The NAD M33 will cancel your complaints about Class D


There are many reasons to like one type of sound over another. Even among what are considered very good amplifiers there’s a broad range of tastes and preferences among audiophiles. Just ask a SET aficionado!

However, no class is more maligned, inappropriately, than Class D. To hear some regulars tell it, Class D sound will thin your blood, make your teeth fall out and ruin your enjoyment of just about everything because it sounds so (fill in a lot of tropes from the 1980’s here).

I’ve been listening to NAD’s prior collaboration with Bruno Putzy and I can tell with some confidence that none of those tired old tropes apply. For reasons related much more to tonal balance than anything else, I’m sticking with Class A/B in my main system, but with the introduction of the next gen Anthem AVR receivers and the NAD M33 I may be making the switch back to class D.

You don’t have to like the M33 or the Anthem’s but can we at least agree that it’s time to retire the old guard of reasons not to buy Class D? Lets lay those poor phantoms to rest.
erik_squires

Showing 4 responses by twoleftears

My understanding is that NAD is not using the 1ET400AEIGENTAKT module but building one very similar, with some kind of licensing agreement.  Why they went this route I don't know--several possible explanations present themselves.  I too am hoping for a 2-channel power amp in the Masters series.
What I got from that review and other places, is that most of the best-sounding class D amps do not have "light-weight" power supplies (e.g. switching) but rather more traditional ones.  For instance, the LKV Veros has three (!!) toroidal transformers inside that case.