blahblah Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 Hi All, Looking for some advice from the brains trust... I have a NAD T775 which has served me well and is working fine. However to replace the Video/Audio modules (VM300/AM230) to add 4K/Atmos support are around $2k-2.2k. Have a 5.2 setup - Martin Logan Motion 12, 8, 4 and dual Dynamo 700W subs. Used with a 4K screen and 1080P projector. Have an Oppo 1080p Bluray player that I'll upgrade at some stage. While used for mostly movies, I do listen to music so audio quality fairly is important. With a budget of around $1k-1.2k, my options seem to be: Install the VM300 4K video module which gives me 4k support and dual HDMI outs (something that would be nice). Maybe source a Emotiva MC-700 - seems to be buggy though. Buy a s/h AV receiver that's not too old, so more features, has 7.1 pre-outs and dual HDMI and use it as a preamp with the NAD. (e.g. Marantz SR50xx / SR60xx if I can get one) Buy something like the Sony STR-DN1080 which seems to get a reasonable rap (to replace the NAD) Any other options or suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quark Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 17 minutes ago, blahblah said: Hi All, Looking for some advice from the brains trust... I have a NAD T775 which has served me well and is working fine. However to replace the Video/Audio modules (VM300/AM230) to add 4K/Atmos support are around $2k-2.2k. Have a 5.2 setup - Martin Logan Motion 12, 8, 4 and dual Dynamo 700W subs. Used with a 4K screen and 1080P projector. Have an Oppo 1080p Bluray player that I'll upgrade at some stage. While used for mostly movies, I do listen to music so audio quality fairly is important. With a budget of around $1k-1.2k, my options seem to be: Install the VM300 4K video module which gives me 4k support and dual HDMI outs (something that would be nice). Maybe source a Emotiva MC-700 - seems to be buggy though. Buy a s/h AV receiver that's not too old, so more features, has 7.1 pre-outs and dual HDMI and use it as a preamp with the NAD. (e.g. Marantz SR50xx / SR60xx if I can get one) Buy something like the Sony STR-DN1080 which seems to get a reasonable rap (to replace the NAD) Any other options or suggestions? I'd recommend anything but the Sony - it has a maximum power consumption of a puny 240W. With best possible class A/B efficiency of 70% that leaves 168W, divided by 7 channels leaves a throbbing 24W per channel. That's before you factor in losses for the processing functions. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wimbo Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 Even though I have no experience on the video module, I'd still get it after a lot of research. Don't like the other alternatives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy8 Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 I never quite got the logic of the MDC upgrades. For the price of the AM230 & VM300 MDC modules, you can purchase a new T758V3 (street price of about $2K) , which also gives the same audio and video capability plus bonus of BluOS and Dirac Live. BluOS and Dirac Live are excellent for music playback. With your budget, aim for second hand T758V3 and use the preouts. Keep the T775 and use it as the power amp. Maybe you can get a second hand Anthem MRX 520 (and Anthem Room Correction is as good as Dirac Live). You should note that using an Anthem or a Marantz will give you a slightly different sound to NAD. I would stick with the more musical brands, NAD, Anthem, Marantz and Arcam (exceeds budget!). 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwt Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 (edited) 7 hours ago, blahblah said: Hi All, Looking for some advice from the brains trust... I have a NAD T775 which has served me well and is working fine. However to replace the Video/Audio modules (VM300/AM230) to add 4K/Atmos support are around $2k-2.2k. Skip the mc700 as well ; no object surround for a start . As a alternative ; Ide look at it from the perspective of what you really need for your current components . Lose the 4k passthrough and just pass hdmi audio to the 775 and you wont need the vm300 presumably . With the am230 you gain up to 7.1.4 and dirac live rather than audyssey which is more important in your case Especially with the 775 having better power amps than the current entry level model , you dont need video transcoding with the vm300 and the 775 has dual dsp's - not just one like cheaper avr's. If you dont want to run separate hdmi 4k 2k paths just get a $100 switcher.. NAD AM 230 Dolby Atmos Audio Module | Selby Edited December 21, 2020 by cwt 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy8 Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 4 minutes ago, cwt said: Ide look at it from the perspective of what you really need for your current components . Lose the 4k passthrough and just pass hdmi audio to the 775 and you wont need the vm300 presumably . With the am230 you gain up to 7.1.4 and dirac live rather than audyssey which is more important in your case Well, I've learnt something today! Didn't know the AM230 is the enabler for Dirac! Agree that video should bypass T775, and all OP should do is upgrade the audio board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy8 Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 BUT DIRAC Room Calibration on the AM230 Audio MDC Module also requires the appropriate VM130 or VM300 Video MDC Module installed on your receiver. From https://support.nadelectronics.com/hc/en-us/articles/360006178893-Which-MDC-options-are-available-for-my-product- Back to square one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blahblah Posted December 21, 2020 Author Share Posted December 21, 2020 1 hour ago, Snoopy8 said: BUT DIRAC Room Calibration on the AM230 Audio MDC Module also requires the appropriate VM130 or VM300 Video MDC Module installed on your receiver. From https://support.nadelectronics.com/hc/en-us/articles/360006178893-Which-MDC-options-are-available-for-my-product- Back to square one! LOL... I've asked NAD support if the can be independently installed. I must admit dirac live appeals as I need all the help I can get with the room acoustics I have... