NAD T163 manual Performance, Value

fully independent programs to be played in two different rooms simultaneously. We even supply a ZR-2 remote handset to control all Zone 2 functions from the local or remote location via IR sensors. NAD has addressed two of the most common complaints

with advanced surround sound systems: the inability to make adjustments ‘on-the-fly’ without entering a complex menu system, and the inability to have different speaker settings for different types of source material. With direct access to channel volumes on the HTR-2 remote control, it is easy to make fi ne level adjustments to the subwoofer, center channel, and surround channels without stopping the movie or music to enter the speaker set-up menu. A/V Presets allow you to store up to fi ve unique speaker confi gurations for instant recall. Input section, speaker selection and size, crossover frequency, level, distance, and surround mode can all be adjusted to suit and saved to the non-volatile A/V Preset memory.

Naturally, all the popular surround decoding formats are supported, including the latest 6.1 and 7.1 programs from Dolby and DTS. In addition to Dolby ProLogic II and DTS Neo:6, NAD has included four custom modes for listening to 2 channel stereo music on

a surround sound speaker system. EARS places the listener in the audience, with a solid front stage and a very natural acoustic envelopment best enjoyed with acoustic recordings. Matrix

7.1uses all 7 channels to place the listener “on stage” with the musicians, right in the middle of the action. Stereo Enhanced 1 simultaneously directs the stereo signal to both front and rear speakers for maximum SPL (sound pressure level). Stereo Enhanced 2 redirects the front channels to the rear channels for late night or background music listening.

Performance

The primary reason for choosing Component Hi-Fi is to enjoy the highest levels of sonic performance, and for this the T 163 delivers in spades! Whether decoding Dolby or Digital 5.1, 6.1 or 7.1 surround formats, creating multi-channel surround from two channel sources with EARS or ProLogic II, or simply listening to HDCD encoded CD’s in pure Stereo, the T 163 delivers the precision, accuracy, and musical integrity that has been an NAD hallmark for the last 30 years. Vanishingly low distortion under real world conditions means that the promise of the spec sheet is easily realized in the listening room, due to the high performance 24 bit/ 192kHz DACs and discrete component buffer amps for the preamp outputs.

Special attention has been paid to all aspects of the engineering and design of the T 163 to give the highest performance for the money. From the wide bandwidth video switching, to the highly accurate digital processing and digital to analogue conversion and analogue amplifi cation, parts selection and circuit layout has been optimized for the best possible sound quality. Even the FM/AM tuner offers a high level of sonic performance and signal pulling capability thanks

to its MOS/FET front end, PLL tuning, and accurate IF stage. This is topped off with an easy to program 30 station preset memory and RDS display.

Bass Management is comprehensive, offering 4th order low pass and 2nd order high pass fi ltering with adjustable frequency from 40Hz to 200Hz in 20Hz increments. And with NAD’s unique A/V Preset feature, you can easily set up different bass management scenarios for different types of music or movies.

Value

You can pay several times the T 163’s price, but it will be very diffi cult to top the performance or flexibility offered in this extraordinary component. The T 163 is really two components in one, with its Zone 2 output (with independent AV source switching and volume) making the T 163 capable of controlling two independent systems at the same time! We even provide a Zone 2 remote handset with unique IR codes.

Upgradable fi rmware and extensive connection options make the T 163 an investment that won’t soon become obsolete. As a command center combined with one of NAD’s award winning power amplifi ers, the price to performance ratio is nearly untouchable by competing systems, and even rivals NAD’s own more costly components.