NAD M50.2 compatibles?

[Vangelis]

Anyone compared the new. NAD M50.2 to Aurender or Melco player/servers? I heard it at Axpona in several systems to great effect but in unfamiliar systems. Wondering how this player stands up against others.

[audio.bill]

I haven't had the opportunity to compare them but there are some basic differences in their functionality. The NAD includes a CD drive so that you can directly rip to its internal storage, which consists of dual 2TB drives in a RAID array with automatic backups. The NAD however does not currently support DSD file playback while both Aurender and Melco do. Just some additional points to consider in addition to their sound quality comparisons.

[Nuz1]

I've been watching for reviews or feedback on the M50.2 now that it's been released.  But I haven't seen much of anything.   I like the range of products that would be available as part of the Bluesound / NAD ecosystem.  But not having a dealer in my area, I'm hesitant to buy or trek to an out of state dealer until I read more about it.  

 

I've read that Bluesound will offer DSD support in a firmware update.   But No specifics on timeline.  Plus I'd like to know what they mean by "DSD support."

[markrubin]

I have had the M50.2 for a few months: also have the Aurender A10.

This morning the NAD received firmware 2.12.0 which enabled HDMI audio out: now you get  cover art and 2 ch audio from HDMI: I use an OPPO HA-1 via AES for analog audio and headphones

 

I love this thing: if I had to choose between the A10 and the NAD, it would be a close call

 

Happy to answer any questions you have

[randyhat]

Quote

I have had the M50.2 for a few months: also have the Aurender A10.

 

Both the A10 and the M50.2 are products I have been interested in.  I like the idea of the A10 because of the built in DAC and I like the idea of the NAD because of the built in CD ripper.  Even though the A10 is more expensive, the NAD with a decent DAC will be more expensive.  So there are tradeoffs.  What DAC are you using with the NAD?  What is your opinion of the sound quality of the A10?  Do you have these players in two different systems?

[markrubin]

I have used the NAD with OPPO HA-1 and Mytek Brooklyn via AES

Both players in same system: both players have excellent audio quality: I don't think I could tell the difference

But they have different feature sets: NAD has a full color display that shows cover art, it also shows the display via HDMI, and the NAD can play several streaming services: many more than the Aurender.  The NAD uses BLU OS: the Aurender uses its own OS. The Aurender does not need an external DAC and outputs digital and analog at the same time.

[joshnich]

I too have been searching for reviews on the NAD 50.2 as well. It appears to be a great solution for me. I have tons of music stored on a NAS and I have an excellent DAC (Benchmark DAC3) . I also have a couple of Bluesound speakers that I purchased primarily to use as outdoor speakers on the deck I also have the node2. I am wondering if you still need the node2 to use the 50.2 to control the Bluesound speakers. Right now if I want to play my 2 channel system and the Bluesound speakers, I have to do so with the node2 and bypass my DAC for my two channel system. Its kind of like I have two servers and its a pain. Have to say I am not overwhelmed with the Bluesound app but hopefully I could get used to it if it saves me from all the pain of switching between "ecosystems!"

[George Hincapie]

I was researching the M12 over the weekend; it seems to be NADs version of the PSA DSJ, in so much as it's primarily a DAC and Pre-Amp, with ethernet connection to act as a Roon end point. I have to say that, since discovering Roon for myself, I see no point in dedicated streamers any longer (which is why I sold my Auralic Aries Femto). Combining the DAC with a quality ethernet based Roon end point is a really attractive option for so many other reasons than simply cost.

 

I considered the M50.2 as well, but if I weren't addicted to Metrum Acoustics products, then the M12 would be in my basket already.

 

As it is, I am waiting for Cees to add the ethernet connector to his new Onyx and Jade DACs by year end. Until then, I will just use a Pi with a ST i7.

 

The NAD units are stunning though.

[Nuz1]

In case you missed it, I've seen the M50.2 listed in previews on the Secrets of HT & HiFi website.   Hopefully that means a full review will be out later this month.  As far as I know it will be the first.

 

Side note: I also read Dali announced a partnership with BluOS for upcoming products and that other speaker companies could follow.  So with time, the M50.2 may become an option as the server for a variety of companies.

[markrubin]

I am still enjoying my M50.2

 

I just completed ripping several hundred CD's to the NAD, and I did a backup using a 2TB external drive: I can setup playlists that mix Tidal and ripped music: coming from an Olive 06HD the NAD is a dream.

 

I looked at using ROON with the M50.2 but see no advantage: with ROON you have to have a PC running as the core device: the BluOS app is excellent and I prefer it and no PC is needed (I use an iPad Pro to control it, also have 2 way drivers for RTI control)

 

I still have the Aurender A10 too: it is tough to decide which is better....

