Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl Phono Preamplifier

A fully balanced and fully discrete flagship phonostage with MM/MC support, 40 dB to 69 dB gain, RIAA/DECCA/COLUMBIA EQ, selectable cartridge loading, XLR and RCA inputs, and balanced and unbalanced outputs

The Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl is the flagship phono preamplifier in Musical Fidelity’s M range, built for serious analog systems that need wide cartridge compatibility, very low noise, and flexible balanced and single-ended connectivity. It is fully balanced and fully discrete, with separate amplifier stages for each channel’s positive and negative signal paths.

Inside, the M8x Vinyl uses a three-part gain stage with fully class-A discrete transistor circuitry, followed by split-passive equalization. In addition to standard RIAA equalization, it also provides DECCA and COLUMBIA curves for records that benefit from those alternative EQ settings. A switchable two-step subsonic filter gives you off, mild, and standard settings for managing low-frequency record warp and rumble.

Cartridge loading is unusually flexible. Each RCA and XLR input can be set independently for MM or MC operation, with its own gain and loading settings stored per input. MM gain is adjustable from 40 dB to 49 dB, while MC gain is adjustable from 60 dB to 69 dB. MM capacitance is selectable from 50 pF to 400 pF, and MC impedance is selectable from 5 ohms to 47 kohms.

The power supply is designed around Musical Fidelity’s Super Silent Power Transformer, with discrete input power filtering and DC blocking circuitry. The encapsulated toroidal transformer, symmetrical low-noise power supplies, and passive filtering are all designed to keep noise away from the very small signals coming from a phono cartridge.

The chassis follows the massive M8-series construction, with front, side, and top panels milled from extruded aluminum profiles. The rigid aluminum casework helps resist vibration and acts as a shield against external electromagnetic fields, while the front panel gives direct access to source, cartridge type, loading, EQ curve, subsonic filter, and gain settings.

Features

• Fully balanced and fully discrete phono preamplifier design
• Three-part gain stage with class-A discrete transistor circuitry
• MM and MC cartridge support
• MM gain settings: 40 dB, 43 dB, 46 dB, 49 dB
• MC gain settings: 60 dB, 63 dB, 66 dB, 69 dB
• Split-passive RIAA, DECCA, and COLUMBIA equalization
• Switchable subsonic filter with off, mild, and standard settings
• Two RCA inputs and two balanced XLR inputs
• One RCA output and one balanced XLR output
• Separate output stages allow RCA and XLR outputs to be used simultaneously
• Selectable MM capacitance and MC impedance loading
• Load settings stored separately for each input
• Super Silent Power Transformer
• Discrete input power filtering and DC blocking circuitry
• Rigid aluminum M8-series chassis construction

Specifications

Type: MM/MC phono preamplifier

Design: Fully balanced, fully discrete

MM Gain (XLR Outputs): 40 dB, 43 dB, 46 dB, 49 dB

MM Frequency Response: ±0.2 dB

MM Input Sensitivity: 5 mV in for 500 mV out 

MM Input Impedance: 47 kohms

MM Input Capacitance: 50 pF to 400 pF, selectable

MM THD (At 1 kHz): <0.005%

MM Overload Margin: 32 dB

MM Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >102 dB, A-weighted, at 40 dB

MC Gain (XLR Outputs): 60 dB, 63 dB, 66 dB, 69 dB

MC Frequency Response: ±0.2 dB

MC Input Sensitivity: 500 µV in for 500 mV out 

MC Input Impedance: 5 ohms to 47 kohms, selectable

MC Input Capacitance: 400 pF, fixed

MC THD (At 1 kHz): <0.008%

MC Overload Margin: 32 dB

MC Signal-to-Noise Ratio: >90 dB, A-weighted, at 60 dB

EQ Curves: RIAA, DECCA, COLUMBIA

Subsonic Filters: Off, mild (IEC), standard (at 20 Hz with 18 dB/octave)

Inputs: 2x RCA, 2x XLR

RCA Output: Unbalanced, left and right, 500 mV nominal, 5 V maximum

XLR Output: Balanced, left and right, 1 V nominal, 10 V maximum

Power Consumption: 20 W maximum, <0.5 W in standby

Dimensions (WHD): 19" x 4" x 15" (483 x 102 x 381 mm)

Weight: 23.4 lb. (10.6 kg)