I work in high end audio and we sell many amplifiers going all the way up to insane prices but I really like this one. IT’s harmonically rich and shaves off surface detail in an enjoyable way. If I didn’t have a 2 year old I’d buy this amp even if it runs hot like a panini grill and it does. It’s about as far away from class D sound as possible and I like that.
I have an A1 made in England. I left it in the storage room for many years due to reliability problems, but a few months ago I sent it to be restored by a specialized technician in Barcelona and I have rediscovered its wonderful musicality. What a great amplifier!
I used to do the same in the 80s/90s, make a trip to the audio store to listen to gear. Some times I'd drive up an hour or so to a shop to see what they had. An afternoon in the audio store was a good time for me. So few dedicated audo stores now. It's depressing.
Sadly here in NZ 🇳🇿 I have given up on the few local stores…., I’ve left enquires for a $5-10k USD amp with at least 3 of them never hear back…, the others are wither too rude… or too rude… Enjoy what I have
People buy stuff from Ali Express etc China... Shops r expensive storage facilities/sources of big mark ups. My 300b amp at 600 GBP inclusive sounds excellent.. Same amp UK 2.5 k easily.
Yep, I bought the Rotel A11 tribute online because it was on sale at bargain price and all reviewers were praising it. There are no decent brick and mortar shops in my area. Now I regret because it’s not the sound I want. (Sounds cold and dry to me and causes listening fatigue). - not sure what my next move should be, sell it or buy warm sounding speakers/ cables to compensate?
it’s amazing if they had more stores, brick and mortar that would allow the younger generation to listen to true Hi Fi our hobby would flourish. I do remember those days I was 18 years old and I was listening to stuff at a local Hi Fi store that I obviously could not afford, but the individual in the store had a passion for audio and that’s what it’s all about the passion we remember those times and we missed them. Great review thank you very much brother. Love your channel.
It’s probably to do with high property prices and a general consumer move away from hifi. Whereas it used to be quite widespread it has now become quite niche. People seem to either go with cheap mass market low fi or are audiophiles with good systems.
LOVE LOVE LOVE your internal tours ….ALWAYS informative! Also, it’s always fun to take the ride with you and your enthusiasm for components that you have a personal interest in. Great stuff! 👍🏼
I wish manufacturers would include a balance control as they did in the past,; my hearing has deteriorated on one side, the result is the soundstage is always off and I find myself trying to sit to one side to even it up. Thank you for taking the time to make this video, I enjoyed it very much.
I got all misty-eyed about browsing on Tottenham Court Road... Another great review, the teardown/technical insights section is a level beyond any A/V other reviews I see on TH-cam. Bravo!
I bought the original A1 from Uxbridge Audio when it first came out. Amazing. Over the last 40ish years I have had a number of MF amps, and now have the Nuvista 800. How about that for brand loyalty.
Im on board now.... even the humble M2SI i have in a second setup surprises and impresses me on every level. An A1 would seem an obvious upgrade seeing as my Focal bookshelves are an eaay drive.
I shared the experience of popping in to ‘Hi-fi’ shops as a child:-) I was not aware that Tim de Pavarinci was the original designer - I had the pleasure of meeting him once. We used to sell his excellent phono pre amplifiers when I assisted the local dealer in my spare time many years ago.
This is a delightful amplifier, just a joy to play at low to medium volumes. Terrific tone/body with good separation. Speakers are ProAc Tablette 10 signature.
My first serious amp was the A1. Incredible sound and looks. I had the Sony cdp1 which was their first cd player, I unfortunately don’t remember the speakers but it was bliss.
I moved back home a few years ago to stay with my dad. Years ago I got him the Spica TC-50. He doesn’t really listen to music on a stereo much, so after moving in to a temporary room I replaced the Spicas in his Denon system with some Elacs and took the Spicas for my room, and built a proper high-end system around them. They scaled amazingly well. The Spica TC-50 sound great. Oh and I should mention I had an original A1 once in my system as a replacement while getting an Aragon amp repaired. Back in the day. I absolutely loved the A1. I imagine the new one would be a good match for the Spicas or possibly any of the new reimagined vintage gear from companies like REL, Warfadale, JBL, KLH etc. I imagine one could put together a spectacular system based entirely around these newly reimagined vintage pieces.
The Spica TC-50s ... that sends me back about 40 years! I was an announcer on KLSK-FM in Santa Fe. The Spica designer (can't remember his name), based in Santa Fe, donated a pair to the station. They were installed as the monitors in the production room. All of us announcers and technicians at KLSK were enthusiastic about the Spicas.
I had the original for over 20 years, sold it for what I paid, if I hadn’t just bought a Luxman Class A for 5 times the price I would certainly be buying one of these. Once you live with the warmth of Class A amplification you never forget it. Went through a host of high end high wattage gear over the last 40 years, I’m back in the low wattage Class A world once again. 🤓
I had an A100 back in the 80s. It sounded excellent but I couldn't live with it. It contained three unreliable cooling fans and a single failure would shut down the amp on its protection circuits. Musical Fidelity's customer service was superb, getting my repaired amp back to me in a couple of days. After two failures, I sold it. It was in my system for a mere 18 months which was a pity. A cousin had the A1 and kept it for many years. She is a professional musician so this is a full thumbs-up.
I had one in the 80', it was a radiator, very warm, but what a clean sound. I used to go to the HiFi store in my town and watch different movies with a projector and listen to expensive amplifiers and loudspeakers with more.😊😊 The HiFi store exist today. Today I'am all digital
Bought the original A1 in the USA in 1986 or so. It served me well for about 20 years before failing. Loved the sound with ProAc Response 1s. Then had the uglier (but more modern) A1 with the digital screen in the center of the faceplate. Also sounded good, but I preferred the original, probably for nostalgic reasons.
I owned the original back in the day, what amazes me is that an amp of that era can still compete in todays market, it goes to show the the basics of audio have not really come very far but prices have gone through the roof. Same goes for speakers, I own a pair of LNB transmission lines made in 1974, and I’m yet to find a better speaker for mid range naturalness. Somehow they have engineered the musicality out of modern equipment!
Great video - thank you. I bought an A100 at the end of the 80s and loved the combination with my Rogers speakers. Music was just so engaging with that class A amp. I gave the amplifier to a friend about 5 years later when one day I found one of my young son's toys melting on top of the A100. It ran pretty hot! I replaced it with a Linn amp which [although very neutral] lacked the punch and vigour of the MF. I now have a Hegel H390 and its really brought my system back to life.
I am very much impressed with the decision to resurrect this delightful amp and update it without tarting it up. I own a 3si, but would gladly trade up for this gem of a unit. Even have the horn speakers ready for the bliss. Nice that you did as well. An excellent job reviewing an amplifier I would have bet a large sum of money that the manufacturer would never come back to revisit. So glad they have, and can only hope this unit gets the appreciation it deserves from fans of all ages.
Hello Tarun, I placed my order for this amp when it was announced many months ago. I’ve been using it for two weeks and couldn’t be happier. It won’t take long to “get” what this amp is all about as it shows its hand quickly on the first listen. Personally, I wouldn’t call it a romantic amp, it has excellent midrange, nice fatty bass, and is beautifully detailed (just enough) with excellent imaging. I also own a Sugden ANV50 and a Cayin CS55A, and I would say that the A1 is much closer in performance to my tube amp. Well done done Musical Fidelity. Great review, Brian
@@wolfgangpohlmann5952 Hello Wolfgang, my main speakers are Wharfedale Lintons, but I also paired it with PSB Imagine B6, and my Davis Acoustics Olympia One Master. It’s a great amp with lots of character. Take care, Brian
Thanks Tatun.. Sounds like a lovely piece. I wish I could try them all. i noticed the Vincent didnt really make the comparison cut. Congratulations on gathering sponsors. I want you to keep up the great work.
Tarun, just wanted to give a special thanks for this review. I found a dealer near me who had this and the M5i class A/B. Due to my small listening space and high efficiency speakers, I went with the A1. Only downside, It's still on back order! This unit has sold out in most places.
