NAD M17 v2 11.1CH Atmos Processor with Dirac room correction.

[gene]

The original NAD M17 has some great features that carry on to the v2 including its front panel touch screen and its Modular Design Construction. At $6,000 it's not your typical mass produced product, and you can upgrade it to your liking. With every product we can find minor gripes, like the second subwoofer's RCA out, clumsy adapters, and no separate HDMI video outputs and we did have some HDMI issues while reviewing the M17 V2 as seen in our detailed Youtube review. But the things that NAD does right they do amazingly well, especially in the sonics department. The inclusion of Dirac Live room calibration, and BluOS for multiroom audio are a big check in the plus box for the M17 V2.

Read: NAD M17 v2 11.1CH AV Processor Review

 

[gene]

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

It still looks smooth aesthetically.

It might be great at $3K to $3.5K because some people must have REQ and some people must have Dirac.

But with the $4K ATI-made Monolith HTP-1 13Ch Modular Dirac AVP derived from the $10K DataSat AVP, this NAD 11Ch Dirac AVP falls way short at $6K.

I can predict some deep discounts in order to sell this NAD.

 

[gene]

It still looks smooth aesthetically.

It might be great at $3K to $3.5K because some people must have REQ and some people must have Dirac.

But with the $4K ATI-made Monolith HTP-1 13Ch Modular Dirac AVP derived from the $10K DataSat AVP, this NAD 11Ch Dirac AVP falls way short at $6K.

I can predict some deep discounts in order to sell this NAD.

Let's actually see Monoprice deliver on their new Prepro first. Everyone, myself included thought the Emotiva RMC-1 was going to be a game changer but so far it's plagued with enough bugs where Emotiva is still reluctant to send out units for professional reviews as they keep busy on their forums with numerous user complaints.

 

[VonMagnum]

I dunno. $3800 more than the current Marantz SR7013 and all you get is DIRAC (admittedly probably preferable to Audyssey XT32, but I don't know about $3800 preferable) and no shipping DTS:X and a host of HDMI problems reported in the video review? Holy Crap Batman. I think I'd take my chances with the Monoprice HTP-1 at $2000 less and also with DIRAC and supposedly Auro-3D as well. How could it possibly be worse than an HDMI system that craps every time you change the resolution or frame rate? Sheesh.

I think I'll hold onto my Marantz SR7010 & SR7012 combo for now (once I get them combined, I can have 9.1.4 true rendered plus 0.6 overhead using my "Scatmos" Pro Logic extraction and Surround #2 Matrixed as it (and the front wides) currently are. Sadly, I don't see any 11.1.6 all-in-one processors coming out any time soon (which I'd need to make my system fully discrete) and even if I did, Disney's 'Sadmos' (my new term I'm hoping will catch on to describe their anemic bass, dynamic lacking low volume craptastic sound they've had for a couple of years now) wouldn't use the extra speakers that way anyway (the hybrid system I'm using now WILL use all the extra speakers and from the MLP at least, I doubt discrete would sound any better at all. Off-center seats? Quite possibly).

 

[Danzilla31]

Let's actually see Monoprice deliver on their new Prepro first. Everyone, myself included thought the Emotiva RMC-1 was going to be a game changer but so far it's plagued with enough bugs where Emotiva is still reluctant to send out units for professional reviews as they keep busy on their forums with numerous user complaints.

I was wondering on your take Gene on why Emotiva is struggling with all these bugs

An interesting point in another thread was when a member mentioned there are challenges for the smaller ID companies in developing products like this due to not
having as much overhead to devote to R&D

Just curious about your take on this I'm interested in the Monoprice prepro but wondering how they are going to be able to handle challenges such as the ones Emotiva are dealing with now

 

[Madhuski]

I had the M17v2 for a little bit. Had to move one becauee

a) had an electrical hissing noise through its channels

b) really tough HDMI locking

 

[VonMagnum]

Software debugging isn't the easiest thing in the world. The more complicated the program, the more potential for problems too. If they only have one or two guys working on it, who knows.... Corporations typically have TEAMS of software developers. Smaller companies can't always afford that.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I was wondering on your take Gene on why Emotiva is struggling with all these bugs

An interesting point in another thread was when a member mentioned there are challenges for the smaller ID companies in developing products like this due to not
having as much overhead to devote to R&D

Just curious about your take on this I'm interested in the Monoprice prepro but wondering how they are going to be able to handle challenges such as the ones Emotiva are dealing with now

I know the amps made by ATI in the past (and probably present) are serviced by ATI (Outlaw, Cary Audio, Lexicon, etc.).

So I bet the pre-pro made by ATI/Datasat will also be serviced by ATI/Datasat since Monoprice wouldn’t have a clue.

