Masterful amplifier for the demanding user

Many of us can get along with a simple amplifier, but if an integrated one is to offer not only uncompromising quality but also versatile features, the NAD M33 is the flagship model from a familiar manufacturer that meets many needs.

The role of the amplifier as part of the audio playback system often gets overshadowed by the listening room and the speakers. This is in itself a shame, because it is the amplifier that ensures that the speakers function properly. 

And the more high-quality amplifier has technology, the better it is likely to suit different speakers. Moreover, the amplifier is often the salt of the entire setup: it makes the well-sounding speakers sound even better.

The integrated amplifier now offers many features that allow unnecessary separate devices to be removed from the hardware chain. However, the risk is that if one machine tries to perform many different tasks simultaneously, there will have to be some technical compromises made somewhere. A really cheap and really versatile integrated amplifier may look good on paper, but in reality it may perform quite mediocre in all areas.

In a well-integrated system, all the components are carefully matched. This means that the amplifier provides enough power for various speaker loads without stuttering, its sections are interference-protected and isolated from each other, and the DAC, for example, is of the highest quality and precision possible.

The seeker of uncompromising quality gets a rather hefty pile of banknotes to get the solution he wants, but at the same time he can say goodbye to compromises. A good example of a slightly more expensive but high-quality integrated stereo amplifier is NAD's flagship model in the Masters series, the M33.

M33 is a high-quality integrated amplifier built around the BluOS multi-room network playback system, which takes advantage of its manufacturer’s proprietary HybridDigital Purifi Eigentakt amplifier technology. With this power, M33 delivers 200 watts of continuous power to eight ohms, and correspondingly 380 watts to four ohms.

The digital-to-analog conversion is handled by the ESS’s 32-bit and 384-kHz DAC chip, and the precise operation of the digital section is handled by the gigahertz ARM Cortex A9 processor. For optimizing the speakers and listening space, Dirac Live room correction is available, and for future upgrade needs, the M33 supports two MDC card slots.

The outputs in the M33 include four pairs of RCA connectors for the speaker cables, a pre-amp output, two line-level subwoofer outputs, a 6.3mm headphone output, a 12 volt trigger and RS232 control, and an AES/EBU input for digital audio. The inputs on the other hand include two optical and two coaxial inputs, an AES/EBU and balanced XLR input, an HDMI input, a vinyl input for analog devices such as turntables, and a single line-level stereo input. Additionally, there is both wireless and wired networking, a bi-directional Bluetooth aptx HD connection, and USB mass storage for A-type devices.

The networking features, on the other hand, include versatile support for various streaming services, as well as features such as mqa playback, Roon Ready classification, and AirPlay 2 for Apple products. The versatile BluOS system, on the other hand, guarantees compatibility with various multi-room setups, among other things.

M33 is controlled either via the smart touchscreen and a single rotary dial or via the BluOS control app that can be downloaded to an smart device. The whole thing is packaged in a compact 9.7 kilograms heavy case that measures 435 millimeters in width, 133 millimeters in height, and 396 millimeters in depth.

Watch the M33 presentation video here:

The NAD Masters M33 costs 5,999 euros, and you can find it and other NAD products here. From AK Hifisystems!