Is NAD Truly Ready to Be Certified as Roon Ready? // Concerns About NAD’s Products and Post-Purchase Support

Hi Roon Community,

I’d like to share my experience with my NAD T778, which I purchased on August 31, 2023, from the German retailer Auditorium GmbH (auditorium.de), hoping to benefit from NAD’s highly regarded reputation and its Roon Ready certification. However, my experience has been disappointing, and I am curious to know if others have encountered similar issues and how they were resolved—if resolved at all.

My Issue with the NAD T778

The T778, a home theater model from NAD Electronics, was used occasionally but has now stopped functioning entirely. The specific problems I’ve encountered are as follows:

  1. Non-Responsive Touchscreen and Playback Issues: The amplifier, operated via a front touchscreen, fails to display anything when I turn it on to listen to music or watch a movie or TV show. The screen remains completely black, showing no signs of power, and neither sound nor video is produced from any connected sources. These sources include:

    • An Intel NUC running Rock as my Roon Core.
    • High-resolution music streaming services like Qobuz, accessed directly through the T778’s integrated BluOS.
    • A high-end Sony TV connected to terrestrial digital TV and video streaming services such as Netflix, MAX, or Disney Plus.
  2. Intermittent Start-Up with Fan Errors: Occasionally, when the device is turned on, the switch LED lights up for about 5 to 10 minutes. During this time, a loud noise comes from a cooling fan that inexplicably runs at maximum speed. On rare occasions, when the screen does not remain blank, it displays the following information:

    • “Fan RPM: 0”
    • “Controller Status: Error”

During this brief window, the device does not produce any sound and eventually shuts off completely, becoming unresponsive.

These issues have rendered the amplifier unusable.

Attempts to seek assistance in resolving the issue (this is the most frustrating part!)

Since October 11, 2024, I have been in contact with NAD Electronics and Auditorium GmbH, the German retailer where I purchased the NAD T778.

Richard F. from NAD Support in Canada eventually advised me to send the amplifier back to Auditorium GmbH, which I did. The device was delivered and received on November 5. Auditorium GmbH confirmed on November 8 that it arrived safely and acknowledged that it was non-operational, as I had informed them.

I was advised by Auditorium that the manufacturer would decide whether to repair or replace the device. However, this contradicts Directive (EU) 2019/771, which explicitly states that within the legal three-year warranty period, it is the buyer’s right—not the manufacturer’s discretion—to choose between repair or replacement of a defective product, free of charge.

Given the severity and persistence of the issues with my NAD T778, I have exercised my right under the directive and formally requested a replacement. I have explicitly communicated that I will not accept a repair due to the product’s significant and ongoing deficiencies.

Current Status and Request for Insights

As of today, November 23, 2024, I have not received any further updates from NAD Electronics or Auditorium GmbH since November 8. This lack of communication, along with the unresolved issue while the device has been in their possession since November 5, raises concerns about NAD’s readiness to provide reliable products and meet the required standards of post-purchase support in Europe.

Questions for the Roon Community

• Has anyone else faced similar issues with NAD products? If so, how were they resolved?

• Roon, is NAD truly prepared to support its European customers and uphold the standards expected of Roon Ready products?

I sincerely hope my experience is an isolated case, but the silence and lack of resolution have left me deeply concerned. Any insights or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Best regards,

José Ignacio Labiano

Yes I had 4 faulty T778 units. I am afraid it’s a real
Lemon of a product and it’s wild luck if you have one that doesn’t develop issue. I gave up and went two channel only got my money back and bought a Marantz amp.

My dealer was great, NAD support shocking, when I worked sounded great but it never lasted more than a month or two at most. My dealer replaced it each time but then the new unit would fail with some other fault.

I had an issue with the NAD M28 7 channel amplifier. It worked fine for 1 year then stopped engaging the amps after going through the startup initialization process. The Audio Video shop where it was purchased sent someone out to verify it wasn’t working then took it back to the AV shop and shipped it to the repair location specified by NAD.

The repair shop had the unit for months, replacing part after part as specified by NAD. They could not fix it. The AV shop said they had been told the unit appeared to have been hit by lighting. No way, It had been plugged into a Furman Elite-20 PFi with the other system components.

NAD eventually replaced the unit with a factory refurbished one. I was disappointed that it wasn’t brand new, had refurbished printed on the box, but the replacement was in brand new condition and functions perfectly.

MY AV shop handled everything, all I had to do was wait. As to the time it took, each part being replaced had to be shipped to the repair facility, over and over, and I was told NAD is closed most of December for the holidays.

Dear CrystalGipsy and Mike LC,

I’d like to extend my heartfelt thanks to both of you for your prompt and detailed responses to the concerns I presented in my post. Your input has been invaluable. You’ve not only reassured me that I am properly focused on this issue with my amplifier, but you’ve also helped me make more informed decisions. Knowing that I am not alone in encountering these serious problems with such highly endorsed and certified equipment has been a great support.

