550K Supercharger (GBP 2998.00 / pair)
* available August / September '07 *

Another stunning new product from the Men in White Coats at the Musical Fidelity Laboratories in Wembley. What exactly is a Supercharger? Basically, the 550K are monoblock power amplifiers (according to MF, exactly the same design as the power stage in the KW550 integrated amp - see below) designed to be driven by your normal (low power) amplifier, raising the output to a healthy 550W/ch with huge current reserves. In other words, if are happy with your present system in all respects except it's struggling to produce an acceptable dynamic range, or maybe you want to upgrade your loudspeakers to a better but less efficient model, the 550Ks will sit between your amp and speakers and give you all the dynamic range you could wish for.

There's also a little switch on the back of these units (something MF don't mention in their promo) together with a single phono socket, which enables them to be used as standard monoblock power amps in addition to their marketed application as power boosters, something which should ensure MF even greater sales.

I would love to comment on how good these new booster / power amps are, but unfortunately we don't get them for a while yet. I have a sneaky suspicion they are going to be a killer product - let's wait and see.

KW550 Integrated Amplifier (GBP 4999.00)

The KW550 is one of the most devastating integrated amplifiers ever released (in fact, it outshines most pre-power separates as well) and is a very significant product for M.F. Power output is conservatively rated at 550W/channel into 8 Ohms. In a recent magazine test it was measured at almost 700W into 8 Ohms and almost a kiloWatt (rather appropriately) into 4 Ohms. Dynamic power, sustainable for a (sizeable) fraction of a second, was up in the electric heater type class! Naturally enough, other vital specs (distortion, noise, frequency response) are sufficiently good to not even warrant quoting.

Styling is bang up to date (I suppose this is rather subjective!) and under the hood is a complete redesign. This amp is basically derived from the top-of-the-range KW separates. The power amp stage is, apparently, identical in circuit terms to the much vaunted KW750 monoblocks, just with fewer transistors per channel. And, the preamp is similar to the KW preamp, but using full size 6SL7 tubes. The unit essentially contains a preamp and two mono power amps all fed separately from the huge outboard power supply. Total weight, for what it's worth, is about 60kg! A very small, almost insignificant difference on the front panel is the addition of a 3.5mm jack input, a nod to the "iPod generation", and very handy it is too.

Sonically, the KW550 has few peers, especially anywhere near the price. Sound is completely effortless, with performers placed accurately on a huge soundstage, irrespective of the type and sensitivity of loudspeakers used. Considering the huge reserves of power, there is all the subtlety you would expect from a top class amplifier, showing that almost unlimited power and finesse can coexist - and at a budget that won't completely cause bankruptcy! But, don't just take my word for it, check out Hi-fi News January 2007 and read Paul Miller's rather more comprehensive assessment of what is MF's finest integrated amp to date.

X-T100 inc Triple X PSU (GBP 899.00) + X-RAYv8 (GBP 799.00 - without power supply)

These stunning new designs from MF look like "cleaning up" in the under two thousand pound market for neat integrated solutions, offering superb sound of a quality well beyond its price range combined with enough power (60W/ch) and plenty of current to drive most normal speakers. The Triple X power supply, which comes together with the X-T100 amplifier, also supplies the power for the X-RAYv8 CD player, with another output for a further future component in the same series.

The X-T100 amp actually features a tube preamp section, no doubt contributing to the superb, natural sound quality, with a solid state power amp providing the muscle. In fact the preamp is reckoned by MF to be the same circuit as used in the massive (and expensive) KW-500 amplifier, so you get an idea of its quality. The external power supply also contributes to the effortlessness and openess of the sound. Nothing unusual about the idea of outboard power supplies, except for the price level involved in this instance! (the only downside, is the need to purchase the supply seperately if you only want the CD Player, the price of GBP 799.00 doesn't include it - though we can't see many people not wanting the amp as well - it's that good). On demo in our shop now - but be quick, the waiting list is growing!

A5 Integrated Amplifier and A5 CD Player (GBP 1499.00 each)

The new A5 Series components look like being an instant hit. Designed to be even better than the popular 308 Series, both sonically and visually (so they say in their promo literature), and yet at a lower price, MF can't really go wrong (although I can see some 308 owners being a bit hacked off!). We haven't got any 308 bits here to compare with, but we can tell you that, in their own right, the new components are very, very impressive. The 308 series never bowled us over, which is why we didn't do much with it, but the A5s are immediately impressive - powerful and above all, musical. Interestingly, when you lift the lid and peep inside, there's nothing to get too excited about inside these new units, at least to the untrained eye. No enormous audiophile caps, no fancy modified bits, no precision audiophile resistors. In fact, the amp looks half empty!

The CD is a bit busier inside, and, of course, there are the two output valves to liven things up.

However, a lot has obviously been learned since the 308, probably from the KW series, and the Trivista DAC, because the musical performance of these unassuming looking circuits, especially for the price, is very impressive indeed. As you know, we don't usually go much on transistor designs,preferring the natural warmth, detail, spatial rendition and dynamics of valves. But the A5 stand up very well, and deserve to be very successful. Don't take my word for it, come and audition them.

