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Model: S170 Category: Preamplifier (HT) Suggested Retail Price: $3750 Description: 7.1 a/v processor preamp Manufacturer URL: NAD Model Picture: View
Review by joeb (A) on February 28, 2002 at 15:10:33
IP Address: 199.89.64.45Add Your Review
for the S170This is a preliminary review for NAD's new S170 A/V preamp processor. I purchased the item as a dealer demo from Audiogon at a significant discount (nearly 50% off), and received it earlier this week. Since then, I have spent as much time as possible listening to both Music and Movies, and thought I would give my early impressions, particularly in comparison to the stereo-only preamp, the S100.HiFi Choice just released their own review of this product recently as well, and is available from NAD's website.
Setup:
Well, when I unpacked the pre-amp I heard something loose rolling around inside the chassis. My first thought was (oh, s***, those UPS f***ers). Since this was a used item, I couldn't immediately return it to a shop for exchange. So I decided I had nothing to lose by popping open the chassis to see what was up. I'm kind of glad I did, because now I know what's inside. Anyway, the loose item was a screw, to which I could find no empty hole. All the circuit boards were still held tightly, so I just let the screw drop out and considered myself lucky.
Anyway, the interior of the pre-amp was actually surprisingly boring. It is completely digital. I saw no evidence of a transformer or any substantial electronics like you would see in an analog piece of equipment. I actually cracked open my S100 for comparison. The S100 has a huge transformer and several impressive looking components, which I will not even attempt to humiliate myself by describing. Suffice it to say, the S100 is actually significantly heavier than the S170, even though it is about 1/2 the size... Even the volume knob on the S170 is digital, since it serves multiple duty as a source cycle knob, setup knob, etc.
Plugging in all my components (CD, VCR, Cable Box, DVD player, Xbox) was very straight forward, and configuring the inputs to outputs was actually quite easy, with the very intuitive On Screen Display that the S170 utilizes (you can disable the OSD to remove it from the video circuit if you like). The image quality seemed to be just as good as a direct connection to the TV (although my TV is a cheapo Samsung). I didn't notice ANY video degradation, and I can now record any of my sources onto VCR, instead of just Cable in my previous audio-only setup.
Usage:
NAD actually finally got a remote control right! The S170 comes with the silverline remote, the S70. This thing is light years ahead of any remote I've seen from NAD before. My only complaint is that audio sources can be switched with one button operations (CD, Tuner, Aux), but video sources must be "cycled" with a "up/down" pair of buttons. There are only 6 video inputs, and it would have been nice for a single button switch (so I could program my Phillips Pronto to switch sources automatically when selecting "DVD")
The S170 has 3 12-volt triggers which work perfectly in my Monster HTS2500 power conditioner to turn on both of my amps and CD player. Now I don't need to discharge static electricity into my components anymore just to turn them on and off (or get my big ass off the couch)
This things is simply a joy to use...
Sound:
Currently I only own 2 speakers, and not very good ones at that... so take this with a grain of salt.
MUSIC - I a/b tested this preamp with my NAD S100 preamp. I should start by stating the S100 is one fine preamp. Actually I find it to be very tube-like in its sound quality. It's capable of somewhat taming the shrill midrange on my speakers and has a very tight control of the bass (full but tight). With the right speakers the S100 preamp is hard to beat. In comparison the S170 is not quite the S100's equal. I kind of expected this since I was going from a dedicated analog stereo pre-amp to a HT digital processor. Actually at low volumes the S170 sounds much better, has greater dynamics and punch, but as you raise the volume to critical listening levels, the S100 quickly outpaces the S170 in dynamics and control. This makes sense to me because of the construction of the 2 preamps. The S170, being purely digital, is linear in its response, and capabilities. The sound is the same at all volumes, just at different decibles. However, the S100, being all analog takes a little bit more juice to get it to fully sing. But when it does...on a good recording, it does so beautifully. The S170 just gets louder. The S170 did not do as good a job in controlling the upper mid-range and treble. Harsh recordings were intolerable at medium to high volumes on the S170, while merely annoying on the S100. I put a large portion of the blame on my speakers and room for this, but I can only describe my experience through them.MOVIES - One of my biggest complaints about DVD on 2-channel is that dialogue is often drowned out by the soundtrack. The S170 has many audio options and their proprietary "EARS" mode is actually the best for converting DVD's to 2 channel. Dialoge was clear and understandable over the background music. This mode almost makes a center-channel unnecessary as it "mixes-down" the center to the two fronts, and the dialogue was tightly focused right in the middle, where it should be.
Sound effects were surprising and wonderful. The ignition of a light-sabre in "Star Wars: Episode 1" was something you just can't normally appreciate at home, but it instantly put a goofy smile on my face. On the other hand, because of my upper-midrange problems the gunshots in "The Matrix" were unpleasantly sharp and piercing (come to think of it, gunshots probably are like that in real life...)
Summary:
At the price I paid for it, this was definitely a worthwhile purchase. However, at retail prices, I'm not so sure. It is certainly a great A/V processor, but it's price-to-performance ratio may not be as competitive as other NAD gear.
I'll post another review once I finally settle on some new speakers and break them in.
Let me know if this review was too long, or not informative enough.
Thanks for reading!
Product Weakness: 1 - Not as musical as S100
2 - upper mid-range harshness (Solid-state digital syndrome)Product Strengths: 1 - Flexibility of inputs (can assign any digital audio input to any of the 6 video inputs)
2 - Analog Bypass option to remove all processing from high-quality analog components
3 - low volume dynamics
4 - One of the few processors that support 7.1
5 - Component Video Input and Output (now I just need a DVD player that acutally uses component, and a TV that can take it!)
6 - upgradeable software through serial port in back
7 - analog 5.1 inputs for future format decoders
8 - Completely configurable
Associated Equipment for this Review: Amplifier: NAD S200 Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): NAD S170 Sources (CDP/Turntable): NAD S500 CD-player Speakers: Polk Audio RT-2000p Cables/Interconnects: Monster Music Used (Genre/Selections): Rock, Pop, Female vocals, classical Room Size (LxWxH): 30 x 17 x 9 Room Comments/Treatments: none Time Period/Length of Audition: 1 week Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Monster HT2500 Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner
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Topic - REVIEW: NAD S170 Preamplifier (HT) - joeb 15:10:33 02/28/02 (0)
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