TECHWEEK
The NAD M33 is a DAC, amplifier and streamer product in one package, which was the first model to use Purifi Audio’s Eigentakt amplifier circuit.
An amplifier based on this technology is immune to speaker impedance, volume level and signal content. The result is ultra-low harmonic and intermodulation distortion. ”The NAD M33 takes the place of the flagship device in the current NAD line.
The company positions the novelty as an “ultra-powerful amplifier” for the home. The main features of the NAD M33 include support for BluOS multi-room, full color touchscreen with protective glass, ESS Saber chip, full support for MQA decoding, Dirac Room Correction calibration system, compatibility with Apple AirPlay 2 and aptX HD Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and an attractive aluminum body.
The designers did everything to make the front of the NAD M33 amplifier look extremely neat, in particular, the power button is placed in the middle of its upper edge. The black overlay slightly protrudes from the front panel, visually increasing the size of the color touch screen displaying all the information the user needs.
On the left under the cover there is a 6.3 mm headphone output, on the right is the volume control knob, made in the form of a truncated cylinder – it is very ergonomic. By the way, I note that the control accuracy is 0.5 dB – a fairly high indicator for a digital amplifier.
To ensure mechanical decoupling from the surface on which the amplifier will be installed, the legs are made in the form of thorns, and in order not to scratch it, the so-called. shoes made of elastic material.
BluOS Technology, an innovation leader in true wireless high definition multi-room systems, has a growing ecosystem of interoperable products that tightly integrate hardware and software for an exceptional user experience.
Besides multiroom, another essential feature of BluOS is its high definition streaming capabilities. The latter with full support for MQA * decoding from a local NAS or shared drive, as well as streaming audio services on the Internet.
Among the roughly 20 supported services that offer high-definition content are Tidal, Deezer, Qobuz, Amazon HD, and more. Music services like Spotify, Amazon Music, Slacker, TuneIn, nugs.net and many more are also supported.
If we consider the device solely as a stereo amplifier, then the manufacturer declared a continuous power of 200 watts per channel.
The company also focused on a very low level of distortion and noise – they promised true audiophile sound. The NAD M33 amplifier received a rich set of connectors: coaxial inputs, optical, AES / EBU XLR, balanced XLR, RCA (there is a jack for an MM / MC turntable), HDMI.
There is a headphone output on the front panel. There is also a separate block for network connections with Gigabit Ethernet and a set of inputs for remote management. The device, according to NAD, is completely ready for any automation systems.
Two pairs of speakers can be connected to the amplifier. There is control from a smartphone using the BluOS application or voice commands through Alexa and Siri. The company also writes about the possibility of integrating the M33 into smart home systems from Apple, Crestron, Control4, Lutron and others.
This means that along with lighting, curtains, HVAC and security, the integrator or user can seamlessly control the BluOS multi-room music system through a common interface. All integrations are certified to work reliably. BluOS custom apps for iOS and Android tablets and phones, as well as desktop control from Windows and Apple OS, are available free of charge and are regularly updated.
The NAD M33 features a high quality selectable MM or MC phono stage that rivals dedicated standalone devices.
Precise RIAA equalization, sophisticated phase-cancellation subsonic filter and huge headroom combine the best in LP. Plus, headphone enthusiasts will love the sound of a discrete headphone amplifier that’s capable of driving even high-impedance studio headphones.
With high voltage and low output impedance, headphones will sound best. For those who want to use their own headphones but are not tied to a cable, the built-in Bluetooth aptX HD makes it easy to use wireless headphones.
The NAD M33 amplifier comes with a precision microphone for measuring room in and around your listening position, so your system can be precisely calibrated for optimum performance.
As a result, musical staging, clarity, voice intelligibility, and deeper and harder bass are significantly improved. Each of Dirac’s 5 memory profiles can store a unique dimension of a room (eg different acoustics with curtains open or closed, eg different listening positions) or different target frequency curves to suit a particular musical taste or genre. The NAD M33 also supports independent subwoofer outputs that are compatible with Dirac Advanced Bass Management.
