MUSICAL FIDELITY A1 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER NOW AVAILABLE

The return of a HiFi classic, the new Musical Fidelity A1 Integrated Amplifier was first spotted at High End Munich earlier this year.

Distributor Henley Audio has announced the availability of the Musical Fidelity A1 integrated amplifier.

Musical Fidelity A1 Integrated Amplifier

MUSICAL FIDELITY A1 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER

Unveiled to the press and public at High End Munich 2023, this is one of the most anticipated model reintroductions of recent years. True to its original intention as an amplifier designed simply to make music, the A1’s Class A topology and instantly recognisable industrial design have been updated only to meet modern technical expectations.

Musical Fidelity A1 Integrated Amplifier front and back

The Musical Fidelity A1 Integrated Amplifier is a 25W (8Ω) pure Class A integrated amplifier, with the ability to dynamically “slide” into Class B when the allowable current draw is exceeded. The Low-noise pre-amplifier circuitry was taken from the “original” design

HIFI HISTORY

The Musical Fidelity A1 is a piece of HiFi history. First produced in the 1985, its pure Class A electrical design was famous for its ability to work with a wide variety of equipment of the day while delivering a sound performance” like nothing else”. The new generation of A1, released in 2023, stays faithful to the original design in almost every way, only making changes to improve specific technical characteristics and satisfy modern requirements.

The original Musical Fidelity A1 Integrated Amplifier

 TRANSFORMER DESIGN

The 1980s blueprint directly inspires the new A1’s transformer design; however, Musical Fidelity updates the system with more efficient dual-mono split-rail windings and superior components, improving stability and heat management. Fully independent supplies for the left and right channels now power the amplifier, bringing better power handling and stereo imaging. Each power amplifier now has double the supply capacity, reducing ripple and noise artifacts.

Inside the Musical Fidelity A1 Integrated Amplifier

PURE CLASS A

The electrical layout of the A1 features completely discrete, fully symmetrical pure Class A technology. Delivering 25W of power (to an 8Ω load), it can also handle 25A of maximum current output. Though these numbers may look low compared to some modern amplifiers, the A1 can still drive more complex speakers thanks to its ability to slide (not “switch”) into Class B operation when further current draw is temporarily needed.

Musical Fidelity A1

PREAMPLIFIER

The low-noise pre-amplifier circuitry is the same as the original A1, though this area also benefits from new modern touches. First, the DIRECT control on the front panel allows users to bypass the Gain stage before the musical signal reaches the volume dial – switch this on, and the pre-amplifier stage applies roughly 10dB less gain, suiting it to more modern, high-gain source devices that may benefit from a wider volume dial range. Second, using a new ALPS RK series motorised potentiometer for the volume dial allows greater accuracy and reliability and means the 2023 A1 amplifier works with a remote control for volume adjustments.

MUSICAL FIDELITY A1 INTEGRATED AMPLIFIER PHONO STAGE

Alongside five RCA stereo inputs, fixed-level and variable outputs, the A1 also features a high-quality built-in phono stage. The phono input allows for direct connection to a turntable, whether it has a moving magnet (MM) or a moving coil (MC) cartridge. The low-noise design and automatic impedance-matching for MC cartridges make this a viable – and convenient – solution for vinyl record lovers.

INDUSTRIAL DESIGN

The industrial design of the A1 repeats that of the 1980s original, with its angular front panel, full-length top-mounted heatsink and side-mounted ventilation panels. The few minor modifications enhance the user experience and manage the heat output from the pure Class A technology.

The A1 on display at High End Munich 2023

MUSICAL FIDELITY AI TECHNICAL DATA

Power Output: 25W per-channel (8Ω)

Voltage Output: 42.5V peak-to-peak

Current Delivery: 25A peak-to-peak

Damping Factor: 150

Gain (@ max. volume): 32dB (Direct Mode) 42dB (Normal Mode)

Output Devices: 2 per-channel

Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 82dB

Channel Separation: 85dB

Frequency Response: 10Hz – 40,000Hz (+0, -1dB)

Line Level Sensitivity: 300mV RMS (nominal) / 8V RMS (max.)

Line Level Input Impedance: 25kΩ

Tape Out Impedance: 220Ω

Pre-Out Impedance: 100Ω

Inputs: 1 x Phono RCA Stereo Input (Switchable MM / MC), 5 x Line-Level RCA Stereo Inputs

Outputs: 1 x Line-Level RCA Stereo Fixed Output (Tape), 1 x Line-Level RCA Stereo Variable Output (Pre), 4mm Banana/Binding Posts (Speaker)

Power Consumption: 130W (Max.) 0W (Standby)

Dimensions (W x H x D): 440 x 68.3 x 283.3mm

Weight: 10.5kg net

MUSICAL FIDELITY A1 PRICE

A1: £1,499 (SRP) / €1,599

The Musical Fidelity A1 is available across the UK from August 2023 in a Black finish., from Henley Audio’s network of dealers.

HiFi PiG Says: Great news that this amplifier is now available, it has been in the works for a long time!