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NAD posts

NAD doubles its Blu-ray fleet with new flagship M56 player

by Steven Kim posted Sep 11th 2009 at 9:08AM

NAD M56 Blu-ray player
Until now, if you wanted a Blu-ray deck with the NAD (New Audio Dimensions, smart guy) logo, you could either pony up the $1,500 for the T587 or get familiar with silk-screening your own faceplate. But now, a $1,999 option from NAD's Master Series has opened up for you in the M56. Back in the day, we had some pretty nice NAD stereo gear, but those pieces always stood for good value -- and unfortunately, we can't say we're seeing the same value proposition here. Aside from the overbuilt chassis construction , the specs add up to a Profile 2.0 player that can dole out Blu-ray's lossless audio via bitstream, LPCM or 7.1-channel analog jacks and play back media via a USB port; in other words, the standard feature set for a reasonably "complete" Blu-ray player these days. If you really need something that fits style-wise into your current rack full of NAD gear, go for it; otherwise consider some alternatives -- including getting back into silk-screening.

NAD jumps into Class D with its new M2 Direct Digital Amp

by Steven Kim posted May 24th 2009 at 10:19AM

NAD M2 Direct Digital Amplifier
Even though Class D switching amplifiers are relatively new to consumer electronics, they are receiving attention; thankfully at least some of it from the engineering (as opposed to marketing) departments. NAD has decided to enter into the fray with its Masters Series M2 Direct Digital Amplifier, a 200 250-Watt stereo offering that can accept a PCM signal directly and run it through a digital volume control before making the transition to analog current to drive your speakers. Don't worry -- it plays nicely with your other components -- there's also an ADC stage so that the unit can accept analog inputs from traditional preamplifiers. The press release touts NAD's work on the feedback stage, and there's nary a mention of ICEpower modules, so it's a good bet that the M2 is NAD's own design and not a repackaged reference kit. Sounds great, but the $6,000 price leaves us sobbing -- thankfully, this is NAD, so you can expect the tech to move down the line in the future. Hit the link for the full details.

NAD's PP-3 digital phono preamp turns vinyl pits to digital bits

by Steven Kim posted Mar 26th 2009 at 7:12PM

NAD PP-3 digital phono preamp
Vinyl holdouts have one less excuse for not making the leap to digital thanks to NAD's PP-3 Digital Phono Preamplifier. Turntables with encoding capabilities are nothing new, but if those decks have been beneath your standards then you've been out of luck. The PP-3, however, lets you supply your own deck -- the audiophile-friendly MC/MM phono preamp is RIAA-equalized and passed through a rumble filter before being output as a soft-clipped digital signal (on a handy USB port) courtesy an onboard A/D converter. The PP-3 also has a line-level input that might come in handy for when you decide to tackle your reel-to-reel tape archives. Available now for $199 -- don't you want to hear this MP3 stuff that all the kids are raving about?

NAD intros the C 725BEE stereo receiver for those sticking to 2-channel

by Steven Kim posted Feb 9th 2009 at 9:15AM

NAD C 725BEE
NAD Electronics has introduced the C 725BEE stereo receiver for those who either have an audio-only system separate from their HT gear or still aren't sold on the whole discrete multichannel thing. Let's face it -- despite the great sound quality possible on recordings that go past the Red Book audio standard, chances are that most of your audio library is still sourced from two-channel CDs. Content is king, so there might be a place for this 50-Watt receiver with an analog stage that must be something special, because NAD saw fit to add its designer's (Bjorn Erik Edvardsen) initials right on the model name. Promising the sound quality of separate amplifier/preamp gear, the C 725BEE includes NAD's Soft Clipping and Power Drive circuitry, and as expected from the brand, the modest 50-Watt rating belies the 200-Watt peak short-term output. The $799 might be well worth it if you spend a lot of time sitting in your listening den's sweet spot.

NAD introduces 7.1-channel T 737 / T 747 AV receivers

by Darren Murph posted Jan 2nd 2009 at 10:14PM


The goods keep flowing from the doors at NAD, and now we've got two new multi-channel AV receivers to swoon over. The lower-end T 737 checks in with 40-watts of power per channel, a trio of surround modes, AM / FM tuner, XM / DAB compatibility and iPod support. The T 747 steps it up with a 60-watt per channel amp, internal decoding of the latest lossless audio codecs from Dolby and DTS and an auto-calibration function to ensure your setup is, um, set up correctly. Expect 'em to hit retail outlets in February / January (respectively) for $799 and $1,299 (also respectively).

NAD coming to CES bearing gifts for AV enthusiasts

by Steven Kim posted Dec 28th 2008 at 1:00AM

NAD logoNew two-channel gear aside, you just know NAD wouldn't turn its back on components for this fad of moving pictures with audio. Sure enough, New Audio Dimensions is bringing out updates to its T-series of AV receivers (T 785, T 775, T 765), T 175 AV Tuner-Pre-Pro and Master Series M15HD Pre-Pro. The most notable new tech here is the use of Modular Design Construction (MDC) -- a design that allows NAD to build new functionality into products module-by-module for tasks like audio decoding and image processing. The $4,000 T 785 receiver packs in the top of the line AM 200 and VM 200 modules for audio and video, respectively, and things step downward to the AM 100 and VM 100 modules by the time you get to the $3,000 T 765 receiver. Follow the link for full model line pricing info.

