NAD T754 AV-receiver
Design. Frankly, our view of any NAD product of traditional design evokes persistent associations with something very strict, if not official. So the cold-gray facade of the T754 receiver does not warm even the fairly bright glow of the fluorescent display. However, this is our taste. An objective drawback is found only on the rear panel - the receiver does not have HDMI inputs and outputs. As for the other video and audio connectors, everything is in order here, except for the lack of a Phono input (but it is possible to connect two subwoofers at the same time). The digital stream is converted into an analog signal by DACs with highly linear characteristics. The T754 does not have an automatic calibration system, so get ready to set up the system yourself.
Functions. The set of functions of the T754 can be called traditional: the same decoders and technologies that almost all receivers have been equipped with for the last five or six years. On the one hand, this is good (brought to perfection should not fail), on the other hand, progress does not stand still, which means that consumer requirements are also increasing. In this regard, you can not go past the proprietary DSP-mode EARS, which creates a virtual surround sound when working with two speakers without a characteristic unpleasant hum.
Control. Extremely simple, clear and competent. The buttons on the remote control are located correctly, the on-screen interface is intuitive. It should not be otherwise: functionally, as we noted above, the receiver is at the level of the most common current models. In addition, the remote control is a learner, it allows you to control all the components of the system.
Recommendations. As a stereo amplifier, the T754 proved to be flawless, which is not surprising, since high-quality stereo sound is NAD's strong point (the amplifiers use proprietary PowerDrive technology that adapts their mode of operation to the needs of speaker systems). In this regard, the absence of the Pure Direct function is not entirely clear-apparently, the engineers were guided by the principle "the best is the enemy of the good." When watching movies, the sound panorama is noticeably shifted towards the front - the rear level has to be raised. Probably, we will not be mistaken in recommending the T754 primarily to music lovers who do not lose sight of the novelties of cinema.
