and writers gathered at Gilmore’s Sound Advice on New York’s far West Side to see some new NAD and DALI products that had been unveiled the prior month at CES. The group was friendly and enjoyed a cup of coffee, before settling down in the reserved seats to watch presentations or auditions. This was not the first time we’d experience it in the future.

John Atkinson and I shared our conversation about amplifiers in Times Square. I clearly recall me walking back with John Atkinson and exclaiming how impressed we were with the NAD M33 demo and its specifications. He had reviewed the , with its optional MDC DD BluOS module and “DirectDigital” topology, and more recently, the with integrated BluOS and “Hybrid Digital” amplifier. NAD developed both amps. While the former can accept a digital input, the latter must be input with an analog.

This is the new M33, which seems to be the culmination. It features a BluOS streaming platform with sophisticated control options and new power amplifiers based upon a patent-pending technology. Bruno Putzeys (the man behind the almost universal nCore power amps) developed the class-D technology.

At Munich High End 2019 in May of last year, NAD “announced that it will be the first international brand to incorporate and launch Purifi’s new patent-pending class-D technology into its product family. Eigentakt stands for “self-clocking” and was the product of decades of Purifi’s research on self-oscillation in class-D amps. There are algorithms that can, when applied in control circuits, increase the effectiveness of already existing designs by at least an order of magnitude. The Eigentakt circuit will outperform all other audio amplifiers, no matter what technology they are. THD and IMD were quoted at below 0.00017% for all frequencies and power levels. The frequency response of the audioband is said to be within +- 0.01dB in all loads. While I can’t claim that my hands were sweaty in February, it was clear to me that the cold weather made them feel uncomfortable.

Like other NAD Masters Series products, the M33 is packaged in a double-insulated box with 2 trays of parts and accessories. The single page of setup instructions is sufficient, with diagrams that show you how to connect the speakers, your LAN (wired and/or wireless), and your AC power and how to turn it on. All other tasks can be accomplished using the M33’s large touchscreen and smooth volume control knob.

This touchscreen is great for continuous playback but it can make scrolling horizontally through menus and settings on a very vertical screen difficult. You have other methods of setting up things. There is the BluOS App I had installed on my iPhone. Android devices work, too.

You can see that the M33 does more than just stream audio. It also accepts input from nearly any device you might use with a modern stereo system. Digital inputs via optical, RCA, and XLR handle PCM up to 24/192, and the BluOS system will play PCM files from a USB drive plugged into the rear-panel USB port. XLR and RCA audio inputs support analog audio. The phono input supports MM/MC cartridges. A HDMI/ARC input can be added to the M33 so that you can add audio to the HDMI/ARC cable of your smartTV.

Performance

All-inclusive streaming support It is proving to be a worthy product. It was missing the M10, so I had to change rooms. However there are areas in which it just feels better than its sibling. Although ‘unflappable is not as easily contextualized as a word like ‘exciting or dynamic’ it is nonetheless the most precise.

It means that you can choose to listen to the furious bombast of My Own Soul’s Warning by The Killers at deeply antisocial levels and the M33’s composure is absolute. There is never a feeling that the M33’s operating capabilities are exceeded. This does not mean that the NAD performs dullly or in restricted ways. NAD has a quick, dynamic and hard hitting performance that is easily attainable if there’s a lot of headroom.

It’s also a demonstration of why these all in one products are so effective. Ignoring the effect of the M33’s digital decoding or amplification is futile, since they complement each other. It gives the NAD an absolute consistency of presentation it makes available across everything it does. Bluetooth integrates well with more traditional digital inputs. It doesn’t really matter how you choose to use it, the M33 will simply get on with delivering the goods.

There is nothing the M33 cannot drive with 200 watts. The NAD’s prodigious power output allows it to be connected to almost anything, except a length wet rope. Unsurprisingly, the Focal Kanta no1 works flawlessly… and so does the Kudos Titan 505 There really is very little that it won’t partner up with quite happily. You can also avoid some parts that might otherwise pose a problem. You will find that the volume required for digital is greater than what you would need for the Planar 10, due to its low gain moving coil stage. This is not an issue though because there is so much gain available, you can still hit any level you realistically want.

No less impressive was the television performance. The NAD managed a diverse portfolio from Masterchef The Professionals to Die Hard 2 with no problems. This effortless ability of opening up the source material to deliver it uncompressed and free from congestion makes the NAD almost addicting, even without HDMI ARC. Dirac appears to feel more strongly with this material than in music. It is also not harmful to stop correction at 500Hz, as it comes from a calm room and speakers that are properly placed. Those in more challenging environments might feel differently.

Taken on its own merits, the M33 is a deeply impressive piece of kit but it would remiss of me to point out that there is an issue that I can’t shake even after two very enjoyable weeks with it and that issue is its absurdly talented little brother. Although the M33 performs better than M10, I have to be clear that I don’t think it does feel PS1,800 superior. Although the M33 has more functionality, it’s not as minimalistic as the smaller one. The M10 has an exhilarating feeling of effortlessness. But, again, in the normal UK lounge environment you won’t be able to push it outside its capabilities. When you compare the M10 with the Naim Unitis which each build on the same model, you get the impression that NAD created the M10 to dismantle the Uniti Atom, although it has a very limited range of options to do so.

