MUSICAL FIDELITY NU-VISTA VINYL 2 AND MUSICAL FIDELITY NU-VISTA DAC LAUNCHED

British HiFi brand, Musical Fidelity, has unveiled its latest flagship products, the Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista Vinyl 2 and the Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista DAC.

Distributor Henley Audio announced the reintroduction of the Nu-Vista by Musical Fidelity product series at the start of 2023, with the Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 800.2 amplifier, which we reviewed here. and is closing the year with a phonostage and DAC for the new range.

Henley Audio exhibited these at the UK HiFi Show Live in October and has announced that the first stocks will land in the UK during December 2023.

MUSICAL FIDELITY NU-VISTA VINYL 2 PHONOSTAGE

This high-end phono preamplifier has a fully balanced and discrete design.

CLASS A

The Nu-Vista Vinyl 2 features a 3-part gain stage with Class A circuitry, ensuring a clean and powerful signal amplification. The split-passive RIAA, DECCA, and COLUMBIA equalisation options, along with a two-step subsonic filter, provide versatility in catering to different vinyl records and preferences. The device incorporates low-noise Nu-Vista Class A circuitry and employs four 7586 Nuvistors in a balanced buffer circuit, allowing for MM (40, 43dB) and MC (60, 63dB) capabilities with an additional +6dB option for each gain setting.

INPUTS AND OUTPUTS

An emphasis on flexibility is evident with separate input and output stages, enabling users to connect multiple inputs and outputs simultaneously. The unit includes 2x RCA inputs, 2x balanced XLR inputs, 1x RCA output, and 1x balanced XLR output.

SILENT POWER

The Nu-Vista Vinyl 2 is built with attention to detail, featuring a super-silent power transformer, discrete input power filtering, and DC blocking circuitry. The unit’s colour display provides loading settings and clear input selection, with the added convenience of a dimmable display. A Nu-Vista Remote Control allows users to control the front panel settings remotely.

MUSICAL FIDELITY NU-VISTA VINYL 2 PHONOSTAGE BALANCED CIRCUITS

In the realm of technical enhancements, the Nu-Vista Vinyl 2 introduces fully discrete and balanced audio circuitry compared to its predecessor, the Nu-Vista Vinyl. The phono pre-amplification involves three gain stages powered by Class A discrete transistor circuitry, ensuring an accurate representation of the ideal EQ curve. Notably, the unit supports the standard RIAA curve and less common DECCA and COLOMBIA curves.

MUSICAL FIDELITY DISCRETE CIRCUITS

Musical Fidelity champions the use of discrete circuits, highlighting their advantages over integrated circuits (ICs) commonly found in audio applications. The Nu-Vista Vinyl 2’s fully balanced design further contributes to exceptional noise suppression, reducing unwanted interference and enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio.

GAIN SETTINGS

The device offers extreme cartridge loading options, allowing individual settings for MM/MC and loading on each input. The Nu-Vista Vinyl 2 accommodates a wide range of gain settings, from 40dB to 69dB, ensuring compatibility with various cartridges.

SUPER SILENT POWER

The Nu-Vista Vinyl 2’s power supply is a standout feature, featuring the company’s Super Silent Power Transformers. Optional upgrades, such as the Nu-Vista Uni PSU (scheduled for release in 2024), promise even better noise performance.

Built with a robust and uncompromising mechanical construction, the Nu-Vista Vinyl 2 exudes durability and immunity to external vibrations and electromagnetic fields. The unit’s build quality aligns with the longstanding tradition of Musical Fidelity’s Nu-Vista family.

MUSICAL FIDELITY NU-VISTA VINYL 2 PHONOSTAGE NUVISTOR TUBES

A nod to the historical significance of Nuvistor tubes is evident in the Nu-Vista Vinyl 2, incorporating these tubes for their high reliability, low noise, and consistent performance.

MUSICAL FIDELITY NU-VISTA VINYL 2 PHONOSTAGE SPECS

• Gain at XLR outputs: 40dB, 43dB, 46dB, 49dB

• Frequency response: +0.2dB, -0.2dB

• Input sensitivity: 5mV IN for 500mV OUT (at 40dB, 1kHz)

• Input impedance: 47kohm

• Input capacitance: 50-400pF selectable

• THD at 1kHz: <0.005%

• Overload Margin: 32dB

• Signal to noise ratio: >110dB „A“-wt. at 40dB MC

• Gain at XLR outputs: 60dB, 63dB, 66dB, 69dB

• Frequency response: +0.2dB, -0.25dB

• Input sensitivity: 500uV IN for 500mV OUT (at 60dB, 1kHz)

• Input impedance: 5 ohm to 47kohm selectable

• Input capacitance: 400pF fixed

• THD at 1kHz: <0.008%

• Overload Margin: 32dB

• Signal to noise ratio: >98dB „A“-wt. at 60dB

• EQ curves: RIAA, DECCA, COLUMBIA

• Subsonic filters: off, mild (IEC), standard (at 20Hz with 18dB/octave)

• Inputs: 2x RCA, 2x XLR

• 1x RCA output: unbalanced, left and right 500mV nom, 10V max

• 1x XLR output: balanced, left and right 1V nom, 20V max

• Mains voltages: 115/230VAC 50/60Hz (factory pre-set); 100VAC 50/60Hz (alternative)

• Consumption: 40 Watts maximum, <0.5 W in standby (orange LED ON)

• Dimensions (WxHxD): 483 x 188 x 510 mm

• Power connections for optional Nu-Vista Uni PSU (sold separately)

• Weight: 22 kg net

MUSICAL FIDELITY NU-VISTA DAC

The Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista DAC Showcases an advanced digital-to-analogue conversion technology and a discrete Nuvistor output stage.