Blimey, this takes me back! Years ago I used to run an A100 into a pair of LS7's. The one with two fans. Sounded great. Valvey. But not the last word in detail.TDP definitely knew his onions. In the mornings I used to fry my breakfast on the top of it. That last bit's a lie. Anyhoo, great review again mate 👍
I hesitated between the Cyrus one and the musical fidelity many moons ago. I went for the Cyrus . Ten amplifiers later and this review has rekindled my desire to get one. Thankyou
I still have my original A-100 languishing in a closet. I bought it second hand at Harrow Audio in the late 80s. I should dig it out, clean the pot and switches and take it for a spin for nostalgic reasons... Still running a brace of MuFi Xv3 gear on and off. Much more reliable than the A-100. MuFi X-150v3 actually drove my Magnepan LRS well (but ran hot) ....until I got a classAB Bryson 3B-SST with Musical Paradise MP701mk2 valve pre. More Dynamic 3D tonally rich sound now, but I'm keeping the X-150 just in case. Glad to see Pro-Ject honouring the oiginal design philosophy that made this a great brand. Thanks Tarun 😊
Oh the good old days of TCR HiFi stores, I remember that with fondness. The new A1 is nice, great review too. I owned a MF A200 back in the late 90's, I don't know if the power supply was weak, but mine blew twice during my ownership. Eventually sold it for a solid state, due to the unrealiability, plus the heat emanating from it was just too much!
Hi Tarun, as a 77 year old audiophile, I go back a lot further than you with my forays to TCR. The rage in the 60's was always around valve amps and were always class A. I built my own valve amp back then from a Heathkit S88 kit which was 9 watts per channel. I also built their floorstanding MFS speakers, a 3 way, high efficiency design with a 12 inch Fane bass driver. My current setup has a Quad Artera Pre/Artera Stereo as the amplification. I was never tempted by the original A1as I suspected reliability issues but would like to hear the newer version driving my PMC Twenty5/23. I like the Quad very much indeed as it uses their proprietry current dumping design fed by a lower power class A section. The Artera combination has power and smoothness without losing any detail and I think it may sound like a Musical Fidelity A1 but with more power. Would love to see you do a comparison as i really rate your reviews, thank you.
Hi tarun, I had the MF A1 back in the 80s, also the A50 monoblocks, I used my A1 with a pair of neat petite speakers pioneer PD 75 cd player, wonderful sounding system, I'm glad to see the new amplifier being brought back, it looks far superior in build and component choice, your review brought back some great memories.
The profile of the MF A1 reminds me of the Armstrong 600 series although they are very different designs. A friend had an Armstrong 621 integrated amplifier which I really enjoyed. I wanted the 625 receiver but it was way out of my budget in those days. I also have great memories of visiting dimly lit showrooms in TCR and elsewhere and always finding a friendly reception from the salesmen who were happy to share their thoughts and recommendations. Y
Great video as always...thanks. Have to say that my retro looking but recent purchase of a McIntosh MA9000 suits my B&W 803D3's down to the ground, the slight warmth of the Big Mac tempering the phorensic nature of the B&W's perfectly. Revealing of all recordings but without any hint of listener fatigue.
I am in agreement with your evaluation of Musical Fidelity A1 integrated amplifier. The price to performance ratio of this amplifier in terms of sound quality is A1 Sauce, the King George IV original A1 sauce (1824) in other words it is very much a pleasure to listen to and well worth the ticket price, the sauce makes the dish if you know what I mean. That said in direct comparisons to my reference power amp the McIntosh MC152 driven by the McIntosh MHA150 preamp stage the A1 sounds broken. The A1 is not a giant slayer but it is a keeper for sure. The REL Classic98 subwoofer and A1 paired together may give my reference rig a challenge for my attention but I don't own the Classic98 yet and I'm not a big fan of what subwoofers can do in terms of plate amplifier sound quality and integration from the mid tier of the REL lineup from previous experiences. Anyway I now have a better sense of your reviews thanks. P.S. I use a small fan to keep the A1 cool, if you leave this amp on for hours at a time it will become too hot to touch the top plate, kind of like an incandescent light bulb heat, but not burning hot, just hot enough for me to think this can not be good for the longevity of the amplifier, so I switch a fan on and off between listening sessions, using a small fan with this heat sink chassis design is very effective at thermal control, the warmth from the heat sink then becomes pleasant to my palm, it makes me want to touch the warmth and texture of the heat sink, in fact I'm in love with the overall visual and tactile feels, the blue glows and the hue of the blue colored fonts is very 1980's, the clickety click of the power switch is in itself a time warp to the 1980's, I love the design language of the A1! So forced air flow will certainly prolong the function of the internals. I consider this a quirk but I knew what I was getting into with class-A circuit topology.
Great review. In describing its sound you could also be describing the Heed Obelisk si3, descendant from another 80’s design the Ion Obelisk. Advantage of the Heed is it barely runs warm, puts out 50 big watts without breaking sweat, and goes up a notch in resolution, depth, scale and authority with the optional X2 power amp PSU
As an owner of an A100 in the late 80s, I feel the love-hate relationship of yesteryear again. The MF sounded fantastic, got fantastically hot, so hot that I could prepare my Saturday morning breakfast on it. At least every 2 months one component burned out, so that after some time I knew the entire layout of the MF by heart. With a tear I sold the MF, I remember feeling like a bad father who sold his child. Much later I bought an A3cr power amplifier with a Tube Technology preamplifier. This combo introduced me for the first time to finesse, power and authority that I can still smell somewhere deep in my memory.
I have a lowly 1990 B200, which cost £300. It's all original, although I had to return it to MF in the 90's, after I burned-out the toroid, in a blasting contest with the neighbours! It's in mint condition, with instructions and original box. It's currently boxed-up ready for moving home.
4:33 That 80000 μF is in reality 40000 μF per channel or 20000 μF per voltage rail. There's no difference in terms of whether it's class 'A' or class 'AB' in terms of filtering or power reserves since the only difference between class 'A' and class 'AB' is how far the transistors are biased into conduction; the more their biased into class 'A' the more quiescent current is being drawn by the output stage and because of the voltage drop across the the output transistor junctions the more power is dissipated (as heat). As music is played the output current will vary (output transistors provide current gain) but the quiescent current is not parasitic requiring "more in reserve".
I would like to suggest that you do a TH-cam Video with Mike Powell in Atlanta, Georgia. He has a TH-cam Channel called OCD Hifi Guy. In addition to his channel, he is a retailer of uber high end gear and you guys think in a very similar way. He can also help bring small English brands to America. Mike is also a manufacturer of cables and interconnects called Verastarr and can really explain what it takes takes to make great products. IMO, the two of you would have a good synergy and could present technical detail and engineering in a way that the audio consumer could really understand. I enjoy your channel and discover English brands I would not know about otherwise.
It's true that OCD Mikey seems to know a lot, but I found him somewhat dismissive in his comments section and even a tad sarcastic at times, especially if one has "inferior" gear. That's why I unsubscribed. Not saying he and Tarun wouldn't work well together, mind.
I worked in a HiFi dealer for several years in the Home Counties when these were new. A Distinctive innovative, iconic and original British design, An intoxicating fluid sound, but damn they could be unreliable. Always sought after 2nd hand though ❤ Keep up the great work Tarun. (Wish the power on LED was red though)
I had an A100 at the time and it was a dog. The MM stage was unstable and went into oscillation when a light was switched on upstairs, blasting out the house with a high pitched scream and had to go back a few times. The last straw was when an output transistor went CE short and took out the bass driver of one of my Monitor Audio R852 speakers. I was at uni at the time and blew my grant on audio gear. The A100 was the end of my association with Musical Fidelity.
I worked in hifi retail back in the day and sold a whole stack of these. If I remember correctly it cost £299 and had little competition at this price. Something like the Cyprus 2 was a similar price at £329 would offer greater detail and transient attack but could sound a bit hard and sterile in comparison. The A1 had a liquid midrange and superb imaging. The only major downside to the A1 was it's reliability. I saw a lot come back in for servicing. Hopefully Musical Fidelity have fixed this issue.
I still have a Cyrus2 and remember the day when carrying my amp with my Celestion Ditton 3 to the local store for trying to check a substitute for the Cyrus. At the time the only one that impressed me was the A1 but didn´t choose it for the low wattage, eh, I was young :) Today, I'm glad they remake the A1 this way, with upgraded components and a very clean interior design, all in all, at a very reasonable price. Bravo Musical Fidelity, I'm really thinking that the moment to let my Cyrus2 rest a bit is arrived :) Thanks for the video and for let us discovery the internal, as a technician is important to check also the component inside the machine.
