NAD Master Series M17 processor & M27 power amplifier – personal review

sounddog - ok I'll give Sevenoaks a ring and see what they say
 
Ricky - I've been following your posts on the US forums with interest on the M17. This is probably more a UK question - but if someone bought a NAD M17 now do you know if the 4k & ATMOS DIRAC modules would be chargeable extras, from memory I thought the 4k card would be free. I presume I would take the M17 to a dealer for the upgrade. I am only asking as with the low pound everybody expects prices to rise. But it would be good to see how good the NAD implementation of DIRAC is before taking the plunge.

George

Nice to know you been following the posts! :smashin:

As far as my local dealer have told me, M17 units sold during 2014, 2015 and 2016 are elligable for a free 4K/UHD module upgrade. Only the immersive audio/DIRAC LIVE module would cost extra. The up-coming M17.2 version which contains both modules would presumably see a price increase, but as far as I know that topic is still being discussed with NAD.

But, yeah - please check with your local dealer for details!
 
It works really well actually. I'm putting together another system hence my interest in the M17.

Oh WOW! Not bad! Two multichannel systems?

I'm really excited about DIRAC LIVE for NAD! I plan on purchasing the XTZ Microphone Pro for measurement purposes. I've asked NAD about the possible inclusion of a new microphone but they haven't finalized that detail yet apparently. Which is why I suspect we won't see the AM17 module until after New Years. But maybe they'll surprise us!
 
I had a quick chat with Sevenoaks - seems there will be a meeting with NAD in November - so should have more details in late Nov for any UK customers interested in the NAD M17.
 
I had a quick chat with Sevenoaks - seems there will be a meeting with NAD in November - so should have more details in late Nov for any UK customers interested in the NAD M17.

Awesome! Let's hope it brings us all good news!
 
I had a quick chat with Sevenoaks - seems there will be a meeting with NAD in November - so should have more details in late Nov for any UK customers interested in the NAD M17.

I really hope the Sevenoaks dealer network is able to support Dirac properly. No doubt those Sevenoaks dealers with experience of the latest Arcam AVRs with Dirac will be well placed to support UK owners, but it does seem to require a fair bit of training and know-how to get the best results.
 
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Just Came across this thread thanks Ricky. :smashin:

I have the NAD M27 Power Amp with the Marantz AV8802 I've had them both now for about 15 months, a great bit of Kit, very pleased with them .

I have Manually EQ the marantz to my liking as the Audyssey EQ keep,s setting all my Speakers to -12 each time I run the EQ. I read up in a review it will do that, as i have very efficient Speakers.

Marantz AV8802A review - Processors

If the New NAD M17 do's come out with Dirac live ? I will be very interested and go for one to match the NAD M27..... :love:

But at the Moment I am Very Happy :D

ALLEN
 
Allen,

I have the previous generation of both of your amps (AV8801 and M25). Very happy with both as well. The NAD M17 HD2 has piqued my interest as well - the combo of Dirac and MQA looks pretty good to me. Just hope the price doesn't increase too much over the current NAD M17. If it does I might wait to see what the AV8803 brings.

George
 
Just Came across this thread thanks Ricky. :smashin:

I have the NAD M27 Power Amp with the Marantz AV8802 I've had them both now for about 15 months, a great bit of Kit, very pleased with them .

I have Manually EQ the marantz to my liking as the Audyssey EQ keep,s setting all my Speakers to -12 each time I run the EQ. I read up in a review it will do that, as i have very efficient Speakers.

Marantz AV8802A review - Processors

If the New NAD M17 do's come out with Dirac live ? I will be very interested and go for one to match the NAD M27..... :love:

But at the Moment I am Very Happy :D

ALLEN

Nice to have you chime in!

Weird what Audyssey keeps doing to your system with automatic set-up, I must say. Are you certain nothing is getting in the way of it working properly? I'm sure you must have investigated this? It does not at all seem normal to me. I used to apply Audyssey in my old Denon reciever and that kind of thing never happened.

The up-coming AM17 module will contain immersive audio AND indeed Dirac Live, so Audyssey will no longer be part of the NAD M17 processor. Thankfully so, as I've not been using it at all. It was an older version. I am keen to at least try Dirac to hear what it can accomplish in my now fairly treated listening room. I've read nothing but excellent things about Dirac from just about everyone and it is said to be more accurate and superior to both Audyssey and Anthem's ARC, for example.

NAD AM17

This spring an upgraded M17 with two new modules is scheduled for release: the M17.2 - which will have the VM300 (UHD & BluOS, MQA streaming) + AM17 (Atmos, DTS-X, Dirac Live) pre-installed. I expect the price will increase as a result.

