NAD M33 Streaming Amplifier Review

[SIY]

Just to be clear, no claim from me it's the power chord. I really don't believe that for a second. Can't think of any logical reason, but it is the only change - other than just the fact the unit was turned off and on again.

No electronic problem was ever fixed by turning something off then back on again.

Is there a “sarc” tag?

 

[jaymusic]

Please make a cross check with the old power chord. Possibly also plug in the connector differently (180° rotated), depending on the country.

No difference with the old power chord - clipping is still gone.
That leaves the only thing the old on and off switch and unplug at the mains.

As I said, baffling.

 

[pogo]

No difference with the old power chord - clipping is still gone.
That leaves the only thing the old on and off switch and unplug at the mains.

As I said, baffling.

Could also be another software or firmware bug...

 

[pogo]

For curve lovers:
Review

 

[EB1000]

Could also be another software or firmware bug...

There is no way the clipping bug is gone. Try playing the song w/o Roon. Use the local library playback with relaygain turned off. Try the song "waste" by Rhye. I thing you have a Roon bug that adds some attenuation.

 

[Stefan]

Try playing the song w/o Roon. Use the local library playback with relaygain turned off. Try the song "waste" by Rhye.

The first 40s I thought it´s not so bad after all, but then…what a mess. Stop naming such tracks please, it hurts

 

[EB1000]

The first 40s I thought it´s not so bad after all, but then…what a mess. Stop naming such tracks please, it hurts

Sorry, but as I said many times before, the new lone of NAD processor based products are a real mess (M33, C658, and T778). W/o public pressure on NAD, there will be no satisfying solution to this farce... I had to give up on bass management functionality of my C658 and buy the minidsp 2x4HD to enjoy the C658 w/o clipping distortion. BTW, does any of you use Deezer with the M33 or C658? The recent FW blocks access to your playlists.

 

[jaymusic]

There is no way the clipping bug is gone. Try playing the song w/o Roon. Use the local library playback with relaygain turned off. Try the song "waste" by Rhye. I thing you have a Roon bug that adds some attenuation.

The change from hearing the crackling to not hearing it was with Roon only.
Agree It's certainly not a NAD bug fix as no new firmware has been loaded.
Also no new Roon update so it's not that either.

I did try the Rhye song and yep, clipping is there via Roon with no headroom adjustment.

As for the M33 overall, the clipping issue when using subs is of course something they should address but it makes a 10/10 product a 9/10, imo, not a 'mess'. I guess we all have our own tolerances for what is acceptable and not.
For me, as I can easily solve the issue with Roon DSP, it's just not that big a deal, but for those without a method to make the adjustment pre the M33 receiving the data, I can see why it is a bigger problem.

 

[The Real Gabriel]

Interesting how no review out there mentions this.

 

[EB1000]

Interesting how no review out there mentions this.

Non of the reviewers have used a subwoofer with the M33 or C658.

 

[SIY]

Non of the reviewers have used a subwoofer with the M33 or C658.

Are you certain of that?

 

[Kal Rubinson]

Are you certain of that?

He should not be.

 

[eriksson]

Since this NAD M33 is "mainstream" amp, and gets tested by some "prominent reviewers" in the subjective arena, it's interesting to see how the Purify amplifiers sound to them.


Here are two tests from Germany, I don't recall seeing such high scores for amplifiers from either of them.
https://www.testberichte.de/p/nad-tests/m33-testbericht.html
Audio: Klangurteil: 127 Punkte
Stereo: Klang-Niveau: 89%


Whathifi in England writes quite a bit about the Purify modules and the technology behind them. Short quote from the review when they finally start listening:

So much tech to wade through before we can just sit back and enjoy the quality of amplification on offer here! And this is where all the tech and the buttons and the app recede in the shadow of the music, as the M33’s PuriFi power took full control of our speakers and — over an utterly silent backdrop — delivered album after album of perfectly-honed music.

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/nad-masters-m33

So it appears the excellent measurements of the Purify modules (and the amp in general) translate into very good sound according to these mainstream reviewers.

 

[SIY]

Audio: Klangurteil: 127 Punkte
Stereo: Klang-Niveau: 89%

Huh, I would have thought 125 Punkte and 91%, Maybe they're using metric.

 

[Kundroc]

Huh, I would have thought 125 Punkte and 91%, Maybe they're using metric.

There is probably a better correlation between MSRP and points than with SINAD.

 

[SIY]

There is probably a better correlation between MSRP and points than with SINAD.

That's cruel.

Accurate, though.

 

[pogo]

Guess I could have know beforehand by digging deeper. No reviewer mentioned it.

Here, a reviewer partly noticed it (see 'Vinyl playback'), but was not quite sure about the delay cause:

https://www.whathifi.com/reviews/nad-masters-m33

The background knowledge, e.g. regarding the 50ms BluOS restriction, is simply missing here. In the future, it will not be easier for the reviewers to draw the right conclusions with such complex devices.

 

[Odradek]

I had been saving to buy the M33 but this distortion problem puts me on hold. I will wait for a possible solution. My use case is precisely what causes the problem, I wanted this to use with Dirac (buying additional bass management) and 2 sobwoofers, and had decided for this over the Anthem STR integrated because of the Purifi amps and headphone out.

This thread has been the best source of information on this unit!

Thanks to all who post and update with news

 

[jaymusic]

I had been saving to buy the M33 but this distortion problem puts me on hold. I will wait for a possible solution. My use case is precisely what causes the problem, I wanted this to use with Dirac (buying additional bass management) and 2 sobwoofers, and had decided for this over the Anthem STR integrated because of the Purifi amps and headphone out.

This thread has been the best source of information on this unit!

Thanks to all who post and update with news

Exactly my use case - 2.2 (still awaiting delivery of the second subwoofer).
I think the Dirac Bass Control software is coming soon to the NAD M33.

We'll see if they can also deal with the clipping on 'hot' recordings with a firmware update (not sure they can).

As it stands, even with that issue, which is very minor IMO, I am a very happy owner.... BUT, since reading this thread I probably do listen out more for any evidence of the issue!

 

[pogo]

I assume that the distortion issue will be fixed at the same time as the promised introduction of Dirac Bass Management, since this feature is still pending as an update and these tasks are technically related.