Flagship M33 NAD Masters BluOS Streaming DAC/Amplifier Serves Whole-House Systems: Outputs a Continuous 200Wpc, Sets Standards in High-Res Versatility and Wireless Control
"Wow." The flagship NAD Masters M33 BluOs streaming DAC amplifier inspires absolute awe and borderline speechlessness just upon hearing about its leading-edge functionality. Once you witness its performance, there's no going back. Pushing the envelope on cutting-edge versatility, fingertip control, and obsolescence-proofed longevity, M33 arrives ready to serve as the core of a reference-class whole-home system. It can stand alone as an audiophile-grade amplifier or combine with other BluOs devices to operate an entire high-resolution wireless network throughout your house. Offering a continuous 200Wpc output into both four and eight ohms, and the winner of the prestigious 2020-2021 EISA Award for Best Smart Amplifier, M33 marks the debut of a consumer product equipped with NAD's HybridDigital Purifi Eigentact technology and sounds otherworldly with all music sources.
Speaking of music, M33 aces all high-res streaming tests. Providing full MQA decoding support and BluOS capability, M33 automatically jives with services such as TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify, Amazon HD, nugs, and many more. A total of six digital inputs and three analog inputs invite you to connect what you want, while two sets of bi-wireable speaker outputs and a subwoofer output with a fully configurable digital crossover afford further set-up options. Apple AirPlay 2 and Bluetooth aptX HD – they're here, too, and welcome streaming from your phone or tablet.
Graced with a seven-inch touchscreen color display, M33 harbors a state-of-the-art ESS Sabre DAC a well as a head-turning, selectable MM/MC phono preamplifier that holds its own against separates. The latter boasts accurate RIAA equalization, a phase-cancelling infrasonic filter, and huge overload margin. In addition, an onboard discrete headphone amplifier can drive even planar and high-impedance phones with ease. M33's integrated Bluetooth aptX HD module invites you to enjoy wireless headphones as well. Two empty MDC slots that allow for further expansion; smart-home compatibility with Apple, Crestron, Control4, Lutron, KNX, and others; and desktop control options from Windows and Apple OS systems all come standard.
And M33 doesn't stop there. It even has Dirac Live, one of the most highly regarded room-correction systems available, which not only adjusts for frequency response but also optimizes the impulse response so that your music sounds more natural and lifelike. A supplied precision microphone will measure the room at and around the listening position so your system can be precisely calibrated for optimum performance. You'll enjoy substantially improved staging, clarity, intelligibility, and deeper, tighter bass. Each of the five Dirac memory profiles can store a unique room measurement (think of the different acoustics with curtains open or closed, different listening position, for instance), or different frequency target curves to suit a particular taste or genre. M33 also supports independent subwoofer outputs, compatible with Dirac's pending advanced "Bass Management."
Contained in an all-aluminum case with rigid panels and magnetic iso-point feet, M33 enjoys solid support and boasts intricate internal construction. A single volume control knob abets the attractive TFT display, but then again, you may ever even touch the front panel because of the hands-free control available via any Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant device – not to mention the supplied remote or BluOs app. Welcome to the future, courtesy of M33. 100% Music Direct Guaranteed.
"The result is just about all the amplifier anyone could need, combining massive power and beautiful clarity and finesse with broad connectivity, streaming and DIRAC room correction, all presented on a large front-panel touchscreen. It's definitely an amp for the third decade of the 2000s."
– EISA, 2020-2021 Best Smart Amplifier Award
"[I] don't want to leave you with the impression that the M33 is for newbies. It's good for that because of its simplicity. But I think anyone who wishes to make a change in their music system should consider the M33 – especially those considering making the move into the world of internet streaming and file playback. Keep your beloved speakers and let the NAD M33 do everything else. It will do it all superbly."
– Kalman Rubinson, Stereophile, 2020 Amplification Component of the Year and (Overall) Component of the Year Awards
"NAD's new M33 Masters Series streaming integrated amplifier leaves me mute. Stunning sonics, gob-smacking good looks, and great value. Value, in a $5,000 component? True, for five large or likely a bit less you could assemble a separate streamer, wireless controller, and Purifi-based power amplifier of equivalent performance, but doing so would entail vastly greater complication, cabling, clutter, and inelegance. Over the years, only a few products have passed through my door that I would eagerly spend my own money on. NAD's M33 is one of them."
– Daniel Kumin, Sound & Vision, Top Pick review
"All the system you could ever want? The M33 has a strong claim to that description, with its wide-ranging flexibility, ease of use and the acclaimed NAD sound, along with the usual 'drive whatever you want' ability. It's as impressive with analogue sources as when doing its streaming thing, and future upgradability courtesy of those MDC slots on the rear furthers confidence in this amp as a long-term buy."
– Andrew Everard, Hi-Fi+, Outstanding Product review
BluOS High-Res Music Streaming Everywhere
Unusual in a class of products often associated with complexity is the M33's intuitive operation, courtesy of the 7" inch touchscreen color display combined with BluOS. NAD considers it the most advanced network streaming and multi-room operating system available. BluOS, the innovation leader in true wireless High-Resolution multi-room systems has a growing ecosystem of compatible products that tightly integrate hardware and software for an exceptional user experience. Besides multi-room, another compelling feature of BluOS is its high-res streaming capabilities. The latter with full MQA decoding support* from a local NAS or shared drive but also from internet streaming audio services. Among the some 20 supported services which offer high-res content are Tidal, Deezer, Qobuz, Amazon HD and others. Music services such as Spotify, Amazon Music, Slacker, TuneIn, nugs.net and many others are also supported. With BluOS, M33 retains all the audiophile features and further adds a range of facilities that will expand its capabilities yet simplifies ease-of-use at the same time. Operable with the BluOS app, the supplied remote control or through hands-free control with any Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant device, M33's front panel doesn't actually need to be touched. To expand the multi-room locations, adding additional rooms is both easy and affordable.
Smart Home Integration Made Easy
BluOS provides hands-free control with full integration of any Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant device. Through AirPlay 2, control is also possible with Siri. Considerable effort has been spent to make the M33 fully compatible with all the leading smart home systems from leading companies like Apple, Crestron, Control4, Lutron, KNX and many others. This means that along with lighting, shades, HVAC, and security, the integrator or user can seamlessly control the BluOS multi-room music system from a common interface. All integrations are certified for reliable operation. The custom BluOS Apps for iOS and Android tablets and phones, as well as desktop control from Windows and Apple OS are available free of charge and updated regularly.