I hold Roon in the highest regard, and their endorsement of NAD, along with that of Darko, greatly influenced my decision to purchase the NAD T778. At the time, I believed it was a win-win choice. However, your shared experiences have reinforced my perception that this product has recurring defects, raising significant concerns within the community about the quality of post-sale support offered by both NAD and its distributors.

Thanks to the information you both generously provided, as well as insights from other forums, I have formally requested a full refund of the amount I paid. I believe a replacement would not adequately address the situation.

For reference, I am attaching a copy of the letter I have addressed to the Managing Director of Auditorium GmbH, NAD’s European distributor. I hope it may be of use to other members of the Roon Community who may face similar challenges.

Once again, please accept my sincerest gratitude.

Warm regards,

José Ignacio Labiano

Subject: Attention of the Managing Director – Urgent Request for Resolution

Dear Mr. Sebastian Schwarte,

I am reaching out to you as the Managing Director of Auditorium GmbH regarding the complaint I filed about the NAD T778 product, serial number K226T77810391, purchased from your store on August 31, 2023. Initially, the product appeared to function correctly, but within months it began to exhibit intermittent issues. By October 11, 2024, the unit had become completely non-functional, and I immediately informed both Auditorium GmbH and NAD Electronics of this situation.

I have included Matthias Klein, with whom I have been in contact regarding this issue, as well as Ms. June Ip, VP of Marketing for NAD Electronics. I believe it is essential that all parties involved understand the urgency of this matter and work towards a resolution.

As the manufacturer, NAD Electronics has a responsibility to ensure that their products meet the expected standards of quality and service, particularly for their European customers. Furthermore, under Directive (EU) 2019/771, consumers in the European Union have the right to choose between repair, replacement, or a full refund of the purchase price for a defective product. This right applies for a period of three years from the date of purchase and is mandatory, ensuring that consumers are fully protected against defective goods.

I have shared my experience on a forum relevant to the Roon user community, where other consumers have reported similar issues with this model. These experiences reinforce my perception that the product has recurring defects, raising significant concerns in the community about the quality of post-sale support offered by both NAD and its distributors, including Auditorium GmbH.

Given the potential impact on your company’s and NAD’s reputations, I hope you can personally intervene to resolve this matter. I request a full refund of the amount paid, as a replacement would not adequately address this situation.

I trust in your professionalism and believe you can avoid the need to initiate legal proceedings, which would not only increase costs for all parties but also negatively impact both Auditorium GmbH’s and NAD’s images.

I look forward to a prompt response.

Sincerely,

José Ignacio Labiano

CC. Mr. Matthias Klein, Sales Manager Auditorium GmbH.// matthias.klein@auditorium.de

Ms. June Ip, VP of Marketing for NAD Electronics // media@nadelectronics.com

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Thank you CrystalGipsy. Your worth your weight in gold.

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Hope you get a resolution. I was lucky that I only dealt with my dealer for the faults and they handled it all impeccably. I wish I had given up on it sooner, but I wanted it to work. But in the end it was not meant to be. It has soured me on NAD products and Bluesound as also had the issue during this period when BluOS stopped being Roon Ready on one of their firmware updates which NAD eventually got me back on an older firmware until they resolved the issue. Not a great experience.

In my situation I wanted/needed the 7 channel amplifier to be replaced.

After weeks of research, reading nothing but glowing reviews, and receiving a trusted recommendation, the M28 was selected because it is the only multi-channel unit I could find on the market to fit my needs for size, weight, number of channels, power output, great sound and low heat produced during operations. In short I needed this exact unit to fit in a well ventilated enclosed tower rack in a climate controlled media closet. Felt like I had won the lottery at the time.

With the unit being one year old when it failed I did expect a brand new replacement and not a refurbished unit. My AV rep had been advised by NAD, while we were waiting, that they were experiencing a shortage of stock at the time. At that point I requested a full refund. The AV rep passed that request on to NAD then all of a sudden we were advised that the replacement unit had already been shipped.

I did more research on problems with the M28 and having found nothing I continue to hope my experience was a one off. The replacement seems to function differently from the original, going through the startup sequence and initializing faster.

Speaking again with my AV rep we came to the conclusion the original unit was defective when new and just happened to survive for a year before failing. The replacement unit does function perfectly. Hoping it has a long life.

There M series seems to have far better build and reliability. Classic range not so much and the T778 has been a notable unreliable product. I read about issues before buying and thought it might not be as bad as the internet made out. I was proved wrong quite quickly. It’s a bad design with poor component reliability. Heat being a major issue with really loud fans.

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More than a month ago, Auditorium GmbH in Germany received my NAD T778 for analysis. Since November 5th, when I received confirmation of its receipt, I have not heard anything further about it. I have sent several emails to Auditorium.de since then, requesting a refund for the product based on the European Directive 2019/771, which explicitly states that in the event of nonconformity of the sold product, the consumer, within the 3-year warranty period in Europe, has the right to choose between repair, replacement, or a refund of the amount paid.

In my case, I have been demanding a refund because I have lost confidence in the NAD T778 after reading about the numerous issues reported by other users in various forums. Auditorium.de has not responded at all—not even to inform me about what they are doing with the T778. The treatment I have received from the online store Auditorium.de is unacceptable when all I am asking for is compliance with the law and respect for my rights.