NAD rolls out two-channel components for CES

by Steven Kim posted Dec 26th 2008 at 7:30AM

NAD C 725BEE stereo receiver
Swinging to an opposite extreme from its $1,600 T587 Blu-ray deck, NAD is aiming for the budget-conscious stereophiles with the Classic Series set to appear at CES 2009. In the lineup are three amps, a pair of CD players, a stereo preamp and even an old-style stereo receiver. Trickle down tech from the top-of-the-line Masters Series components in the form of Class A gain modules, beefy chassis construction and other goodies is promising, but you know these pieces can't carry rock bottom prices with that kind of circuitry. Still, NAD has always been about "audiophile approved" sound at a fair price, and the spec-obsessed would be wise to consider the power ratings as conservative. If you've still got a foot in the redbook two-channel world, hit the link for details.

NAD's BD-Live-enabled T587 Blu-ray deck heads to Canada for $1,600

by Darren Murph posted Nov 30th 2008 at 9:44AM


NAD's T587 is making the rounds, and while it has already been priced for the UK and America, the sticker is no less insane in Canada. The Profile 2.0 Blu-ray player, which is obviously aimed at those with more dollars than sense, will go for $1,599 next month in the Great North. Good luck moving more than a couple, NAD.

NAD's Profile 2.0 T587 Blu-ray player coming to UK for 850

by Darren Murph posted Nov 29th 2008 at 9:09PM


Oh sure, an equal amount of UKers are apt to buy NAD's absurdly overpriced T587 Blu-ray player as Americans (2.5 persons, for those wanting specifics), but what's up with the pricing discrepancy? The BD-Live-enabled deck -- which includes internal decoding of the latest lossless codecs from Dolby and DTS, an HDMI 1.3 port, Ethernet jack, component / composite video outputs, coaxial / optical digital audio sockets, external IR input and a front-panel USB port -- is scheduled to hit shelves sometime in December for around £850. We know the greenback has been gaining ground and all, but we Americans are still getting dinged for an extra two bills here. Ah well, what's $200 to the man / woman who's throwing down for a $1k+ Blu-ray player, right?

NAD's $1,500 T 587 Profile 2.0 Blu-ray deck shipping in December

by Darren Murph posted Nov 3rd 2008 at 10:05PM


During a period where Blu-ray deck manufacturers are begrudgingly lowering prices in order to increase BD adoption, NAD's sticking to its high-end roots and pricing its own Profile 2.0 player accordingly. The T 587, which was briefly spotted at CEDIA 2008, got all official on us today, as we learned that it'll come loaded with HDMI 1.3, Ethernet, composite / component outs, coaxial / optical digital audio ports, an external IR input, front-panel USB socket and internal decoding of the latest lossless audio codecs from Dolby and DTS. It'll also offer 1080p24 playback, specially developed silicon rubber feet (you know, for vibration isolation), a swank upscaler for sprucing up your DVDs and native support for BD-Live / BD-Java applications. Too bad it's being priced entirely too high at $1,499, but those with reputations to uphold can get one installed next month.

[Image courtesy of HomeTheaterMag]

NAD launching VISO TWO / VISO FIVE all-in-one receivers

by Darren Murph posted Jan 3rd 2008 at 6:55PM


Not even two months after NAD introduced a trio of new receivers, the firm is hitting back with a pair of new all-in-one characters. Up first is the VISO TWO DVD / CD Receiver (pictured above), which givers users 1080i DVD upscaling and plays nice with DVD-Audio discs, too. Furthermore, you'll find an AM / FM tuner, readiness for XM Radio / iPods and ports galore including HDMI, S-Video, composite, RS-232 and an undisclosed amount of oomph to drive a pair of speakers. Stepping up to the VISO FIVE (shown after the break), you'll find DVD upconverting, DVD-A support with full bass management and support for DTS / Dolby ProLogic II. Beyond its ability to support surround sound, it looks to mimic its lesser-spec'd sibling in all other areas. Sure, these things look mighty sexy, but we'd recommend that you chew on the facts above for a tick and decide whether or not either one even sounds worthy of your $1,299 / $1,799.

Continue reading NAD launching VISO TWO / VISO FIVE all-in-one receivers

NAD intros trio of new receivers

by Steven Kim posted Nov 15th 2007 at 5:32PM

NAD intros trio of new receivers
NAD has launched its new generation of A/V receivers, the T 765, T 775 and T 785 (pictured). As is customary for the brand, they've taken their own approach to feature implementation. Case in point: while most companies tout 1080P upconversion, NAD is performing a simple transcode of video signals to the HDMI 1.3 ports. As we mentioned on this week's podcast, this approach counts on your display's internal scaler being up to snuff. So if you're considering one of these units, get a demo with your specific display (or scaler) to evaluate the results. All three models have Audyssey Auto Set-Up and MultEQ to ease the process of getting your settings dialed in, and have TI's Aureus DSP for decoding. There's a raft of other features, but rest assured that NAD has stayed true to its "Music First" approach, emphasizing audio quality over pure specs. In time for the holidays, you can pick these up now: $1999, $2499 and $2999 for the T 765, T 775 and T 785, respectively.

NAD intros new processor-tuner-preamp, amps

by Steven Kim posted Aug 29th 2007 at 2:14PM

NAD T744 receiver
NAD Electronics has announced a new preamp-tuner-processor and two new amplifiers for HT duty. Preamp-tuner-processor is a mouthful -- couldn't they just say "ampless receiver"? The T175 (NAD's T744 receiver pictured) preamp-tuner-processor takes NAD's "less is more" approach in user interface but doesn't skimp on the features, with four HDMI 1.3 inputs capable of passing 1080p, Audyssey room correction/calibration, and TI's Aureus 7.1 DSP for surround sound decoding. The T975 and T955 amps are, wouldn't you know, 7- and 5- channel amps that deliver 140- and 100- Watts per channel, respectively. This gear is in the high-end separates part of the market, with the T175 and T955 coming in at $1,999 each, and the T975 a wallet-busting $2,499.




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