NAD Electronics unveiled three affordable new products: the D 7050 Direct Digital Network Receiver ($999 MSRP), D 3020 Digital DAC/Amplifier ($499) and D 1050 USB 24/192 DAC ($499).

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The D 3020 accommodates inputs for your computer along with other digital and analog sources. The USB input uses 'asynchronous' mode to lower the jitter (timing errors) from unstable computer audio outputs and supports 24/96 HD studio master music files. Coaxial and optical inputs allow many different digital sources to be connected, from CD and DVD disc players, to set top boxes like Apple TV or satellite and cable receivers. There are also analog inputs for iPods and older non-digital audio components such as FM tuners. Additionally, there is a headphone amplifier output that includes volume control.

The D 3020, with its wireless Bluetooth capability, can stream music from smartphones, tablets and laptops and even supports the highest audio quality Bluetooth aptX that is becoming more and more popular for its excellent sound quality and low power consumption compared to Wi-Fi.

The D 7050 Digital Network Receiver can be combined with a computer or smart phone running iTunes and a home WiFi network. A music lover can add their favorite speakers and have a compact audio system that will fit most anywhere in a home or apartment.

The D 7050 combines NAD's most advanced digital platform, the Direct Digital technology first introduced in the company's $6,000 Masters Series M2 amplifier with Apple's AirPlay Wi-Fi streaming technology. In addition to Apple's AirPlay, the D 7050 can also stream any UPnP audio content on a home network. If no network is available, it can also stream directly from a smartphone or laptop using Bluetooth aptX. The user can also play from a wired connection from their computer or from a USB Drive.

Direct Digital means there are no noise and distortion producing analog circuits in the D 7050; music remains digital right up to the speaker outputs. NAD's Direct Digital technology of the D 7050 performs all preamplifier functions in the digital domain using software to control all aspects of performance. Digital is converted to Analog by a simple passive two-pole reconstruction filter located right at the speaker outputs.

The NAD D 1050 USB DAC's digital inputs cater to many different digital sources. S/PDIF inputs support balanced AES/EBU, coaxial and optical connectors. For example, the USB input is asynchronous and uses the D 1050's high precision clock to control the output of the connected USB device for reportedly the lowest possible jitter. It also supports USB Audio Codec 2.0 allowing 192 kHz signal transmission.

The digital processing of the D 1050 features Delta/Sigma architecture with active oversampling filters. This technique effectively reduces out of band noise while maintaining linear phase response and virtual elimination of filter ringing in the pass band. This assures detailed and extended high frequency response while taking full advantage of the extended response of recordings sampled at 88.2 kHz and above. Analog outputs are fixed and include both balanced and single-ended connections.

All three product are available now.

Additional Resources
• Read more source component news from HomeTheaterReview.com.
• Explore reviews in our Digital to Analog Converter Review section.
• See reviews of streaming media players by our writing staff.