Digital Drive: REVIEW: NAD M51 DAC Processors by jimmyjames

Model:	M51
Category:	DAC Processors
Suggested Retail Price:	$2000
Description:	HDMI Digital to Analog Converter
Manufacturer URL:	NAD
Model Picture:	View

Review by jimmyjames on December 24, 2012 at 04:58:32
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for the M51

After living with a Mark Levinson 360S dac for many years and discovering the incredible sound of 24/192 discs and files via a Marantz UDP, I decided it was time for a new dac. Read the Stereophile review of the NAD M51 and decided to order one. Got it from a catalog and internet retailer with 60 days return policy, just in case.

Was intrigued by the novel HDMI input capability albeit 2 channel only decoding of PCM signals. Many Blu-ray discs and some DVD's have high resolution stereo program content along with the Hi Rez MCH codecs. Some Blu-ray discs have 24/192 stereo program content. The later source material is where this dac really shines.

I played all source material from an Oppo 95 via an Ethereal HDMI cable to the M51. Patricia Barber's Modern Cool is destined to be the reference audio only Blu-ray disc for hi resolution stereo demos. I was not familiar with this 1998 release until this BD audio only iteration. Patricia Barber may be an acquired taste for some and not at all for others but her band is tight, tight on this recording and the Blu-ray really spot lights these under appreciated musicians. The M51 is detail oriented in the extreme, some will say analytical but I think it just wrings every last nuance and layer out of a recording that is there in the bits.

I played a 1999 "remaster" of Steely Dan's AJA. The title track has layers and layers of sound. Just all kinds of crazy things going on in the background that lesser players and dacs will just not reveal. I have listened to this disc on multiple players and dacs via headphones and loud speakers and was just blown away by all the "stuff" I was hearing via the M51.

Being that it is Xmas, I pulled out the Charlie Brown Xmas SACD with Vince Guaraldi. Playing the SACD via the 95, it down converts or whatever to 24/88 and sends that via the HDMI cable to my M51. Xmas never sounded so good. I think this disc sounds better via the M51 than played on my Marantz SA11S2. I also played the SACD of Bill Evan's Waltz for Debbie via both front ends and it was pretty much a tie.

I had so much fun listening to SD's AJA via the M51 that I played it straight thru twice.

The dac has the usual assortments of digital inputs plus the HDMI in and HDMI out (video only?) pass thru. It has a simple interface, multi function (for NAD eqpt only) remote. It can be used sans a preamp with variable volume out. The only real setup/programming task is whether or not you want fixed or variable volume and how much output db boost or cut you want. Another interesting aspect of this dac and it's HDMI input capability is that supposedly some BD stereo audio tracks are only digitally output at higher resolution than 16/48 via HDMI. I have not verified that rumor/claim as yet. I am obviously not a professional audio equipment reviewer but I just wanted to give a shout out on this wonderful dac that does not seem to get a lot of press in this itunes, computer audio world.

Product Weakness:	maybe a little spendy
Product Strengths:	Incredibly detailed sound.

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Mark Levinson 332
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Mark Levinson 380S
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Marantz SA11S2, Oppo 95
Speakers: Aerial model 7b
Cables/Interconnects: Luminous Audio
Music Used (Genre/Selections): jazz, rock, blues
Time Period/Length of Audition: 3 months
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	Mark Levinson 332
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Mark Levinson 380S
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Marantz SA11S2, Oppo 95
Speakers:	Aerial model 7b
Cables/Interconnects:	Luminous Audio
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	jazz, rock, blues
Time Period/Length of Audition:	3 months
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner