Just purchased the 515 and couldn't be happier. This player is the only changer under $2,000 to be named on the Stereophile list of recommended components, and I can see why. The soundstage is marvelous, and channel separation just as good. The only complaint I have it the cheapo remote, but for the price, this really can't be matched. Styling is simple yet classic, unlike other cluttered displays.

Musicality, quick disc change and access (quick-play feature), coax digital out (as if you would want to use it)

Remote commands are a little slow, but you DO get used to it

I had the pleasure of owning the 515 changer for 8 wonderful months before I was forced to sell it due to car repair costs. This player was outstanding sonically, putting to shame some single-disc players in the same price range. I can't really describe it as anything but rich, full, and MUSICAL (but not DIGITAL) sounding. It was extremely balanced in tone- nothing outweighed anything else. But what got me the most about it was the way it brought out details in the music- it was as if it widened the soundstage for the express purpose of letting you focus in on different details at the same time, instead of crowding it all together (does that make any sense?)
In searching for a replacement for the 515 (since this unit is no longer available), I came across the Onkyo 6 disc changer for a good price ($100) at the local pawn shop and decided to try it out. Let me just say I had the Onkyo on ebay before the night was over. It had been a month since I sold the 515, but I could still tell that the sound I was looking for was not there with the Onkyo- it sounded way too thin, especially in the higher frequencies, and just did not have that fullness the NAD did. I have thought about trying out the 523, which i can still get, but I am kind of disuaded from others' reviews that say this unit is not as good (although I have not heard it personally.) So, for the time being, I will stick to my plan to try to find another 515- if you own one, you know why I say that. (And if you own one and want to sell it, EMAIL ME!!) :)

Similar Products Used:

Onkyo dx-c730

Musical, liquid mid-range (and HOW!), fast loading and disc switching, reliability

No ON/OFF via remote control

Ahh, the sound:

I've had the joy of owning the 515 for about 20 months now. It is connected to my pre-amp via the analog L/R outputs, and I depend on the onboard DAC for conversion. Speakin' of which, although it's DAC's are "only" 18-bit, this player has consistently surprised me with its immense soundstage presentation. The midrange is presented so realisitcally you can almost step into the soundfield (try Sigur Ros' "Agaetis Byrjun" and you'll see what I mean). The bass is also tight and controlled, never bloated or overbearing.

In regards to actual playback:

The 515 changes discs quickly, tracks well and even plays CD-R's (remember, kids, this player was actually made back in the pre-Napster days when "burning CD's" was still an oh-so-expensive proposition). Silence is also another strength...disc switches happen without a lot of mechanical fanfare. The "Quick Play" feature is also nice for immediate (literally seconds from pressing "Play" to hearing sound) playback of discs.

I paid $420.00 for this player in Jan 2000 and have enjoyed it ever since. Even with the advent of HDCD-compatible changers today (Denon's DCM-370, Harman Kardon's 8380), the 515 still shines above the pack as a high-performance player with a reasonable price.

This model has been discontinued; if you can get a demo or find one online, I encourage you to do so.

Associated equipment:

Sunfire Theater Grand II processor
Parasound HCA-1206 multi-channel amp
Kimber speaker cable
Monster and Audioquest interconnects
JBL SVA-1500's and SVA-Center
M&K VX-100 Subwoofer

The 515 sounds great! Listen to it and enjoy its detail and soundstage width. Its face is not cluttered like low-fi brands, it has a digital out if you want to use another DAC, and its 5 disc capacity allows you to listen to uninterupted music for several hours. I also like the speed with which it accesses tracks and other CDs.

