User Review: M2 Direct Digital Amplifier - One in the eye for audio badge snobs!

October 30, 2010

Products: M2 Direct Digital Amplifier

I'm not sure what to say really. I got my M2 on Thursday and I'm still slightly stunned if I'm honest. OK, visually it's typical NAD - i.e. very well made but understated to the point of being boring, it's certainly not going to ring the bell of lovers of audiophile 'bling' but oh the sound! I have never been a fan of either digital or class D 'switching' amps but the M2 has changed all that and now sits proudly at the heart of my system in preference to a Benchmark DAC, MBL 7008 amp and lord knows how many steps in the audio signal path. Clean, transparent, revealing but without being either sterile or harsh in any way. It sounds amazing with digital sources but also makes a fine job when fed analogue from a quality MC cartridge, TT, and phono stage. I really can't praise it enough and if high-end 'badge snobs' can't get past the fact it's a NAD, well they're the ones who are missing out!

Steven Gascoyne - Hertfordshire UK