[justubes]

Mark,

 

How are you liking the Aurender A10 doing full MQA?

 

The other plus point of the NAD is that it can also play cd's if ever needed and do away with a transport or player altogether.

[Kelly]

The NAD doesn't support of USB audio out. The USB port is only for storage. BluOS has come a long way, but it is still a bit clunky from when I last used it. The original M50, was an EXCELLENT AES source though, really very, very good and ahead of its time. I'm am sure the new one is even better.

[markrubin]

the NAD M50.2 does support USB audio,

 

there is a menu selection for SPDIF, where  digital outputs ( toslink, coax, and AES are all  live at the same time: or HDMI audio out which turns off the digital outputs (I think USB audio is always output)

 

HDMI video, which shows cover art and mimics the front panel display, is always on

[Valitzky]

Hi,

is there possilble to transfer my existing music library (MacBook) to M50.2 internal storage?

 

 

[justubes]

You could just copy files over once the internal storage is in the same network.  You will see the players HDD as part of the network drive. 

[Valitzky]

5 hours ago, justubes said:

You could just copy files over once the internal storage is in the same network.  You will see the players HDD as part of the network drive. 

 

 

Thank you :-)

[Hear Here]

I see only a couple of snags with the NAD M50.2.

 

I have the NAD M12 digital preamp / DAC with streamer module.  There's a very good remote included that can operate multiple appliances.

 

The attraction to me of the M50.2 is that it would replace my ageing NAS and my CD player,  With its built in streamer and digital input facilities it does almost everything the M12 does - apart from DAC conversion. 

 

If only a DAC were included I could sell or PX my M12, although strangely the M50.2 has no remote control - a sad omission for a costly product.

 

Include a module DAC board and the nice remote that comes with the M12 and I'd buy one tomorrow!

[pawsman]

Hear Here,

Just looked at the M50.2 at Audio Advisor; they say it does include an IR remote-

 

pawsman

 

[markrubin]

I own an M50.2

 

the unit can accept IR commands (you can program the functions) but no remote control is included

[Hear Here]

Pawsman

 

It may vary from country to country or Audio Advisor may have had a loan one with their test sample, but I'm told it doesn't come with an IR remote in the UK, although as Mark suggests, it accepts signals from programmable remotes or the remote from another NAD product.

 

If anyone who actually owns an M50.2 could clarify with a mention of which country they bought it from, that would be appreciated.

 

Peter

[markrubin]

5 minutes ago, Hear Here said:

Pawsman

 

It may vary from country to country or Audio Advisor may have had a loan one with their test sample, but I'm told it doesn't come with an IR remote in the UK, although as Mark suggests, it accepts signals from programmable remotes or the remote from another NAD product.

 

If anyone who actually owns an M50.2 could clarify with a mention of which country they bought it from, that would be appreciated.

 

Peter

for clarification, I am in the USA: I bought my NAD M50.2  from Crutchfield (had it on pre-order for a long time)

 

as mentioned earlier, I also have the Aurender A10: both are excellent units and I would be hard pressed to select one over the other

[pawsman]

It's funny, Crutchfield says it doesn't come with a remote; Audio Advisor says it does. I suspect AA is 

just wrong, if I had to guess. You could always call the AA toll free number and ask-

 

Greg K.

[markrubin]

this is a screen shot of the IR remote screen for the M50.2 on IOS

 

you can use any remote and assign NAD functions to any button: so if AA  says it comes with a remote, it could be any remote: if you look at the NAD manual for this unit, it does not list a remote as provided with....

[Vangelis]

Throughing my original question back out here. Anyone compared the new NAD M50.2 to either a Aurender, a Melco player/server or even a computer server?  Wondering how this player stacks up..

[DrDetroit]

I'm also interested in the NAD M50.2, and like the OP,  have been frustrated by the lack of reviews on the Web.  My principal question, however, is not how the NAD stacks up against similarly high-end (-priced) players but whether it significantly outperforms the BlueSound Vault 2. The NAD is more than three times the price of the BSV2!  I'm wondering whether the BlueSound ecosystem ( I already own the Node 2 streamer) is really the prime mover of the NAD's sound quality.  NAD's own marketing literature for the product states:

 

"The M50.2 is a 'software defined' product, meaning that much of the functionality of the system is defined by software not hardware."

 

Like the NAD, the BSV2 comes with a  CD burner and 2TB storage, and of course the same streaming software (plus its own internal DAC that the NAD lacks). The NAD does offer the benefit of a mirrored backup for the storage and a couple extra connections over the BSV (but the HDM:I on the NAD will not work with i2S DACs). 

 

In comparing these features, I'd really like to know whether the NAD sounds significantly better to warrant a list price 3x that of the BSV.