I wasn't really in the market for a new CD player. I happened to stop by a local audio dealer to see what was new and exciting. I noticed that they had one of the 515's set up in a system. I mentioned the Stereophile recommendation of this unit and the salesman agreed with their findings. It was the only disc changer that cost less than $2000 to make the Stereophile list of recommended components. Not a small feat and that's what had initially caught my attention about the unit. I ran out and grabbed an excellent disc that i use for demo'ing new equipment and popped it in. I listened and agreed with what i had read and what the salesman had mentioned. I was initially very impressed with the excellent overall performance of the unit and it's simplicity. Construction seemed good also and the price on a new unit was very reasonable. The best part was when the salesman offered me the demo unit that we were listening to for a measly $250 plus tax ! No break in required and the unit worked and sounded flawless. Nuff said !!! Once it arrived home, i let it run a while and did some comparing between two other CD players that i have. One unit is a Sony 5 disc changer that cost measurably more than the NAD's suggested list price of $499. The other is a Philips single disc unit that was appr. the same price as the NAD's suggested list price. The Philips unit had always sounded FAR superior to the Sony, but the Sony was more convenient to use due to being able to play and program several discs at one time. I either ran the Philips and lost the convenience of the multiple disc capability or ran the Sony and lost the fidelity of the single disc unit. The NAD 515 sounded much smoother than the Sony with better detailing than the Philips. The NAD had superior imaging and presented a much better soundstage than either of the other units. It offers even better sonic characteristics than my single disc Philips unit with a more convenient multiple disc setup than my Sony offered. I would highly suggest this unit if looking for the best of both worlds. It doesn't compromise on either end and is priced very reasonably. NAD products are known to hold up quite well with time, so build quality isn't a problem either. Highly recommended !!! Sean

The sound is superb for the money. Bought this for $299 as a refurbished unit. It has good sounstaging and imaging. It has an open midrange, extended and non-grainy treble, and well-defined bass. Plus the convenience of a changer...For a changer less than $1,000, this is a must audition.

I've had this unit now for several weeks and all I can say is I'm sold. I am now hearing things on my CD's that I've nerver heard in the past. My old Sony simply cannot be compared to the NAD. I don't have enough time to listen to this thing and my six hundred CD's. I have it hooked up to a Yamaha RX-V 793 via a Tara labs Axiom interconnect. The sound is simply astounding through the Klipsh 10.5 mains. The remote is not great by any stretch of the imagination but I've got one main remote for my system anyway. I got my dealer to match the shop4.com price of $360.00 brand new so with that price no one can come close. Love my new Nad.

This is a great player...the sound is warm, dynamic and not at all "digital"! I have it connected to an NAD T770 receiver which in turn powers psb Alpha A/V's. This unit is unmatched at this price point.

I love this player. The tape edit function is great as well!

Some adjectives come to mind when playing this highly rated player: Musical, elegant/artsy, never overstated or too bright, engaging, versatile, affordable. I chose this model over the $299 single 522 player upon recommendation from the dealer who said that the player did live up to the Stereophile recommendation. It replaced a Denon 1520 CD player which is a wonderful player and still gives great sound except that the laser is going out. I've lusted after these affordable and impressive (upstart) CD players for years and found the opportunity to buy the 515.Once you get over the shock of the simple interface, you realize that this player was meant to be played (from the first CD). My wish list for this player: better remote (it's passable), better Display that shows a track grid like the 523, number pad on front panel, Next CD button on panel are overridden by what this player can do. The player plays a wide variety of music with ease and I'm impressed with the musicality, soundstage, treble/bass and listening enjoyment. It's a toss up between my old CD player and the 515 but casual listeners and audiophile will really appreciate the sound of this machine, something which NAD seems to do well at an afforable price.
The internal mechanism of the machine is also also rather good: loads CD's fast, option to load 3 while in play is fantastic, fast play load is great, quiet play (no grinding), fast tracking.
What's wonderful about this machine is that it just took its place among my ageing equipment like it had always been there. It's well matched with my trusty Audioquest Ruby interconnects and makes my old Celestion 3 speakers sound lively again. I plan to get an NAD C340 to optimize the sound of this simple beauty. You also have to admire a company that minimizes its packing for environmental concerns.