NAD Masters M33 -- first review

[deviousalet]

For what it is worth, Stereo Magazine rated the NAD M33 at 89% and the Devialet 210 at 97% sound quality.
https://stereo-magazine.com/review/nad-m33-review
https://stereo-magazine.com/review/devia...ual-review
Devialet has improved sound quality, power output, and features since the 210, but the cost and power consumption of the Devialet remains embarrassingly high compared to the NAD. I love that NAD integrated Dirac. Devialet's "Sweet Room" is a joke in comparison (and true-to-form doesn't even work as advertised due to bugs). I was glad to see NAD finally include AirPlay for those with Apple devices. However my friends with NAD often have them in the shop for repair, and get even worse customer service than we get from Devialet, so I'm leery of NAD quality and service. Our NAD service center where my friend's M50 is vacationing hasn't been able to get any contact with NAD for about a month now. So for this month at least my Devialet sounds 100% better than my friend's NAD.

[pvanosta]

For what it is worth, Stereo Magazine rated the NAD M33 at 89% and the Devialet 210 at 97% sound quality.
https://stereo-magazine.com/review/nad-m33-review
https://stereo-magazine.com/review/devia...ual-review
Devialet has improved sound quality, power output, and features since the 210, but the cost and power consumption of the Devialet remains embarrassingly high compared to the NAD. I love that NAD integrated Dirac. Devialet's "Sweet Room" is a joke in comparison (and true-to-form doesn't even work as advertised due to bugs). I was glad to see NAD finally include AirPlay for those with Apple devices. However my friends with NAD often have them in the shop for repair, and get even worse customer service than we get from Devialet, so I'm leery of NAD quality and service. Our NAD service center where my friend's M22 is vacationing hasn't been able to get any contact with NAD for about a month now. So for this month at least my Devialet sounds 100% better than my friend's NAD.

My 2 cents: before I bought my Expert Pro 220 CI, I owned a Hegel H390, which I specifically bought because Hegel said they were finalizing full ROON support (i.e.: connect via ethernet and get 'Roon Ready' status) 'in the next few months'. Fast forward to 9 months later and still no sign of Roon Ready status at Hegel, so I sold the Hegel and bought the Devialet.

The Devialet would be damn near perfect for my needs (repeat: MY needs; everyone else's mileage may vary) IF it would support higher-rez  files:
- DSD files, beyond the standard DSD64 (up to DSD256 would be nice)
- higher-rez flac (up to 32/384)

The machine that would do all the Devialet does, plus those 2 things, would get my money.

The NAD machine looks great on paper (the new AMP modules look very interesting), but I don't see Roon certification, nor do I see a lot of mention of DSD support. In addition, I have no use for their own app or BluOS support, being a lifetime Roon subscriber.

So for now I stick with my Dev, until something which ticks the rest of my boxes comes along (without the need for a second mortgage)

[Flashman]

[quote pid="97809" dateline="1606397796"]

 Fast forward to 9 months later and still no sign of Roon Ready status at Hegel, so I sold the Hegel and bought the Devialet.

[/quote]
I am still rather amazed that Roon and Devialet were able to work collaboratively to achieve Roon certification.  Granted, it took a fair bit of time but given the experience of other mainstream manufacturers, who have struggled for months going into seemingly years without gaining certification, it's all the more stunning.  I have been critical of Devialet for their lackluster customer service, poor communications and head-scratching updates (sorry, but Sweet Room is a hot mess for those of us who don't have degrees in physics), but I must give them high marks for Roon certification. 

I moved progressively from a Devialet Expert 180 (subsequently a Devialet Expert 200 via firmware update) to a Devialet Expert 220 Pro, with a slight detour to a Lyngdorf TDAI-3400, which incidentally could not hold a candle IMHO SQ-wise to Devialet; with each platform, first with Roon and its implementation of Devialet AIR on the 200, and then subsequently with full Roon certification for the Expert Pro platform, the Roon experience has been sweet.