I own a British fidelity A1 1984, one year before they change ''British'' for ''Musical'' and the dream came through 4 years ago. I pair it with Kef ls50 and i love it.
It sounds really good. The soundstage is marvelous and it have a muscular sound until it can't deliver anymore. The bass is autorative and the whole ting sounds like a massive big amp, again until it can't deliver no more. Yes it have quite less power than I am used to. It is still enough for 95% of my listening. The sound on "normal " levels is really quite special. There is something emediate and real about it. My LS50 Metas sounds really good on this amp but I am tempted to try something a bit more effective, like the Vestlyd 12 or the Pylon Jade (maybe some homemade 1,5 way full range driver system as well(extra bass driver for baffelstep duties)). The amp is quite less detailed than my Quad Artera pre/power but it has a really organic sound to it that I really like. I guess this will be my preffered amplifier onwards, but I need a more powerful amp for those last 5% when I want to wrench it up to some infant annihilator or Lorna Shore.
Another great review. Honestly, your vids take us on such informative journeys. A bit of wonderful escapism for part of my Saturday mornings! Ofcourse, now I can’t stop thinking about class A amplification 🙏🏼🙏🏼👍🏼
I did not expect from You enything less than second to none! I was right this time again. In those days I also considered A1, and A100 ...and could not make easily any conclusion. I sold many Years ago MF passive subwoofer... but kept till today MF X10D...just changed the Phillips valves for the Telefunken ones...Regards
Lovely review with the college reference history where you began a journey. Something many can relate to from experience. Class A at this price plus some tinkering which is no doubt in the future. Even though using old Class A tube monoblocks, this is a fun review. Think you're making very accessible efforts with a nice touch of history too.
I had the original A1, and with the right-for it- speakers it could sound great, I did even have a pair of MF speakers, for a while. The problem, as I found, was the cost constraints MF, a rather small company, had meant cost cutting, especially components, as you mentioned, meant reliability was somewhat compromised. The transformer was not really big enough, so the power supply should have really had a bigger, higher current transformer, and lower voltage . There was one very unfortunate, though thankfully rare mode of failure where the DC power supply got directly connected to the speakers, speakers don't like about 50V DC!
I think The British Audiophile channel is probably the best Audiophile TH-cam channel out there. In fact, I was a Patron for a while. The only thing I wish he would add is to list the tracks he used to evaluate the equipment. From my experience, some system combos can sound amazing with specific musical genres and less amazing with others. And although he gives a general overview of the sound signature it's still not enough for me to decide which product will work best for me and my musical tastes. It's his channel, so of course, he can do what he wants and good on him. I will certainly still keep watching and probably become a patron again, so keep up the great work, Turan.
Bought one just to try after Taruns video and some thinking and it plays very well with both my duevel enterprise omnis and specially with my small single driver/ full range speakers that I prefer over the menuet se. Tarun is right on point on this one , it's outstanding.
Hi Tarun, love your reviews and wanted to follow up on your question regarding equipment of yesteryear. I was a MF fan and owned the 3A preamp and P140 power amp, I couldn’t afford two power amps. I still own my two little black beauties but as many MF owners of yesteryear know they weren’t alway the best thing out there and there were many rumors! One of which was the addition of high watt resisters across the power rails to generate heat, thereby making folks believe that they were getting something more. I had to repair my power amp and was a little less than thrilled when I got under the hood. I also owned a Cambridge Audio P100 integrated, would love to find another however highly unlikely. I purchased the MF after the P100 blew one output channel. Speakers at that time were Monitor Audio R452 MD’s. Back in the day they seemed very good, however, today compared to my Audio Vector R3,s they were not as good as I initially thought (of course there is a huge price difference so this is not meant as a complaint). I do still have them and am looking forward to having GR perform their magic on them and letting me know if they are worth upgrading. Also still own my Pioneer Elite F91 reference tuner, Nacamichi cassette deck. I do wish I’d kept my Akai GX400 and my Transcriptors Saturn TT or my Garrard 491 with SME. So much other good stuff in the past, Leak, Yamaha, Audiolab, Revox, Chilton……….. All t( above acquired over the years in Nottingham from hifi stores. Keep up the great work.
Amp seems well worth the cash and M.F always used Jamicon caps AFAIK. I used "to live" in Tottenham Court Road. Laskys was always good for hands-on investigations. Sony on Regent st, Lion House etc, was still going up there until the early-mid 00's when many shops started closing down.
Your typical VERY informative review - direct to the point without the extra 2000 filler words in print magazines. QUESTION: Any plans to review the new MF LS3/5a and commenting on construction, sound & parts quality vs Falcon? Thanks again, Tarun! Jim (Ohio, USA)
I really like Music Fidelity, I think they offer quality products at an affordable price. I use to own their X-Can V3 headphone amp. Gawd knows why I sold it!!??
I always wanted one, amazing looks. I bought the MF Electra 100s and still have it, in fact it was upgraded by John Samson and I still use it when I want to explore other setups sounds amazing Another very good review from the one and only British Audiophile Tarun I remember Hi Fi Experience late 80s 1988 forwards for a while in the basement of Heals the furniture Co. I was there every opportunity I got 🤓
Im still using a Musical Fidelity B200 amp - T1 manual FM tuner - MC2 speakers Rega Planar 3 turntable all bought new in the mid 1980s. I would like your opinion on this set up in particular on how the amp compares with the original A1 and new A1. I love my system and still get a buzz everytime I listen to it, but I am now open to the idea of upgrades if there is a noticeable sonic improvement. I will put the new A1 on my list to hear. Will be going to the Hifi show in Ascot next week to listen to a range of equipment and hope to be impressed! We shall see.
Nice review as always. I also own the R 8 in love with it. Had a bad tube and was waiting for a replacrment. So I picked up locally a Luxman L 400 for $300. In the mid 80s this was a great integrated amp. To my suprise it rivals the R 8 killer bass better with 70s rock. I also miss the hi fi shops when I lived in NJ.Also the local mall had stores like Sam Goody loaded with hi fi and a listening room. Now live in Las Vegas there is 1 repair shop with some vintage equipment and a couple of high end Audio installer shops But no hi fi shops.A couple times a year I Will go to Best buy they have a listening room and listen to the latest Keff and B & W and Martin logan speakers
One comment. The power supply capacitors are not for drawing current, they're more for smoothing demands in current. Depends on the exact implementation, but you could argue Class A demands fewer uFs than a Class AB in general, since the transistors are always on with Class A.
Not really because for same reservoir capacitance the high current bias of true Class A produces an amount of ripple all the time while Class AB produces as much only in equivalent power peaks.
My point was the biasing is constant, but maybe you're right, I'd have to bench test it..Either way I'd think 80,000uF is more than enough. Certainly looks like a formidable amp for the price @@somebodyx
@@CraigPhillipsB Bias aims to remain constant in all classes. Via thermal feedback to the bias spreader or Vbe multiplier etc. Else any amp is in danger of losing DC conditions control and eventually self destruct. The subjectively special thing with true Class A is not so much about less output stage intrinsic distortion in my humble opinion because negative feedback takes good care of the various distortions in Class A/B too anyway. Heavy current bias dominates the system making it less prone to following the program peaks with rails sag and modulation. Thus sounding more composed and calm. The penalty is of course inefficiency. Both in power output and dissipation. Actually a true Class A amp owes to draw same power from the wall no matter if idling or fully blasting the speakers. This MF A1 edition looks better made than the original and its price isn't too bad given that nowadays classic hi-fi is marketed as a costly boutique affair in most cases.
I also had an MF A1 some 20 years ago here in Australia. Had to replace the power supply and did the mods with the fans to keep it a little cooler. Sounded superb with a set of Richard Allens and should with any decent bookshelf speakers. As you mentioned it's not a power house and I never drive any amp past halfway, causes to much damage to the sound amongst other things. Gone through a couple of your reviews in the last couple of days and am very impressed on your honest and in depth reviews.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Your welcome. The ones i have in mind specifically are the M2scd and the M3scd. Basically, when I get MY high end stereo, I would like to know how good those CD players are at scaling up to more pricey systems.