Looking forward to hearing from you if you up-grade to the matching M17.2 processor! It's bound to be brilliant!
 
I have the previous generation of both of your amps (AV8801 and M25). Very happy with both as well. The NAD M17 HD2 has piqued my interest as well - the combo of Dirac and MQA looks pretty good to me. Just hope the price doesn't increase too much over the current NAD M17. If it does I might wait to see what the AV8803 brings.

George

I'm certainly looking forward to (finally!) getting my M17 upgraded! I intend on getting both modules soon-to-be released.

This spring an upgraded M17 with both modules is scheduled for release: the M17.2 - which will have the VM300 (UHD & BluOS, MQA streaming) + AM17 (Atmos, DTS-X, Dirac Live) pre-installed. I expect the price will increase as a result.
 
Nice to have you chime in!

Weird what Audyssey keeps doing to your system with automatic set-up, I must say. Are you certain nothing is getting in the way of it working properly? I'm sure you must have investigated this? It does not at all seem normal to me. I used to apply Audyssey in my old Denon reciever and that kind of thing never happened.

The up-coming AM17 module will contain immersive audio AND indeed Dirac Live, so Audyssey will no longer be part of the NAD M17 processor. Thankfully so, as I've not been using it at all. It was an older version. I am keen to at least try Dirac to hear what it can accomplish in my now fairly treated listening room. I've read nothing but excellent things about Dirac from just about everyone and it is said to be more accurate and superior to both Audyssey and Anthem's ARC, for example.

NAD AM17

This spring an upgraded M17 with two new modules is scheduled for release: the M17.2 - which will have the VM300 (UHD & BluOS, MQA streaming) + AM17 (Atmos, DTS-X, Dirac Live) pre-installed. I expect the price will increase as a result.

Looking forward to hearing from you if you up-grade to the matching M17.2 processor! It's bound to be brilliant!

It's true that Audyssey sets all the Speakers -12. before i had the PSA's I Had XTZ Cinema Series and audyssey set them up OK.
I believe what thay said in the review is correct. Quote Below.

The system uses eight placement measurements to average a soundfield around your listening position, ironing out hotspots so more people can enjoy the show. It’s rather time-consuming and is annoyingly hamstrung by a niggle that has existed on Denon and Marantz AV hardware for as long as I can remember. That is, it uses a fixed datum volume level target for each channel of 75dB and it will apply volume cuts to bring every channel down to this level when outputting its fixed-level test tones. As the Audyssey system’s maximum cut is -12dB, if you have monster power amps, very efficient speakers (90dB/W+) or speakers quite close to the listening position (tick, tick and tick here) then the system will end up cutting all over-loud channels by -12dB – which doesn’t balance different speaker efficiencies at all. While you can then go back in and manually adjust each channel using a separate SPL meter, that is hardly ‘auto’ setup, and I do wonder what potentially negative effect that has on Audyssey’s room analysis and filtering. Why can we not be able to adjust the target sound pressure level or at least measure relative to the front main speakers?

So i have set them up Manually by hear and i am happy with it :smashin: but i keep Audyssey on.
 
I'm certainly looking forward to (finally!) getting my M17 upgraded! I intend on getting both modules soon-to-be released.

This spring an upgraded M17 with both modules is scheduled for release: the M17.2 - which will have the VM300 (UHD & BluOS, MQA streaming) + AM17 (Atmos, DTS-X, Dirac Live) pre-installed. I expect the price will increase as a result.
With Dirac the M17 / M17.2 could be interesting
 
Very cool review! Based on it, I went and got myself a M27 to drive my M&K 300 setup. Main reason being the "power to heat ratio", as the amps has to be placed inside a cabinet. The absence of heat is amazing compared with a normal amplifer. I also have a audiolab 8007 power amp to drive the ceeling speakers in my atmos setup, and this amplifier get so hot in the cabinet, that its thermal protection shuts it down! I am saving for a additional M27 to solve the peoblem. (in case you are wondering, I am using a marantz 8802A processor, as the M17 did not have ATMOS and DTS:X)

Just like you, the first M27 I got was faulty. Wierd coencidence...

Two questions:

With an additional M27, I would be able to spread out the load of driving 11 channels on two 7 channel amps. Will I be able to get more power, by not using all channels, say for the LCR, or is this teoretical?

The M27 has a maximum power consumption of 1600 watts (90 watts at idle) according to its manual. Does that mean that it is pulling up to 1600 watts from the wall, if all channels are delivering maximum output? My power outlets can deliver maximum 2200 watts, so would that be a real problem if driving two of these babies on a single power socket?
 
Very cool review!

Awesome! THANK YOU! :smashin:

Fantastic speaker set-up! Congrats to that! Obviously you are really enjoying them with your NAD multichannel. It does have talents! Ashamed though that you too experienced a faulty unit, but I have heard similar things happening to a few others. Maybe a batch that went wrong in production? My replacement sample has been flawless thus far. Really fantastic pieces of kit, these are. And very soon I will update my M17 processor to Dirac Live, BluOS streaming and Immersive Audio, to a fraction of the cost of a new processor. Though it takes them a long time to release new modules, NAD does live up to their promise eventually.

Now on to your questions, for which I am only able to answer the first; power from idle unused channels is not re-directed to the used ones in the M27. I did own one such amp that was able to do that; NuForce MCH-3007SE, but honestly didn't notice much difference with the speakers I were using at the time.

I think you should e-mail NAD Support about these questions because there are some good guys there who can hopefully give you more of a detailed response. Hopefully the support personell will forward your question to a technician.

Let me know how you get on! I am interested in hearing more! ENJOY!!! :)
 
Ricky,

Be interested your feedback on the new cards for your M17. I'm interested in the HD2 version which I hope will launch soon.

George
 
Ricky,

Be interested your feedback on the new cards for your M17. I'm interested in the HD2 version which I hope will launch soon.

George

Spoke with my dealer today who was very frustrated with NAD for delaying over and over. They are coming, rest assured, just such a long wait. The M17.2 is apparently scheduled for April, but let's not hold our breath.

I will most def leave detailed feedback on here about the modules and all their features!
 
Awesome! THANK YOU! :smashin:

Fantastic speaker set-up! Congrats to that! Obviously you are really enjoying them with your NAD multichannel. It does have talents! Ashamed though that you too experienced a faulty unit, but I have heard similar things happening to a few others. Maybe a batch that went wrong in production? My replacement sample has been flawless thus far. Really fantastic pieces of kit, these are. And very soon I will update my M17 processor to Dirac Live, BluOS streaming and Immersive Audio, to a fraction of the cost of a new processor. Though it takes them a long time to release new modules, NAD does live up to their promise eventually.

Now on to your questions, for which I am only able to answer the first; power from idle unused channels is not re-directed to the used ones in the M27. I did own one such amp that was able to do that; NuForce MCH-3007SE, but honestly didn't notice much difference with the speakers I were using at the time.

I think you should e-mail NAD Support about these questions because there are some good guys there who can hopefully give you more of a detailed response. Hopefully the support personell will forward your question to a technician.

Let me know how you get on! I am interested in hearing more! ENJOY!!! :)

Thank you very much for the kind advice. Spreading out the channels on two M27' s should then only be to spread the heat dissapation out a bit i'll guess?

The M&Ks are amazing and powerfull. The biggest problems I have is the room itself, resonances and vibrations here and there :).
 
It's true that Audyssey sets all the Speakers -12. before i had the PSA's I Had XTZ Cinema Series and audyssey set them up OK.
I believe what thay said in the review is correct. Quote Below.

The system uses eight placement measurements to average a soundfield around your listening position, ironing out hotspots so more people can enjoy the show. It’s rather time-consuming and is annoyingly hamstrung by a niggle that has existed on Denon and Marantz AV hardware for as long as I can remember. That is, it uses a fixed datum volume level target for each channel of 75dB and it will apply volume cuts to bring every channel down to this level when outputting its fixed-level test tones. As the Audyssey system’s maximum cut is -12dB, if you have monster power amps, very efficient speakers (90dB/W+) or speakers quite close to the listening position (tick, tick and tick here) then the system will end up cutting all over-loud channels by -12dB – which doesn’t balance different speaker efficiencies at all. While you can then go back in and manually adjust each channel using a separate SPL meter, that is hardly ‘auto’ setup, and I do wonder what potentially negative effect that has on Audyssey’s room analysis and filtering. Why can we not be able to adjust the target sound pressure level or at least measure relative to the front main speakers?

So i have set them up Manually by hear and i am happy with it :smashin: but i keep Audyssey on.

The audyssey should be setting the reference level to that 0 DB equals reference level? I cant figure out the 8802A in this regard, as I did a manual level calibration, setting the master volume at 0 DB, and then calibrating all channels to 75 db SPL. The result is not as expected, meaning that the pink noise test tones in the 8802A is not at the correct level. Cant find the information in the 8802A manual either. Annoying, as this is so essential, if you want to listen at the "correct" level that the movie was mixed at.. ( or rather, knowing how much to loud it is..., as no-one respects the most basic principle rules when mixing movies these days...like MIXING AT CALIBRATED LEVEL!!). Thats a deeper discussion for another time, but that is the root cause for the overly compressed and lifeless soundtracks we encounter more and more.
 

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