NAD M33 Streaming Amplifier Review

[Calou]

Have you made settings under tone control, but not activated this function? If so, you could set the settings to 0dB and try again.

Tone controls are factory setting so no changes to default settings and not enabled.

I've attached 3 measurements made with both speakers driven at -30dB by using the track pink noise average -18dbs from : "Stereo test: speaker setup, calibration tones, soundcheck" on tidal, streaming via tidal connect. Microphone at 3.3 meters from speakers at listening position. The 2 similar levels are with dirac on and off. The louder one is after running the workaround (I had to run it 3 times consecutively for it to work)

 

[Fritzenheimer]

I have two subwoofers set up for stereo but the right channel has stopped producing sound. I switched the cables and gave determined that the subwoofers are both functioning properly and that the right channel is not working properly.

Any suggestions on what I can do? Someone has suggested a factory reset. If that is the course to take how will that affect Dirac filters? Can I reload them after a reset without remeasuring?

 

[pogo]

Yes, without remeasuring.
Have you already deactivated and reactivated the subwoofers on the M33?

 

[pogo]

DLBC will probably not only be rolled out for the M66 soon: Link

 

[pogo]

it is not possible to select HDMI as input source from the remote control. Yes, that's right: The fancy remote control delivered with the M33 does not have the ability to choose HDMI as source! (I have confirmed this with NAD customer support.)

With the HTRM 2 remote control for the M33, the BluOS app presets can be selected directly under "MP" (Device Selector) using the 0-9 buttons. Try to add the HDMI input as a preset
In addition, you can forward a few buttons using "Punch trough", e.g. ON, OFF, RES(Dirac). This means you don't have to switch between "AMP" and "MP" on the remote control.

 

[pogo]

Btw, this is the new SRM1:

 

[janbth]

With the HTRM 2 remote control for the M33, the BluOS app presets can be selected directly under "MP" (Device Selector) using the 0-9 buttons. Try to add the HDMI input as a preset
In addition, you can forward a few buttons using "Punch trough", e.g. ON, OFF, RES(Dirac). This means you don't have to switch between "AMP" and "MP" on the remote control.

Thanks, will look into it!

 

[janbth]

With the HTRM 2 remote control for the M33, the BluOS app presets can be selected directly under "MP" (Device Selector) using the 0-9 buttons. Try to add the HDMI input as a preset
In addition, you can forward a few buttons using "Punch trough"…

Thanks, will look into it!

Yes, this works! Only difference is I used «copy» instead of «punch throuh». Thanks again, @pogo!

 

[pogo]

If you want, you can brief the NAD support

 

[Calou]

Tone controls are factory setting so no changes to default settings and not enabled.

I've attached 3 measurements made with both speakers driven at -30dB by using the track pink noise average -18dbs from : "Stereo test: speaker setup, calibration tones, soundcheck" on tidal, streaming via tidal connect. Microphone at 3.3 meters from speakers at listening position. The 2 similar levels are with dirac on and off. The louder one is after running the workaround (I had to run it 3 times consecutively for it to work)

View attachment 312342View attachment 312341View attachment 312340

Update: The support of NAD was responsive and we have spend quite some time and long phone calls to work on my issue. They could not reproduce the issue after extensive tests using my Dirac filters. Filter design seems not to be the problem here. I will be sending the unit to the nearest service center to check if there is a faulty component involved in the Dirac chain. To be continued...

 

[Hoeksel]

Since the "upgrade" of BluOS to V4 I stopped using it and went to Tidal Connect. But unfortunately, most of the time Tidal Connect does a lot except connect to the M33. Restarting the M33 and/or Tidal application sometimes helps, not always. Is there a known solution to this connection issue? Now back to BluOS temporarily but I really hope I can go back to Tidal Connect. Incredible how software can kill the whole experience.......

 

[Hoeksel]

Answer to my own question: known issue.

https://support1.bluesound.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/18722793189783-Tidal-Connect-on-BluOS-devices-not-working-with-Android-14-anymore-

 

[Descartes]

When will NAD update this integrated?

 

[Jura]

So, I just got an M33 a few days ago. Lots of positives, but I have an issue with the max volume level that I have never encountered before in any amp (and this is my first expensive amp). There's simply little to no headroom to speak of. My speakers have 90db sensitivity, which should be more than adequate for an amp of this caliber.

I have mine hooked up to the TV via optical, but have also set up a network share on my server for my FLAC library, and the SPL when streaming or going through the TV is identical. If I listen to classical music for example, I usually settle at 80% volume, but 90% is no problem either, when sitting just 2,5 meters away. And 90% is the absolute max after I set up Dirac.. On my previous amp, a mediocre 2x150W NAD C375BEE, max I ever had the volume was around 40%, and that was probably a bit louder than the max volume on the M33..

Is this just a modern amp thing, where the manufacturers don't trust the users to be able to regulate the volume? My speakers aren't monsters either (B&W 702 Signatures), but they still have more to give than the amp allows. They're down in 4 ohm territory in the low freqs, so the amp should in theory be able to deliver more than they can handle (300W peak). I also measured the power output of the amp, directly from the wall, and max I ever saw was around 60W, at 80% volume (sans Dirac and tone controls). There's nothing about the sonic performance that leads me to believe anything is wrong either - it drives the speakers well.

