NAD Announces Flagship M66 Streaming DAC Preamp

NAD Electronic's M66 is a no-compromise flagship component, and in addition to boasting an audiophile-grade DAC (ESS Technology's flagship ES9038PRO Sabre DAC) and a network streamer based on the acclaimed BluOS multi-room music platform, the M66 includes a wide range of inputs, including MM/MC phono and HDMI eARC. The M66 also features both Dirac Live Room Correction and Dirac Live Bass Control, "enabling it to deliver more accurate in-room response than any two-channel component ever offered", says the company.

The Masters M66 is presented with stunning aluminium casework, a vibrant 7-inch touchscreen, and super-smooth volume control. Visually, sonically, and technologically, it's a perfect match to NAD's award-winning M23 power amplifier, but of course, the M66 can be paired with any high-performance amplifier. 

As we know from BluOS-enabled products, the M66 provides access to music in resolution up to 24-bit/192kHz and offers full MQA decoding and rendering capability. The intuitive BluOS Controller app, available for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows, has integrated support for more than 20 streaming services, and thousands of internet radio stations, and will also play music stored on local or network drives. The M66 also has Bluetooth connectivity, with support for the AAC, LDAC, and aptX HD codecs.

With Dirac Live Room Correction, the M66 enables users to address the weakest link in any audio system: the listening room itself. Connect the supplied calibrated microphone to the M66's USB port and launch the Dirac Live app on a smart device or personal computer. After playing test tones through the listeners' speakers, Dirac will analyse the results, then upload filters to the M66 that compensate for common acoustic problems like standing waves and unwanted reflections. We're yet to hear a system that hasn't benefited from Dirac Live, with tighter bass, improved timbral accuracy, vastly improved clarity, and more precise imaging.

In addition, the M66 offers four balanced (XLR) and four unbalanced (RCA) subwoofer outputs and integrates the full version of Dirac Live Bass Control, which allows independent calibration of multiple subwoofers. Dirac Live Bass Control optimises bass output in both the frequency and time domains, resulting in a seamless blend between the main speakers and subwoofers. 

Introduced for the first time, the M66 features NAD's innovative Dynamic Digital Headroom (DDH) circuitry. When enabled with a control in the BluOS app, DDH eliminates digital inter-sample peak clipping distortion, which can occur during digital-to-analogue conversion of sudden high-frequency transients. "The benefits are especially obvious with percussion instruments: cymbals are less splashy and more realistic; rim shots are less strident and more impactful", says the company.

For vinyl enthusiasts, there's an ultra-low-noise MM/MC phono stage with precise RIAA equalisation, high overload margins, and an innovative circuit that removes infrasonic noise without compromising bass response. For TV and movie viewing, the M66 has an HDMI eARC interface for connection to an HDTV. In addition, the M66 has two coaxial and two optical S/PDIF inputs, an AES/EBU balanced digital input, two sets of RCA analogue inputs, and one pair of XLR balanced inputs. 

Cas Oostvogel, product manager, NAD Electronics, told StereoNET:

We believe the M66 represents the pinnacle of what is technically achievable today. And thanks to NAD’s MDC2 future-proofing platform, the M66 will remain at the forefront as technology evolves.

Two expansion slots on the rear of the M66 support MDC2, the latest version of NAD’s Modular Design Construction future-proofing technology. In the future, the company says, this will allow M66 owners to add new capabilities simply by inserting an optional MDC2 module.

With features like BluOS streaming, Dirac Live Room Correction, and Dirac Live Bass Control, plus all the connectivity you could ever need, the Masters M66 represents the pinnacle of what an innovative company such as NAD Electronics can design and produce.

The NAD Masters M66 will sell for £4,499/ €5,999 RRP.

For more information visit NAD Electronics