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  1. Home
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  3. NAD M32 vs Rega Elicit MK5
NAD M32 vs Rega Elicit MK5
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NAD M32

Integrated Amplifier | 150 watts RMS into 8-ohms

NAD M32
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Rega Elicit MK5

Integrated Amplifier | 105 watts RMS into 8-ohms

Rega Elicit MK5
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NAD M32 NAD M32
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Rega Elicit MK5 Rega Elicit MK5
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NAD M32
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Rega Elicit MK5
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NAD M32 vs Rega Elicit MK5 Integrated Amplifier Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing M32 and Elicit MK5, two Integrated Amplifiers from NAD and Rega. Let's have a brief look at the main features of NAD M32 and Rega Elicit MK5 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key SpecsNAD M32Rega Elicit MK5
BrandNAD
Canada · founded 1972
Rega
United Kingdom · founded 1973
Power150 watts x 2 channels into both 8 and 4 ohms continuous, with dynamic power of 190 watts into 8 ohms, 380 watts into 4 ohms and 440 watts into 2 ohms105 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms
Amplifier classClass DClass A/B
Damping factor800—
Built-in DACYesYes
Phono inputYesYes
Headphone outputYes1/4-inch
BluetoothNoNo
Weight7.71kg / 17lbs12.50kg / 27.5lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)5-3/16" x 17-1/8" x 15-1/4"
132 x 435 x 388 mm
3.2" x 17" x 13.4"
82.0mm x 432.0mm x 340.0mm

What size room are the NAD M32 and Rega Elicit MK5 Amplifiers good for?

The size of the room in which you are planning to use these amplifiers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their max power parameters:

Listening Environment NAD M32 Rega Elicit MK5
Near-field Poor Poor
Small Room Poor Poor
Mid-size Room Good Good
Large Room Good Good
Very Large Room Average Average

The rest of this page covers where each one wins, how they compare in size, their inputs and outputs, the full specifications and a verdict.


Reasons to choose NAD M32 over Rega Elicit MK5
MSRP Price(*) 3,299USD vs 3,345USD costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)
Watts into 8-ohms 150 watts vs 105 watts Delivers higher power into 8-ohms speakers
Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) 0.005% vs 0.007% Less Harmonic Distortion
Minimum Impedance 2 ohms vs 4 ohms Compatible with 2-ohms speakers
Optical Digital Inputs Yes vs 1 More options for connecting Digital sources
Coaxial Digital Inputs Yes vs 1 More options for connecting Digital sources
USB Input Yes vs No Connect Sources via USB
Max Bit Depth 32-bit vs 24-bit Play higher resolution range media

Reasons to choose Rega Elicit MK5 over NAD M32
Watts into 4-ohms 162 watts vs 150 watts Delivers higher power into 4-ohms speakers
Base Surface Area 1468.8cm2/ 227.7inch2 vs 1687.8cm2/ 261.6inch2 takes less space in your room
Height 82mm vs 132mm Easier to fit in smaller spaces

Size, drawn to scale

FRONTNAD M32 front: 435 x 132 mm (17.1 x 5.2 in)Rega Elicit MK5 front: 432 x 82 mm (17 x 3.2 in)NAD M32435 × 132 mmRega Elicit MK5432 × 82 mmTOP / FOOTPRINTNAD M32 footprint: 435 x 388 mm (17.1 x 15.3 in)Rega Elicit MK5 footprint: 432 x 340 mm (17 x 13.4 in)NAD M32435 × 388 mmRega Elicit MK5432 × 340 mm
Both amplifiers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.

One scale for both, aligned at the back panels the way they would sit against a wall, so the deeper one visibly stands further out.

NAD M32 needs about 15% more shelf area. NAD M32 is 48mm deeper - the measurement that decides whether a rack door closes. NAD M32 is 50mm taller.

Inputs and Outputs

The input and output selections that are offered is an important factor when comparing two amplifiers. Here you can find how the I/O selections of the NAD M32 and Rega Elicit MK5 differs from each other.

NAD M32 Inputs
  • Total Number of Analog Inputs: 4
  • RCA Line Input
  • Phono Input
  • Yes Optical Digital Input
  • Yes Coaxial Digital Input
  • USB Input:
  • XLR Input Port
Rega Elicit MK5 Inputs
  • Total Number of Analog Inputs: 4
  • Phono Input
  • 1 Optical Digital Input
  • 1 Coaxial Digital Input
Outputs
  • Yes Headphone Output
Outputs
  • Stereo RCA Preamp Outputs
  • 1/4-inch Headphone Output

Balanced connections

NAD M32 has balanced XLR connections and Rega Elicit MK5 does not. A balanced cable carries the signal twice, on two conductors of opposite polarity. Interference picked up along the way lands on both equally and cancels when the two are recombined at the far end, so the longer the cable run and the noisier the surroundings, the more it is worth. Whether it also yields more power depends on how the amplifier is built inside - some are balanced end to end, others convert to single-ended internally and deliver the same either way.

