Musical Fidelity A1 Class A Integrated Amplifier Retro Review
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- Опубликовано: 13 мар 2022
- This episode sees Michael Evans and David Price have a heated debate over Musical Fidelity's classic A1 integrated amplifier.
A full Class A design by tube legend Tim de Paravicini, in a striking nineteen eighties modernist case by Kenneth Grange - made possible by the vision of Antony Michaelson. What's not to like?
The guys agree that the sound is seriously special, although they're not convinced by its reliability record. That said, what Brit amp of that period was bulletproof?
Each episode of Mike and Dave's Hi-Fi Riff features their unedited, unexpurgated views about all manner of weird and/or wonderful hi-fi designs.
Mike has a huge wealth of knowledge from his hi-fi retail years, and David’s written about hi-fi for thirty years. Now Editor-in-Chief of StereoNET, he's picked up a few tips along the way.
So relax and enjoy some one-take hi-fi riffing - and do leave your comments below.
Don’t forget to hit the Subscribe button, this one goes up to eleven!
The eighties-tastic title tune is called ‘UFO/Mike’s Jumper’, and used with the express permission of our old pal and rights holder Simon Lythe.
To read David's paean of praise to this 'toppermost of the poppermost' eighties audio icon, click here;
zstereo.co.uk/2013/03/17/musi...
PS - David’s A1 was expertly refurbished by:
www.amprepairservices.com/mus...
Got one now , Warm , transparent, and gutsy .
Thanks for this memory! I had an A1 way back in the day, driving some MC 4s and remember the built in George Foreman grill with a smile.
Had an A1 when they first came out - loved it. Great warm sound with Mission speakers - and really helped sweeten those early Philips CD players. Sadly it was stolen when my house was broken into in 1989. Still mourning the loss after 30 years!! A few years ago I bought an A1 Final Edition from a local dealer, which I believe was based on the B200
I had 2 back in the day I even remember leaving my tea or coffer cup on the top to keep it warm , I used it to drive my Wharfedale 515 speakers :)
That was a class act of an amp, my friend went that way I went with Quad, but we both had Mission speakers and Mission Turntables at the front
Really enjoyed your relaxed review style guys. Having owned a small Technics SA100L receiver in the early 80's, running into Wharfdale Linton XP2, and then Monitor Audio R352 speakers, I was looking for an upgrade and went for a NAD amp from City HiFi Canterbury. After a couple of days using it at home I contacted the dealer saying I wasn't happy as the NAD gave me nothing more over the old Technics amp other than a higher output. They said to bring it back and try something else. They said I might like to try the new MF A1 which I did and it was a huge step up in sound quality. Loved it - but as you say it ran very hot... The selector switch would often slip rather than select a different source, so I had to turn the amp off and let it cool down, ( so the thermoplastic part of the switch could re-solidify!), Worked well with the sensitive speakers until one day a major transistor failure blew the bass cone of my R352 on one channel. Obtained s replacement driver and a friend repaired the MF A1 and also installed a micro cooling fan at one end of the box tube section that runs through the centre of the amp. The MF A1 is boxed up in my loft now, for the past 20 years. Since then my HiFi journey has encountered many eBay amps and speakers through Quad, Arcam, and Linn but I have gone back to Musical Fidelity, M6i and M6CD and am happy running them through a pair of PMC PB1i Speakers. Looking forward to more reviews guys - thanks again!
please to see and hear Mr Price in the flesh here after years of enjoying his work at Hifi World.
I've still got my A1, fully recapped with a new alps blue velvet volume pot and selector switch.. Running a pair of Musical fidelity reference 4 speakers.. Match made in audio heaven. Great video lads.
I love this little amp, i have one and mine is name British Fidelity A1 before they change for Musical. For me it's a iconic amp.
I love the styling of this amp - much better looking that the MF B1. Why on earth did they not put it in a larger case to better control the temperature though? Pure madness! BTW I like the Rush album sleeves on the wall 🙂 👌🏻
Had an A1, for som years with LP 12 and ProAc minitower. Sweet system
I owned one, replaced the volume pot twice because of overheat (the last potentiometer was an alpine $$), and eventually it kind of overheated for good - too dangerous to use without surveillance. Sigh ... it was nice while it worked.
A resurrected Musical Fidelity A1 integrated amplifier was presented at the High End Munich show a few days ago! 🔥🥂👍
I had one the buttons actually got stuck due to the heat
Hi David, could you please review the MF A1 (2008) and compare it with the old A1?
Got a A1-x [later model with the holes in the side] and A 100 They both have such a sweet sound. I put blocks of wood under the feet of the amps to get a bit more airflow to try to deal with the heat and don't run them in summer [I live in Australia] The speakers I use are Spendor A2'S and the amps drive them easily
Very enjoyable conversation, gents. Looking forward to some more!
Thank you so much ! Subscribed love the story behind the retro review
Not heard one of these but intriguing enough to buy one off eBay 🤞it works ok.
Ace amp. Bought mine on ebay having heard one in a local vinyl music shop. Shop owner wouldn't part with his. Mine needs a service but can't bear to take it out of use! Other amp is home built RH84 single ended pentode making about 4 watts. Power isn't everything...