One caveat to all of this: one serious hiccup along the way between Roon and Devialet has been the problem many experienced with gigabit streaming.  I had the issue until I moved to an etherREGEN switch, which promotes a 100mbps connection to the Devialet platform, which eliminated the problem for me.  I know that Devialet has issued a fix during its most recent firmware update but it has not worked as advertised for everyone.

Bottom line: I will continue with my Devialet Expert 220 Pro but am keeping my eye on the NAD Masters M33, as it has a user-friendly room correction utility that I would quite like to have.  Whether it would match or exceed the Devialet Expert Pro platform in SQ remains to be seen.

[markush]

If just room correction like seemless DIRAC integration into Roon or Devialet would make another huge step. Currently Sweet Room is a nice tool to fix some of the most serious room problems - but there is much more potential.

[ssfas]

Notwithstanding owning an Expert Pro 250, the product has borne the test of time. My audio dealer does budget to extreme high end, but is very selective on quality products. They have a dedicated Devialet room. I bought a pretty high end pair of speakers today and there was no suggestion that I needed a better amplifier. I did have another pair of speakers on home demo and I would have had to double up to a 1000 Expert Pro.

Other products are getting close, but I still don't think anything else has the design, performance and features package. I'd love to have a 140 Expert Pro for my office

[Digitalhead]

[quote pid="97809" dateline="1606397796"]

 Fast forward to 9 months later and still no sign of Roon Ready status at Hegel, so I sold the Hegel and bought the Devialet.

I am still rather amazed that Roon and Devialet were able to work collaboratively to achieve Roon certification.  Granted, it took a fair bit of time but given the experience of other mainstream manufacturers, who have struggled for months going into seemingly years without gaining certification, it's all the more stunning.  I have been critical of Devialet for their lackluster customer service, poor communications and head-scratching updates (sorry, but Sweet Room is a hot mess for those of us who don't have degrees in physics), but I must give them high marks for Roon certification. 

I moved progressively from a Devialet Expert 180 (subsequently a Devialet Expert 200 via firmware update) to a Devialet Expert 220 Pro, with a slight detour to a Lyngdorf TDAI-3400, which incidentally could not hold a candle IMHO SQ-wise to Devialet; with each platform, first with Roon and its implementation of Devialet AIR on the 200, and then subsequently with full Roon certification for the Expert Pro platform, the Roon experience has been sweet.

One caveat to all of this: one serious hiccup along the way between Roon and Devialet has been the problem many experienced with gigabit streaming.  I had the issue until I moved to an etherREGEN switch, which promotes a 100mbps connection to the Devialet platform, which eliminated the problem for me.  I know that Devialet has issued a fix during its most recent firmware update but it has not worked as advertised for everyone.

Bottom line: I will continue with my Devialet Expert 220 Pro but am keeping my eye on the NAD Masters M33, as it has a user-friendly room correction utility that I would quite like to have.  Whether it would match or exceed the Devialet Expert Pro platform in SQ remains to be seen.
[/quote]

[Digitalhead]

@Flashman

I am curious about your experience with the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400. Two dealers who sell both the Lyngdorf and the NAD recommended the former over the latter. Reviews in various mgazines (for what they're worth) assign the Lyngdorf a better score than the NAD Masters M33.

I heard the Lyngdorf at a demo with my speakers (KEF Reference 3), not in my home, and it had a powerful, precise sound with a very spacious stage. The app is light years ahead of what Devialet provides. I've had a 200 for seven years and need to decide whether upgrading it to 220Pro, or changing altogether. I know that I will never recoup the cost of the upgrade as an upgraded 200 is worth only little more than the regular 200. But if it sounds better than what I could otherwise get, it might me worth musically, if not financially. Have you also tried the MM stage available as an option for the Lyngdorf?

Thank you for any more detailed feedback

[pvanosta]

[quote pid="97809" dateline="1606397796"]

 Fast forward to 9 months later and still no sign of Roon Ready status at Hegel, so I sold the Hegel and bought the Devialet.