You will find the M33 far more fascinating than that.

An Amplified Swiss Armed Knife Of An Amp

I have to admit that I was surprised at the lightness of my M33 when it arrived. When I unpacked the M33 Master Series, NAD’s flagship M33 Master Series, the packaging proved to be very sturdy. In all honesty, I hadn’t read up on the unit prior to receiving it – I generally don’t, as I think it’s best not to have any preconceived opinions of a review product.

Lifting the M33 out of packaging was easy after I worked my way through each flap and the heavy inner cardboard’s bulletproofed ceiling. After balancing on my knees, I was ready for an arduous task of removing the M33. However, it wasn’t hard to get up when the unit arrived at my doorstep. The lack of excessive power transformers isn’t a problem. NAD’s design incorporates Purify Audio ‘Eigentakt’ Class D amplifiers. Although it may not appear light, the M33 looks very impressive in comparison to its weight.

It has an unusual front panel featuring a large screen and large volume knob. The M33’s black-and-alm accented casework makes it a perfect match for modern home entertainment systems. It will look great in cabinets or beside a large TV screen.

There are many inputs to the rear of M33. It was clearly designed by engineers who were very focused on incorporating every wired or wireless connection.

You will find 4 conical feet running down the M33’s underside. These go up to a sharp point. Although I was thinking about it from an isolation perspective, I also considered potential scratches to my bamboo shelves. I was not worried as the four pairs of shoes I discovered for the spikey feet were identical to the ones in the box. I thought, “Will need to be careful when lifting out the chassis to remove these beneath” However, when I offered foot to shoe prior to install they actually magnetically attracted to each other – again, massively thoughtful!

A remote controller, Bluetooth AptXHD aerials, Bluetooth AptXHD antennas, an Ethernet cable, a power cable, literature are all included.

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NAD m33 streaming DAC amplifier – Review of HiFi. My first integrated amplifier came from the NAD 3020e model, a derivative of the extremely successful NAD original 3020. After the initial NAD 3020e was released, things had changed a little. Now, the front panel has a sleeker design and includes push button input selection. I absolutely loved it. Although my buddies praised the graphic equalisers of their friends, I found it to be a joy knowing that my source was not contaminated by any electronic noise that additional circuits could create. I found that the buttons were limited to a mono picker and a low switch for low volumes. That made me feel confident that my audio was pure. NAD’s most recent version of an integrated amplifier is a great example of how technology has changed our listening habits. Also, this hi-fi review of the M33 streaming DAC amplifier shows that the world of audio and music have advanced tremendously.

The M33 all-add-speakers solution music system is quite expensive at around PS4,000. What you will get, however is an impressive package that includes almost everything necessary for music streaming to your home and multi-room connectivity. The package includes digital room correction software, a modern graphic equaliser and compatibility for headphone or turntable.

The importance of listening

The Dirac software was calibrated to allow me to think more clearly. NAD M33 has a nice soundstage that is very well delivered. It also feels wide. Vocals seem a bit more laid-back than they are in the NAD M33 soundstage. Higher quality recordings come into their own, such is the DAC chip quality. This system is a great deal of fun and energy. The Chromatics Sound of Silence, and a 24-bit version of Better (Zayn’s new album Nobody is Listening) are both excellently produced and have a lot of energy when played on NAD.

You can hear the NAD’s detail through the speakers when you choose the appropriate tracks. This includes Tin Pan Alley, Stevie Ray Vaughan’s brilliantly constructed song (and recorded), as well as the Jamie Cullum observations below.

It was just now that I realized how little I used the remote. I have been controlling streaming, volume, settings, libraries, etc. On my Pixel Smartphone or iPad, I have the BluOS app.

Using Oppo’s PM-2 planar magnetic headphones upgraded with Atlas’ Zeno headphone cable for a bit of personal listening, the NAD’s headphone output is really impressive. Though the PM-2s needed a lot more power than I was expecting, the M33 protection circuitry protects against accidental removal of the headphone jack socket from the front panel.

Recent Focal Bentley Radiance headphones gave better results than the ones I tested. They are more intuitive to operate and provide superb detail. Jamie Cullum has a wonderful raspy voice in Gran Torino, which is why the M33 headphones offer a superior level of performance.

Nad M33, Streaming Dac/Amp

NAD’s latest M33 continues to be at the forefront both of analogue as digital Class D amplification. Purifi modules are used in the new model. All this, plus streaming…

NAD’s M10 streaming system was released last year [HFN June ’19]. It stood out in two important ways. The first was the fact that the compact ‘just-add speakers’ system was part of NAD’s exclusive Masters Series. While the second was the exceptional quality of this small, affordable streaming system. It was praised in HFN and won the Best Smart Amplifier award from EISA for 2019-20.

