NAD Displays Multichannel Home Theatre Products In Flagship Silver Series

NAD, the highly regarded manufacturer of top-value, high-performance audio components, expands its highly praised Silver Series with two new high-end multichannel components. The S150 Surround Preamp/Processor and five-channel S250 Power Amplifier, showcased at CES 2000, bring the unique approach of NADís Silver Series to Home Theatre and surround-music enthusiasts for the first time.ìSilver Series models are designed to achieve the highest possible level of musical performance,î says Greg Stidsen, Director of Sales and Marketing for NADís U.S. operations. ìThe measure of our success can be seen by the nearly universal acclaim the initial Silver Series stereo components received from demanding listeners and audio reviewers. Applying the same design virtues to multichannel products was an obvious next step, and weíre confident that the results embodied by the new S150 and S250 will be just as enthusiastically praised.îThe S150 and S250, crafted by NAD in the United States, are assembled on the same type of impressive heavy-gauge all-metal chassis as earlier Silver Series models. Each bears the Silver Seriesí characteristic gleaming finish, a result of their fabrication in heavy-gauge, sandblasted aluminum from top to bottom. Thereís more than style at work here. The unusually solid, attractive chassis are engineered to be anti-resonant, and not promote external magnetic fields.S150 Surround Preamp/ProcessorThe S150 combines Dolby(r) Digital, Digital ProLogic(r) and DTS(r) Digital Surround(tm) decoding in a multichannel preamplifier designed to the same exceedingly high sonic standards as the original Silver S100 Preamplifier - and following the same ìMusic Firstî design brief. Significantly, in these days of rapid digital format changes, the S150 features a fully upgradeable digital processor on a separate plug-in circuit board. This dictates a specially engineered, ultra-low-noise switch mode power supply, so that the S150 achieves supply voltages of unexcelled stability and purity that remain totally independent despite varying demands on all six channels, or even the requirements of future digital upgrades.The S150ís audio circuits employ the latest high-performance FET operational amplifiers, and all six channels deliver exceedingly low output impedance - long an NAD hallmark - that eliminates the sonic impact of cable (and amplifier input) impedance. S150 output muting is performed via reliable, sonically transparent gold-contact relays (rather than sound-coloring electronic switching), and includes gold-surfaced connectors throughout. The result is a surround controller that stands as the sonic equal of the very best stereo high-end preamps, while also capable of delivering the power and realism of the best multichannel recordings.The S150 combines ultra-high-speed DSP processing employing the latest generation Motorola DSP with fully 24-bit/96kHz-capable D/A converters for all channels, yielding state-of-the-art surround decoding and sound quality in all modes. All digital circuits are run from a single high precision master clock to insure that no timing errors can occur between the various digital circuits that comprise this sophisticated control center.In addition to its superb Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1-channel decoding, the S150 performs extremely accurate digital-domain ProLogic decoding, and is Dolby Digital Surround EX-ready, for 6.1-channel systems. The S150 includes NADís proprietary Enhanced Ambience Recovery System (EARS). Unlike typical ambience synthesis modes, EARS employs the S150ís enormous DSP calculating power to route the ambient content that is ìencryptedî in virtually all natural-acoustic recordings to the appropriate main, center and surround speakers - without resorting to artificially generated reflections or regeneration. EARSí natural ambience yields a subtle but extraordinarily effective surround mode that naturally enhances the spatial presentation in a fashion suitable for serious music listening.While emphasizing sonics and performance, the S150 is also fully equipped to serve as a very able master component , even for complex multichannel systems. Six digital inputs, including a pro-type BNC connection, plus three RCA-jack coaxial and two optical ports are freely assignable, while two digital outputs facilitate recording. Following NADís usual attention to detail, all digital inputs and outputs are buffered and transformer coupled to provide a precise impedance match to minimize ìjitterî on the digital signal. Thereís also a 5.1-channel analog input to accept the future addition of an outboard surround processor, such as DVD-Audio and/or an SACD component.Four analog inputs, and no fewer than eight video paths (all with S-Video) include a component-video input/output for fully integrated DVD or digital-TV use. A fully independent Zone 2 stereo A/V output accommodates whole-house expansion, while an RS-232 serial port and three independent 12-volt trigger outputs provide for sophisticated systems control. Of course, the S150 also incorporates NAD-Link for multi-component ìsmart-remoteî operation, and is equipped with a superbly ergonomic full-system remote controller.S250 Multichannel Power AmplifierProducing a five-channel power amp of sufficient power for large home theatre layouts with enough reserves for lower sensitivity 5.1-channel speaker arrays, while maintaining the Silver Seriesí very high standards for sonic excellence was a tough challenge. NAD elegantly met it with the S250, whose five fully independent 125-watt channels supply sufficient performance, stability and reliability to earn a place in the most demanding high-end home theatre systems.The S250 employs monoblock construction for each of its five channels. Every element of each channelís circuitry, save the power transformer, is fully independent, eliminating inter-channel influences as a concern. Like its stereo predecessor, the Silver Series S200, the five-channel S250 is stable and musical even into ìunreasonableî loudspeaker loads. An immense edition of NADís unique, extremely low-noise/low-hum ìHolmgrenî type power transformer - a significant advance over conventional toroid components - works in concert with five monoblock amplifier sections. Over 60,000 mFds of storage capacitance ensure an ample reserve of power for even the most demanding music and film soundtracks.Each section features pure-differential, fully Class A input and driver stage circuits, and a high-current output-stage design, employing the same high speed output devices as used in the S200 to promulgate superb dynamic quality. The result is musical detail, impact, and soundstage stability and depth unmatched by multichannel amps of two and three times the S250ís price. NADís proprietary Soft Clipping (defeatable) maintains sonic quality under even severe overdrive conditions.Individual gain adjustment for each channel promotes easy, accurate system configuration, as does the S250ís integral 12-volt-trigger turn-on response, which features a sophisticated ìzero crossingî triad rather than the more common mechanical relay to promote long component life and reduced turn-on surge.The multichannel amplifier delivers its output via very heavy-duty ìfive-wayî connectors.The S150 Surround Preamp/Processor and S250 Multichannel Power Amplifier will be available first quarter 2000 from NAD dealers.MSRPS150 Surround Preamp/Processor $2,499S250 Multichannel Power Amplifier $2,449