[Julf]

Do you know the power consumption during standby?  By standby do you mean that the speaker connectors are muted but the amp is using full idle power (about 40 W)?  Just curious.

I use the smps standby that turns the amps off completely, so power consumption is pretty minimal. Even when powered up, my amps (4 x nc400, 2 x smps600) seem to take less than 30W, so I am a bit surprised about your 40W figure. Are you using a non-standard power supply?

[Phil]

wow. you are right, on the sides too. i own the thing and had never noticed

i am actually extremely sure it will win several "gear of the year" awards and "audiophile A" awards, once the press starts to crank out the reviews. i think it a phenomenal piece of gear. like i said, it beats my E306v, which helped me win a legendary showdown against a ridiculously expensive yet haphazardly system put together by an arrogant a## that frequented a wine bar i went to (if he'd been nice i'd never challenged the dude, but i knew from the attitude he didn't know anything other than write a check) - and i always thought the E306v would be all the amp i'd ever want, and it was way over twice the price of the M22 over 14 years ago. in general it is an amazing time to put an audio system together for under 10k. they perform at insane levels i f the gear is mixed right and matches.

and personally, i think in another few years active speakers will undoubtedly rule the world unless those using separates match them very, very skillfully. i auditioned some that were extremely awesome. but with this combo i think i am extremely well served for now, and utterly amazed at the performance. i have seen some of this thread blast NAD for charging $3k for it, but coming from where i am (i am an EE, but haven't soldered anything in anger in over 20 years) the M22 is a bargain - it delivered an enhancement i honestly didn't expect to hear (and i have been in this hobby for more years than i care to admit, if i tell you guys i stole my Dad's Tandberg CC player when in university you may get the notion), matched against components multiple the price. another anecdote - a friend of mine who used to own a very expensive Burmester rig prior to his divorce (the only expensive system i honestly have heard that rated above my old -yes, pre-divorce, too- system), he was at my place listening a few weeks ago, and he went off and got the same DAC and amp (but other speakers), and claims the system beats his old system which he bitterly missed, but no more. at 20% the price, and i believe that these days. amazing time to listen to music at home.

That is a funny story (beware of wine bars, I suppose).  Agreed that the price for performance is amazing from what I can hear at this point (but will confirm in a week or so).  I expect the HF to become less crisp and for all the frequencies to settle down and "be of a piece."  Of course the two "tests" that are meaningful to me are:  fully broken-in and long-term satisfaction -  both unknowns at this point.     

Regarding the price, this is a nicely built amp and the black-on-silver is stylish without being over the top.  Beats the hell out of my DIY as well as some of my other equipment.  Kinda like the conical feet resting on magnetic bases too.  The packaging was well engineered as well.  All of this stuff counts to me.  Of course, it wouldn't matter if it sounded like dung. 

RE the power switch:  it works well with a light touch.  I struggled a bit with it at first, expecting the usual toggle, but showed my wife how to use it and, with a lighter touch, she operated it first time effortlessly. 

Will check back in after the initial enthusiasm wears off and the unit is broken-in….     

[Phil]

I use the smps standby that turns the amps off completely, so power consumption is pretty minimal. Even when powered up, my amps (4 x nc400, 2 x smps600) seem to take less than 30W, so I am a bit surprised about your 40W figure. Are you using a non-standard power supply?

The 40W is for the NAD; I thought it was the same for the DIY. 

[jaxwired]

M12 / M22 on order.  Should have them by next weekend.  Currently have Devialet.  Will compare and report back. 

[pablolie]

M12 / M22 on order.  Should have them by next weekend.  Currently have Devialet.  Will compare and report back.

that will be fun. someone urged me to also test out the Benchmark AHB2 power amp, which should be here tomorrow. i'll check it out over the weekend and shall also report.

[jaxwired]

that will be fun. someone urged me to also test out the Benchmark AHB2 power amp, which should be here tomorrow. i'll check it out over the weekend and shall also report.

Like the specs and looks of the Benchmark amp very much, but I need more power and I don't like to run amps in Bridge mode.

[Toka]

Anyone compare the M12/M22 combo to the C390DD? The latter seems like a more thorough implementation of the "direct digital" philosophy (no analog IC's of course), but the former has more flexibility, power, and looks better. 

[Phil]

The NAD is finally broken in (or my ears are, depending upon your philosophy).

In summary:  The NAD is better than my DIY Ncore 400 dual mono amp.  Better meaning:

-- deeper bass
-- more transparent (or, my wife says, clearer and "are we keeping this?" Who doesn't love to hear that?)
-- more powerful, relaxed and musical


For those who do not want to go down the DIY route, this is an audiophile-grade amp, with very nice build quality/case, at a terrific price.  The only negative is the speaker binding posts (if you have spades, that is.  What a PITA.  Bananas are no problem).

Would my dual mono sound better as monos?  Don't know.
With DIY, you change the unit any way you want.  Obviously, you can't do that with the NAD.  Including, changing the fuse without voiding the warranty.  Ridiculous.  On the other hand, I do like the very low standby power.  I'm using the balanced inputs but RCA are provided too. 

Now I just have to figure out how much to sell my DIY for...

[pablolie]

i compared the NAD M22 and the Benchmark AHB2, and ended up sending the Benchmark back. both are extremely quiet. the M22 just seems more open and punchy throughout, some call the AHB2 more "analog"... i just think it just isn't as resolving as the M22. the difference is small but noticeable. i am a huge fan of the M22.

[Julf]

In summary:  The NAD is better than my DIY Ncore 400 dual mono amp.

i would be curious to hear any theories as to why that would be.

[firedog]

possibilities:
the input section is totally NAD, not the stock Ncore input section
the NAD clipping circuit
the changes made by Nad so that the board is a 250W  board at both 4 and 8 ohms, but has greater instantaneous power than the stock N400. This includes a different PS.

[Julf]

possibilities:
the input section is totally NAD, not the stock Ncore input section
the NAD clipping circuit
the changes made by Nad so that the board is a 250W  board at both 4 and 8 ohms, but has greater instantaneous power than the stock N400. This includes a different PS.

Do we know that those are the changes NAD made?

[firedog]

Do we know that those are the changes NAD made?

Acc'd to web sites with info and actual direct quotes from NAD. It's possible I overstated the part about the input section based on my understanding, but it is not the stock N400 input section. NAD developed - along with Hypex - a special version of the NCore 400 just for them and their amp. Not the same as the DIY board.

Here's a link to one such info page: http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2014/09/nad-masters-series-m22-hypex-ncore-for-the-rest-of-us/

[cab]

Hypes now has an nc500 for oem's. Perhaps the NAD is using this?

[srb]

Greg Stidsen of NAD specifically says they developed their own module in cooperation with Hypex.

Here is a photo of the modules and power supply in the M22:

 

Steve

[Julf]

Acc'd to web sites with info and actual direct quotes from NAD. It's possible I overstated the part about the input section based on my understanding, but it is not the stock N400 input section. NAD developed - along with Hypex - a special version of the NCore 400 just for them and their amp. Not the same as the DIY board.

Here's a link to one such info page: http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2014/09/nad-masters-series-m22-hypex-ncore-for-the-rest-of-us/

Thanks! So I assume the "Erik Edvardsen precision clipper circuit" is based on Edvardsen's original design for the NAD 3020 (of 1978).