Outstanding review as usual! I was curious if you would do a comparison to the original version vs the new in the future? And if you have found your friend from your college days yet? Thank you!
@@carlosr.2027 yup but depending on how loud you want it to sing. Btw, also read that it slides to AB when more power is demanded. Something to confirm
As much as I love my Parasound 2125v2 amp (150 wpc, 35 amps peak/channel), I want to upgrade (to take further advantage of my new Cardas Parsec RCA cables) to hear anything better that's
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I've just noticed that the MF m6s PRX is missing a 12V trigger input so I've cancelled my order. For an expensive piece of equipment, that's a pretty glaring omission.
@@abritishaudiophile7314Instead of Musical Fidelity, i upgraded to the NAD c298 (lighter, cooler, more inputs/outputs, better specs) my video th-cam.com/video/ncwCopnHJqA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=je1zKnn3NVGz5ict
Someone told me Anthony Michaelson had a annoyed proclivity for using cheap components which failed prematurely. After he stepped back, their products improved in reliability. I can’t be certain of the truth of these claims however. I hav MF a308CRs and they are superb, possibly the best they made, maybe with the exception of the limited nu vista range.
G’day mate from Oz, thanks for sharing beautiful review and I’m still enjoying my original A1 with my Ushers S520 they’re singing happily in my living room. Cheers!
Thanks Tarun, lovely review, really informative. I love the sound of class A but have found that my Dynaudio Evoke 20's don't, think I'd run into the same problems as your Pro Ac's unfortunately. Keep em comin !
Back in the early 90's I was a poor student who window shopped at audio stores around Cape Town. There was a British audio salesman who patiently showed me around their audio rooms knowing that I cant afford to buy a component. He showed me a selection of amps of which one was Musical Fidelity and he played the same classical music over and over untill i got the difference. For years I couldnt remember the model name of the MF but when i saw the A1 i immediately recognised the design of the amp that impressed me so much, but of cos that was the older model. Im making it my mission to get the A1 as soon as its availble in SA. But that means a shift away from the Rega Brio or Elex R. So im wondering wether its to be compared at all. Your views will sway me🎉
Remember the A1 when it was out originally and I also had the Pre/Power version at home for a demo but that got even hotter with the mono block power amps 🥵 in the end I bought the Audiolab 8000C/P combo. Weirdly they were powering some Musical Fidelity MC-4's at the time.
I had the 8000c with 2 Rotel rb990bx Had huge massive 27.000uf X4 180.000 microfarads 180W at 8ohm beyond insane power Then sold the Rotel bought the pioneer m22 with 38.000uf x4 capisstors each weight at 5kg
sounds like a nice rainy-days amp, for the solid state crowd. in my small space i favor AB or cooler-running topology, but as a secondary option for the wintertime? maybe! i hope you reconnect with your friend
Great review, Tarun and I thoroughly approve the rating, of course! So it’s a restomod as opposed to the Naim, which is a homage to the original. This begs the question, why have the manufacturers bothered re-inventing this particular wheel over all these decades, if this original design can still achieve an “outstanding” in the face of the new competition? One might almost believe they were bringing out new stuff just to make us gear heads continually put our hands in our pockets. As you know, I refurb amps regularly and the most recent project is a NAD 3130. It uses a dual opamp chip, where its little brother, the 3020A, I finished last month doesn’t. I’ll be interested to see if this “innovation” on the 3130 means it’s better or worse than its classic sibling.
Thank you Mark. I think you would enjoy the A1. As for old amps, I guess there is a reason I am still using 25 yr old Exposure Pre/Monos as a reference 😉👍
I just listened to/watched your review on the CHoco amp....very informative. I was particularly interested in your overview of the internal parts/construction. I got so much clearer as to what that amp is all about and the same can be said about this review of the MF A1. From what you have said along with others, I do think I might enjoy this amp relevant to the speakers I'd like (Zoo DW) and the kind of music I listen to. (at mid to low volume). I still have a bit to learn about this amp. The heat does not concern me as I live in Canada but the heat does concern me as far as the amp's longevity. Most appreciative of your informative and enjoyable reviews Tarun. Keep up the excellent work.
Thank you kindly. Longevity concerns with class A amps are valid. This version seems to have decent heat management. That should help a lot, but time will tell. It sounds lovely, though. From that perspective it is a real bargain 🙂
Nice video. Only I fail to see why one should buy this one in stead of a Quad 909 and refurb it with e.g. Mundorfs for UK 800. The first Watt of that one is class A too.
I work in high end audio and we sell many amplifiers going all the way up to insane prices but I really like this one. IT’s harmonically rich and shaves off surface detail in an enjoyable way. If I didn’t have a 2 year old I’d buy this amp even if it runs hot like a panini grill and it does. It’s about as far away from class D sound as possible and I like that.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I have an A1 made in England. I left it in the storage room for many years due to reliability problems, but a few months ago I sent it to be restored by a specialized technician in Barcelona and I have rediscovered its wonderful musicality. What a great amplifier!
That is great 👍
How many euros did that run you?
can you name the technician’s company in Barcelona. might need him thx
Audyolab@@ymk8355
Audyolab @@ymk8355
I used to do the same in the 80s/90s, make a trip to the audio store to listen to gear. Some times I'd drive up an hour or so to a shop to see what they had. An afternoon in the audio store was a good time for me. So few dedicated audo stores now. It's depressing.
Sadly here in NZ 🇳🇿 I have given up on the few local stores…., I’ve left enquires for a $5-10k USD amp with at least 3 of them never hear back…, the others are wither too rude… or too rude…
Enjoy what I have
Lots of happy memories, I am sure 😊
We have three dealers in my City in the UK. They are all happy to oblige with listening tests.
People buy stuff from Ali Express etc China... Shops r expensive storage facilities/sources of big mark ups. My 300b amp at 600 GBP inclusive sounds excellent.. Same amp UK 2.5 k easily.
Yep, I bought the Rotel A11 tribute online because it was on sale at bargain price and all reviewers were praising it. There are no decent brick and mortar shops in my area. Now I regret because it’s not the sound I want. (Sounds cold and dry to me and causes listening fatigue). - not sure what my next move should be, sell it or buy warm sounding speakers/ cables to compensate?
it’s amazing if they had more stores, brick and mortar that would allow the younger generation to listen to true Hi Fi our hobby would flourish. I do remember those days I was 18 years old and I was listening to stuff at a local Hi Fi store that I obviously could not afford, but the individual in the store had a passion for audio and that’s what it’s all about the passion we remember those times and we missed them. Great review thank you very much brother. Love your channel.
Thank you. Much appreciated 😊👍
It’s probably to do with high property prices and a general consumer move away from hifi. Whereas it used to be quite widespread it has now become quite niche. People seem to either go with cheap mass market low fi or are audiophiles with good systems.
always been obsessed with the look of this amp. love it when companies know when to upgrade the guts but keep the design.
This one is a bit special 😊
it's an industrial beauty. Timeless design.
Not something I would be in the market for but what joy it brings to see a product resurrected from my youth for new generations to explore and enjoy.
Well said 👍
LOVE LOVE LOVE your internal tours ….ALWAYS informative! Also, it’s always fun to take the ride with you and your enthusiasm for components that you have a personal interest in. Great stuff! 👍🏼
Thank you Bob. Much appreciated 😊👍
This gives us a good indicator of the internal design, construction and parts used which is a good indication of sound quality but not always the case
I wish manufacturers would include a balance control as they did in the past,; my hearing has deteriorated on one side, the result is the soundstage is always off and I find myself trying to sit to one side to even it up. Thank you for taking the time to make this video, I enjoyed it very much.
Thank you 👍
I got all misty-eyed about browsing on Tottenham Court Road...
Another great review, the teardown/technical insights section is a level beyond any A/V other reviews I see on TH-cam. Bravo!
Thank you kindly. I have happy memories on Tottenham Court Road in the 80s and 90s 👍
I bought the original A1 from Uxbridge Audio when it first came out. Amazing. Over the last 40ish years I have had a number of MF amps, and now have the Nuvista 800. How about that for brand loyalty.
