[SearchOfSub]

Why reciever? Nad M51 with a good 2 channel amp is better imho.

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[actx]

Pioneer Elite SC-63 is the receiver.

 

[SearchOfSub]

Whats your budget?

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[KmanChu]

  Hello - new hear and looking for some insight. . .I am looking at the two configurations below and not sure which way I should go. . .perhaps you can share some opinions?
 
Room - 20x25
Speakers - B&W CM10s
Usage - 80% music, 20% AppleTV.  Music is the most important by far.  Music listened to is Jazz and Classical.
Input - all digital.  Either High Def or lossless CD Rips.
 
Option 1 - NAD 390DD + HDMI cartridge
Option 2 - NAD M51 + Pioneer Elite SC-63
 
Cost for both is the same and well under list so these are the two things I am considering.  Specifically, is the SC-63 going to be able to reveal all that the M51 can present?
 
Thanks

 
To me the answer is easy, get the C390DD, it is a beast of an amp.  The C390DD has a lot more features than the M51. It has subwoofer crossover and room EQ built in, etc. Also, it will very soon have the option to use a module that adds integrated streaming to it, the BluOS module: http://www.audiostream.com/content/nad-c-390dd-direct-digital-dacamp-wblueos-module  
 
The only thing that is weird is that the USB input is limited to 96/24 so that might be an issue for you. But either the streaming module or a USB->SPDIF converter gets you to 192khz material.
 
The NAD direct digital architecture in their amplifiers is really pretty neat. It isn't a DAC in front of a typical preamp and poweramp. The conversion and amplification occurs in one step. It's more like a DAC that is powerful enough to drive speakers.
 
I admittedly know nothing about that Pioneer receiver, but it looks to me it was built with an entirely difference purpose, for 7.2 surround use, not 2 channel audio.

 

[SearchOfSub]

Yes i ask samething, why reciever...

 

[playdrv4me]

Has anyone compared this with the McIntosh D100 or Oppo HA-1/BDP-105? 
 
Was stuck between those 3 but then I remembered that this thing existed (and technically the Wadia 321 but it's hard to find used and is basically the same as the D100 anyway) and is probably a better contender to the D100. 
 
I was thinking the HDMI ins were pretty cool, but I like to have the TV picture from the cable box going with the sound off while I listen to music sometimes, and this would force me to view on the screen whatever source is currently playing I'm sure. 

 

[screwdriver]

  Has anyone compared this with the McIntosh D100 or Oppo HA-1/BDP-105? 
 
Was stuck between those 3 but then I remembered that this thing existed (and technically the Wadia 321 but it's hard to find used and is basically the same as the D100 anyway) and is probably a better contender to the D100. 
 
I was thinking the HDMI ins were pretty cool, but I like to have the TV picture from the cable box going with the sound off while I listen to music sometimes, and this would force me to view on the screen whatever source is currently playing I'm sure. 

ive only compared the nad m51 to the oppo 105 - the nad is so much better  except it cant do dsd  like the oppo 105.

 

[gregjnjarvis]

Is it even possible to use a turntable with a M51 using its preamp? Never really thought about it before...not really any way to do that, right? There's nowhere for a phono preamp to connect to it.

To answer my own question, I guess something like the PS Audio NuWave Phono Converter would solve this problem - you'd run the turntable into the NuWave and then out into the M51 via digital outputs/inputs.  Not a cheap solution, but if you can find a used M51 and NuWave for less than $2500, it's a pretty big discount over the new M12 with its built-in analog/phono modular stage ($3600 or so I hear...?

).

Of course, I suppose we'll have to wait until the M12 starts to trickle out to see how good the phono stage is, and whether there are any sound-related upgrades over the M51.

 

[boatheelmusic]

Not sure, but is the phono stage standard on the M12, or does it require an optional back panel plug-in card?

I checked, it is included, so that $3500 is more comparable to dac/preamps costing $2,250 after the phono preamp is considered.

Right in line, IMO, although the C510 looks to be a real bargain at $1,300.

 

[gregjnjarvis]

Yes, I guess that's what I'm getting at - the network streaming, etc. options on the new one look nice, but if the sound quality isn't bumped over the M51, that phono stage will have to be awful good to make it worth the extra dough.  Assuming the new C510 is basically the old M51 repackaged, you could get that excellent NuWave ADC phono stage and still have a large chunk of change left over.

On that note, I just noticed that the C510 does offer a 12v trigger out, unlike the M51.  No 12v in that I can see, but for a DAC/preamp it is the out that is most important (and why forgetting it on the M51 made absolutely no sense)...that is fantastic.  No 12v out was the only reason I wasn't totally sold on the M51.

Edit: does have 12v in.  Great.

 

[pearljam50000]

So is the C510 a repackaged M51?

 

[playdrv4me]

  ive only compared the nad m51 to the oppo 105 - the nad is so much better  except it cant do dsd  like the oppo 105.

Thank you!

 

[SearchOfSub]

Oppo 105s dont get much hype around here.. most here are strictly music and most know how bad the oppo sounds. Most of the hype for oppo are home theatre guys who just watches movies most of the time. In which for home theatre, since most have 5.1s going around, dont need or care for much soundstaging etc. In tnis respect, oppo and yhe sabre implementation did a fine job of upping mostly dynamics in which when you go home theatre and got 5.1s going around, is prabably most noticeable thing. They also have the darbee which is good with picture..and the spinner. Its really geared towards HT guys..

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[playdrv4me]

Oppo 105s dont get much hype around here.. most here are strictly music and most know how bad the oppo sounds. Most of the hype for oppo are home theatre guys who just watches movies most of the time. In which for home theatre, since most have 5.1s going around, dont need or care for much soundstaging etc. In tnis respect, oppo and yhe sabre implementation did a fine job of upping mostly dynamics in which when you go home theatre and got 5.1s going around, is prabably most noticeable thing. They also have the darbee which is good with picture..and the spinner. Its really geared towards HT guys..

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The only reason I started looking at the 105 is because the HA-1 is basically all the important audio bits out of the 105 if I understand correctly, but adding a good headphone amp and the HA-1 seems to get excellent reviews for its audio quality. I wouldn't really use the headphone amp, but it seemed like it would still be an excellent DAC. So that's the only reason the 105 was in consideration, since it is full component width and has the spinner for SACD and such. In general I am skeptical about the 105 myself. 
 
The Bryston BDA-1 is another one that has been brought to my attention reading through this thread, but it doesn't have the preamp functionality. 

 

[boatheelmusic]

If you aren't a fan of "Sabre Sheen", look at the Cambridge Audio 851D, or to save $$$, the Emotiva DC-1 or the Dangerous Music Source.
 
Are you certain you need DSD?  How many DSD recordings do you currently have?