According to EISA, NAD was referred to as “a true master in modern music playback”.

With the PS3999’s M33 launch, there will now be two network systems – or in NADspeak, a ‘BluOS Streaming DAC Amplifiers – within the product range. M33 takes M10’s concept and makes it into a hi-fi component.

Evolution To Revolution. Class D Eigentakt is an amp module that hails from Danish Purifi. It was established by Bruno Putzeys/Philips/Hypex, Lars Risbo/TacT/TI, Peter Lyngdorf/Hi-Fi Klubben/DALI and Steinway Lyngdorf. It’s an evolution of technology that has been used in past NAD designs, and the M33 is more than capable of exceeding its rated power output.

The M33 looks very similar to the company’s M32 [HFN Jul ’18] – in that all the M-Series models have very similar styling – but with the addition of the M10’s Gorilla Glass-covered 7in touchscreen display. The M32 integrated amp cost around PS3500 and the M50.2 streaming media player at PS3799 respectively, so the PS3999 price tag for the M33 might seem like a good deal, provided that it performs well.

Before we move on, let us take a quick look at the NAD M33’s full-width frame measuring 13.3cm high. It weighs only 9.7kg, which is quite impressive for such a large unit. First, the unit’s combination of aluminum and gloss finishes creates a feeling of solidity. While the feet that are magnetically iso-point help to keep out vibrations, With its standard remote handset, Android and iOS BluOS apps, it’s unlikely that you will touch or leave fingerprints on the glass front panel.

Amazon.Com Music Music

It was classical music that I preferred, so I moved to this genre. However, I went with John Williams greatest hits 1969-1999. Yeah, I went with movie themes. Williams is the modern composer that I possess an LP/CD. Williams was a 70s child and wrote some of my most favorite movies. Star Wars was an integral part of my childhood. It is also the 1st song on CD1 of 2 CD collection. The JAWS song played every time I went for a swim in the ocean. John Williams and his music definitely have a place in my heart.

It truly produces amazing sound. It made me dig out my Emotiva ERC-3 CD player. I consider this little jewel to be one of my favorite audio products. This unit sounds very close to my Wadia CD player. So when the M33 started making me want to see how good I could get the sound (every speaker I threw at it showed off their true potential even the incredibly expensive Vivid Audio Kaya 90s (retail is around $27-30K based on paint choices) it made me think what can I add to the system besides speakers to improve the sound? Source, duh.

The NAD M33 did not disappoint. Although it took me over an hour just to get the CD Player out and set it up, it was so worth it. STAR WARS immediately blew me away. The sound stage was open and realistically reproduced instruments. A great feature of instrument separation was the ability to choose one section that you want to pay attention. After the SUPERMAN song, the NAD had completely captured my affection.

The collection is also a great way to question awards. Is it possible that SUPERMAN didn’t win the Academy Award? EMPIRE TRIKES BACK was not victorious? RAIDERS OF LOST ARK did not win? Chariots of Fire provided good music that I still enjoy. You see now that many awards are not given for works that last the test. Most often, these go to fashions.

Download the John Williams score here:

I found myself listening to a lot of singles from groups like NWA, Pink Floyd, Public Enemy, The Eagles, The Highwaymen, ZZ Top, Fresh Prince and more. NAD M33 was the perfect album to get me listening again and again. The Metallica album was the one I decided to go with. Metallica’s Black Album.

Enter the Sandman remains a favourite of mine. The NAD M33 truly provided a wonderful listening experience. Excellent bass reproduction was a real plus. It is clear that the M33 packs a lot of power. You could see the dynamic of the album. I tried looking everywhere for an issue with M33, but couldn’t find one. It was too late to listen to “Nothing Else Matters”. I was already wishing for an audiovisual recorder (A separate amp called the NADM28, which is 7 channel and uses the Purifi module).

Do You Think The Nad 33 Dac Is Good Enough?

Overall. Overall, the NAD M33 streaming DAC amplifier solution is easily one of best. BluOS Multi-Room Music Software is a delight to use. It seamlessly lets you listen to any source, no matter how it was recorded. Jan 28, 2021

Do You Think Nad is a Good Amplifier

NAD once more proved that they can make great-sounding amps at an affordable price. While bass and Treble are impressive by themselves, the best part about NAD amplifiers is their clear midrange sound and effortless integration of all components. Nov 13, 2018

How Do I Factory Reset My Nad M33?

Go to Settings – Other menu option and select Factory Reset to initiate restoring of the M33 to factory default settings. Follow the prompt commands. A Press the rear panel RESET tact toggle switch, and then turn ON rear panel POWER. Don’t let go of the RESET tact button.

Does Nad M10 Have A Phono Stage?

An analog sound quality is one of the many pleasant surprises of the M10. The M10 does not have an internal phono stage. However, through my turntable and phono preamplifier, the sound was better than I anticipated. Because the analog signal is digitally converted by the M10, it is a pleasant surprise.

.Nad M33 Review