MUSICAL FIDELITY has a rich history of innovative, market-leading amplifiers. With the brand-new M8xi, Simon Quarry, head designer at MUSICAL FIDELITY, has set out to reconcile a powerful high-end amplifier with a truly comprehensive range of features.
Audiophile integrity and convenience – without the need for additional devices, both digital and analog sources can now reach their full potential. Drawing on the pre- and power amplifiers of the M8s series, MUSICAL FIDELITY now presents the M8xi, an integrated amplifier in this class that leaves all compromises behind.
And now it is award-winning, too! The EISA association has chosen the MUSICAL FIDELITY M8xi as the best device in the "High-End Integrated Amplifier" category!
As befits an amplifier from MUSICAL FIDELITY, the M8xi combines enormous power with a serene, effortless performance. Its sonic qualities unfold at any volume and with any genre of music: powerful, dynamic, musical!

The preamplifier
of the M8xi is designed as if it were a completely separate device. The pre-amplification stage operates in Class A and has its own independent power supply. The M8xi is therefore constructed like a separate preamplifier and two separate mono power amplifiers that share a single chassis. The laser-trimmed volume control (Texas Instruments PGA2320) features a precisely matched position attenuator with a maximum channel tracking error of 0.2dB, even at low volumes, guaranteeing a precise soundstage image.
The M8xi offers balanced XLR and RCA inputs for a wide range of system applications. There are variable outputs for connecting additional power amplifiers, e.g., for bi-amping, as well as a fixed RCA stereo output, e.g., for connecting an external headphone amplifier.
Furthermore, the M8xi features a switchable home theater (HT) input. This input is directly coupled to the power amplifier stage. This allows an appropriately specified AV processor to control the volume of the home theater while the speakers benefit from the sound character of the M8xi.
The integration of a phono stage was omitted due to the high current flow within the device. For analog listeners, MUSICAL FIDELITY offers many different phono preamplifiers, which can then work under optimal conditions simply by being housed in their own separate chassis.
The DAC
What we are particularly proud of: The M8xi is our first high-end integrated amplifier with an integrated state-of-the-art DAC with five inputs. The converter chip is a PCM5242 TI from Texas Instruments. The inputs: 2 x coaxial (S/PDIF), 2 x optical (Toslink), and 1 x asynchronous USB Type-B.
The coaxial and USB inputs support high-resolution audio streams up to 24-bit / 192 kHz, and the optical input supports up to 24-bit / 96 kHz. For maximum performance, all data streams are upsampled and re-clocked by an internal converter to reduce jitter and remove unwanted artifacts from the sound. Like all audio circuits in the M8xi, the DAC section has its own power supply.

The power amplifier
The most striking technical aspect of the M8xi design is its high output power, which is generously rated at 550 W into 8 ohms (870 W into 4 ohms and a peak of 1.6 kW into 2 ohms). The purpose of such gigantic power is to drive any loudspeaker with comfort and control, regardless of its size, efficiency, or other characteristics.
The power amplifier uses a bridged design – a system with more power at the output at lower voltages in the power supply. Alternative amplifier designs capable of such power operate with much higher voltages, which makes system reliability problematic.

Amplifier transistors would be pushed to their technical limits faster by a non-bridged design. Therefore, the bridge layout with specifically selected voltages and a nearly limitless power supply allows the transistors to be brought to their maximum potential with high system stability. Perfectly dimensioned toroidal transformers are used for this purpose.
The power amplifier transistors themselves are highly stable Sanken STD-03N and STD-03P bipolar Darlington pairs. These are selected in pairs during an elaborate process.

There is a separate transformer for each power amplifier channel, which in turn drives two separate power supplies – true dual-mono! The transformers used are based on the design of the M8s500s with plenty of headroom.
Mechanics
The extremely solid chassis offers optimal working conditions for all circuits. The entire chassis is made of non-magnetic aluminum, and the extruded heat sinks are dimensioned to ensure that controlled heat dissipation from the transistors is guaranteed at all times, even at full power consumption. Despite its impressive dimensions, the M8xi looks elegant and underscores the exquisite taste of its rightfully proud owner.
Safety
The M8xi features a clever protection circuit that shuts down the power amplifier if a system fault is detected.
Summary
The M8xi is an impressive piece of engineering! Thanks to 40 years of vast experience in amplifier construction, MUSICAL FIDELITY knows how to build true amplifier legends. They have never ideologically clung to one technology, but have instead meticulously sought the optimal solution – and as can be seen here in the example of the M8xi, they have found it.
Sound
Music is emotion. Genuine emotions are conveyed above all by those Hi-Fi systems that can realistically reproduce dynamic outbursts, whether large or small. With the M8xi, MUSICAL FIDELITY presents an amplifier that sets new standards in this discipline. Its gigantic power enables a sound image that seems limitless.
Powerful amplifiers have existed for a long time, but considering its dreamlike measurements, the new M8xi is a device that could truly only exist today – and, thanks to the innovative strength and constant striving for perfection at MUSICAL FIDELITY, now does.

Output power:
550 W / channel or 67 V RMS at 8 ohms (190 V max.) 870 W / 4 ohms
1,600 W / 2 ohms

Current delivery capacity:
105 amperes

Damping factor:
150

Total harmonic distortion:
< 0.004% over the entire audible range

Signal-to-noise ratio:
> 86 dB (A)

Frequency response:
+0, –1 dB, 10 Hz to 100 kHz

Inputs:
2x XLR balanced high-level
3x RCA analog high-level
1x RCA analog switchable direct to power amp
2x RCA / coax digital (up to 24 bit / 192 kHz PCM stereo) 2x Toslink / opto digital (up to 24 bit / 96 kHz PCM stereo) 1x USB B (up to 24 bit / 192 kHz PCM)
Mains input type C19
Trigger 3.5mm mono jack (4.5 to 15 V DC)

Outputs:
2 pairs of loudspeaker terminals banana/spade/bare wire 1x RCA fixed level (TAPE OUT)
1x RCA variable level (PRE OUT)
1x XLR balanced (PRE OUT)
1x RCA / coax digital
1x Toslink / opto digital
Trigger 3.5mm mono jack (12 V DC)

Power consumption:
less than 0.5 watts in standby mode, 2000 watts maximum

Dimensions W x H x D (mm):
484 x 184 x 507

Weight:
46.0 kg (51.0 kg gross)

Herstellerangaben:

Musical Fidelity, a division of Audio Tuning Vertriebs GmbH
Margaretenstrasse 98
A-1050 , Vienna
Austria
info@musicalfidelity.com

Verantwortliche Person:

REICHMANN AudioSystems
4 Graneggstrasse
8078 , Niedereschach
Germany
info@reichmann-audiosysteme.de