NAD Announces M66 Streaming DAC-Preamplifier
All Image Credit: NAD
Unveiled for the 2023 High End show in Munich, Germany, the latest NAD flagship Masters M66 Streaming DAC-Preamplifier combines the audiophile ESS Technology’s flagship ES9038PRO SABRE DAC with a high-resolution multi-room music streamer based on the acclaimed BluOS multi-room music platform. According to NAD, the included Dirac Live Room Correction and Dirac Live Bass Control, enables the M66 to; “deliver more accurate in-room response than any two-channel component ever offered”. With its aluminum casework, vibrant 7″ front panel touchscreen and ultra-precise weighted volume control, the M66 build quality is excellent, providing what is surely a visually, sonically and technologically, an audiophile streamer.
The technical enhancements include;
- The ESS Technology’s flagship ES9038PRO SABRE DAC, an audiophile-grade design renowned for its ultra-low noise and distortion, exceptionally wide dynamic range and superb time-domain performance.
- Supports both Dirac Live Room Correction and Dirac Live Bass Control with four separate sub outputs.
- Features NAD’s innovative Dynamic Digital Headroom (DDH) circuitry. When enabled with a control in the BluOS app, DDH eliminates digital inter-sample peak clipping distortion, which can occur during digital-to-analogue conversion of sudden high-frequency transients.
- Volume adjustment in the M66 employs an ultra-precise resistor-ladder control circuit that reduces thermal and related distortions, maximizes dynamic range and more accurately matches left and right channel output across the entire volume range.
Features At A Glance
- Ethernet and Wi-Fi networking
- BluOS network streamer provides access to over 20 streaming services, including several that deliver lossless and high-resolution audio
- Flagship ESS Sabre ES9038PRO DAC and ES9822PRO ADC chips
- Innovative Dynamic Digital Headroom (DDH) circuit eliminates digital inter-sample peak clipping distortion
- Full MQA hardware decoding and rendering
- Support for Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, Tidal Connect
- Seamless integration with smarthome control systems such as Crestron, Control4, ELAN, RTI, URC, and others
- Support for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri voice control
- Dirac Live Room Correction
- Four balanced and four unbalanced subwoofer outputs
- Dirac Live Bass Control enables seamless blend between the subwoofer(s) and main speakers, and smooth bass response throughout the listening areaUltra-quiet
- MM/MC phono stage with precise RIAA equalization, high overload margins, and infrasonic filter
- HDMI port with eARC support
- Two optical and two coaxial S/PDIF inputs, one AES/EBU balanced digital input, two pairs of RCA line-level analogue inputs, one pair of XLR balanced inputs
- Dedicated headphone amplifier with low output impedance and very high output voltage capability
- Ultra-precise resistor-ladder digital volume control
- 7″ front-panel touchscreen
- Two MDC2 expansion slots for adding future capabilities
- Premium IR remote control included
Featuring a network streamer based on the renowned BluOS multi-room music management system, the M66 can share music over a home network with up to 63 other BluOS-enabled components and provide access to volumes of music in resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz, plus the M66 has full MQA decoding and rendering capability. The M66 can also be integrated into control systems from smart home specialists such as Control4, Crestron, ELAN, RTI and URC. In addition, users can control playback by voice using Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Apple Siri. The BluOS Controller app, available for Android, iOS, macOS and Windows has integrated support for more than 20 streaming services, can access thousands of internet radio stations and play music stored on local or network drives. The M66 also has Bluetooth connectivity, with support for the AAC, LDAC, and aptX HD codecs.
The M66 features the full versions of both Dirac Live Room Correction and Dirac Live Bass Control that supports the independent calibration of up to four subwoofers. Dirac Live Bass Control optimizes the bass output in both the frequency and time domains, resulting in a smooth blend between the main speakers and subwoofer(s). Just connect the supplied calibrated microphone and launch the Dirac Live app on a smart device or personal computer and your ready to go. After playing test tones through the your speakers, Dirac will analyze the results, then upload filters to the M66 that compensate for common acoustic problems like standing waves and unwanted reflections.
With all signals passing through the flagship ESS ES9822PRO ADC allowing for the support of the Dirac Live Room Correction and Dirac Live Bass Control etc. a bypass mode, Analog Direct Mode, has been provided to create a pure analog signal path that bypasses all digital signal processing. Once activated, analog and digital signals are kept separated and as both use their own power supplies any digital noise interference is minimized. A further noise reduction maybe achieved by disabling the M66’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth circuitry.
Rear panel connectivity is extensive and includes:
- Digital:
- Two coaxial and two optical S/PDIF inputs and an AES/EBU balanced input
- An HDMI eARC interface for connection to TV/AV
- USB
- Analog:
- Two sets of RCA analogue inputs and one pair of XLR balanced inputs
- Separate RCA inputs for both MM and MC cartridges that feed an ultra-low-noise MM/MC phono stage with precise RIAA equalization, high overload margins and an innovative circuit that removes infrasonic noise
- Four RCA and four balanced XLR separate sub outputs
- One set of RCA and one set of XLR balanced line level stereo outputs
- Front panel 1/4″ headphone socket
- Control:
- RS232 x1
- IR in x1
- 12volt trigger – two in, one out.
- Other:
- Ethernet Network RJ45
- Two Wi-Fi antennas
Finally, two rear panel expansion slots support MDC2, the latest version of NAD’s Modular Design Construction future-proofing technology. These slots are designed to allow owners to add additional future features by simply inserting an optional MDC2 module.
MSRP:
- US: $5,499.00
- UK: £4,499.00
- EU: €5,999.00
For more information visit the NAD web site.
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