When I was first approached about reviewing NAD Electronics’ new Masters M66 preamplifier, the Canadian company’s PR rep proposed sending along one of NAD’s M23 power amplifiers to complement the new flagship preamplifier. Sure, no problem, I thought, but what about using the M66 with two M23s, operating in bridged mode? According to the company’s specifications, this setup should deliver a pulse-pounding 700Wpc into 8 ohms, making for an absolutely killer state-of-the-art system. Lenbrook Industries, NAD’s parent company, must think similarly, because this same setup was used at the AXPONA show in Chicago, back in May, to drive the $60,000-per-pair (all prices in USD) DALI Epikore 11s. Lenbrook distributes DALI in North America. So, it wasn’t long before a big stack of boxes arrived on my doorstep from NAD.
At $5499 for the M66 and $3749 for each of the M23s, this $12,997 setup is pretty pricey by NAD’s usually more modest standards. But looking at this stack of components, you might think that it should cost even more, especially when considering all of the technology jam-packed inside the sleek, silvery components. And while the M23 is notable for providing nearly flawless measured performance and pristine sound to match, the M66 is the star of this show.
As with all NAD Masters components, the M66 arrived well-packaged and protected from scuffs and scratches in a cloth pouch. From the front, it looks nearly identical to the M33 integrated amplifier; meaning it is absolutely gorgeous, with styling and build quality that is unmatched at this price point. The beautiful, full-color display and matte-black panels offset its elegant brushed-aluminum finish.
The M66’s full list of features is too extensive to get into here, but its streaming capabilities are pretty much the same as NAD’s other BluOS-equipped products. Of most interest to me is the support for Tidal Connect, Roon, and, of course, BluOS.
But what really differentiates the M66 from its competitors is the inclusion of Dirac Live full-bandwidth room correction and Dirac Live Bass Control for up to four subwoofers. Quite a few manufacturers now offer fully featured streaming DAC–preamplifiers, but few offer them with room correction. As for Dirac Live Bass Control, this technology is said to use machine learning and AI to adjust phase, delay, and gain settings to harmonize the subwoofers and main speakers in the lower frequencies.
The M66 comes equipped with a puck-shaped microphone that can be mounted on a camera tripod, complete with a generic calibration file and an adapter for connection to the M66’s USB port. I usually use a Dayton Audio UMM-6 measurement mike with its custom calibration file for Dirac Live measurements, but Cas Oostvogel, NAD’s product manager, told me that the supplied mike is of similar quality to miniDSP’s UMIK-1, considered by many to be the reference for budget measurement mikes. While the boom-mounted Dayton microphone looked more professional, the NAD mike worked fine. I couldn’t discern any differences in the results produced by either microphone.
Around back, there are four RCA and four XLR subwoofer outputs, and two slots for NAD’s second-generation Modular Design Construction (MDC2) expansion modules. The only such module currently available is the MDC2 BluOS D, for use with MDC2-capable products that lack BluOS and Dirac capability, such as the NAD C 3050 amplifier. Additional MDC2 modules for future upgrades are likely in the works, as NAD has a long history of supporting its products by providing updates in this way.
You might wonder how NAD could improve upon the already impressive sound quality and extensive feature set of its M33 streaming integrated amplifier–DAC, which employs Purifi Audio’s Eigentakt amplifier technology. While the M33 is a fantastic product and performs wonderfully, it does rely on the DAC’s built-in digital volume control. In contrast, the M66 features a high-quality analog preamplification stage, with an IC-controlled, stepped-ladder-resistor volume control, instead of relying on the DAC chip. The company claims to have improved upon nearly every aspect of the new preamp’s design in comparison to the M33. For example, the DAC, A-to-D, and DSP processing chips have all been upgraded, along with much of their associated circuitry. Also, licenses for Dirac Live full-bandwidth room correction and Bass Control are included in the price of the M66. Full-bandwidth licensing is an additional $99 for the M33, and NAD describes the M33, with its two independent subwoofer outputs, as compatible with Bass Control. However, neither NAD nor Dirac has made any announcements to date on the availability of Bass Control for the M33.
A feature that audiophiles may find desirable in the M66 is the ability to bypass the unit’s DSP. While engaging this analog bypass necessarily disables room correction and any multiroom capabilities of BluOS, it allows vinyl lovers to listen to their favorite LPs in pure, unadulterated form. However, I found that the M66 sounded simply wonderful when playing back records with its full suite of Dirac Live room correction engaged. This did not surprise me, as I prefer listening to vinyl through my Anthem STR preamplifier with its ARC Genesis room correction engaged. What did surprise me, though, was just how crystal-clear and engaging albums such as Bruce Springsteen’s Tunnel of Love sounded on the M66. This is far from a pristine recording, but the M66 and dual M23s let me hear every bit of the Boss’s youthful vocals, while taming much of the innate sibilance. Although the presentation was highly detailed and revealing, the phono section remained remarkably quiet.
You’ll have to wait to read my full review of the M66 for a more comprehensive description of all of its capabilities, but the performance with vinyl so far has been superb; and this is on top of a plethora of digital and streaming capabilities. As I write this blog, the M66-M23 combo is off to a fantastic start in my system.
Roger Kanno
Senior Contributor, SoundStage!