That is great 👍
Im on board now.... even the humble M2SI i have in a second setup surprises and impresses me on every level. An A1 would seem an obvious upgrade seeing as my Focal bookshelves are an eaay drive.
I love Musical Fidelity equipment. Each item I have owned has impressed me
Cool 😎
Nice to see this utter classic brought up to current spec. The A1 always stuck in my mind from the time for its simple but classy looks.
Still looks great today 👍
I shared the experience of popping in to ‘Hi-fi’ shops as a child:-)
I was not aware that Tim de Pavarinci was the original designer - I had the pleasure of meeting him once. We used to sell his excellent phono pre amplifiers when I assisted the local dealer in my spare time many years ago.
That is great 👍
This is a delightful amplifier, just a joy to play at low to medium volumes. Terrific tone/body with good separation. Speakers are ProAc Tablette 10 signature.
My first serious amp was the A1. Incredible sound and looks. I had the Sony cdp1 which was their first cd player, I unfortunately don’t remember the speakers but it was bliss.
Cool 😎
I moved back home a few years ago to stay with my dad. Years ago I got him the Spica TC-50. He doesn’t really listen to music on a stereo much, so after moving in to a temporary room I replaced the Spicas in his Denon system with some Elacs and took the Spicas for my room, and built a proper high-end system around them.
They scaled amazingly well.
The Spica TC-50 sound great. Oh and I should mention I had an original A1 once in my system as a replacement while getting an Aragon amp repaired. Back in the day. I absolutely loved the A1.
I imagine the new one would be a good match for the Spicas or possibly any of the new reimagined vintage gear from companies like REL, Warfadale, JBL, KLH etc. I imagine one could put together a spectacular system
based entirely around these newly reimagined vintage pieces.
That is great 😊
The Spica TC-50s ... that sends me back about 40 years! I was an announcer on KLSK-FM in Santa Fe. The Spica designer (can't remember his name), based in Santa Fe, donated a pair to the station. They were installed as the monitors in the production room. All of us announcers and technicians at KLSK were enthusiastic about the Spicas.
I had the original for over 20 years, sold it for what I paid, if I hadn’t just bought a Luxman Class A for 5 times the price I would certainly be buying one of these.
Once you live with the warmth of Class A amplification you never forget it.
Went through a host of high end high wattage gear over the last 40 years, I’m back in the low wattage Class A world once again. 🤓
Thank you for sharing your experiences 😊
I had an A100 back in the 80s. It sounded excellent but I couldn't live with it. It contained three unreliable cooling fans and a single failure would shut down the amp on its protection circuits. Musical Fidelity's customer service was superb, getting my repaired amp back to me in a couple of days. After two failures, I sold it. It was in my system for a mere 18 months which was a pity. A cousin had the A1 and kept it for many years. She is a professional musician so this is a full thumbs-up.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I had one in the 80', it was a radiator, very warm, but what a clean sound.
I used to go to the HiFi store in my town and watch different movies with a projector and listen to expensive amplifiers and loudspeakers with more.😊😊 The HiFi store exist today.
Today I'am all digital
Thanks for sharing 😊
I liked the original and will seek out a listen to this amp when I find a dealer carrying. Another impressive delivery Tarun.
Thank you 👍
Bought the original A1 in the USA in 1986 or so. It served me well for about 20 years before failing. Loved the sound with ProAc Response 1s. Then had the uglier (but more modern) A1 with the digital screen in the center of the faceplate. Also sounded good, but I preferred the original, probably for nostalgic reasons.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I owned the original back in the day, what amazes me is that an amp of that era can still compete in todays market, it goes to show the the basics of audio have not really come very far but prices have gone through the roof. Same goes for speakers, I own a pair of LNB transmission lines made in 1974, and I’m yet to find a better speaker for mid range naturalness. Somehow they have engineered the musicality out of modern equipment!
I get where you are coming from 😊
Thanks for bringing us another awesome amplifier. I had never heard of this brand and now I'm a little smarter thanks to you!
You are most welcome 😊👍
Great video - thank you. I bought an A100 at the end of the 80s and loved the combination with my Rogers speakers. Music was just so engaging with that class A amp. I gave the amplifier to a friend about 5 years later when one day I found one of my young son's toys melting on top of the A100. It ran pretty hot! I replaced it with a Linn amp which [although very neutral] lacked the punch and vigour of the MF. I now have a Hegel H390 and its really brought my system back to life.
Thank you. Great anecdote 🙂
I think you prefer the R8 :)
Love the review and long live the vintage revolution.
I love them both 😊
I am very much impressed with the decision to resurrect this delightful amp and update it without tarting it up. I own a 3si, but would gladly trade up for this gem of a unit. Even have the horn speakers ready for the bliss. Nice that you did as well. An excellent job reviewing an amplifier I would have bet a large sum of money that the manufacturer would never come back to revisit. So glad they have, and can only hope this unit gets the appreciation it deserves from fans of all ages.
Thank you kindly 😊👍
Hello Tarun, I placed my order for this amp when it was announced many months ago.
I’ve been using it for two weeks and couldn’t be happier.
It won’t take long to “get” what this amp is all about as it shows its hand quickly on the first listen.
Personally, I wouldn’t call it a romantic amp, it has excellent midrange, nice fatty bass, and is beautifully detailed (just enough) with excellent imaging.
I also own a Sugden ANV50 and a Cayin CS55A, and I would say that the A1 is much closer in performance to my tube amp.
Well done done Musical Fidelity.
Great review,
Brian
Thank you for sharing your experiences Brian 👍
What loudspeakers have you paired it with?
@@wolfgangpohlmann5952 Hello Wolfgang, my main speakers are Wharfedale Lintons, but I also paired it with PSB Imagine B6, and my Davis Acoustics Olympia One Master.
It’s a great amp with lots of character.
Take care,
Brian
The desk warm coffee I was drinking bubbled up and over its rim with the energy of a good laugh, supplied by what happens at 12:43 into this review.
Glad you enjoyed it 😉
My hi-fi budget won't allow me to purchase most of the equipment ABA reviews, but I enjoy watching his reviews whether I can afford the item or not.
This hobby can get expensive but there is plenty of great gear these days that is accessible to most 😊
Thanks Tatun.. Sounds like a lovely piece. I wish I could try them all. i noticed the Vincent didnt really make the comparison cut. Congratulations on gathering sponsors. I want you to keep up the great work.
Thank you Jim. I think you would enjoy this amp 😊👍
Tarun, just wanted to give a special thanks for this review. I found a dealer near me who had this and the M5i class A/B. Due to my small listening space and high efficiency speakers, I went with the A1. Only downside, It's still on back order! This unit has sold out in most places.
It may be worth waiting for it if it is what you really want 😊
Blimey, this takes me back! Years ago I used to run an A100 into a pair of LS7's. The one with two fans. Sounded great. Valvey. But not the last word in detail.TDP definitely knew his onions. In the mornings I used to fry my breakfast on the top of it. That last bit's a lie. Anyhoo, great review again mate 👍
Thank you 👍
I love my Elekit TU-8900 tube power amplifier. It’s a kit, but fit and finish are exemplary, and the instructions are detailed and clear. A winner!
Cool 😎
I hesitated between the Cyrus one and the musical fidelity many moons ago. I went for the Cyrus . Ten amplifiers later and this review has rekindled my desire to get one. Thankyou
Great ! I hope you get to hear it 👍
I still have my original A-100 languishing in a closet.
I bought it second hand at Harrow Audio in the late 80s.
I should dig it out, clean the pot and switches and take it for a spin for nostalgic reasons...
Still running a brace of MuFi Xv3 gear on and off.
Much more reliable than the A-100.
MuFi X-150v3 actually drove my Magnepan LRS well (but ran hot) ....until I got a classAB Bryson 3B-SST with Musical Paradise MP701mk2 valve pre.
More Dynamic 3D tonally rich sound now, but I'm keeping the X-150 just in case.
Glad to see Pro-Ject honouring the oiginal design philosophy that made this a great brand.
Thanks Tarun 😊
Thank you. I appreciate you sharing 👍
Oh the good old days of TCR HiFi stores, I remember that with fondness. The new A1 is nice, great review too. I owned a MF A200 back in the late 90's, I don't know if the power supply was weak, but mine blew twice during my ownership. Eventually sold it for a solid state, due to the unrealiability, plus the heat emanating from it was just too much!