ESS HYPERSTREAM DAC

The Nu-Vista DAC uses a 32-bit Hyperstream II DAC circuit and utilises two ES9038Q2M chips in dual differential mode. Incorporating the renowned Nuvistor circuitry, the DAC features a fully balanced stage with 4x 7586 Nuvistor triode tubes operating in a discrete Class A amplifier buffer. Offering various inputs, including asynchronous USB, coaxial, optical SPDIF, AES/EBU, and I2S, the device supports up to 768kHz PCM files and DSD512 via USB.

The DAC’s digital architecture includes a 16-core XMOS processor, CPLD MAX II Altera processors for reclocking, switchable advanced reclocking, and switchable upsampling. The unit provides selectable digital filters with a proprietary optimum transient filter, full hardware MQA decoding for USB and SPDIF inputs, and compatibility with Roon.

INPUTS AND OUTPUTS

The Nu-Vista DAC’s output options include 1x RCA and 1x balanced XLR outputs with variable/fixed switchability. The device also includes trigger in/out features and a colour display for digital playback information, selected input, and volume display.

In technical terms, the Nu-Vista DAC incorporates a low-noise regulator, a Time Domain Jitter Eliminator for improved signal-to-noise ratio and THD+N performance, and a proprietary clock design with jitter rates below 100 femtoseconds. Optional features such as oversampling bypass mode and selectable digital filters add flexibility for audiophiles seeking customizable sound experiences.

NUVISTOR TUBES

The device is designed with the iconic Nuvistor tubes, and a fully balanced and discrete setup. The Nuvistor tubes, known for their low impedance output stage, contribute to low distortion and minimal noise. Musical Fidelity emphasizes the musical purity of the Nu-Vista DAC, plus the device offers customizable options, including upsampling, reclocking, and various digital filters.

MUSICAL FIDELITY NU-VISTA DAC POWER SUPPLY

The Nu-Vista DAC incorporates the company’s Super Silent Power Transformers for enhanced power supply performance. An optional upgrade, the Nu-Vista Uni PSU (set for release in 2024), promises even better noise performance by separating the AC mains power supply from the main unit.

SOLID ALUMINIUM

Built with the signature robustness of the Nu-Vista family, the DAC features a rigid and solid mechanical construction with milled aluminium front and side panels. The solid aluminium case acts as a Faraday cage, providing immunity against environmental vibrations and electromagnetic fields.

MUSICAL FIDELITY NU-VISTA DAC SPECS

• DAC chip: 2x ES9038Q2M (dual mono) with 8x digital filter

• Frequency response: -0,5dB at 10Hz and 20kHz

• Total correlated jitter: <100 femtoseconds

• Linearity: <0.5dB down to -130dB

• Channel separation: < 130dB at 10kHz @ 0dBFS

• SNR: > 120dB „A“-wt. at 1kHz @ 0dBFS

• THD+N: < 0,003% at 1kHz @ 0dBFS

• 1x USB input: USB Audio Class 2 requires USB 2.0 or higher on computer

• USB PCM sample rates: up to 768kHz

• USB DSD support: up to DSD256 via DoP and native DSD512

• MQA support: full MQA decoding by hardware

• 3x Optical input: up to 24bit / PCM 192kHz, MQA 384kHz, DoP DSD 64

• 1x Coaxial input: up to 24bit / PCM 192kHz, MQA 384kHz, DoP DSD 64

• 1x AES/EBU input: 1x up to 24bit / PCM 192kHz, MQA 384kHz, DoP DSD 64

• 1 pair line level RCA fix/var @ 2V RMS at 0dBFS

• 1 pair line level XLR fix/var @ 4V RMS at 0dBFS

• Output impedance: < 10 ohms

• Mains voltages: 115/230VAC 50/60Hz (factory pre-set); 100VAC 50/60Hz (alternative)

• Consumption: 40 Watts maximum, <0.5 W in standby (orange LED ON)

• Trigger In/Out

• Power connections for optional Nu-Vista Uni PSU (sold separately)

• Dimensions (WxHxD): 483 x 188 x 510 mm

• Weight: 21,5 kg net

MUSICAL FIDELITY NU-VISTA VINYL 2 AND MUSICAL FIDELITY NU-VISTA DAC PRICING

Available this month through Henley Audio’s Nu-Vista dealers in the UK, the pair are priced at £9,999 each.

HiFi PiG Says: A welcome return for the Nu-Vista range this year, read our review of the Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista 800.2 Integrated Amplifier here.