[Somnambulist]

There are quite a few impressions here over 14 pages:
http://www.stereo.net.au/forums/index.php?/topic/40613-nad-m51-listening-impressions/
 
I thought about the Anedio D2 as well but the simple fact is they have no distributor for the EU and UK and I infinitely prefer buying things whereby if something goes wrong, I don't have to pay mental shipping costs or wait ages to get it back with the dealer/store/company. I can get the NAD via several online stores in the UK... and with the finance option.

 

[ecohifi]

Quote:

still waiting for a full detailed report of NAD M51 from members here!
 
I have considering between M51 and Anedio D2.

Definately go with the M51 has HDMI input and a 35 Bit digital volume potentiometer

 

[ecohifi]

Quote:

I have a question for those using the M51 as a preamp an connecting the unit directly into power amps.
 
My understanding is that the basic role of a traditional (dedicated) preamp, in addition to providing volume control, is to act as a buffer to match impedance differences between sources & amps. In the case of the M51 as a preamp, how is this handled? Thanks.

I have the M51 and tried using it as a preamp, the o/put of the M51 is typical 2V for a DAC or CDP.  On some power amps and mono blocks this 2V is not enough and I know that it requires more gain for my power amp to work.  You need to keep the pre and give it a go, its a case of suck it and see.  
 
The M51 has huge channel separation, very detail and the space between instuments in complex passages are well defined.  The voices are more natural than say a Sabre 9018 implementation and the instruments have this real presentation that you can basically say that the tone of each instruments including voices are defined in there own sound DNA/signitures that are so nutural compared to the 9018.
 
I audition this at a mates place and I decided to buy one myself.
 
With a digital volume control that has no moving or physical parts and is done in 35bits and truncated at at -66db you have no problems in wear and tear like on normal volume pots.
M51 is like no other NOS or delta sigma dac it uses a Zetex zxczm800 processing chip that does the PCM>PWM conversion.  The analog signal is passed thru a 2 X LME 49990 in a XLR arrangement that is tap to a TL082 opamp for RCA.  Who says opamps cant sound good?

 

[vlach]

Definately go with the M51 has HDMI input and a 35 Bit digital volume potentiometer

I think the deciding factor is SQ...I like many am waiting for a direct comparison between the M51 & D2.

 

[nigeljames]

Quote:

I have the M51 and tried using it as a preamp, the o/put of the M51 is typical 2V for a DAC or CDP.  On some power amps and mono blocks this 2V is not enough and I know that it requires more gain for my power amp to work.  You need to keep the pre and give it a go, its a case of suck it and see.  
 
The M51 has huge channel separation, very detail and the space between instuments in complex passages are well defined.  The voices are more natural than say a Sabre 9018 implementation and the instruments have this real presentation that you can basically say that the tone of each instruments including voices are defined in there own sound DNA/signitures that are so nutural compared to the 9018.
 

 
You obviously have not heard the right ES9018 chipped DAC'S 

 

[ecohifi]

Quote:

 
You obviously have not heard the right ES9018 chipped DAC'S 

If you consider a EE mini max dac plus not the correct EE9018 that I own then no I havent heard the correct 9018 dac implementation.

  With the EE I have tried some of the modern opamps available such as ADA 4627-1brz, LME 49720 LME49710 OPA 1611/OPA1612/OPA827/OPA1642.  The valve section is less dynamic and please dont go there!
So if you think that the Anedio D1 or D2 is the way to go then be my guess and try it. Just remember the Anedio deploys a OPA1611/1612 has digital volume and balance good choice and possible cheaper than the M51.  But I was never happy with the EE minmax dac plus no matter which opamp I have tried.  I am done with Sabre 9018 implementations and have moved on!

 

[nigeljames]

Quote:

If you consider a EE mini max dac plus not the correct EE9018 that I own then no I havent heard the correct 9018 dac implementation.

  With the EE I have tried some of the modern opamps available such as ADA 4627-1brz, LME 49720 LME49710 OPA 1611/OPA1612/OPA827/OPA1642.  The valve section is less dynamic and please dont go there!
So if you think that the Anedio D1 or D2 is the way to go then be my guess and try it. Just remember the Anedio deploys a OPA1611/1612 has digital volume and balance good choice and possible cheaper than the M51.  But I was never happy with the EE minmax dac plus no matter which opamp I have tried.  I am done with Sabre 9018 implementations and have moved on!

You have just proved my point.
Just because you have heard/had a ES9018 DAC and found certain faults it's not right to dismiss ALL other ES9018 DAC's and that was the point I wanted to make.
I have heard the Minimax, though only briefly, and it did not seem anything special to me so I know not all ES9018 DAC's are created equally.
 
I was interested in the Anedio D1 at one point but looking at it's design and the design of the Audio-gd NFB-7, which I currently own, there seemed no comparison and no reason to believe that the D1 could compete with the NFB-7 which does not use opamps.
 
Anyway this is off topic. I have always liked NAD gear, having had a NAD cassette deck many years ago (now I am showing my age) and always wanted them to go more high end and the M51 is something I would love to hear.

 

[ecohifi]

Quote:

You have just proved my point.
Just because you have heard/had a ES9018 DAC and found certain faults it's not right to dismiss ALL other ES9018 DAC's and that was the point I wanted to make.
I have heard the Minimax, though only briefly, and it did not seem anything special to me so I know not all ES9018 DAC's are created equally.
 
I was interested in the Anedio D1 at one point but looking at it's design and the design of the Audio-gd NFB-7, which I currently own, there seemed no comparison and no reason to believe that the D1 could compete with the NFB-7 which does not use opamps.
 