I expect he new one to handle the heat better 😊
I was one of those kids up Tottenham court rd, what a fantastic place in the 80's.
Cool 😎
Hi Tarun, as a 77 year old audiophile, I go back a lot further than you with my forays to TCR. The rage in the 60's was always around valve amps and were always class A. I built my own valve amp back then from a Heathkit S88 kit which was 9 watts per channel. I also built their floorstanding MFS speakers, a 3 way, high efficiency design with a 12 inch Fane bass driver. My current setup has a Quad Artera Pre/Artera Stereo as the amplification. I was never tempted by the original A1as I suspected reliability issues but would like to hear the newer version driving my PMC Twenty5/23. I like the Quad very much indeed as it uses their proprietry current dumping design fed by a lower power class A section. The Artera combination has power and smoothness without losing any detail and I think it may sound like a Musical Fidelity A1 but with more power. Would love to see you do a comparison as i really rate your reviews, thank you.
Thank you. Great to learn about your experiences 😊👍
I still run a pair of Heathkit Cotswolds…..not the MFS but the original big square jobbies …..lovely speakers & still going strong (re capped).
Hi tarun, I had the MF A1 back in the 80s, also the A50 monoblocks, I used my A1 with a pair of neat petite speakers pioneer PD 75 cd player, wonderful sounding system, I'm glad to see the new amplifier being brought back, it looks far superior in build and component choice, your review brought back some great memories.
That is great. Thank you for sharing 👍
Thanks for the interesting review Tarun. Oh the class A magic!
Thank you 😊
The profile of the MF A1 reminds me of the Armstrong 600 series although they are very different designs. A friend had an Armstrong 621 integrated amplifier which I really enjoyed. I wanted the 625 receiver but it was way out of my budget in those days. I also have great memories of visiting dimly lit showrooms in TCR and elsewhere and always finding a friendly reception from the salesmen who were happy to share their thoughts and recommendations. Y
Thank you for sharing 😊
Excellent review sir! I've been waiting for this review. Likely try to get one on order.
Thank you Paul 😊👍
Great video as always...thanks. Have to say that my retro looking but recent purchase of a McIntosh MA9000 suits my B&W 803D3's down to the ground, the slight warmth of the Big Mac tempering the phorensic nature of the B&W's perfectly. Revealing of all recordings but without any hint of listener fatigue.
Thank you 😊
I am in agreement with your evaluation of Musical Fidelity A1 integrated amplifier. The price to performance ratio of this amplifier in terms of sound quality is A1 Sauce, the King George IV original A1 sauce (1824) in other words it is very much a pleasure to listen to and well worth the ticket price, the sauce makes the dish if you know what I mean. That said in direct comparisons to my reference power amp the McIntosh MC152 driven by the McIntosh MHA150 preamp stage the A1 sounds broken. The A1 is not a giant slayer but it is a keeper for sure. The REL Classic98 subwoofer and A1 paired together may give my reference rig a challenge for my attention but I don't own the Classic98 yet and I'm not a big fan of what subwoofers can do in terms of plate amplifier sound quality and integration from the mid tier of the REL lineup from previous experiences. Anyway I now have a better sense of your reviews thanks. P.S. I use a small fan to keep the A1 cool, if you leave this amp on for hours at a time it will become too hot to touch the top plate, kind of like an incandescent light bulb heat, but not burning hot, just hot enough for me to think this can not be good for the longevity of the amplifier, so I switch a fan on and off between listening sessions, using a small fan with this heat sink chassis design is very effective at thermal control, the warmth from the heat sink then becomes pleasant to my palm, it makes me want to touch the warmth and texture of the heat sink, in fact I'm in love with the overall visual and tactile feels, the blue glows and the hue of the blue colored fonts is very 1980's, the clickety click of the power switch is in itself a time warp to the 1980's, I love the design language of the A1! So forced air flow will certainly prolong the function of the internals. I consider this a quirk but I knew what I was getting into with class-A circuit topology.
Great to learn about your experiences 😊
Thank you for the detailed review, I'm seriously considering picking this up.
Cool 😎 and thx 😊
Great review. In describing its sound you could also be describing the Heed Obelisk si3, descendant from another 80’s design the Ion Obelisk. Advantage of the Heed is it barely runs warm, puts out 50 big watts without breaking sweat, and goes up a notch in resolution, depth, scale and authority with the optional X2 power amp PSU
Thank you 😊
As an owner of an A100 in the late 80s, I feel the love-hate relationship of yesteryear again. The MF sounded fantastic, got fantastically hot, so hot that I could prepare my Saturday morning breakfast on it. At least every 2 months one component burned out, so that after some time I knew the entire layout of the MF by heart. With a tear I sold the MF, I remember feeling like a bad father who sold his child. Much later I bought an A3cr power amplifier with a Tube Technology preamplifier. This combo introduced me for the first time to finesse, power and authority that I can still smell somewhere deep in my memory.
Great to learn about your experiences 😊
I have a lowly 1990 B200, which cost £300. It's all original, although I had to return it to MF in the 90's, after I burned-out the toroid, in a blasting contest with the neighbours! It's in mint condition, with instructions and original box. It's currently boxed-up ready for moving home.
Thx for sharing 😊
🙋♂️THANKS TARUN,🙏 FOR SHARING YOUR EARLY EXPERIENCE 😎…AND LOOK 👀 WHERE YOU ARE TODAY…ADDICTED 😅😂
Well said 👍
4:33 That 80000 μF is in reality 40000 μF per channel or 20000 μF per voltage rail. There's no difference in terms of whether it's class 'A' or class 'AB' in terms of filtering or power reserves since the only difference between class 'A' and class 'AB' is how far the transistors are biased into conduction; the more their biased into class 'A' the more quiescent current is being drawn by the output stage and because of the voltage drop across the the output transistor junctions the more power is dissipated (as heat). As music is played the output current will vary (output transistors provide current gain) but the quiescent current is not parasitic requiring "more in reserve".
I would like to suggest that you do a TH-cam Video with Mike Powell in Atlanta, Georgia. He has a TH-cam Channel called OCD Hifi Guy. In addition to his channel, he is a retailer of uber high end gear and you guys think in a very similar way. He can also help bring small English brands to America. Mike is also a manufacturer of cables and interconnects called Verastarr and can really explain what it takes takes to make great products. IMO, the two of you would have a good synergy and could present technical detail and engineering in a way that the audio consumer could really understand. I enjoy your channel and discover English brands I would not know about otherwise.
It's true that OCD Mikey seems to know a lot, but I found him somewhat dismissive in his comments section and even a tad sarcastic at times, especially if one has "inferior" gear. That's why I unsubscribed. Not saying he and Tarun wouldn't work well together, mind.
Thank you. I appreciate the suggestion 😊
I worked in a HiFi dealer for several years in the Home Counties when these were new. A Distinctive innovative, iconic and original British design, An intoxicating fluid sound, but damn they could be unreliable. Always sought after 2nd hand though ❤ Keep up the great work Tarun. (Wish the power on LED was red though)
I had an A100 at the time and it was a dog. The MM stage was unstable and went into oscillation when a light was switched on upstairs, blasting out the house with a high pitched scream and had to go back a few times. The last straw was when an output transistor went CE short and took out the bass driver of one of my Monitor Audio R852 speakers. I was at uni at the time and blew my grant on audio gear.
The A100 was the end of my association with Musical Fidelity.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I worked in hifi retail back in the day and sold a whole stack of these. If I remember correctly it cost £299 and had little competition at this price. Something like the Cyprus 2 was a similar price at £329 would offer greater detail and transient attack but could sound a bit hard and sterile in comparison. The A1 had a liquid midrange and superb imaging.
The only major downside to the A1 was it's reliability. I saw a lot come back in for servicing.
Hopefully Musical Fidelity have fixed this issue.
The new should be much better 😊
I still have a Cyrus2 and remember the day when carrying my amp with my Celestion Ditton 3 to the local store for trying to check a substitute for the Cyrus. At the time the only one that impressed me was the A1 but didn´t choose it for the low wattage, eh, I was young :)
Today, I'm glad they remake the A1 this way, with upgraded components and a very clean interior design, all in all, at a very reasonable price. Bravo Musical Fidelity, I'm really thinking that the moment to let my Cyrus2 rest a bit is arrived :)
Thanks for the video and for let us discovery the internal, as a technician is important to check also the component inside the machine.
