Musical Fidelity A1 (2008) Amplifier

[chebby]

I have heard the Apollo/Nait 5i and Apollo/Nait XS and Apollo/Primare i30 combinations and it sounded far better with the Nait's than the Primare.

I only just ended up going for all Naim 5i rather than a (black) Apollo + Nait XS due to an ex-demo deal and the cost of the Apollo + Nait XS being about £350 over my budget. (And the mis-matched looks of course

)

 

[floyd droid]

chebby:
I have heard the Apollo/Nait 5i and Apollo/Nait XS and Apollo/Primare i30 combinations and it sounded far better with the Nait's than the Primare.

To your ears though chebby Of course the Apollo / Primare could just be bad synergy,or not the kind of sound you like to hear. Im not sticking up for the swedes though because ive heard them sound real tripe in some set ups.

 

[Anonymous]

idc:Pete10:
I'm also interested in the A1 (to drive my MA GR20's, input from pc). I now have the VDAC that I like a lot and it would not surprise me at all if it shares the circuitry with the A1. An alternative would be the valve xcanv8p as pre amp with a power amp. I do not need the other inputs of the A1 and a headphone output would be nice. Unfortunately, MF does not make a matching power amp. Any comments on the comparison, or recommedations on a suitable power amp?

Hi Pete10. The USB DAC used in the V-DAC, the X-DACV8 and the X-CANV8P is the same Burr-Brown PCM 2706. I think that it will be the same in the A1. There are obviously lots of other components in each which means the sound will differ. But I am happy to bet it will not be by much as Musical Fidelity have their 'house sound' as I posted above.

The V-DAC into the X-CANV8P should be a good upgrade. But if you only use the USB part I do wonder by how much. So much so, after reading through loads of reviews I have decided to go elsewhere for an upgraded USB DAC. It certainly makes for a very good headphone amp. As for the preamp, MF are really pleased with that part of the circuitry and push it at every opportunity. Their clear intention is to pare it with one of their, rather expensive power amps. I would honesty try phoning MF details here; clicky and ask for suggestions in your budget. I found them to be very helpful and bought headphones based partly on their recommendation.

Hi idc,

I was wondering what you meant when you replied to Pete10 that 'The V-DAC into the X-CANV8P should be a good upgrade. But if you only use the USB part I do wonder by how much.' Do you actually mean that using the V-DAC and then the analogue inputs of the X-CANV8P would be better than using the dac in the X-CAN, unless he used the USB input into the V-DAC? In other words, do you think/know that the V-DAC is a better dac (all implementation issues considered) than the one in the X-CAN? Or do you mean that the V-DAC is an improvement *only if* it is used through its optical inputs?

I'm interested in this, because I'm interested in the X-CAN and wonder how good its dac is.

Yours

Hedgehog

 

[Anonymous]

Dannysigma:Any opinions on the Quad 303? I'm considering biamping my speakers. Obviously MF power amp would be the way to go, but I've been offered a 303 at a decent price...
The only way to run a 303 these days would be after a Netaudio upgrade. Quite an amp after one of those.

 

[idc]

Hedgehog:Hi idc,

I was wondering what you meant when you replied to Pete10 that 'The V-DAC into the X-CANV8P should be a good upgrade. But if you only use the USB part I do wonder by how much.' Do you actually mean that using the V-DAC and then the analogue inputs of the X-CANV8P would be better than using the dac in the X-CAN, unless he used the USB input into the V-DAC? In other words, do you think/know that the V-DAC is a better dac (all implementation issues considered) than the one in the X-CAN? Or do you mean that the V-DAC is an improvement *only if* it is used through its optical inputs?

I'm interested in this, because I'm interested in the X-CAN and wonder how good its dac is.

Yours

Hedgehog

Hi Hedgehog. I was told by Antony Michaelson, the owner of MF that the USB DAC in the X-CAN is a starter DAC and that the V-DAC is as good as 'very expensive, high end DACs', so I presume he means something like the Benchmark USB. That is quite a claim. On a number of other forums there is mention of the 'secrecy' behind the MF DAC used and why that is the case. So people have been opening MF kit up to see what is there, and as I say it is pretty much the same thing, for the USB part.

I am assuming that the V-DAC would still be an upgrade as there other electronics involved in the overall sound, not just the DAC. Elsewhere on the forum I have asked whether USB, optical, digital are the best connections from PC to DAC and did not get a conclusive answer. I have also looked elsewhere on the internet, primarily other forums and the suggestion was that it does not matter. So I do not think how you connect it makes a difference.

I think that the DAC in the X-CANV8P is very good, primarily because the descriptions of the V-DAC sound in reviews here and elsewhere match what I heard. Add to that it is the same DAC in both you can see why I made my comment.

I got my Fubar USB DAC because; I only intend to use USB, so why pay for other connections? Also the reviews and description of sound suggested the Fubar increases the dynamics of the sound and gives it a bit more bite. I have found that to be very true. So in a way the Fubar is not an upgrade as in the whole sound has improved. But it is an upgrade for me as I now have clarity with bite.

Hope that helps.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, idc, it does.

Hedgehog