For the technically minded, the amp has internal dual mono power stages (you can see that much from the layout) and a separate preamp supply. It puts out 250W/channel according to MF, impressive for the price. The CD (which, again, according to MF betters their Nuvista CD and Trivista SACD player - I stress, their words, not mine) has 24-bit 192k "true upsampling". Jitter is 135pps, and noise 113dB down. Obviously, their figures, I can't measure things like that! Output stage uses 6112 tubes. I think what comes out of their specs, reading between the lines, is how proud they are of these components. If they sounded like s**t, this would count for nothing. But they don't, they're great, so congratulations to Anthony Michaelson on what will be, in my view, a hugely successful new range.

The kW 500 Integrated Amplifier (GBP 3995.00)

This one came as a complete surprise to us! We have stocked and enthusiastically recommended almost all of M.F.'s special limited edition Nuvista and Trivista products. These special lines were introduced over the last few years as a way of getting Anthony Michaelson's Musical Fidelity brand into the exclusive club of world class top end hi-fi products. This elite club is normally dominated by a few well known U.S. brands (I don't need to spell out the names) plus a select few from the rest of the world. What Michaelson has done is given club entrance credentials to a UK manufacturer, quite rare, and introduced products which normal everyday audiophiles can afford, rather than just the super-rich! I happen to know he doesn't make as much as he would like from these special products - they are basically done out of pride. When you see the build quality versus price, you see what an achievement he has made.

Anyway, I don't work for Anthony, so on to the description. The kW 500 is basically a distillation of the already well known kW pre and power amps into one box whilst making very few compromises. To quote from M.F.'s newsheet, the power output stage is basically a kW output stage with one bank fewer output transistors, less peak current (although still in the 100A+ region) and 3dB less power (but still 500W/ch into 8 Ohms, almost 1kW/ch into 4 Ohms). These are amazing figures for an amp of this size. The power supplies have been kept totally separate, as in the Trivista amp, in a second box connected by giant umbilical cords - yet more expense for the manufacturer.

The preamp stage uses what M.F. call mu-Vista tubes. These are type 6112, apparently sourced from the US military, and are both quieter and more rugged than the already excellent trivistor (M.F.'s name) tubes used in the previous products. They can be seen in situ in the picture below.

Only 500 of these beasts are being made for sale worldwide, production to start late June, so we should have one to demonstrate shortly after. We don't have any literature to send, but personal callers can have a photocopy of M.F.'s pre-release information sheets if they wish. We think this might be the greatest yet M.F. special edition product, so do come and try it soon as it's available and get your order in early!

The kW 500 Integrated Amplifier - 2 x 500W into 8 Ohms

The X-CANv3 and X-LPSv3 (GBP 250.00 each)

The previous original and v2 X-CANS and X-LPS were a huge success for MF, being quite unique products which virtually created the genres of budget headphone amp and phono stage. The new models elevate these products to a new level, albeit at a slightly higher price, where I'm sure they will be just as successful as their predecessors.

X-CANv3 inside

The X-CANv3 still uses tubes to give a lovely natural sound to headphone listening, with enough output to satisfy even those determined to damage their hearing. Having a built in volume control means operation direct from a CD / MD / HD player is possible. The new X-LPSv3 has switchable MM/MC and is still one of the most cost effective ways to get into vinyl.

Just in:

The new X-PSUv3 upgrade power supply ... GBP 249.00 on demo now

The new X-10v3 valve buffer stage ... GBP 299.00 on demo now

The new X-DACv3 ... GBP 499.00 on demo now

The Musical Fidelity M1 turntable with SME arm (GBP 2999.00)

A complete departure for M.F., for although this company comes from Vinyl's heyday, back in the 80's, never before have they produced a turntable. Talk about locking the barn door after the horse has bolted! We know this has been on the cards for some time now, though, and it follows at least partly from Anthony Michaelson's enthusiasm for, and knowledge of, live music (he is an accomplished Clarinetist, who has produced several acclaimed recordings). He obviously realised that vinyl is just more capable than even the best silver disc spinner of reproducing the subtleties of well recorded music!

The M1, with its custom made SME arm (shortly to be released under the SME brand too) is a great turntable. General standard of finish is absolutely superb (rumour has it that several components, including the acrylic parts, are made to M.F.'s specs by a well known German manufacturer - judging by the quality, this rumour may be true, as it's incredibly difficult to get this standard of finish from a UK source, sadly).

Sound quality is up there with competing products from better established turntable manufacturers; it has a sweet and open character, very typical of Musical Fidelity, with the stability and dynamic range of anything at this price. Another winner, I would say!

Our original M1 page with nice pic!

Also available:

New! X-80 Integrated Amp, 40W/ch ... GBP 599.00

New! X-150 Integrated Amp with remote control, 75W/ch ... GBP 799.00 on demo now

New! X-RAYv3 96k upsampling CD Player ... GBP 899.00 on demo now

A3.2 Integrated Amp with remote control (115W/ch) ... GBP 979.00

A3.2 CD Player (96k upsampling) ... GBP 999.00

A3.2 Tuner with remote (RDS) ... GBP 699.00

A3.2cr Preamp ... GBP 999.00

A3.2cr Power Amp ... GBP 999.00

A308 Integrated Amp (150W/ch) ... GBP 1999.00

A308 CD Player ... GBP 1999.00

A308cr Preamp ... GBP 1499.00

A308cr Power Amp (250W/ch) ... GBP 2399.00