NAD M15HD Surround Sound Processor - Page 9

Only to the extent you claimed here:
"I would wager that NAD continues their tradition of taking care of customers and releases new modules” “They upgraded me from an M15 to an M15HD Traditionally, that doesn't happen with most companies.”
If it is not NAD to whom you refer, then who is "they"?

Huh? Please cite my insult.

Roger,
Don't waste your time, this guy has zero respect for his fellow posters and it's not worth the effort to debate with him about anything because it turns into a sandbox spat every time.

When you consider he was politely asked by a few posters to reduce the size of his pics to make his posts more user friendly and yet he continues to post massive pics, well, it just shows his lack of respect for the community... not worth the effort.

As much as I love pictures, your sizing doesn't help read these replies easily, Johny c.

I agree that going module is a great idea and presume that Nad development recognise there are changes coming and will implement them.

We also recognise chip technology is advancing anyway I mean this new preamp has four times more processing power than the M15.

i am really curious to see if people actually do put the M15HD amongst the ranks of the SSP-800 and the Anthem D2V...

I was considering the Marantz AV8003 but maybe I should reconsider...

...well, transistor count doubles every 18-months

Robert,

I used thumbnails for the really high-rez images: how do they look? What size monitor do you have?

Best,
John

I thought you were joking, that's why I gave you the snarky response. I figured that the members of AV Sciences forums would have monitors >19" - mea culpa.

John

I have one on the way from Perfect Home Theater in Chestnut Hill, MA. I'll let you and the thread know as soon as it comes in.


http://www.shop.perfecthometheater.com/product.sc?productId=219&categoryId=-1

John

There's no reason to believe it won't be, the M15 certainly was on par for sound quality, and some more in the know than me would argue even better.

Very mixed reveiws on the 8003, not so much for sound quality, but I'd be leery of a unit that got deeply discounted so early in its' life cycle and do some homework.

The M15 got discounted quick too but that was because its' HDMI functionality got left in the dust by other pre's.

knock it off guys

Zone 2 is very intuitive to engage and use, plus, the included ZR-5 remote is a major upgrade over the ZR-2. The ZR-2, which was included with the M15, felt thin with buttons that didn't offer quality tactile feedback when pressed.

Here's a picture of the ZR-5:


Here is a small picture of the M15HD processing blu-ray (only the 6.1 mix from Top Gun BD but I don't see any reason to purchase a 7.1 DTSMA/TrueHD to test this) while sending Zone 2 stereo from my PC to my Quad 606 and Totem Tabu Speakers [ed corrected - sorry] (those Adcoms make nice, 90lb. speakers stands ):


I'm putting the Totem's through their paces so I'll have to try them out with different amps but I *think* that I just found my new Zone 2/PC near field monitors (*whew* - that was some search). I have some Totem Model 1s and some active Dynaudios on the way but I really like how the Totems + 606 match the sound signature of my existing set-up (eerily similar - very open with a sweet sounding midrange). I bet that the similarities have a lot to do with the Quad 606 & 909s being employed... ...but that's fine by me - they're cheap.

Once again: the M15HD is performing flawlessly (no pops on source changes or volume changes on zone 2 pre-amp-outs).

One more nice feature: it knows to use your sub for Zone 2 when there's no input/playback on Zone 1! That's cool for anyone looking to use Zone 2 for a PC in the same room that doesn't want to purchase an additional sub for monitor speakers.

1. The $100 CD player was never mentioned by me, but by rnrgagne as captioned below.
2. His comment was in no way an insult to your CD player. He was talking about how the differences between a good CD player (yours) and a $100 player could be masked by room acoustics. Something Kal also explained to you.

Once again, the good doctor ought to heed his own advice.

are you planning to clean-up your set-up at some point? I would be careful to position components on top of each other. I noticed you have an iPod dock sitting on top of the M15HD (covering a portion of the heat vents). Also not too good to position speakers on top of your amps (if they are actually powered-ON).

Just to make sure I dusted off an ol' Belles I (sounds okay but I don't really have use for it now that I have my Quad 606 ...). Same result: no pops on volume changes or input switches.




Best,
John

Yes, I plan on cleaning up my set-up as soon as I settle on components (should be done by this weekend). I'm a perfectionist so wait until you see my final set-up.

As for the Wadia dock on top of the M15, there is ample room for ventilation and it's cheap insurance for water from kitchen area, [spills/beer-toss-from-kitchen-condensation-spray]. Those amps are from the '90s and they aren't plugged in or powered on (caps are/should be discharged too).

Thanks for the advice; it's always appreciated,
John

P.S. expect:

What kind of room correction does the M15HD have? How does it compare to others on the market?

