NAD M23 Stereo Amplifier: Best Amp Ever Bench Tested?!?

We all screen/filter our purchases, be it by cost, class, power, etc. because we can’t listen to every product on the market. Objective performance is just one possible filter

Correct, but most of us use objective performance as only one filter among many rather than using it as THE ABSOLUTE first filter.  Then, we’re also able to glean that if the vast majority of reviewers and customers say that something exhibits the sound qualities we’re looking for it’s also worth exploring even if it might not ace everything on our spec sheet wishes.  It’s just not that black and white in audio despite how much you might like it to be because there are lots of gray areas and intangibles that measurements don’t capture but that your ears might, and you’re completely closing yourself to many promising products just because they don’t hit a number on your wishlist.  As much as audio is a science it’s also an art, and the art is how the equipment ultimately matches with our tastes and unique hearing abilities that IMO cannot all be measured but must be experienced.  If you close yourself off to options because of numbers you may very well miss the art, which can make all the difference.  To me, use numbers but not exclusively — that’s how I do it. 

@jerryg123 

Gee, if you don't like Putzey amps, why the Rogue?

Exactly!

So why did you post Gene’s review?

And why is there so much of this Purfi stuff that is discounted, refurbed and sold used? Especially the NAD stuff?

D.B. I really want to know.

Gee, if you don't like Putzey amps, why the Rogue?

Oh and to answer your stupid question I did not care for the Purfi amps nor the implementation by NAD, Nord and Apollo. 

One needs to consider the source, as it were, and discount accordingly.

@soix

As much as audio is a science it’s also an art, and the art is how the equipment ultimately matches with our tastes and unique hearing abilities that IMO cannot all be measured but must be experienced.

I agree with that to a point, that is why I don’t do this:

Then, we’re also able to glean that if the vast majority of reviewers and customers say that something exhibits the sound qualities we’re looking for it’s also worth exploring

I don’t waste my time with other’s subjective opinion. See above.


Sure, I might miss out on something but that is a possibility no matter if I filter by performance or by what other’s think. The difference is performance is a factual metric that can be compared, ranked, etc. Other people’s opinions are usually all over the board and are never based on the amp in my system in my room. I find their value less than marginal.

I don't have bat ears either... and I still like the sound of my 1986 Integra Tx-88 receiver, and love the sound of my little $600 Marantz nr1200 receiver, and ...

I'd bet the NAD is far from junk...  maybe it ain't to one's taste, but it ain't junk.