I currently have 4 amps in the house, 3 NAD and a small Denon, and even the little Denon at 2x30W has plenty of headroom to the point where I don't even know how high the volume wheel goes after 4 years. Tried googling this issue several times, but apart from people mentioning that Dirac and Tone controls subtract x amount of max volume on this particular amp, I've found nothing.

I like the amp, but paying $6000 to handicap my speakers' SPL isn't what I had in mind. To be clear, I don't listen at max volume all day long, just a few songs here and there. And my hearing is fine too.

Did you solved? I have the same problem. My NAD M33 is less louder than the Bluesound Powernode!!! How is it possible???

 

[Jura]

So, I just got an M33 a few days ago. Lots of positives, but I have an issue with the max volume level that I have never encountered before in any amp (and this is my first expensive amp). There's simply little to no headroom to speak of. My speakers have 90db sensitivity, which should be more than adequate for an amp of this caliber.

I have mine hooked up to the TV via optical, but have also set up a network share on my server for my FLAC library, and the SPL when streaming or going through the TV is identical. If I listen to classical music for example, I usually settle at 80% volume, but 90% is no problem either, when sitting just 2,5 meters away. And 90% is the absolute max after I set up Dirac.. On my previous amp, a mediocre 2x150W NAD C375BEE, max I ever had the volume was around 40%, and that was probably a bit louder than the max volume on the M33..

Is this just a modern amp thing, where the manufacturers don't trust the users to be able to regulate the volume? My speakers aren't monsters either (B&W 702 Signatures), but they still have more to give than the amp allows. They're down in 4 ohm territory in the low freqs, so the amp should in theory be able to deliver more than they can handle (300W peak). I also measured the power output of the amp, directly from the wall, and max I ever saw was around 60W, at 80% volume (sans Dirac and tone controls). There's nothing about the sonic performance that leads me to believe anything is wrong either - it drives the speakers well.

I currently have 4 amps in the house, 3 NAD and a small Denon, and even the little Denon at 2x30W has plenty of headroom to the point where I don't even know how high the volume wheel goes after 4 years. Tried googling this issue several times, but apart from people mentioning that Dirac and Tone controls subtract x amount of max volume on this particular amp, I've found nothing.

I like the amp, but paying $6000 to handicap my speakers' SPL isn't what I had in mind. To be clear, I don't listen at max volume all day long, just a few songs here and there. And my hearing is fine too.

Do you solved the problem? I've the same problem too. M33 is just lacking power!

 

[pogo]

Is the volume limit set to 0dB?
Are Tone Control and Dirac Live activated?
Which speakers are you using?

 

[fcracer]

Do you solved the problem? I've the same problem too. M33 is just lacking power!

The M33 has been tested by this very website to deliver 421 W into 4 ohms and 201 W into 8 ohms. It's certainly not lacking power. When trying to troubleshoot something, we need some information to work with. What db level is shown if you use that mode to show volume? What input are you using? Is Dirac on? Are Tone Controls on? Have you tried using BluOS as a source and placing a known, good music file on your server to use for testing? Have you reached out to NAD for help?

 

[doorofnight]

This amazes me also, but I don't spend much attention to that. Normal to a bit louder listening volume is around 76% which equals -26.5dB (no DIRAC, Tone controls, max volume is set to 0dB, 2.2. configuration) which equals to 66dB according to a dB app on my phone.

0 dB is loud enough, but not very loud. I am fine with that because of the neighbours in my building. But otherwise, it would have been a problem.

 

[doorofnight]

It is also impossible to follow the manual for DIRAC at this point:

1. Adjust the Master output slider (only for the first test speaker – Left) until the first test speaker's sound pressure indicator level ranges between -15 dB to -13 dB.

This always resulted in clipping because the levels were far too high.

Also this picture is most confusing:

One has to put the mic at 0dB but the picture shows the slider at +8dB. Then the manual states:

"You can also consider the Mic gain and Master output as a Signal-to-Noise ratio setting)"

That might be so, but whatever i tried, i still got the clipping error at higher volumes.

I always guessed this is why my amplifier cannot really turn op the volume. But since i don't play loud, it's not a big problem. But maybe someone can help a bit. I guess this is also the reason why more people say that 0 dB is not loud.

 

[fcracer]

It is also impossible to follow the manual for DIRAC at this point:

1. Adjust the Master output slider (only for the first test speaker – Left) until the first test speaker's sound pressure indicator level ranges between -15 dB to -13 dB.

This always resulted in clipping because the levels were far too high.

Also this picture is most confusing:

One has to put the mic at 0dB but the picture shows the slider at +8dB. Then the manual states:

"You can also consider the Mic gain and Master output as a Signal-to-Noise ratio setting)"

That might be so, but whatever i tried, i still got the clipping error at higher volumes.

I always guessed this is why my amplifier cannot really turn op the volume. But since i don't play loud, it's not a big problem. But maybe someone can help a bit. I guess this is also the reason why more people say that 0 dB is not loud.

This video made by Dirac is pretty easy to follow and worked well for me: