There’s a pretty comprehensive video on NAD’s website about using DIRAC I believe under the FAQ section, you might want to check that out. But what I did was after finishing my measurements, I went to the DIRAC drop down menu, I think the option was ‘upload curve’ or something like that, then selected the file from the USB drive attached to my computer. Then I uploaded the curve to the M66.
Anybody else get a NAD M66 yet?
I took delivery of a new NAD M66 preamp last week. I’m curious if anyone else has one yet? One reason I was interested in it was the all-analogue pathway having a resister ladder relay volume control. The early videos posted by NAD demonstrated the volume control clicking (as resistor ladders will do…). Mine does not, even when in analogue bypass mode using an external source. I’m wondering if they changed the design or if mine is not working properly.
Initial impressions are mixed, but it’s too early to make determinations. The other reason I wanted to try it out is for the DIRAC live and bass control capability. After playing around with the DIRAC, I can say it definitely makes a big difference in my asymmetrical room. I finally get non-boomy bass and hear all the low notes consistently. It does seem to take a bit out of the transparency of the overall sound, but again, too early to make final judgments.
Overall, it works well and sounds pretty good, but they still have some bugs to work out, which were expected I think, given the delayed release. For example, if you are using a source with the all digital processing (like the internal DAC), and have subwoofers connected as I do, then switch to an external source with analogue bypass, the subwoofers still seem to be stuck in digital processIng and lag behind the main speakers. Also, playing around with the various settings in analogue bypass and in the digital domain have left me with an error message, and the unit reboots itself.
Used as a simple analogue preamp, it sounds pretty good but not up to the standard of a stand alone $5k preamp. One might expect that, given all of its features for the price, and again, it is early. It is very smooth though and nothing sounds unpleasant through it. It definitely shows promise, we’ll see how further use goes…
Showing 8 responses by jimmy2615
@briankwilliams does your volume control click when you spin it or is it completely silent? I have not seen a detailed manual. They need one. Also there’s no software update available on their website yet. I’m sure that will be coming eventually. I think the unit sounds good using its internal DAC and streaming Qobuz. I also have a tube preamp (Primaluna) which does sound a bit fuller, but the NAD sounds good in that mode for a SS preamp (when using its internal DAC). Mine has about 100 hours on it. The jury is still out on the preamp running an external source. |
Yes, I also had to plug the mic into my laptop, the M66 wouldn’t recognize it. Brian, wrt the DIRAC curves, did you notice the USB flash drive in the accessory box? It has a NAD recommended curve on it. In the DIRAC menu there’s an option to load a curve. I did that and it sounds pretty good. I assume whatever curve you did use, you loaded it to your M66? You have to do that step also with the NAD curve. Also, you may already be aware of this, but if your system already has some room gain in the lower octaves, perhaps even a room gain that is more substantial than ‘neutral’ or flat, DIRAC will flatten that out and result in a perceivable flatter, less bass heavy sound. Of course you can increase the bass frequencies on that part of the curve, which is one thing the NAD curves do. They’re boosted slightly in the bass frequencies and gradually decrease as it goes up to 20 kHz. To tweak the curves you can grab part of it on your screen with the mouse and move it up and down. |
I agree. I’m still holding out on it in case I’m missing something or it’s still early. I also want to make some more comparisons with another preamp. But otherwise, I’ve come to the conclusion that if this ends up not being a great sounding analogue preamp, that they did not go out of their way to make it so, then one should just buy an M33. Other than the 4 balanced subwoofer outputs, I’m not seeing what the big difference would be then between the two products. (Assuming one is using the M23 amp, which I am. That’s one reason I went out for the M66, I was so impressed with the M23). |
After some more trials using the M66 as an analogue preamp using an external DAC and comparing it to the Primaluna (PL) Evo400 preamp, the PL sounds better. Besides the usual tube benefits you would expect (3D soundstage and liquidity), the stand alone preamp has more punch, is more dynamic, more ‘raw’ sounding,in a good way. The NAD isn’t bad at all, but it is refined to a degree that makes it a bit boring. I do like to listen at lower volumes, and I think that is coming into play in my judgments. You could turn the NAD up a lot without it losing its cool. But what is telling is I also prefer the DAC direct to the amplifier (NAD M23) than using the M66. It is also more dynamic. So far the M66 sounds best just using its own internal DAC and as a streamer. I see why the M33 was so well received. Using the M66/M23 combo just as a digital streamer/pre and amp basically replicates the M33, and it sounds very good. Overall I think the M66 is a great product and does a lot very well. |