 

[PENG]

I had the M17v2 for a little bit. Had to move one becauee

Am I missing something? What do you mean by "had to move one.."?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I had the M17v2 for a little bit. Had to move one becauee

a) had an electrical hissing noise through its channels

b) really tough HDMI locking

As PENG says, I assume you mean that you had to RETURN the NAD for a REFUND since it was a fiasco?

I can’t believe NAD is actually trying to sell this thing.

As Gene says, we will have to see how the ATI-made Monolith HTP-1 performs/functions. Since it is based on the already made ATI/DataSAT pre-pro, I assume it will be awesome. But we will see.

 

[VonMagnum]

Don't underestimate the dark side of the force, AcuDefTechGuy! The allure of the coveted audiophile brand name is very powerful, indeed!

 

[Madhuski]

Am I missing something? What do you mean by "had to move one.."?

Those issues were deal breakers for me so I sold it and bought another pre-pro to put in its place.

(meant “had to move ON” not “had to move ONE”)

 

[Tabarino]

Those issues were deal breakers for me so I sold it and bought another pre-pro to put in its place.

(meant “had to move ON” not “had to move ONE”)

I bought the M17 V2. I experienced the same electrical hissing noise through its channels. It was intolerable at first but it’s gone away. I think the DAC in it is great, love the Dirac. Conversed with engineering about the feedback and got a weak, cryptic response from NAD. Don’t understand why they didn’t address the problem but have decided to keep my NAD. I hope engineering can put their finger on the problem. All in all, I’m very pleased with the processor.

 

[FranknStein7]

If I'm reading this right, this thing does not support Dolby Vision passthrough OR eARC. Hopefully that's added, because for $6000 it looks like you can't get Dolby Vision and HD audio at the same time. Think I'll stick to Marantz/Denon in the meantime.

 

[Pottscb]

NAD has come a long way from its antiquated past...the T758 V3 is a fully featured, DIRAC, MDC, BlueOS capable, receiver that has recently added DTS-X and DV via firmware update...surely their flagship will get similar updates. Not sure why they wouldn't start with the flagship as there's probably more profit margin in one of these than in dozens of 758's. Don't be afraid of NAD, they seem to have their act together these days...if you don't want to shell out $6K try the T777 V3 as its a winner as well (upgrades from 758 include more power and more HDMI ins/outs and a few other minor options) After coming from Onkyo, Denon, etc. I'd definitely purchase an NAD again...a very polished product with impeccable sound.

 

[slipperybidness]

NAD has come a long way from its antiquated past...the T758 V3 is a fully featured, DIRAC, MDC, BlueOS capable, receiver that has recently added DTS-X and DV via firmware update...surely their flagship will get similar updates. Not sure why they wouldn't start with the flagship as there's probably more profit margin in one of these than in dozens of 758's. Don't be afraid of NAD, they seem to have their act together these days...if you don't want to shell out $6K try the T777 V3 as its a winner as well (upgrades from 758 include more power and more HDMI ins/outs and a few other minor options) After coming from Onkyo, Denon, etc. I'd definitely purchase an NAD again...a very polished product with impeccable sound.

I have enjoyed the sound and the aesthetics for NAD.

But, the common joke around here is

NAD = Not Always Dependable

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

...Don't be afraid of NAD, they seem to have their act together these days...

Did you see the review?

A $6K AVP that has HDMI glitches and requires adapters for some XLR outputs, to mention a few not-together things.

Name me one other AVP has requires adapters for XLR outputs? That's absolutely risible. Too cheap or too lazy to use another chassis big enough to support regular size XLR?

As my little daughter would always say, "Is that a joke?"

 

[PENG]

Did you see the review?

A $6K AVP that has HDMI glitches and requires adapters for some XLR outputs, to mention a few not-together things.

Name me one other AVP has requires adapters for XLR outputs? That's absolutely risible. Too cheap or too lazy to use another chassis big enough to support regular size XLR?

As my little daughter would always say, "Is that a joke?"

You sounded a little dramatic about it but I see your point that it is $6K item so we can't be too forgiving. I also don't believe the NAD sound is any more "impeccable" than many other avrs or amps,, and I have auditioned quite a few NAD amp, even own one.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

You sounded a little dramatic about it but I see your point that it is $6K item so we can't be too forgiving. I also don't believe the NAD sound is any more "impeccable" than many other avrs or amps,, and I have auditioned quite a few NAD amp, even own one.

Yeah, I've heard a few NAD AVP + AMP.

I do like their simple aesthetics.

They don't sound any better or worse than other AVR/AVP.

But for $6K, I expect a lot more than some afterthoughts.

Heck, for $2K I would be complaining about the XLR adapters.

When I saw that part, I thought the reviewer was joking or talking about some other adapters I would never use. But for XLR that I would be using 100% off the time?

At least the Amp doesn't require any XLR-adapters. Right?

If only ATI could get Monoprice their $4K HTP-1 AVP quickly so AH could do a review. I expect no XLR-adapters on the Monolith HTP-1.