Rega Elicit MK5 Back View
Rega Elicit MK5 Back View (Click the image for the larger version)

NAD M32 vs Rega Elicit MK5 full specifications

Every spec we hold for both, side by side
SpecificationNAD M32Rega Elicit MK5
Overview
BrandNADRega
TypeIntegrated Amplifier with built-in DACIntegrated Amplifier with built-in DAC
Channels22
Amplifier classClass DClass A/B
Output devicesSolid StateSolid State
Released2016June 2022
List price$3,299$3,345
SeriesMasters–
Power and performance
Power into 8 ohms150 W RMS105 W RMS
Power into 6 ohms–127 W RMS
Power into 4 ohms150 W RMS162 W RMS
Power, as rated150 watts x 2 channels into both 8 and 4 ohms continuous, with dynamic power of 190 watts into 8 ohms, 380 watts into 4 ohms and 440 watts into 2 ohms105 watts x 2 channels into 8 ohms
Minimum impedance2 ohms4 ohms
Damping factor800–
Signal-to-noise ratio124 dB–
THD0.005%0.007%
Power consumption40 W idle, under 0.5 W standby–
Digital and DAC
Built-in DACYesYes
DAC chipDirect Digital feedback amplifier, 32-bit/192kHz–
Max bit depth32-bit24-bit
Max sample rate192 kHz192 kHz
Network and streaming
Wi-FiNo–
EthernetNoNo
BluetoothNoNo
AirPlay 2–No
Chromecast–No
Roon–No
BluOS–No
HEOS–No
DTS Play-Fi–No
Inputs
Analogue inputs44
RCA inputsYes–
XLR inputsYes–
Phono inputYesYes
Phono typeMM and MCMM
Optical digitalYes1
Coaxial digitalYes1
USB inputYesNo
HDMI inputNo–
Outputs
Preamp outputs–Stereo RCA
Pre-out / main-in loop–No
Headphone outputYes1/4-inch
Speaker terminalsBinding posts–
Features and control
CD playerNoNo
Handheld remoteYesYes
Physical
Dimensions (H x W x D)132 x 435 x 388 mm82.0mm x 432.0mm x 340.0mm
Dimensions, inches5-3/16 x 17-1/8 x 15-1/4 inch3.2inch x 17inch x 13.4inch
Weight7.71 kg (17.00 lbs)12.50 kg (28.50 lbs)
FinishesBlackBlack
Removable power cord–Yes
Parts warranty–Lifetime Limited Warranty
Labour warranty–Lifetime Limited Warranty

A dash means the manufacturer does not publish that figure, or it does not apply. 52 specifications compared.

Verdict

No single best amplifier here. What decides it is what you have to drive, what you need to plug in, and how much of the system you want in one box.

AreaBetterWhy
PowerANAD M32 has more power - 150W against 105W into 8 ohms. That is about 1.5dB, which is a small step in loudness but real headroom on peaks.
Grip on hard loadsBRega Elicit MK5 holds up better into a 4-ohm load: its output increases strongly to 162W, where the other barely increases. That matters with demanding speakers far more than the 8-ohm figure does.
Built-in DACevenly matchedBoth have a DAC on board with much the same capability.
Analogue inputsevenly matchedThe same number of line-level inputs (4).
Amplifier classdependsNAD M32 is Class D and Rega Elicit MK5 is Class A/B. Class D runs cool and draws almost nothing at idle; Class A/B runs warm and is the long-established mainstream choice. Modern examples of both measure well - judge by the rest of the page.
Priceevenly matchedPriced within a few per cent of each other.
Watts per dollarANAD M32 is the cheaper watt - about $22 per watt against $32. A blunt measure, and it says nothing about how either sounds, but it is the honest one for raw output.

A NAD M32  B Rega Elicit MK5
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both amplifiers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.

Which should you choose?

NAD M32 has the edge on paper, though not by much. The rows marked "depends" are more likely to decide this than the score is. If your speakers are a difficult load - 4 ohms nominal, big woofers, or a sensitivity in the low 80s - Rega Elicit MK5 is the safer partner, because how an amplifier behaves when the impedance drops matters more than its 8-ohm rating.

What a spec sheet cannot show: how either sounds with your speakers, how the controls feel day to day, and what the app is like to live with - which is where most all-in-one amplifiers are actually won or lost. Power figures are the manufacturers' own and are not measured to a common standard, so treat small differences as noise. If you can hear both, that will tell you more than any row above.

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