NAD Electronics has unveiled a new and unique Masters Series product, the M10, a BluOS enabled amplifier designed to serve as the heart of a quality whole-home system.
In its simplest form, the M10 (£2199 UK MSRP) is a high-performance streaming amplifier with audiophile sound. However, it can also be combined with other players in a BluOS ecosystem of wirelessly networked music players for a whole-home audio system.
Features include Dirac Live Room Correction to ensure music can be precisely dialed in for optimum performance. The M10 also features complete connection flexibility allowing it to integrate into virtually any environment, says NAD.
The M10 also has inputs for many other audio sources, both analogue and digital. It has an HDMI Audio Return Channel to make it easy to integrate with most modern flat panel TVs allowing the sound to come through high fidelity speakers yet be controlled by the TV remote.
The M10 is fully compatible with all the leading smart home systems to control lighting, shades, HVAC and security from one smartly styled interface.
Of course the unit also provides full support for BluOS, the powerful wireless multi-room Bluesound music management software, supporting the new standard for High Res streaming, Master Quality Authenticated (MQA). BluOS also supports over 15 free and paid subscription services as well as supporting locally stored music libraries.
State-of-the-Art Amplification
The M10 also has on-board HybridDigital amplification featuring the high-performance Hypex nCore amplification stage designed to offer state-of-the-art performance along with the ability to drive virtually any loudspeaker. Conservatively rated at 100W per channel, NAD says the M10 is both highly efficient and remarkably powerful, with the ability to render even the subtlest musical details with lifelike realism. Effortless dynamics and a complete absence of electronic noise are hallmarks of this advanced technology, says the maker.
The inclusion of Dirac Live Room Correction offers an increase in fidelity by correcting both frequency response and time domain impulse response. Dirac Live, when properly calibrated, demonstrably improves clarity, naturalness, and pinpoint imaging.
BluOS Music Management and Control
BluOS is the operating system at the heart of the M10 that pulls music from the cloud or from a locally stored library and logically organises it and makes it easily accessible. With over a dozen premium music services fully integrated, including High Res sources with full MQA decoding, the M10 opens the entire music catalogue and puts it at their fingertips in Studio Master Quality. Users can also experience a new world of streaming possibilities with AirPlay 2.
Despite its ease of operation, BluOS is also billed as the most advanced multi-room system currently available, able to sync rooms together or play different music in different rooms all in High Resolution. The M10 can be combined with music players from NAD, Bluesound, and DALI with more products being added to the ecosystem every day.
A Master in Control Flexibility
Completely operable by Wi-Fi connection to the BluOS App, the M10 can be controlled without ever touching it. However, as a user does approach, the high-resolution TFT colour touch screen beckons as the graphics change from ‘now playing’ to ‘control panel’ allowing many operations directly from the front panel without opening the App. M10 users can also benefit from hands-free control of their music from any Amazon Alexa supported device or via Siri. The M10 is fully compatible with all the leading smart home systems from Apple, Crestron, Control4 and Lutron. An IR remote control is also included.
Elegant Design, Luxury Materials
NAD also believes audio components should look and feel every bit as good as they sound. Industrial design was commissioned to DF-ID, a renowned design firm associated with many of the world’s top luxury brands. Principal David Farrage used panels of glass and extrude aluminum to create a unique look for the M10 that aims to be elegant and understated.
“The Masters M10 is a perfect example of an audiophile component that is luxurious and smart yet at the same time, discreet.”, stated Greg Stidsen, NAD’s chief technology officer. “It can effectively perform the same function that required a rack full of components just a few years ago and in many ways, is superior. Though the elegant form factor of the M10 takes up very little space and could be hidden away, but with its attractive design and striking display, why would you want to?”
Complete Feature Set of the NAD Masters M10
- BluOS Streaming Amplifier
- HybridDigital nCore Amplifier
- Continuous Power:100W into 8/4 Ohms
- Dynamic Power: 160W into 8 Ohms 300W into 4 Ohms
- 32-BIT/384kHz ESS Sabre DAC
- 1GHz ARM® CORTEX A9 Processor
- Dirac Live Room Correction (as part of future firmware up-grade)
- Color TFT display with Proximity Sensor
- AirPlay 2 (as part of future firmware up-grade)
- Two-way Qualcomm aptX HD Bluetooth
- BluOS multi-room compatible
- Gigabit Ethernet
- HDMI eARC
- USB Type A Input
- Stereo Line Inputs, Coax/Optical Inputs
- Preamp Output, Subwoofer Output
- IR Input, 12V Trigger Out
- Apps for iOS, Android, Mac OS, Windows, Crestron, Control4, RTI, URC, Elan, Lutron, iPort
- Wide variety of premium music services supported in App, including Amazon, Spotify, Tidal, TuneIn, Napster, Deezer, Qobuz