Hmmm ....

I think this has been out for a little while, but I just saw it mentioned here, linked from High Def Digest:

http://www.ecoustics.com/electronics/products/new/706034.html

So it's pretty new, and it has Audyssey XT but not XT32. Strange.

I was considering this one at some point until they released the product brochure and the owner manual and I went through them. It took NAD a little over one year to come out from the time it was announced at CES 2011.

It uses NAD's Modular Design Construction (MDC) that allows one to install what appears to be about four expansion cards containing the digital processing circuity offering the various features. They may come out with a MultEQ XT32 module at some point in the future. It's just real lame that they haven't managed to include MultEQ XT32 yet on any of their products since XT32 was released. This doesn't impress me much coming from their R&D department.

For a modular design architecture that's been developed for over two years, it doesn't appear to be too flexible when I look at the available modules and the compatibility charts. For instance, there's no video processing in the base unit and when looking at the compatibility chart for their Sigma Designs VXP video processor "VM 200" module, which is a premium video processing technology, it doesn't appear to be supported for the new T 187 processor. Is it because of firmware design limitations or perhaps simply a poorly implemented modular architecture?

The T 187 processor has no balanced analog outputs whatsoever or any possibility of adding them in the future as the analog outputs are not modular. It uses "top level" Burr Brown DACs but they don't say which ones.

Furthermore, the modular design in no way guarantees the buyer a timely delivery of new features or that they can even be supported by the modular architecture. Other manufacturers like Denon or Onkyo/Integra churn out new models with the new features much more quickly than NAD has demonstrated in the last few years. Another possible gotcha may be the price for the new modules that could end up being overly priced.

All things considered, for the NAD T 187's asking price of $3000, I would pick up an Integra DHC-80.3 for $2600 without a second thought. It's built on a solid platform that been very well reviewed for many years, it has a ton more features like video processing and MultEQ XT32.

^^^

Nice summary. I didn't know that much about it until now.

I have a buddy who swears by NAD's analog components, amplifers, etc. But he hasn't has good luck with their AVRs and SSPs.

Kevin,

Coming from NAD and their expertise in analog design, it should sound great as do most of their components for their respective market segments including AVRs and SSPs. A buddy of mine also has owned without any issues a NAD receiver for about 7 years and it still sounds great.

If you read the reviews, NAD AVRs and SSPs are known to sound very good. I was really looking forward with great interest for this NAD T 187 processor. But as I said above, upon analyzing what it brings to the table for the asking price of $3000, I would go for the Integra or Onkyo Pro which have received rave reviews not only in terms of features but also sound quality.

If this 978 unit can just materialize some day before I loose my patience. Like many, I've been waiting for over 2 years lurking around here hoping for this thing to come out. If Marantz were to come out with an AV8006 as the successor to the AV8003, it would be a done deal for me.

I have an AV7005 now, and I agree. The AV7005 has been very trouble free and great sounding for me.

I agree , my setup now is very simple:
1)PS3 & Squeezebox Touch (Source)
2)Benchmark DAC 1 ( DAC & Preamp)
3)Outlaw 7125 AMP
4)Revel Performa speaker pair
and finally XLR to RCA Canare cable from Benchmark for analog connections.

This is the best sound I have ever experienced. I even gave up on 5.1/7.1 preamps after listening to this.

YES, we did very fine without HDMI, which was NOT designed with we consumers in mind. And, I'm not enamoured with further manipulation of my music notes by room correction software.
Man, if Outlaw did a full court press preamp that included top-notch MM and MC phono circuitry as well as digital, it could equal the multi-thousand dollar boutique brands' performance for an affordable price. Imagine that.

Indeed. Outlaws are you listening? I am getting real close to pulling the trigger on a new Parasound P7 but since it's balanced connections are not truely balance I am holding for now. Imagine what Outlaw could do with such a product!

I see that most everyone on this forum are "feature" driven. It has been pointed out that much more affordable products are already available with more "features". I could not care less for features especially those that never get used. Give me top shelf sound, simplicity, solid build, and I am in audio nirvana.

Cheers

My "interim" Sherwood 972 that I picked up for $600 sounds pretty good. I am impressed with Trinnov...