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy8 Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 11 minutes ago, blahblah said: LOL... I've asked NAD support if the can be independently installed. I must admit dirac live appeals as I need all the help I can get with the room acoustics I have... Given you wanted it for music, Dirac Live is strongly recommended. I could live with the T758V3 for music when I had it (since changed to Arcam, but I also have a seperate stereo setup). I think your option of reusing the T775 as the power amp and getting a used AVR with preouts is sound. But if you want room correction for music, avoid Audyssey, hence Marantz. If your budget can stretch to $2K, then upgrade to the 2 MDC modules and get a few more years out of the T775... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwt Posted December 21, 2020 Share Posted December 21, 2020 7 hours ago, Snoopy8 said: BUT DIRAC Room Calibration on the AM230 Audio MDC Module also requires the appropriate VM130 or VM300 Video MDC Module installed on your receiver. From https://support.nadelectronics.com/hc/en-us/articles/360006178893-Which-MDC-options-are-available-for-my-product- Back to square one! should have remembered posting that before Snoop ; bummer . Still would get a money back promise from selby and save some dosh and maybe an extra switcher and get some future proofing NAD VM 130 4K HDMI Video Module | Selby 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blahblah Posted December 23, 2020 Author Share Posted December 23, 2020 23 hours ago, Snoopy8 said: BUT DIRAC Room Calibration on the AM230 Audio MDC Module also requires the appropriate VM130 or VM300 Video MDC Module installed on your receiver. From https://support.nadelectronics.com/hc/en-us/articles/360006178893-Which-MDC-options-are-available-for-my-product- Back to square one! LOL... I've asked NAD support if the can be independently installed. I must admit dirac live appeals as I need all the help I can get with the room acoustics I have... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blahblah Posted December 23, 2020 Author Share Posted December 23, 2020 It looks like the AM230 can be installed independently of the VM300. These boards are separate (looking at the pics) where as the VM130 (used in T75x models) has the AM230 board piggybacked on the one assembly. https://www.selby.com.au/brands/nad-electronics/nad-am-230-dolby-atmos-audio-module.html https://www.selby.com.au/brands/nad-electronics/nad-vm-300-4k-hdmi-video-module.html Sadly, BluOS is only available with the VM300 installed. https://www.selby.com.au/brands/nad-electronics/nad-bluos-accessory-kit-for-vm300.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blahblah Posted December 24, 2020 Author Share Posted December 24, 2020 Firstly, thanks for all the advice, it's appreciated... So before I make a decision on the AM300, I can get a Marantz SR6010 for about the same price. While it's a few years old, it's got quite a bit of fruit and I can still use it as a pre-amp. Quite punchy too - 110w per channel two channels driven. It does have Audyssey which includes support of two subwoofers which seems good. "Audyssey Sub EQ HT™ makes the integration of dual subwoofers seamless by first compensating for any level and delay differences between the two subwoofers and then applying Audyssey MultEQ® XT32 to both subwoofers together." I get that the standard Audyssey isn't much chop but this appears better than that - is this still not as good as Dirac Live? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snoopy8 Posted December 24, 2020 Share Posted December 24, 2020 . looks like you still want to get the SR6010. Note that you will get the Marantz sound (has slight difference to NAD) and you should not use Audyssey for music, ok for movies. This is a slightly old but relevant article of the various room correction software. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cwt Posted December 24, 2020 Share Posted December 24, 2020 1 hour ago, blahblah said: It does have Audyssey which includes support of two subwoofers which seems good. "Audyssey Sub EQ HT™ makes the integration of dual subwoofers seamless by first compensating for any level and delay differences between the two subwoofers and then applying Audyssey MultEQ® XT32 to both subwoofers together." Its a bit complicated to add to Snoopys handy comparison . The audyssey sub eq is perfect for your 2 subs ; the nad would require a minidsp to combine or sum them . Does it have parallel out for the lfe out or independent if you forgoe the minidsp? The minidsp is a substitute for dirac 2.0's DLBM which is the latest diracs bass management upgrade . Ide check if the nads dirac am230 is upgradeable to the full version so you could do good things like restricting its effect on the higher frequencies [like Floyd e toole recommends ] . The audyssey [though its good] wouldnt have this configurability without the newer editing options say a 8805 would have] I have a bias to dirac as its a newer algorithm and also manages speaker phase interactions ; if you have a look at the latest Mcintosh lineup [which is derived from Marantz] you will notice the lower tier use audyssey and the dear stuff uses room perfect from lyngdorf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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