What is your experience with the NAD M33?

I remember the M33 on my wish list back in 2020...

After having the M10, C658, M33, Evo150, Lyngdorf 3400, I’ll stack rank per @jjss49

3400>M33 > Evo150> M10. Can’t really throw in the 658 (not an all in one).

Fast forward to 2023.... Rose 520 >>> M33

And I love Purifi. GaN based Class D gets me so much closer to my older Class A days...

I've owned the M33 for about two years.  I decided to simplify my system.  I got tired of the amp/preamp/phono amp/streamer/CD player and all the attendant wiring.  I looked at a lot of the better integrated amps.  I settled on the NAD because it had ample power to drive my Acoustat 2+2's and everything it does is in the digital domain so very quiet.  I also was interested in Dirac, though frankly I thought that I would never use it.  That said, the M33 without Dirac is an excellent powerful and transparent amp with none of the nasty characteristics of earlier Class D.  The amp is a great deal even without Dirac.

Dirac, however, is a total game changer.  I was always skeptical of equalization or "room correction."  For every article I read that said it improved the sound, I read another that said just the opposite.  I will put this simply.  Dirac is superb.  After having used it, I just can not see EVER going back to a non-corrected system.  In the process of setting up Dirac, I saw that I had 15-20 db peaks and troughs in frequency response in my room.  I realized that before Dirac, I was listening to my room, not the loudspeakers.

I have been in this hobby for 45 years, and the NAD M33 is one of an extremely small number of pieces of equipment that for me have been a total revelation and game changer.   I can't recommend this unit enough (and, no, I don't work for NAD!).  Just don't overlook Dirac.  It requires investing a Saturday to figure it all out, but once you learn it, you'll never go back to a non-corrected system. 

m33 > hegel on features

hegel > m33 for sonic purity

The M33 won Stereophile product of the year and remains on global allocation with significant backorders.  The issue more than anything now is that the unit is a few years old and is less shiny and new.  It seemed like it was in every other thread a year of two ago.  

I am reaLly happy with my NAD M33 that I have had for 16 months. Sound is clear, detailed, with great imaging, big soundstage, and nice punchy bass. There were some stability and software problems when first released but these have all been fixed with software updates.

Keep in mind audio excellence is one of about only 10 Hegel dealers in Canada while there are probably around 200 NAD dealers in Canada including audio excellence so it is in their best business interest to promote Hegel over NAD.

op

the search bar above is your friend... much written about the m33 in these pages, by myself and others

also, i suggest you look for the youtube video done by audio excellence in canada on the m33, thorough, balanced discussion of this unit

I’ve got one on my 2nd system which is the M33 going to Tekton Moab’s. Absolutely stunning!!!! I’d be surprised to hear a better system under 10k. Plus, it’s just so simple, the M33 is super powerful, clean, punchy, tight controlled deep base, such a minimalist solution…. I’m surprised too that it doesn’t get mentioned more!