Pro-Ject Audio Systems CEO, Heinz Lichtenegger, raised a few eyebrows when he announced the acquisition of Musical Fidelity, but it is all starting to make a lot more sense.
Not only has the brand featured a rather successful rebirth with the award-winning A1 integrated amplifier and Nu-Vista Reference series — but it just unveiled one of the most interesting phono preamplifiers we have seen in many years.
If your phono cartridge collection requires something that offers state-of-the-art performance and loading options, the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl needs to be on your radar.
Before we delve deeper into what the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl has to offer, you are probably wondering if you require a phono pre-amplifier at all.
Depending on the brand/model of your turntable, it may provide one or more connection options:
- Traditional Phono with Ground Connection – this connection requires that the amplifier you connect to the turntable needs to have a dedicated phono connection supported by a built-in phono stage.
- RCA Line Outputs – This means that the turntable has a built-in phono preamp and can be connected to any analog RCA input provided on an amplifier or receiver.
- USB Output – This allows the turntable to be connected to a PC or Laptop. This enables users to rip vinyl records via a PC or Laptop to a digital format such as a USB flash drive or CD.
With that in mind (and leaving out USB for now), if your turntable does not have a built-in phono preamp and your amp or receiver doesn’t have a dedicated phono input, you will need to place an external phono preamp between your amp/receiver and the turntable in order to use it.
Tip: Even if your amp/receiver has a dedicated phono input, an external phono preamp will likely do a much better job than the internal phono stage inside of your amplifier, especially if the external phono preamp is compatible with both MC (Moving Coil) and MM (Moving Magnet) cartridges.
Musical Fidelity M8x
There are a wide range of phono preamps to select from and Musical Fidelity offers three models worth considering, the entry-level V90-LPS, high-end M6x Vinyl, and the new flagship M8x Vinyl. Built on the foundation of the M6x Vinyl, the M8x Vinyl adds some new features providing better performance and more flexibility than the M6x.
What’s New?
Whilst the M6x Vinyl is fully discrete, it is not fully balanced. The M8x Vinyl is both. In the M8x Vinyl, each channel’s positive (+) and negative (-) signal has its own amplifier stage. This also means that there are more than double the number of parts in the phono stage.
The M8x has three gain stages. This allows more gain with lower noise and distortion. Gain settings include 40, 43, 46, 49, 60, 63, 66, 69 dB.
For those with really low output MC cartridges (anything below 0.4mV), the Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl is ready to properly load and amplify the signal coming out of the cartridge.
The phono pre-amplifier also features discrete input power filtering and DC blocking circuitry. This provides clean power to the fully balanced phono stage.
The Super Silent Power Transformer is now encapsulated to further protect the phono stage from external electro-magnetical radiation.
The M8x Vinyl includes DECCA & COLUMBIA EQ in addition to the standard RIAA EQ found on the M6x Vinyl.
Additional EQ refinements include a dual split-passive EQ stage and two-step subsonic filter.
The M8x Vinyl provides more inputs and load settings that support ultra-precise cartridge tuning. RCA and XLR outputs both have their own individual stages allowing them to be used at the same time.
The front panel provides aluminum control buttons and two large control dials (the dial on the left is the input selector and the dial on the right is the gain selector).
The M8x Vinyl carries on the Musical Fidelity tradition of providing sturdy build quality and an external look that matches well with Musical Fidelity amplifiers and associated components.
