The culmination of a decade long research project, the M2 is a true digital amplifier that sets new benchmarks for both measurable performance and subjective musical quality.

Superior to any previous digital amplifier, the M2 can be thought of as a Digital-to-Analogue Converter (DAC) that directly drives a loudspeaker, but with the same precision as the very best low-level DACs. The M2’s technology is far more sophisticated than the Class D analogue amplifiers that are often erroneously referred to as ‘digital.’

In fact, the M2 is the first digital amplifier that can match the best linear amplifiers for low noise and distortion, delivering better than Class A sound with Class D efficiency. At the same time, the M2 is capable of delivering startling power, 250W to each of two channels at 4 or 8Ohms continuous power, and 500W IHF dynamic power.

The M2 takes in a digital signal and outputs an analogue signal to drive the loudspeaker. It avoids the limitations of conventional error correction or ‘feedback’ approaches used to achieve very low distortion by generating a feedback signal through comparison with an extremely pure reference, then converting the signal to the digital domain at a 108MHz sample rate before using it for correction.

A new technology called Direct Digital Feedback, developed by UK-based Diodes Zetex Semiconductors during its collaboration with NAD on the M2 project, simply determines the pulse area error, no matter the cause, and passes the information to the digital domain for compensation.

The M2 possesses an extremely wide data path that allows compensation without truncating any information in the original signal. The result: very low noise and distortion in the audio band, combined with blinding speed and precision.