I actually wanted to keep it, but then I got an offer I couldn't refuse from a friend, and good gear deserved to be used somewhere rather than be in storage. I wanted to experiment with more compact form actors as I downsized homes. Only reason I got rid from my E-306v was space. IMO there have been awesome amps for a while - a mid-90s integrated from Accuphase or similar will still sound awesome. I think the M23 is an end game amp, and I don't think I'll ever want to upgrade it, now the rest of my system needs to get on it's level.Ĭlick to expand.Undoubtedly it is an end-game amp - provided you're in the market for one. Some of the parts are different and the layout, and SMPS is different but I'm not an expert on that stuff. I'd be interested to know the design differences between the C298 and M23. I took the top off of the M23 and took a bunch of pics if y'all like to see them. Someday I'll get around to running some REW tests and see if there's a difference in my room's RT60 decay time in the bass freq with these amps. I had thought that the lack of depth in the soundstage and the bass boom was caused by room acoustics, and I'm sure that's partially true, especially for the bass boom but I wasn't expecting the amp to improve the sound in those areas as much as it did. I heard a lot more detail in the M23, much better imaging, and soundstage was much deeper, and the bass was less boomy. I assumed that my Parasound wasn't the weak spot in my system and that the Marantz was, I was pleasantly surprised when that assumption was wrong. As they say in sports my system is in a "rebuilding year." This is not a perfect setup, and the M23 is not configured in the most optimal way, but it's the best I can do for now. I've still got a modest system, the pre-amp is my Marantz NR1200 using RCA pre-outs (1.2V) to the M23, my speakers are Klipsch RP-6000Fs with GR Research's upgraded crossover design and parts, and I've got a decent amount of GIK acoustic panels on the front, rear, and side walls. I upgraded from a Parasound Halo A23+ to the NAD M23 and I've been loving it. I think Class D has reached the big leagues and can stand shoulder to shoulder with the big boys proudly. I will report back if I find any interesting facts. I can do a sound sweep with Acourate and an Earthworks microphone to see if I can measure any objective differences in the frequency response of the amp in my office. Maybe have my friend bring over his Classe CA-2200 for a spin too. Maybe bring in my McIntosh MC601 monoblocks, but that might be backbreaking labor. I have a Benchmark AHB2 and a Perreaux 100p (an excellent under-rated amp) I will compare to. I have a KEF Blade 2 Meta on order, and I will compare this amp with others through the Blades when they come. The amps sound identical if my head is not in a vice. I have to say that if this were a blind test I probably would be wrong 50% of the time, so take this with a grain of salt. If anything, the M23 sounds a hair more focused with better imaging, while the VX5-SE is a hair less focused giving it the sensation of slightly more "air." Otherwise, the tone and low level detail are identical to me. I have to put in my head in a vice to hear a less than 1% difference under non experimental conditions. After 8 hours of working in my office, the room can heat up like a sauna with my other amps class A/AB amps.Ĭompared to my reference Ayre VX5-SE amp. The only difference between these and my other amps is that they run coooool. They have no sound signature, as they are very neutral. Playing with Jriver through Motu 624 DAC. I am listening to the NAD M23 in my second sound room (my office) on Ascend Acoustics Sierra Tower speakers.
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