NAD M10 Streaming Amplifier Review

[SIY]

Again, potentially numbers not telling the whole story I suspect.

Or they do. The amp numbers are good enough to be blameless in a home setup, and the Dirac measurably does what it claims when you look at the in-room acoustic response. A neutral response is a neutral response, and if you want to alter that to dial in a different preferred sound, it's easy to do with Dirac's target function.

The measurements and sound correlate.

I'd replace or repair that sub!

edit: One other thing- I noted in my review that the sub output was 6dB lower than the main output. A recent firmware upgrade fixed that. Check if yours is up to date.

 

[keith_h]

Fair points.

The sub is a PSB Subseries 200, NAD powered. You would think it should work properly out of the box as it did with the Yamaha streamer I used previously. I am aware of the reported issue of the sub output being low and subsequently fixed, but I don't believe that's the issue.

I opened up a ticket with Lenbrook where the low sub output has been reported widely. In their response, its apparent its a design thing.

"When your volume is set to 50%, 10% voltage is sent to the main speakers as well as the subwoofer output. If the sub output is not strong enough at your preferred listening level, you will need to use your Dirac Filter or use the 12v trigger to the SVS sub.

As an alternative, you will get more voltage from the M10 preouts as these will output 3.2V max. You will need to disable the subwoofer output and use the line input on your subwoofer as the output will be full range."

Max sub output is 2V (1.969Vrms), you can see the issue. I don't have an SVS sub as it happens, and they couldn't tell me how much signal was required to wake the PSB sub. it's going to be worse if you have two subs as the output then drops to 1.2V.

Its the same service desk for PSB, Bluesound and NAD as it happens so when you open a ticket (I opened 3, one for the M10, one to Bluesound, one to PSB), it ends up in the same ticketing system and indeed, was attended by the one agent. I was not at all impressed with the interaction with Lenbrook support, they seemed confused and closed the ticket continuously despite not having answered the question. I certainly expected much better.

As you know the sub out when used also drops low frequencies to the main speaker, so using the suggested workaround defeats the purpose. It didn't work anyway.

I digress.

Can you advise where I might find your review.

 

[SIY]

Can you advise where I might find your review.

Print version was in AudioXpress August 2020 issue. It was put on line here.

 

[keith_h]

Print version was in AudioXpress August 2020 issue. It was put on line here.

Awesome thanks. This is far and away the most comprehensive review of the system as a whole and Dirac in particular I've seen. And I have to agree, its a compelling package despite the foibles.

In your review:

After prodding Lenbrook, I know why, but in my mind, that's a defect. The previous Yamaha RN-602 always worked well with the sub, however its output was 4V rather than 2. The low sub volume thing is as I mentioned a known problem which the Lenbrook service desk tried to brush off.

Below a picture of the Audio Tardis (M10, PSB Imagine Mini speakers, and that sub). The M10 is in the cabinet, the door is never opened as its driven by the nearest mobile device. We have been doing this for a while with Musiccast devices, but the M10 kicks it up a couple of notches. One ethernet cable and all the music I can imagine is right there at my fingertips. Its the way of the future, compact (invisible in this case), powerful easy to use and sounds great.

And as with Musiccast, music on any compatible device in the house, if I had some.

A final word, have a listen to Counting Crows Big Yellow Taxi. It soars on the M10. And at the end of the day, that's what really matters, if the music sounds great and moves the spirit.

 

[SIY]

The low sub volume thing is as I mentioned a known problem which the Lenbrook service desk tried to brush off.

Interestingly, the M33 showed exactly the same behavior. Presumably the firmware update which fixed it for the M10 will have done the same for the M33. Point is, though, they did recognize it and did fix it. Ditto the problems I had with the SPDIF inputs.

What I would really like to see (and maybe they do this and I just haven't found it?) is a change log. Some of the updates increase capability, not just fix bugs, and it would be nice to have a heads-up.

 

[keith_h]

I had an update only yesterday. The sub issue persists though. I heard it was fixed in some Powernode devices, but not the M10 specifically. There are many complaints of this issue on the Bluesound community pages.

BluOS 3.10.3. Released September 1, 2020.

•Increase subwoofer levels on Powernode 2 products.
•Improvements to Dirac slot management.
•Other minor fixes.

https://nadelectronics.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/BluOS_ReleaseNotes_3.14.10_Public.pdf

 

[keith_h]

I mentioned I felt the M10 sub issue (low sub volume, sub not waking) is a defect. I am sure it's yet to be fixed and from my recent conversation with Lenbrook, they don't acknowledge there has ever been/is a problem. Apparently its a feature request" to have the sub wake at a reasonable listening level, despite the issue being well known across the BluOS fleet.

It was explained to me that the volume control is logarithmic. This means you won't get 1 volt at the sub output until 85% volume. What I've asked again is what is the trigger voltage to wake the sub. Because if it needs 85% volume to provide 1 volt to wake the sub, which in my listening room is about 90db with most material, then that's an issue. See the M10 response jpg I posted earlier.

As I mentioned, sub behaved just fine with the Yamaha receiver it was connected to previously. And this 6db deficit I've read about is why I pushed the Dirac curve up below 80Hz.

That's the workaround that makes it wake at a reasonable listening volume and the sub gain is back where it used to be (straight up in the middle) for a civilised bass response. Hoping they will get to fixing it properly one day.

 

[dougi]

I had a similar issue with my sub waking up. Ended up having to manually wake it every time with a cheap DAP with bass tones using RCA with main input on XLR. After it failed completely after a few years, the replacement (expensive) amp module it was much better! The trigger input also worked properly then as well!

 

[iLoveCats]

Turn your gain down on the back of the sub to half or lower and turn the subwoofer level up in Dirac. Do this in the volume calibration menu not the filter design, that solved my wakeup problem on an SVS sub. You may have to trim your left and right down in the volume calibration menu if there's a significant mismatch in sensitivity between the speakers and the sub.

 

[keith_h]

Got this back from Lenbrook overnight:

"Please be advised that the SubSeries 200 has an input sensitivity of about 20mV.
When using the M10's build in crossover, it will be best to use the LFE input on your SubSeries 200."

@iLoveCats, got it thanks. I'll give that a shot. That sounds like the best advice so far.

 

[Raiders4life12]

So I just unboxed my new m10 and it will not turn on at all. I also tried a factory reset and nothing. Any help?

 

[SIY]

So I just unboxed my new m10 and it will not turn on at all. I also tried a factory reset and nothing. Any help?

Did you plug it in? The non-joke version: are you certain the outlet is working? Swap out the IEC cord?

 

[Raiders4life12]

My outlet has a light switch attached to it that I didn’t know about. Crisis averted

 

[SIY]

My outlet has a light switch attached to it that I didn’t know about. Crisis averted

Hah, perfect!

 

[curiouspeter]

Anyone using the M10 with a TV through HDMI?

Is it reliable? Which brand/model TV do you use?

 

[iLoveCats]

Anyone using the M10 with a TV through HDMI?

Is it reliable? Which brand/model TV do you use?

Mine is connected to a 2020 model 65" Sony 950H via optical now. I can't use the HDMI because the TV periodically sends the signal the M10 auto sense function looks for, then the M10 switches input to the TV when I'm using it for Tidal or whatever. I can disable the auto sense on the M10 but that makes it not friendly for my wife to 'just watch TV'.

 

[Kachda]

Mine is connected to a 2020 model 65" Sony 950H via optical now. I can't use the HDMI because the TV periodically sends the signal the M10 auto sense function looks for, then the M10 switches input to the TV when I'm using it for Tidal or whatever. I can disable the auto sense on the M10 but that makes it not friendly for my wife to 'just watch TV'.

The TV sends a signal even if its switched off? Or you were listening to tidal and watching TV also?

 

[iLoveCats]

The TV sends a signal even if its switched off? Or you were listening to tidal and watching TV also?

When the TV is off. You can prevent it by having the TV on and switching to a different input. But I don't care to have the TV on when I'm listening to I heart radio or tidal or radio paradise.

 

[patoulol]

Mine is connected to a 2020 model 65" Sony 950H via optical now. I can't use the HDMI because the TV periodically sends the signal the M10 auto sense function looks for, then the M10 switches input to the TV when I'm using it for Tidal or whatever. I can disable the auto sense on the M10 but that makes it not friendly for my wife to 'just watch TV'.

by the way, your cat is beautiful! and your nickname too

 

[iLoveCats]

by the way, your cat is beautiful! and your nickname too

Thanks, I got him for free, somebody moved out of an apartment and when the landlord came to evict the tenants with the cops, the place was empty and they found Eddie alone and abandoned. The impound couldn't get him to eat so they sent him to the vet, who's my friend, and she gave him to me.