NAD M66 Streaming Preamplifier Preview

It is literally meant to be the central nervous system of a very high-quality audio system.

At $5,499, this preamplifier is expensive, but you get what you pay for. It has lots of digital inputs as well as a set of analog XLR balanced and RCA single-ended inputs and outputs.

The NAD Masters M66 Streaming Preamplifier uses ESS Sabre’s highest quality DAC chips. An ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter) is used with the Analog Direct XLR and RCA inputs to allow the use of DIRAC room correction as well as other features. There is a full Analog passthrough available. The other inputs are all digital and pass through the DAC.

The front has a 7″ touchscreen for scrolling through the menu. The volume control on the right has 100 steps.

The Masters M66 BluOS Streaming DAC-Preamplifier is a revolutionary hi-fi component that combines an audiophile-grade DAC with a high-resolution multi-room music streamer. Featuring Dirac Live Room Correction and Dirac Live Bass Control, its 7′′ touchscreen makes it a cinch to use. Pair it with NAD’s M23 power amplifier for a stunning system that excels technologically, sonically, and visually.

Performance of the NAD M66 is spectacular, with distortion below 0.001%. The BluOS feature is amazing, allowing full access to both your local digital music content and a wide array of popular streaming services, all from a single smartphone or tablet interface. The M66 also incorporates DIRAC Live Room Correction along with Bass Control, allowing integration of up to 4 independent subwoofers into a stereo system. The M66 continues the Master Series penchant for expandability, having 2 available proprietary NAD MDC2 expansion slots for using a selection of available MDC2 cards, adding additional inputs, outputs, and features.

Secrets has reviewed many NAD products in the past, including the NAD C 3050 Stereophonic Amplifier, and the NAD C 700 BluOS Streaming Amplifier