NAD M52 DAC

machinehead · April 19, 2012, 01:51:10 PM

Looks tasty and interesting! It has its own proprietary DAC chip and a sampling rate of 844KHz

http://nadelectronics.com/products/masters-series/M51-Direct-Digital-DAC
Anyone hear it yet?

bhobba · April 19, 2012, 03:49:13 PM

Not yet, not yet. But a few guys out my way here in Aus have heard it and are very impressed - check out:
http://www.digitalaudioreview.net.au/index.php/news-blog-and-showcase/john-darkos-blog/item/354-nad-m51-digital-direct-dac-initial-impressions

Because of that I have ordered one to add to my cadre of DAC's which now includes a Playback Designs MPD3 and newer model PDX (the one in the comparison above was I am pretty sure an older model).

However it is in short supply right now here in Aus and it will take a little while to get one into my hot little hands.

There is also a long thread about it here in Aus:
http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/40613-nad-m51-listening-impressions/

Thanks
Bill

topround · April 19, 2012, 05:04:37 PM

I am not really into digital but you guys should check out the Wavelength Brick Dac, very close to analogue.
Another nice Dac I heard was the Lindeman, about a grand and very nice sounding, cooler, more solid state sounding than the Brick but well worth the money. I really only play records but if I had to buy a dac it would be the Brick, Gordon Rankon knows his digital.

Not trying to torpedo this review just throwin out some options that maybe you guys have heard and could comment/compare?

Mike

richidoo · April 19, 2012, 05:58:40 PM

Wild specs!

I like the idea of high bitrate upsampling. I'd love to hear it.

Still haven't heard the M2 amp either. Thanks for posting it Mike

machinehead · April 20, 2012, 06:15:31 AM

Im in almost buying mode, scouring every Forum, learning Polish to read reviews... haha... I think my Bryston BDA-1 is getting a little long in the tooth and really its the center of my system. I don't spin records, or have a cd player.

There is also a new plugin for the Squeezebox that allows you to output musing via the USB and use the async capabilities of the modern DAC, which has been garnering great results... from the forums Ive been reading.

Its the M51 not M52..
M

machinehead · April 20, 2012, 09:24:04 AM

I bought a NAD M51. It was the last one, and will be sold out for months I'm told. Will do a nice compare against the Bryston BDA-1

M

richidoo · April 20, 2012, 09:46:06 AM

Cool!! That is exciting. When will it arrive?

machinehead · April 20, 2012, 11:07:53 AM

Ships today, should be here by Wednesday. Early Birthday present.

bhobba · April 20, 2012, 05:28:57 PM

Quote from: machinehead on April 20, 2012, 11:07:53 AM
Ships today, should be here by Wednesday. Early Birthday present.

Great to hear. Your impressions will be much appreciated to add to the incredible scuttlebutt this DAC is generating.

Thanks
Bill

bhobba · April 20, 2012, 05:45:03 PM

Quote from: richidoo on April 19, 2012, 05:58:40 PMStill haven't heard the M2 amp either.

Hi Rich

Neither have I but with the short supply of the M51 and the mate I am staying with at the moment wanting a new amp we decided to get its little brother a NAD C390DD to check out which should prove interesting.

I think I will do a separate post about it.

Thanks
Bill

bhobba · April 20, 2012, 05:49:29 PM

Quote from: topround on April 19, 2012, 05:04:37 PMNot trying to torpedo this review just throwin out some options that maybe you guys have heard and could comment/compare?

Hi Mike

As Rich said thanks for posting.

I haven't had the pleasure of hearing the Brick but have heard the Wavelength USB converter - very nice - second only to my Off-Ramp and a smidgen ahead of the Berkeley.

Thanks
Bill

mfsoa · April 21, 2012, 11:02:53 AM

Emil and Mike,

I'm very curious to hear what you guys think of your new Dacs.

-Mike: How do you plan on using yours, as a dac/pre or just a dac? Wondering if the days of the preamp as we know it are coming to a close...

Thanks

Face · April 21, 2012, 12:59:50 PM

mfsoa, having compared the preamp section of the DAC-2 to the W4S STP-SE preamp, I'd say those days may be soon. The STP-SE does make a better preamp, but it's not a significant difference.

bhobba · April 21, 2012, 03:34:39 PM

Quote from: mfsoa on April 21, 2012, 11:02:53 AMWondering if the days of the preamp as we know it are coming to a close...

IMHO yes - nearly all DAC's I have checked out (and I have checked quite a few) sound better direct connected and using the volume control in a player on the computer. The few where it doesn't like the Tranquility benefit from the impedance matching of a device like the Truth pre-amp I have - the Tranquility for example uses a capacitor output of a value such that some bass roll-off will occur into low impedance amp loads.

Thanks
Bill

machinehead · April 21, 2012, 06:43:07 PM

I'm going to try the M51 as both a Dac and pre. Hopefully they don't call it the masters series for nothing. Lol.
M