Comparison
| M8x Vinyl | M6x Vinyl | V90-LPS | |
| Price | $4,299.00 | $2,399 | $329 |
| Product Type | Phono Stage (aka Phono Preamp) | Phono Stage (aka Phono Preamp) | Phono Stage (aka Phono Preamp) |
| MM Input Specs | MM Input Specs | MM Input Specs | MM Input Specs |
| Gain at XLR Outputs | 40dB, 43dB, 46dB, 49dB | Not Indicated | Not applicable |
| Frequency Response | ±0.2dB (frequency range not indicated) | RIAA or RIAA/IEC ±0 .2dB (frequency range not indicated) | +0, –0.1dB, 20Hz to 20 kHz |
| Input sensitivity | 5mV IN for 500mV OUT (at 40dB, 1kHz) | 5mV in for 500mV out (at 1kHz) | 3.0mV for 300mV out |
| Input impedance | 47kohm | 47KΩ | 47kOhm |
| Input capacitance | 50-400pF selectable | 50-400pF selectable | 100pf |
| THD at 1 kHz | <0.005% | <0.005% | 0.01% |
| Overload margin | 32dB | 26dB | 15dB |
| Signal-to-noise ratio | >102dB „A“-wt. at 40dB | >101dB | >80dB |
| MC Input Specs | MC Input Specs | MC Input Specs | MC Input Spec |
| Gain at XLR outputs | 60dB, 63dB, 66dB, 69dB | Not indicated | Not Applicable |
| Frequency response | ±0.2dB | RIAA or RIAA/IEC ±0.25dB | +0, –0.1dB, 20Hz to 20 kHz |
| Input sensitivity | 500μV IN for 500mV OUT (at 60dB, 1kHz) | 500μV in for 500mV out (at 1kHz) | 400μV for 300mV out |
| Input impedance | 5Ω to 47kΩ selectable | 5Ω to 1.2kΩ selectable | 100 ohms |
| Input capacitance | 400pF fixed | 470pF fixed | Not Indicated |
| THD at 1 kHz | <0.008% | <0 .02% | 0.01% |
| Overload margin | 32dB | 26dB | 22dB |
| Signal-to-noise ratio | >90dB A-wt. at 60dB | >90dB | >70dB |
| Additional Features | Additional Features | Additional Features | Additional Features |
| EQ curves | RIAA, DECCA, COLUMBIA | Not Indicated | Not Indicated |
| Subsonic filters | off, mild (IEC), standard (at 20Hz with 18dB/octave) | Not Indicated | Not Indicated |
| Inputs | 2 x RCA 2 x XLR | 2 x RCA 1 x XLR | MM: 1 x RCA MC: 1 x RCA |
| Outputs | 1x RCA output: unbalanced, left and right 500mV nom, 5V max 1x XLR output: balanced, left and right 1V nom, 10V max | 1 pair RCA: left and right 500mV nom 10V max 1 pair XLR (balanced): left and right 1V nom 20V max | 1 x RCA |
| Power Requirements | 115/230VAC 50/60Hz (factory pre-set) 100VAC 50/60Hz (alternative) | 230V/115V Internally set or 100V optional. AC 50/60Hz | 1x 12v 500mA DC power supply |
| Power Consumption | 0 Watts maximum, <0.5 W in standby (orange LED ON) | 20 Watts maximum. <0 .5W in standby (orange LED on) | Not Indicated |
| Dimensions (WHD) | 483 x 102 x 381 mm 19 x 4 x 15 inches | 440 x 100 x 385 mm 17.3 x 4 x 15.2 inches | 170 x 47 x 102 mm 6.7 x 1.85 x 4 inches |
| Weight (Net) | 10.6 kg 23 lbs 6oz | 5.5 kg 12 lbs 2 oz | 600 g 1 lbs 5oz |
The Bottom Line
External phono stages (aka phono preamps) might be the most overlooked audio component, but for those who are vinyl record-listening fans, they are an important piece of the music-listening puzzle. In many cases, they provide the ability to connect many turntables to audio or home theater systems that may not provide a dedicated phono connection.
The reality is that every phono cartridge has its own unique impedance and output that requires proper equalization if you want to listen to it at its best. Whilst most affordable MM cartridges offer very similar output levels (between 2.5mV and 5mV) and a friendly impedance for the vast majority of phono stages included in a wide range of integrated amplifiers and AVRs — the same can’t be said for MC cartridges or even MI (Moving Iron) from brands like Grado Labs.
The Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl is definitely on the high-end in this product category but if you also have a high-end turntable and audio system it has a lot to offer – provided you have the cash.
Price & Availability
The Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl is available in the UK (£3599), Europe (€3999) and Australia (AU$7200). The U.S. pricing has been confirmed at $4,299.00.
For more information: musicalfidelity.com
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