NAD M series

[rynopr]

NAD M series and Anthem D1

Does anyone have experience with NAD in general? This new M series has caught my attention.

How would the NAD M15 stack up against the Anthem D1?


What about the M55 Universal DVD Player?

 

[rynopr]

Joe,

Here is what this guy says over at AVS about it's short comings. How does this compare to the D1?


What doesn't it do?

1. The on-screen display (OSD) does not work properly using the component video output (at least with my TV). You can see it attempt to display, but it just flickers for a moment then disappears. Since the interface relies on the OSD this is a critical bug and prevents convenient use of the unit's functions. There is a work-around, which is to view the OSD through the composite video output, but that makes using the unit rather cumbersome.

2. You can’t directly select surround modes. You must cycle through them using single “surround mode” button. To me this is a major ergonomic shortcoming. Trying to do something as simple as switching between stereo and DPL2 requires the user to cycle through all of the surround modes. Couple this with the component OSD problem and it makes it impossible to tell which surround mode is engaged unless you walk up to the M15 to view the display (or switch to a composite input).

3. Can’t save separate channel levels for different sources, or for 7.1 chnl in. This makes it impossible to properly level match DVDA / SACD output to the rest of the sources.

4. Lipsync delay cannot be saved. I plan to by a new TV in the near future, most of which have video delay. Not being able to save the audio delay requires the user to recalibrate the audio to the video each time.

5. No bass management on 7.1 chnl in. Not a big deal because my DVD player has bass management, but I would have expected this functionality at this price.

6. Tone controls only affect left and right speakers. Not the wisest choice for a “surround” processor.

7. Tone control settings cannot be saved. Considering that most cable shows sound a bit wiry, I like to set the treble 2dB down and leave it there. With the M15, this must be readjusted each time. Another ergonomic shortcoming.

8. No tone controls for 7.1 chnl in. This makes it impossible to adjust for bright DVDA / SACD recordings.

9. Stripped down version of DPL 2. No Panorama, Center Width, or front to back fill adjustments. This is a big disappointment because I'd like using DPL2 to enhance some stereo programs.

Here is a link to the complete discussion:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=637503&highlight=NAD

 

[Reverb2009]

Joe,

Here is what this guy says over at AVS about it's short comings. How does this compare to the D1?


What doesn't it do?

1. The on-screen display (OSD) does not work properly using the component video output (at least with my TV). You can see it attempt to display, but it just flickers for a moment then disappears. Since the interface relies on the OSD this is a critical bug and prevents convenient use of the unit's functions. There is a work-around, which is to view the OSD through the composite video output, but that makes using the unit rather cumbersome.

The D1's on screen OSD works just fine for me, however if I am not mistaken the OSD doesn’t work over component video, only on composite and S-video. The D2's Video scalier can up convert video from the S-video to component, and component to HDMI, if I am not mistaken the OSD go’s with it, so it does work over component and HDMI on the D2.

2. You can’t directly select surround modes. You must cycle through them using single “surround mode” button. To me this is a major ergonomic shortcoming. Trying to do something as simple as switching between stereo and DPL2 requires the user to cycle through all of the surround modes. Couple this with the component OSD problem and it makes it impossible to tell which surround mode is engaged unless you walk up to the M15 to view the display (or switch to a composite input).

You can’t directly select a sound mode, you have to cycle threw the different modes. Or you can assign a particular mode to a source within the OSD. So you can set pro-logic II as the default for VCR, or 2ch stereo for TV, Anthem logic for satellite, ETC.

3. Can’t save separate channel levels for different sources, or for 7.1 chnl in. This makes it impossible to properly level match DVDA / SACD output to the rest of the sources.

Yes you can. You can level match each source (TV, DVD, Tuner, ETC.) so they are of equal volume as you change sources.

4. Lipsync delay cannot be saved. I plan to by a new TV in the near future, most of which have video delay. Not being able to save the audio delay requires the user to recalibrate the audio to the video each time.

The D1 does not.But I believe the D2’s scalier does.

5. No bass management on 7.1 chnl in. Not a big deal because my DVD player has bass management, but I would have expected this functionality at this price.

No bass managment on alalog RCA in's.

6. Tone controls only affect left and right speakers. Not the wisest choice for a “surround” processor.

Not sure what you mean by Tone controls? If you are referring to test tones it works on all channels.

7. Tone control settings cannot be saved. Considering that most cable shows sound a bit wiry, I like to set the treble 2dB down and leave it there. With the M15, this must be readjusted each time. Another ergonomic shortcoming.

You have trim controls on the front of the D1 that can be adjusted on the fly; they are saved when the Power is turned off.

8. No tone controls for 7.1 chnl in. This makes it impossible to adjust for bright DVDA / SACD recordings.

9. Stripped down version of DPL 2. No Panorama, Center Width, or front to back fill adjustments. This is a big disappointment because I'd like using DPL2 to enhance some stereo programs.

Dont know I would have to look it up.

Here is a link to the complete discussion:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=637503&highlight=NAD

 

[rynopr]

Joe,
Thanks very much for the input. I'm not sure if you thought that list was about the Anthem. The list was on the new NAD M15 pre. I just wanted to know how it compared to the Anthem, since I knew you were familiar with it.

 

[Reverb2009]

Joe,
Thanks very much for the input. I'm not sure if you thought that list was about the Anthem. The list was on the new NAD M15 pre. I just wanted to know how it compared to the Anthem, since I knew you were familiar with it.

Honestly I wasn’t sure which way your list went, the link you posed wasn’t working for me, but I figured I would just answer your questions compared with my experiences with the D1. I have only heard one NAD setup and that was with the Elac speakers. It was a very good sounding setup especially for the price.

 

[tsd2005]

Like everything on AVS....

Its not true and obviously influenced by someone who thinks their product is best.

I'm very familiar with the D1 and the M15. The M15 imho is the better choice as its designed to work with BlueRay and the D1 is not.

NAD already has one software upgrade out and another one on the way.

We have sold 4 M15s so far and the OSD has not been an issue at all.

 

[Reverb2009]

Like everything on AVS....

Its not true and obviously influenced by someone who thinks their product is best.

I'm very familiar with the D1 and the M15. The M15 imho is the better choice as its designed to work with BlueRay and the D1 is not.

NAD already has one software upgrade out and another one on the way.

We have sold 4 M15s so far and the OSD has not been an issue at all.

Yes the D1 does not work with Blu-Ray and HD-DVD because it does not have HDMI ports, but the D2 (that just started shipping) does work with Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.

 

[tsd2005]

Yes the D1 does not work with Blu-Ray and HD-DVD because it does not have HDMI ports, but the D2 (that just started shipping) does work with Blu-Ray and HD-DVD.

True but the questions asked were about the M15 vs the D1.

Otherwise I could mention that Theta Digital will have a BlueRay compatible HDMI input card available for Casablanca III. That Arcam has a BlueRay compatible Pre-Pro, etc.

However none of them are in the same price range as the M15.

 

[Reverb2009]

True but the questions asked were about the M15 vs the D1.

Otherwise I could mention that Theta Digital will have a BlueRay compatible HDMI input card available for Casablanca III. That Arcam has a BlueRay compatible Pre-Pro, etc.

However none of them are in the same price range as the M15.

He was asking me about the D1 because I own one.

The D1 is now out of production, to get one now you would have to buy used or get a new D2.

The CasaBlanca is twice the price of a D1 or D2.

Arcams Pre-pro's HDMI ports are Video only; they do not work for audio because Arcam feels both audio and video on the same port degrades quality.

 

[tsd2005]

He was asking me about the D1 because I own one.

The D1 is now out of production, to get one now you would have to buy used or get a new D2.

The CasaBlanca is twice the price of a D1 or D2.

Arcams Pre-pro's HDMI ports are Video only; they do not work for audio because Arcam feels both audio and video on the same port degrades quality.

That was the AV8, the AV9 does both audio and video.