I own a British fidelity A1 1984, one year before they change ''British'' for ''Musical'' and the dream came through 4 years ago. I pair it with Kef ls50 and i love it.
Interesting 🤔
Man, I’m really rooting for you to get reunited with your friend.
Thank you Travis 🙏👍
Ordered a A1 today. Really looking forward to hear this one.
Great. Please let me know how you get on 👍
It sounds really good. The soundstage is marvelous and it have a muscular sound until it can't deliver anymore. The bass is autorative and the whole ting sounds like a massive big amp, again until it can't deliver no more. Yes it have quite less power than I am used to. It is still enough for 95% of my listening. The sound on "normal " levels is really quite special. There is something emediate and real about it. My LS50 Metas sounds really good on this amp but I am tempted to try something a bit more effective, like the Vestlyd 12 or the Pylon Jade (maybe some homemade 1,5 way full range driver system as well(extra bass driver for baffelstep duties)).
The amp is quite less detailed than my Quad Artera pre/power but it has a really organic sound to it that I really like. I guess this will be my preffered amplifier onwards, but I need a more powerful amp for those last 5% when I want to wrench it up to some infant annihilator or Lorna Shore.
The amp I really liked was the kenwood kaf1030 in the late 90s it sounded really smooth and worked fantastically with b&w and mission speakers
That is great 👍
wowwwww, great review, great story telling, thanks again Tarun
Thank you kindly 😊👍
Another great review. Honestly, your vids take us on such informative journeys. A bit of wonderful escapism for part of my Saturday mornings! Ofcourse, now I can’t stop thinking about class A amplification 🙏🏼🙏🏼👍🏼
That is very much appreciated 😊👍
Wow very nice to hear they knocked this out of the park, this should go well with my klipsch rp500m 2s. Great review my friend.
Thank you buddy 👍
I did not expect from You enything less than second to none! I was right this time again.
In those days I also considered A1, and A100 ...and could not make easily any conclusion.
I sold many Years ago MF passive subwoofer... but kept till today MF X10D...just changed the Phillips valves for the Telefunken ones...Regards
Thank you for sharing 👍
Lovely review with the college reference history where you began a journey. Something many can relate to from experience. Class A at this price plus some tinkering which is no doubt in the future. Even though using old Class A tube monoblocks, this is a fun review. Think you're making very accessible efforts with a nice touch of history too.
Thank you my friend 😊👍
My first amplifier... Repaired and upgraded many times, new transistor, new condenser... Still alive, after 30 years... I love it.
Great to hear 👍
Great review, love the technical walk through!
Thank you. Much appreciated 😊👍
I had the original A1, and with the right-for it- speakers it could sound great, I did even have a pair of MF speakers, for a while. The problem, as I found, was the cost constraints MF, a rather small company, had meant cost cutting, especially components, as you mentioned, meant reliability was somewhat compromised. The transformer was not really big enough, so the power supply should have really had a bigger, higher current transformer, and lower voltage .
There was one very unfortunate, though thankfully rare mode of failure where the DC power supply got directly connected to the speakers, speakers don't like about 50V DC!
Thank you for sharing your experiences. The new one should be more reliable 😊
I think The British Audiophile channel is probably the best Audiophile TH-cam channel out there. In fact, I was a Patron for a while. The only thing I wish he would add is to list the tracks he used to evaluate the equipment. From my experience, some system combos can sound amazing with specific musical genres and less amazing with others. And although he gives a general overview of the sound signature it's still not enough for me to decide which product will work best for me and my musical tastes. It's his channel, so of course, he can do what he wants and good on him. I will certainly still keep watching and probably become a patron again, so keep up the great work, Turan.
Bought one just to try after Taruns video and some thinking and it plays very well with both my duevel enterprise omnis and specially with my small single driver/ full range speakers that I prefer over the menuet se.
Tarun is right on point on this one , it's outstanding.
Thank you. Great feedback 😊👍
Hi Tarun, love your reviews and wanted to follow up on your question regarding equipment of yesteryear. I was a MF fan and owned the 3A preamp and P140 power amp, I couldn’t afford two power amps. I still own my two little black beauties but as many MF owners of yesteryear know they weren’t alway the best thing out there and there were many rumors! One of which was the addition of high watt resisters across the power rails to generate heat, thereby making folks believe that they were getting something more. I had to repair my power amp and was a little less than thrilled when I got under the hood. I also owned a Cambridge Audio P100 integrated, would love to find another however highly unlikely. I purchased the MF after the P100 blew one output channel. Speakers at that time were Monitor Audio R452 MD’s. Back in the day they seemed very good, however, today compared to my Audio Vector R3,s they were not as good as I initially thought (of course there is a huge price difference so this is not meant as a complaint). I do still have them and am looking forward to having GR perform their magic on them and letting me know if they are worth upgrading. Also still own my Pioneer Elite F91 reference tuner, Nacamichi cassette deck. I do wish I’d kept my Akai GX400 and my Transcriptors Saturn TT or my Garrard 491 with SME. So much other good stuff in the past, Leak, Yamaha, Audiolab, Revox, Chilton……….. All t( above acquired over the years in Nottingham from hifi stores.
Keep up the great work.
Thank you Christopher 👍
I have pushed the like button even before the video started 😌
Very kind 👍
Amp seems well worth the cash and M.F always used Jamicon caps AFAIK. I used "to live" in Tottenham Court Road. Laskys was always good for hands-on investigations. Sony on Regent st, Lion House etc, was still going up there until the early-mid 00's when many shops started closing down.
I miss those days 😊
@@razisn I'm sure it was even better in the halcyon days of the 60s & 70s.
I have one of the final editions in chrome,one top plate(cooling surface and open sides).
Open and musical.
@@ToSanJa cool 😎
I still have the original at my dads. Had it repaired once but no longer working. But I loved the sound and am so tempted by this
Cool 😎
Your typical VERY informative review - direct to the point without the extra 2000 filler words in print magazines.
QUESTION: Any plans to review the new MF LS3/5a and commenting on construction, sound & parts quality vs Falcon?
Thanks again, Tarun!
Jim (Ohio, USA)
Thanks Jim. I hope to get to it in time 👍
Thank you for that review.
I never tried class A - probably this is my #1
Great 👍
Listened to it today with a pair of Dynaudio Contour 20i, could play plenty loud in my opinion. Very nice match.
Cool 😎
I really like Music Fidelity, I think they offer quality products at an affordable price. I use to own their X-Can V3 headphone amp. Gawd knows why I sold it!!??
I agree 😊
I always wanted one, amazing looks. I bought the MF Electra 100s and still have it, in fact it was upgraded by John Samson and I still use it when I want to explore other setups sounds amazing Another very good review from the one and only British Audiophile Tarun I remember Hi Fi Experience late 80s 1988 forwards for a while in the basement of Heals the furniture Co. I was there every opportunity I got 🤓
That is great. Thank you 😊👍
Great review on a brand I’m not very familiar with. Have seen them since the 90’s though. Seems to do just about everything very well. Well done !
Much appreciated 👍
Another excellent review. Thank you Tarun
Thank you kindly 😊👍
as usual, excellent review, thanks
Thank you kindly 😊👍
Im still using a Musical Fidelity B200 amp - T1 manual FM tuner - MC2 speakers Rega Planar 3 turntable all bought new in the mid 1980s. I would like your opinion on this set up in particular on how the amp compares with the original A1 and new A1. I love my system and still get a buzz everytime I listen to it, but I am now open to the idea of upgrades if there is a noticeable sonic improvement. I will put the new A1 on my list to hear. Will be going to the Hifi show in Ascot next week to listen to a range of equipment and hope to be impressed! We shall see.
