Hi guys, anyone has been tested / have this combination of Nad M12 (streamer preamp) and Nap 250 DR as a power?
Actually have an Atom as a Pre for the 250DR and i have the possibility of getting a Nad M12 with Bluos module.
My source is primary streaming (Tidal)
Any thoughts or suggestions?
Thanks for the advices
I have not tried that combination @Palo but i would be interested in what you and others think if you get to try it.
I did audition the M12 with the matching power amp, M22 I think? Sonically it didn’t do it for me I’m afraid, I liked the user interface and the look. I didn’t try the M12 with other power amps so I cannot say whether it was the M12 or the M22, or both which I didn’t take to, sorry.
I would like to test the M33 when I can get one for home demo, or better still the, streamer/DAC/pre version like the M12, if or when it hits the market. I would be looking for it to partner my NAP 300DR.
Thanks @Roog … i will try to audition the m12 with the 250DR and ill let you know.
By the way… wich streamer/pre do you have with your 300DR?
Have any experiencies with Non-Naim Pre/streamers?
I don’t have any experience, but will follow this topic with interest!
Hey chaps,
I’ve actually just returned a NAD M33 so I can maybe talk a bit to this. I have quite a ‘difficult’ listening room - glass in all the wrong places and fairly limited treatment possibilities. I was therefore temporarily seduced by the notion of going down the Dirac Live! route and bought an M33 to replace my ND5XS2, 82, Hicap, 250DR system. Luckily I didn’t sell the Naim stuff first! While the M33 is nicely built, if perhaps a little unsubstantial, I was woefully disappointed by the lack of power from it. I’m not sure if there was something wrong with my particular unit but you needed to turn it up to over 70% to match the sound levels I’d get from about 25-30% on my Naim stuff. I know that volumes and attenuation are relative, but it also started to clip about about 82% (using a streaming source), so I feel it just wasn’t right. When I could get it working ‘in the zone’ it did sound really pretty good and the Dirac helped the room (a bit) but the PRaT certainly wasn’t there. My take home was that the streamer was pretty good and the Dirac certainly had potential (I paid to upgrade to full) but I’m not remotely convinced by the Class D Purfi modules, assuming mine weren’t faulty. To the OP, the M12 and 250DR might therefore be the best of both worlds. For me, it seems there no replacement for big capacitors and big transformers - the Naim way! So I’ve gone back to my old setup and have just today traded in my ND5XS2 for an NDX 2 using my refund from the M33! 
Cheers,
Andy
I used to use my SuperUniti as a streamer/DAC/pre, into the NAP, but I have been running a Bluesound Node 2i and RME ADI-2 DAC directly into my NAP, no Naim Preamp since December and I am very pleased with the sound. The RME offers parametric EQ which helps with my room issues.
Hi @andybee thanks for your thoughts and experiences of the M33, sounds a bit grim.
Just to pass on my findings of the RME, the digital volume is set up so that high volume settings are close to about as loud as I normally use it, so having the volume high is normal for me, although, thankfully I don’t get distortion as you described.
Hi andybee, may I ask which interconnect cable between NAD M33 to a nap250 DR? Just curious since I’m looking for one. Thanks for your write up too.
Hi Bandit, I bought a Gotham GAC-1 - which is an inexpensive but decent quality cable - from eBay so I could test the M33 streamer/pre section with my 250. It was only 30-odd quid but it’s pretty well made. Alas I never actually got round to using it as I decided to just return the M33 before the cable arrived. The cable will doubtless just sit in my cable drawer forever now, so if you PM me your address (is PM a thing on here?) I’ll happily send it to you with my compliments.
Cheers, Andy
Hi Andy, thank you very much for your kindness. Much appreciated. Unfortunately that I’m living in Thailand, I’m afraid the posting is too costly.
No problem! Hope you find a suitable cable 
Thanks again Andy 
Hi @andybee …so do you think that i would get better results with the nad m12 than with the atom as a pre?
I know that i have to hear to see the differences… but not always have the option to test both products and even more difficult to test all in my home.
So my question is in general terms…
That’s an interesting question @Palo. I also have a Uniti Atom (in my bedroom) and I think it sounds absolutely terrific - but the room is much better damped than my listening room, so treatment isn’t an issue. My gut is that the M12 is likely to be better or at least more flexible as a streaming preamp as that’s what it’s for, whereas the Atom is of course an all-in-one and probably half the money has been spent on the power-amp stage… There are some used M12s on eBay (at least here in the UK) so you could always try one and sell it on if you didn’t like it? I’d really like to know what you find and, like most people, I’m getting a bit frustrated with lack of the replacement for the 272! This is why I’ve held off upgrading my 82. I don’t want to spend £5k on a volume control!
Cheers, Andy
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