New Products

NAD, JBL, LG and other top A/V brands have all announced new products in recent weeks. Here’s a look at some of the gear coming your way.

NAD Updates Masters M10 Streaming Amplifier
NAD today announced a new and improved version of its Masters Series M10 streaming amplifier, which harnesses the company’s app-based BluOs multiroom music-management platform.

Billed as a “just add speakers” component that simplifies the hi-fi experience, the M10 V2 will ship with an infrared (IR) remote control, updated gain algorithms, and Dolby Digital Surround when it becomes available later this month at the new price of $2,749, $250 above the original sticker.

New gain algorithms have been applied to the M10’s Hypex nCore amplifier and dual subwoofer outputs to allow for higher output levels with inefficient speakers and accommodate a wider range of subwoofer/main speaker combinations. The striking 7-inch color touchscreen that dominates the amp’s faceplate has also been updated with a wider viewing angle and “purer color,” while addition of Dolby Digital Surround provides decoding for smaller scale 4.0-, 4.1-, and 4.2-channel systems.

Otherwise, its impressive list of features remains unchanged. Among them, a rated power output of 2 x 100 watts RMS into 8 ohm (with 300 wpc at the ready for dynamic peaks), an ESS Sabre digital-to-analog converter (DAC) built to handle DSD or PCM up to 24 bits/384 kHz, Dirac Live room correction (with the supplied calibrated microphone), MQA decoding, AirPlay 2 integration with Siri support, and ready access to Amazon, Spotify, Tidal, TuneIn, Napster, Deezer, Qobuz, and other streaming services through the BluOs app.

The M10 V2 is also Roon Ready and compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice platforms in addition to supporting streaming via aptX HD Bluetooth. Connectivity options include stereo analog, coaxial and optical digital, USB, and HDMI with audio return channel (ARC).

For more information, visit nadelectronics.com .

JBL Previews All-In-One Music System
JBL recently previewed a new self-contained music system at a meeting hosted by ProSource, a buying group that represents hundreds of specialty retailers across the U.S.

Slated to sell for $1,500 when it hits stores this fall, the stylish L75ms Music System is built to provide a credible, hassle-free streaming solution for enthusiasts. It mates dual 1-inch aluminum tweeters and 5.25-inch woofers with a 4-inch midrange driver and a 350-watt amplifier in a cabinet 31 inches wide. Each driver has its own dedicated channel of amplification and digital signal processing (DSP) to, as JBL puts it, deliver a “remarkably wide soundstage across a large listening area.”

In a big nod to the iconic L100 speaker, the cabinet is finished in walnut veneer and fitted with a black Quadrex foam grille that screams classic JBL.

Beyond the retro façade lies a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) that supports resolutions up to 32 bits/192 kHz and onboard streaming support for Google Chromecast, Apple AirPlay 2, and Bluetooth. Connections include HDMI with audio return channel (ARC) for TV hookups, Ethernet to tap into a wired network, a 3.5mm analog input, and a phono input to bolster the retro hi-fi theme. There’s even a signal-sensing subwoofer output.

System control is through a supplied remote or the small control panel on top of the unit. JBL is bundling a free, 90-day trial subscription to the Qoboz streaming service, which will include a playlist of songs used by the engineering team that designed and engineered the L75ms at the renowned Harman Center of Acoustics Excellence in Northridge, California.

For more information, visit jbl.com.

Pro-Ject Targets Audiophiles with 30th Anniversary Turntable
To commemorate 30 years in business, the turntable gurus at Austria’s Pro-Ject are getting back to their roots with a turntable built for aspiring audiophiles.

Due out in September, the new Debut Pro belt-drive turntable ($899 at launch) brings a fresh satin-black/brushed-nickel design to the popular Debut series that’s been around for more than two decades. But the beauty is more than skin deep thanks to a die-cast aluminum platter with integral thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) damping and a new 8.6-inch carbon-fiber-wrapped aluminum tonearm. The arm is balanced by a nickel-plated-aluminum block with bronze bushings, which allow the bearings within to move freely as the stylus traverses the record grooves.

Adjustments for height, azimuth, and vertical tracking ensure compatibility with a wide range of phono cartridges, though the table ships with a factory-mounted Sumiko Rainier moving-magnet cartridge. The Debut Pro’s MDF base is hand-finished with eight coats of paint and features adjustable leveling feet with built-in TPE damping.

The table comes with a detachable acrylic dust cover and a round belt for playing 78 rpm discs plus a 7-inch singles adaptor and phono cables.

For more information, visit pro-jectusa.com.

LG Promises Tasty Sound from Tiny Eclair Soundbar
If a soundbar doesn’t look like a sound bar you might as well call it an Eclair. LG’s new super-compact QP5 “Eclair” soundbar — it’s smallest ever — may be only 11.6 inches wide but it’s brimming with technology and comes with a wireless subwoofer. LG says it’s also the smallest Dolby Atmos-capable soundbar on the market.

Like previous LG soundbars, the Eclair uses Meridian’s Horizon technology to create an immersive listening experience from two-channel stereo without upsetting the tonal balance of the original recording. The soundbar and companion subwoofer comprise a 3.1.2-channel system with two up-firing drivers that supports Dolby Atmos and DTS:X surround sound as well as 4K/high dynamic range (HDR) passthrough, including Dolby Vision.

LG’s adaptive AI Sound Pro processing automatically applies the “best sound settings” for the content being played, be it music, movies, or a news report. An HDMI port with enhanced audio return channel (eARC) simplifies connection to the TV and ensures lossless transmission of 5.1- and 7.1 soundtracks. The soundbar also has a TV Sound Share mode that taps into the Alpha AI processor and AI Sound Pro technology built into LG TVs for improved sound. Black or white finish options are available.

For more information, visit lg.com.