I am still rather amazed that Roon and Devialet were able to work collaboratively to achieve Roon certification.  Granted, it took a fair bit of time but given the experience of other mainstream manufacturers, who have struggled for months going into seemingly years without gaining certification, it's all the more stunning.  I have been critical of Devialet for their lackluster customer service, poor communications and head-scratching updates (sorry, but Sweet Room is a hot mess for those of us who don't have degrees in physics), but I must give them high marks for Roon certification. 

I moved progressively from a Devialet Expert 180 (subsequently a Devialet Expert 200 via firmware update) to a Devialet Expert 220 Pro, with a slight detour to a Lyngdorf TDAI-3400, which incidentally could not hold a candle IMHO SQ-wise to Devialet; with each platform, first with Roon and its implementation of Devialet AIR on the 200, and then subsequently with full Roon certification for the Expert Pro platform, the Roon experience has been sweet.

One caveat to all of this: one serious hiccup along the way between Roon and Devialet has been the problem many experienced with gigabit streaming.  I had the issue until I moved to an etherREGEN switch, which promotes a 100mbps connection to the Devialet platform, which eliminated the problem for me.  I know that Devialet has issued a fix during its most recent firmware update but it has not worked as advertised for everyone.

Bottom line: I will continue with my Devialet Expert 220 Pro but am keeping my eye on the NAD Masters M33, as it has a user-friendly room correction utility that I would quite like to have.  Whether it would match or exceed the Devialet Expert Pro platform in SQ remains to be seen.

[/quote]

I decided to stop waiting for the Nad to be Roon certified, based on my prior Hegel experience. I bought a second 220 and now enjoy a 440 Pro with Roon RAAT and it sounds really good. It also unfortunately raises the bar for any future upgrades (Boulder 866?)... first world problem

[Flashman]

@Flashman

I am curious about your experience with the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400. Two dealers who sell both the Lyngdorf and the NAD recommended the former over the latter. Reviews in various mgazines (for what they're worth) assign the Lyngdorf a better score than the NAD Masters M33.

I heard the Lyngdorf at a demo with my speakers (KEF Reference 3), not in my home, and it had a powerful, precise sound with a very spacious stage. The app is light years ahead of what Devialet provides. I've had a 200 for seven years and need to decide whether upgrading it to 220Pro, or changing altogether. I know that I will never recoup the cost of the upgrade as an upgraded 200 is worth only little more than the regular 200. But if it sounds better than what I could otherwise get, it might me worth musically, if not financially. Have you also tried the MM stage available as an option for the Lyngdorf?

Thank you for any more detailed feedback

I really wanted to like the Lyngdorf TDAI-3400 but, unfortunately, it didn't work well in my system.  I was initially smitten with the background of Peter Lyngdorf and his long history of accomplishment in digital amplifiers (Google "TacT Millennium amplifier" and you'll see what I mean).  In addition, I wanted to try the RoomPerfect room-correction software, which I thought could cure some ills in my listening space.  I couldn't audition the Lyngdorf so I read many of the glowing reviews and then found one second-hand that had been lightly used.  Once installed, however, I found it didn't have the dynamic punch or wide sound-stage that I had experienced with my Devialet 200.  Even with the RoomPerfect software engaged.  At the time, I had Vivid Audio Oval 1.5 speakers and streamed everything via a Roon Nucleus.  (One important note: I used my Vivid speakers with SAM fully engaged, which made a huge difference in the SQ.) I was really disappointed.  So, I sold the Lyngdorf and moved to a Devialet Expert 220 Pro and upgraded to Vivid B1 Decade speakers (no SAM profile available).  I couldn't be happier with the resulting sound.

Two notes: 1) I did not try the MM stage on the Lyngdorf. 2) I suggest you audition the Lyngdorf before moving ahead.  It might work exceedingly well in your system.  It just didn't cut it for me.

[Digitalhead]

I ddefinitely will! Thanks for your feedback!