Ultimately, I have been forced to file a legal complaint against both Auditorium.de and the NAD importer for Germany, Dali GmbH, for violating several articles of Directive 2019/771. This directive is very clear and specific, so I am confident that the matter will be resolved and that the amount I paid to AUDITORIUM.DE will be refunded.

My advice: do not buy from AUDITORIUM.DE or NAD products, as I have not received any support from them either, except in the case of NAD Support for generic support emails with no real action.

Latest Update:

Auditorium GmbH, an online store based in Germany, shipped my NAD T778 to me around December 9th, claiming it was repaired, despite my repeated refusal to accept a repair and my insistence on a refund as per the European Directive 2019/771 on consumer rights for items under warranty.

After more than a week without the carrier being able to locate the NAD T778, I was informed today that the item has been declared lost, and I was advised to contact the sender, Auditorium GmbH.

I have written to Auditorium GmbH, just as I have done many times before, without receiving any response. So far:
• Auditorium GmbH has never responded to any of my repeated refund requests.
• Auditorium GmbH shipped the NAD T778 to me without my consent for its repair and subsequent delivery.
• A week ago, I wrote to Auditorium GmbH warning them about the potential loss of the NAD T778, but I received no response.
• Today, I wrote to Auditorium GmbH again, informing them of the declared loss of the NAD T778, demanding a refund, as they are responsible for the item until it reaches me. So far, no response has been received.

You be the judge. I have no choice but to take this matter to court.

2 Likes

I can just pitch in here… having 3x NAD CI580v2 and have had PLENTY of issues with them.

You can read more here:

Currently they work “OK” as long as I don’'t use Roon Zone Grouping (I have to group their zones in BlueOS) and also not mix them with other Roon-devices, because they have delay in their playback making room grouping not work great.

I have had tons of support threads with Bluesound/NAD but to no avail. They don’t seem interested in actually adressing these issues with Roon, or they simply consider Roon users such a small portion of their user base that it’s not worth it… It’s kinda fraudulent markeitng though, as they brand their devices as Roon Ready, which should mean they actually work well, and play in sync with other Roon devices…

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Hi,

Thanks for you cooperation explaining your experience with Bluesound and even NAD equipment. I just sent the following message to both companies that I want to share with you and those are going through similar situations. This is the message:

Dear Team,

It has been four business days since I submitted my request, and I have yet to receive a solution to the problem. I own several Bluesound and NAD devices, and all of them have experienced issues, which is far from normal.

The SOUNDBAR+, along with the SUB+ and two PULSE M speakers, never worked properly when connected via Wi-Fi, despite having a UNIFI AP-6LR access point with a strong 45 dB signal on the 5 GHz band, free from interference. The issues included dropouts, lag between speakers, poor sound quality, etc. I had to wire them to get stable performance.

Another issue occurs when switching sources—for example, stopping playback on Roon and then trying to play audio from my iPhone via AirPlay. This only worked after rebooting the SOUNDBAR+. While this has improved with recent updates, there are still issues.

Additionally, your products are advertised as Alexa-compatible, yet they only support English and German. Why isn’t this clearly stated in your marketing or product descriptions?

Now, following the 4.8.17 update, the SOUNDBAR+ and the rest of the Bluesound devices configured as a fixed home theater group no longer play audio from Roon. Everything appears to function correctly—the connection noise from the speakers can even be heard when playback starts, and Roon displays the full signal path as usual. However, the Roon timeline does not progress, staying at 0:00 both in Roon and in the BluOS Controller, until after 10–15 seconds when it skips to the next track. Frustrating—extremely frustrating.

To top it all off, I purchased a NAD T778 a year and a half ago. In September 2024, the display began to fail, staying off, making it impossible to control the device or play anything. Still under warranty (three years in the EU), in October 2024 I sent it back to the retailer in Germany where I purchased it. They returned it to me in December 2024, but it only worked for a few hours before the same issue reappeared. I had to send it back to Germany, and it’s still there. It’s been five months without my AVR, and I still don’t have a solution.

I’ve submitted multiple requests to both NAD and DALI, the European distributor, but all of them have disregarded the issue. Either the problem has been passed around within the chain, or my requests have been closed without any response.

Put yourselves in my shoes. I’ve invested thousands of euros trusting your brand—what’s the result? Poor performance and no solutions. My money feels wasted so far. This has been my experience with Bluesound and NAD.

For better or worse, I am not alone. There are many users in the same situation, both in Europe and North America. At this rate, we should join forces and file complaints with the relevant regulatory bodies responsible for ensuring companies meet their contractual obligations with customers. These authorities can impose fines or even restrict companies from continuing to violate their promises.

It’s a regrettable situation, but it shouldn’t be tolerated.

This is not just my opinion—it’s shared by many others. This is not a threat; it’s a warning for you to finally address these issues.

Sincerely,

JI Labiano

I believe we should all file claims with Bluesound and NAD to have this situation resolved. If you know of other users experiencing the same issues, please inform them and encourage them to submit their claims before the end of February.

Thank a lot!