Amplificator Digital NAD Masters M2

Stereophile, 2010 Best Products: the NAD M2 provided many nights of extended listening, with one album leading to just one more. And one more. While the M2 is relatively large and heavy for a class-D amplifier, runs warmer than you might expect, and is not inexpensive, when fed high-quality PCM data it offers sound quality that competes with that of the best conventional amplifiers. Given my long-term skepticism about the sonic benefits of PWM amplifiers, that was not what I was expecting. NAD's Masters Series M2 is a winner all the way.The Absolute Sound: NAD's M2 is a triumph on many levels, not the least of which is that it points toward a new direction in amplifier design and system architecture. I predict that years from now audiophiles will look back on the M2 as the progenitor of the next generation of audio.Hi-Fi News:If you like your hi-fi dynamic, analytical and, above all, accurate, then start saving for an M2 as there is nothing else like it at the price.The Worlds Most Advanced Direct Digital Amplifier, the NAD M2 represents a new level of amplifier performance. Combining the ultra low distortion and noise levels of the finest linear Class A and Class AB amplifiers with the efficiency and streamlined signal path of the digital amplifier, the M2 is the first implementation of a new amplifier technology called Direct Digital Feedback. Co-developed with UK based Diodes Zetex Semiconductor, and using a unique implementation of their patented DDFA architecture, the M2 redefines what is possible with digital amplifier technology. The M2 Direct Digital Amplifier represents the culmination of a decade long NAD research project, capped by three years of intense development. The result fully justifies the investment. We believe that the M2 sets new benchmarks for both measured performance and subjective musical quality.Blending Speed and Precision: Extremely wide 35-bit data path for Direct Digital Feedback compensates without truncating any information in the original signal. Running from a master clock frequency of 108MHz there is enough speed to keep a very wide amplifier bandwidth and very low noise and distortion in the audio band.Stunning Intimacy with the Music: Directly accepting a digital PCM input completely eliminates the noise and distortion added by cascaded analogue amplifying stages, as found in traditional Class AB or even Class D amplifiers. Streamlining the signal path by eliminating several amplifier stages provides a feeling of being that much closer to the performers.Advanced Power Supplies: The M2 uses three power supplies, all of them highly efficient switch mode types. Each channel gets its own high current power supply in a dual mono configuration. The Input stage and control sections get their own dedicated supply with multiple regulated secondary voltages for individual sections.Analogue Input Section: We have provided a state-of-the-art Analogue-to-Digital converter stage for analogue sources and for those who still choose to use a traditional analogue preamplifier. This fully balanced stage accepts both a Single Ended input and a Balanced XLR input. Both the analogue input buffer amp and the ADC are of the highest quality available today.Dynamic Power: Digital PowerDrive optimizes performance when driving real loudspeakers by maintaining optimum power delivery and lowest possible distortion. Unlike most digital amplifiers that do not have power reserves, the M2 has excellent dynamic power capabilities.Digital Processor Loop: This unique feature allows the advanced user to insert external digital filters into the signal path. The Optical TosLink format allows fuss-free connection to Macs where there is a wide library of crossover filters and room correction programs. Digital outputs in both coaxial and optical formats allow for multiple M2s for bi-or tri-amplification of advanced loudspeaker systems.