I know it has Audyssey MultEQ XT Pro capability which IMO is an excellent RC. Comparing to other EQ's might be a bit tough because that's been a rapidly developing technology. Basically the improvements have come by virtue of manufacturers allotting more DSP power to those applications. It's probably in the top three if not top two.

Does anyone know the Logitech Harmony Model Code for the M15HD? For the most part, the M15 codes work but I can't find anything official for the M15HD (aside from mapping each button one-by-one).

Thanks in advance for any help at all.

John

Your first statement is what I'm are hoping for, where Nad place their products in a higher camp for a lot less money.

Nad certainly have improved there position in this market where there is not really a lot of choice in processors.

Would certainly reconsider Marantz I've never found a Japanese component to beat a well engineered Western design. They certainly are getting closer and tend to have more features most of which you would never use. It is down to the money though and your priorities.

Thanks for the response. This is what i was looking for... I am hoping that it really does turn out to be the diamond in the rough here. For me, rom correction is a HUGE seller because my HT room is also my living room and is in NO WAY ideal for HT. While I know it will never be "ideal" I figure a good room correction with get me as close as possible. Is this correct?

I talked to my local dealer here in Norway, and according to them the originial Audissey kit will have a cost each time you use it! Meaning you have to pay Audissey every time something changes in your setup and you need to recalibrate. The local dealer in Norway (Hi-Fi Klubben) will be selling a kit especially made for the NAD M15 HD that you register with your NAD M15 HD, and after that you can do as many calibrations as you would like with no cost.

Nonsense. He is misinformed. One buys a reusable key from Audyssey and the only repeating cost is for the tech's time, if you do not do it yourself.


Sure.

What about all the equipment needed if you do it the Audyssey way? Mic etc etc etc. So it's a one time cost for the equipment + the cost for the key (that you can use a number of times) (+ the cost for the technichian)?

I would think my dealer know what they are talking about, because they are one of the biggest dealers in Europe... Maybe it's different here from the US.

I guess you are right Kal (surpice, suprice!) Found this information:
What is required to calibrate an Installer-Ready preamp or receiver?
Each calibration for an installer-ready preamp or receiver requires a license. These licenses are purchased directly from Audyssey and are required for every MultEQ Pro Room Calibration performed. An unlimited number of calibrations on the same product can be performed though using one license.

so the key (license), Audyssey EQ, and mic are all part of the kit that is purchased separately?

+1 Mr. Kal Rubinson

Again, for the avoidance of doubt:

There's a ONE TIME cost for the kit (this is where I got mine - very nice Polish-American man called in person - friendly transaction) (More about Mr. Wojewoda: http://www.shop.perfecthometheater.com/aboutus.sc ) and then there's a $150, ONE TIME, software licensing fee.

If, and only if, you know what you're doing, and your NAD dealer insists on being involved for pay-per-calibration, would I find another dealer (I can recommend Dick Moulding at Spearit Sound and anyone down at Stereo Exchange in NYC, but that's just me - there are so many good NAD dealers).

John

Yes, IMO it's correct to a large extent. There's only so much RC's can do for a really bad room, but they will do more good than harm. If you can incorporate passive room treatments, you'll obviously get even better results. It doesn't have to expensive or ugly acoustic panels to make a difference either, sometimes even a strategically placed throw rug or bookshelf can make a positive difference.

Have a read over on the Audio Setup and Theory threads re; room acoustics and treatments. Once you get the general concept, you can bring out your creative juices to find some high WAF options.

If you do get an Audyssey equipped unit, go to the Audyssey thread and find the link to giomania's excellent Audyssey setup guide. It's got a lot of good tips & tricks to make sure you get the most out of it when you do use it.

No. The key is purchased separately for each device to be calibrated. (Most people have only one.) The kit (includes Pro software and the necessary hardware tools) is purchased separately but it can be used for many devices. JohnNY-C has provided the links you need.

Close. The actual EQ is embedded in the pre-amp or receiver, the "kit" has the mic and pre-amp plus Audyssey's Pro calculation program that gets downloaded to your computer. That's where it does the calculations using the measurements you've done and then it goes into the pre-amp and sets the filters etc., based on that info. They "key" is as Kal stated when I was typing this.

I am in a similar situation, my HT is in my living room, and it is open on one side to the rest of the house, so it's not even a fully enclosed space.

FWIW, I used to have a Lexicon MC-12 with RC, and it's RC significantly improved the audio quality in my room. Based on that experience, I am only considering new PrePros with built-in RC.

Thanks
Bruce

I have the same basic setup. My HT is good, but not great. I havr an Onkyo SR-806 with Audyssey but it is not Pro or anything like that... I want to step up and make it as good as I can. I am running PSB Synchrony One towers and CC along with two HSU ULS-15 subs... I do have great speakers, just need the equipment to be on the same level so I can have the best possible HT in my home that is possible for me.