Thank you for sharing. My impression is that the new A1 is quite a bit better than the old one 😊
Nice review as always. I also own the R 8 in love with it. Had a bad tube and was waiting for a replacrment. So I picked up locally a Luxman L 400 for $300. In the mid 80s this was a great integrated amp. To my suprise it rivals the R 8 killer bass better with 70s rock. I also miss the hi fi shops when I lived in NJ.Also the local mall had stores like Sam Goody loaded with hi fi and a listening room. Now live in Las Vegas there is 1 repair shop with some vintage equipment and a couple of high end Audio installer shops But no hi fi shops.A couple times a year I
Will go to Best buy they have a listening room and listen to the latest Keff and B & W and Martin logan speakers
Thank you for sharing 😊
One comment. The power supply capacitors are not for drawing current, they're more for smoothing demands in current. Depends on the exact implementation, but you could argue Class A demands fewer uFs than a Class AB in general, since the transistors are always on with Class A.
I’m sorry Craig,
a bit confused..
so are you saying potaytoe or potahtoe?😵💫
Not really because for same reservoir capacitance the high current bias of true Class A produces an amount of ripple all the time while Class AB produces as much only in equivalent power peaks.
My point was the biasing is constant, but maybe you're right, I'd have to bench test it..Either way I'd think 80,000uF is more than enough. Certainly looks like a formidable amp for the price @@somebodyx
@@CraigPhillipsB Bias aims to remain constant in all classes. Via thermal feedback to the bias spreader or Vbe multiplier etc. Else any amp is in danger of losing DC conditions control and eventually self destruct.
The subjectively special thing with true Class A is not so much about less output stage intrinsic distortion in my humble opinion because negative feedback takes good care of the various distortions in Class A/B too anyway.
Heavy current bias dominates the system making it less prone to following the program peaks with rails sag and modulation. Thus sounding more composed and calm. The penalty is of course inefficiency. Both in power output and dissipation. Actually a true Class A amp owes to draw same power from the wall no matter if idling or fully blasting the speakers.
This MF A1 edition looks better made than the original and its price isn't too bad given that nowadays classic hi-fi is marketed as a costly boutique affair in most cases.
I also had an MF A1 some 20 years ago here in Australia. Had to replace the power supply and did the mods with the fans to keep it a little cooler. Sounded superb with a set of Richard Allens and should with any decent bookshelf speakers. As you mentioned it's not a power house and I never drive any amp past halfway, causes to much damage to the sound amongst other things.
Gone through a couple of your reviews in the last couple of days and am very impressed on your honest and in depth reviews.
Thank you Michael 🙂
Very nice review, maybe someday you should review one of Musical Fidelity's CD players.
@@MALI1185 thx. I appreciate the suggestion 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Your welcome. The ones i have in mind specifically are the M2scd and the M3scd. Basically, when I get MY high end stereo, I would like to know how good those CD players are at scaling up to more pricey systems.
@@abritishaudiophile7314 Your welcome, The ones i have in mind are the m2scd and the m3scd.
Outstanding review as usual! I was curious if you would do a comparison to the original version vs the new in the future? And if you have found your friend from your college days yet? Thank you!
Thank you 👍 I haven’t found him yet 🤞
I had that amp , 229 new , I replaced it with the ax 100r , those were the days
Cool 😎
Just got mine. Perfect for soft night music with its generous serving of LFs!
That is great 👍
Can the A1 drive a 4ohm 86/87db speakers
@@carlosr.2027 yup but depending on how loud you want it to sing.
Btw, also read that it slides to AB when more power is demanded. Something to confirm
As much as I love my Parasound 2125v2 amp (150 wpc, 35 amps peak/channel), I want to upgrade (to take further advantage of my new Cardas Parsec RCA cables) to hear anything better that's
Thx for sharing 😊
@@abritishaudiophile7314 I've just noticed that the MF m6s PRX is missing a 12V trigger input so I've cancelled my order. For an expensive piece of equipment, that's a pretty glaring omission.
@@abritishaudiophile7314Instead of Musical Fidelity, i upgraded to the NAD c298 (lighter, cooler, more inputs/outputs, better specs)
my video th-cam.com/video/ncwCopnHJqA/w-d-xo.htmlsi=je1zKnn3NVGz5ict
I had the Musical Fidelity B1 amplifier, it was a real gutsy powerhouse with amazing bass. The class A amps weren't very reliable.
Someone told me Anthony Michaelson had a annoyed proclivity for using cheap components which failed prematurely. After he stepped back, their products improved in reliability. I can’t be certain of the truth of these claims however. I hav MF a308CRs and they are superb, possibly the best they made, maybe with the exception of the limited nu vista range.
Cool 😎
I do hope your old uni friend will receive your message and get in touch!
And, as always, great review - thanks.
Thank you on both accounts 👍👍
G’day mate from Oz, thanks for sharing beautiful review and I’m still enjoying my original A1 with my Ushers S520 they’re singing happily in my living room. Cheers!
Most welcome 😊👍
@@abritishaudiophile7314 thanks for sharing your early experiences and good old memories i can relate to those good old days ✌🏽😁
Thanks Tarun, lovely review, really informative.
I love the sound of class A but have found that my Dynaudio Evoke 20's don't, think I'd run into the same problems as your Pro Ac's unfortunately.
Keep em comin !
Thank you 👍
Back in the early 90's I was a poor student who window shopped at audio stores around Cape Town. There was a British audio salesman who patiently showed me around their audio rooms knowing that I cant afford to buy a component. He showed me a selection of amps of which one was Musical Fidelity and he played the same classical music over and over untill i got the difference. For years I couldnt remember the model name of the MF but when i saw the A1 i immediately recognised the design of the amp that impressed me so much, but of cos that was the older model. Im making it my mission to get the A1 as soon as its availble in SA. But that means a shift away from the Rega Brio or Elex R. So im wondering wether its to be compared at all. Your views will sway me🎉
That is a fantastic anecdote. Thank you for sharing 🙂 👍
Thanks!
Thank you Nathan. I appreciate your support 😊👍
Remember the A1 when it was out originally and I also had the Pre/Power version at home for a demo but that got even hotter with the mono block power amps 🥵 in the end I bought the Audiolab 8000C/P combo. Weirdly they were powering some Musical Fidelity MC-4's at the time.
Thank you for sharing 😊
I had the 8000c with 2 Rotel rb990bx
Had huge massive 27.000uf X4
180.000 microfarads
180W at 8ohm beyond insane power
Then sold the Rotel bought the pioneer m22 with 38.000uf x4 capisstors each weight at 5kg
sounds like a nice rainy-days amp, for the solid state crowd.
in my small space i favor AB or cooler-running topology, but as a secondary option for the wintertime? maybe!
i hope you reconnect with your friend
Thank you. I hope he sees the video 😊
Great review, Tarun and I thoroughly approve the rating, of course! So it’s a restomod as opposed to the Naim, which is a homage to the original.
This begs the question, why have the manufacturers bothered re-inventing this particular wheel over all these decades, if this original design can still achieve an “outstanding” in the face of the new competition? One might almost believe they were bringing out new stuff just to make us gear heads continually put our hands in our pockets.
As you know, I refurb amps regularly and the most recent project is a NAD 3130. It uses a dual opamp chip, where its little brother, the 3020A, I finished last month doesn’t. I’ll be interested to see if this “innovation” on the 3130 means it’s better or worse than its classic sibling.
Thank you Mark. I think you would enjoy the A1. As for old amps, I guess there is a reason I am still using 25 yr old Exposure Pre/Monos as a reference 😉👍
I just listened to/watched your review on the CHoco amp....very informative. I was
particularly interested in your overview of the internal parts/construction. I got
so much clearer as to what that amp is all about and the same can be said about
this review of the MF A1. From what you have said along with others, I do think I
might enjoy this amp relevant to the speakers I'd like (Zoo DW) and the kind of music
I listen to. (at mid to low volume). I still have a bit to learn about this amp. The heat
does not concern me as I live in Canada but the heat does concern me as far as
the amp's longevity. Most appreciative of your informative and enjoyable reviews Tarun.
Keep up the excellent work.
Thank you kindly. Longevity concerns with class A amps are valid. This version seems to have decent heat management. That should help a lot, but time will tell. It sounds lovely, though. From that perspective it is a real bargain 🙂
Nice video. Only I fail to see why one should buy this one in stead of a Quad 909 and refurb it with e.g. Mundorfs for UK 800. The first Watt of that one is class A too.
Thank you for sharing 😊