Anyway this is off topic. I have always liked NAD gear, having had a NAD cassette deck many years ago (now I am showing my age) and always wanted them to go more high end and the M51 is something I would love to hear.

I was on my way to purchase a NFB7 but by the time I made that decision King wa had pulled it of the market, then I was on the way to built the TPA implementation but gave up as everytime I tried on there site my internet connection was to slow to secure an order and it gets sold out in seconds.  So the next best thing was the EE mini max dac plus but by this time I was warned on other forums that 9018 had a skeletal sound signiture which is true for the EE mini max dac.  I do envy that you own a NFB7, but I wouldnt discount opamps either as some of those that I have listed will give discrete a run for the dosh aspeacially Audio gd discrete opamps.

I am not a fan of NAD gear but there recent digital implementation is different than the stock chips and have the latest inputs plus a Hires digital volume control that puts it ahead for value I am sure this will come close if not equal that of the NFB7

 

[nigeljames]

Quote:

I was on my way to purchase a NFB7 but by the time I made that decision King wa had pulled it of the market, then I was on the way to built the TPA implementation but gave up as everytime I tried on there site my internet connection was to slow to secure an order and it gets sold out in seconds.  So the next best thing was the EE mini max dac plus but by this time I was warned on other forums that 9018 had a skeletal sound signiture which is true for the EE mini max dac.  I do envy that you own a NFB7, but I wouldnt discount opamps either as some of those that I have listed will give discrete a run for the dosh aspeacially Audio gd discrete opamps.

I am not a fan of NAD gear but there recent digital implementation is different than the stock chips and have the latest inputs plus a Hires digital volume control that puts it ahead for value I am sure this will come close if not equal that of the NFB7

 
Yes it p****s me off that Audio-gd change their prodct line so often. A few weeks after I recieved my NFB-7 they discontinued it only to bring it back briefly and only 1 month after I received my Master-6 they did the same!
 
I will say that the NFB-7 is FAR from being 'skeletal' or 'thin'. In fact this is one of its numerous strengths. It delivers the ES9018 strengths,in a well designed implementation, of speed,detail,clarity,dynamics and deep tight bass (all my priorities) with a smooth full bodied rich, lively and musical sound.
 
I have nothing against op amps. Its just that when I looked at the design's of the D1 and the NFB-7 there was no area where the D1 looked on papaer better than the NFB-7, especially in the power supply department.

 

[mcullinan]

The Audio God products seem awfully complex. Why is there so much going on inside their products? My experience with the M51 was a glitchy one.  Any owners having weird glitchy issues? I had to send mine back and am worried about the same thing happening again. I also noticed running HDMI from my Bluray player that the voices were definitely out of synch with the picture. Can anyone comment if they have seen the same?
Thnx

 

[ecohifi]

Quote:

The Audio God products seem awfully complex. Why is there so much going on inside their products? My experience with the M51 was a glitchy one.  Any owners having weird glitchy issues? I had to send mine back and am worried about the same thing happening again. I also noticed running HDMI from my Bluray player that the voices were definitely out of synch with the picture. Can anyone comment if they have seen the same?
Thnx

Try lowering the volume for the glitchy issue, the out of sync issue is a HDMI issue and it happens on all HD material.  on HT receivers there is a lip sync adjustment that can be used and I find that helps unfortunately the M51 does not have this feature

 

[ecohifi]

Quote:

 
Yes it p****s me off that Audio-gd change their prodct line so often. A few weeks after I recieved my NFB-7 they discontinued it only to bring it back briefly and only 1 month after I received my Master-6 they did the same!
 
I will say that the NFB-7 is FAR from being 'skeletal' or 'thin'. In fact this is one of its numerous strengths. It delivers the ES9018 strengths,in a well designed implementation, of speed,detail,clarity,dynamics and deep tight bass (all my priorities) with a smooth full bodied rich, lively and musical sound.
 
I have nothing against op amps. Its just that when I looked at the design's of the D1 and the NFB-7 there was no area where the D1 looked on papaer better than the NFB-7, especially in the power supply department.

 
 
 I was also considering the D1 but the stock ran out for ages waiting on a new version of USB, the Anedio D1 is no slouch,  it utilises some very well made components, in the analog it uses the OPA 1612 or 1611 this is one of the best Brown Burr audio grade opamp.  I also wanted digital volume control that the D1 had.
The NFB7 has analog discretes that will give it a non skeletal presentation, Kingwa has a reputation for that.   He also changes his product line due to supply and demand and if you track the orders they are NFB 2 or 3, WM based dacs. a very natural sounding dac I would know because the Sony s470 have WM dacs but are not so resolving as the 9018.  You will also notice that Kingwa has also included stepped volume control in the analog domain, a very nice added implementation.
If you compare the inside of the NFB7 to the M51, the 5.9kg of the M51 is all panels, it doesnt have a step down isolation transformer, it utilise a switch mode supply.  one single pcb with all SMDs and 4 LSI chips. the built quality is very average chinese very disappointing for a master series but I didnt buy it for that, I bought it for its SQ and value.

 

[mcullinan]

So am I to understand that any HDMI material will be out of synch? Even Verizon Fios (cable box) outputs at 48Hz. Doesn't that defeat the reason to have HDMI?

 

[ecohifi]

I dont use the HDMI or havent used as such as I only have cdp going into the M51 as coax or optical.  I have only had the unit for a wk and plan to utilised the HDMI later during the wk.

 

[mcullinan]

OK.. let me know if you notice the voice being off. Its very slight and I thought I was seeing things.. haha.
M