Musical Fidelity M5SI, Integrated Amplifier with MM Phono-Stage silver

Musical Fidelity M5SI, Integrated Amplifier with MM Phono-Stage

M5si – Overview

The MUSICAL FIDELITY M5si is a classic integrated amplifier and the actual successor to the legendary A1. It creates the connection between the top devices in the M3 line and our uncompromising devices in the M6 ​​line. The nice thing about it for you: apart from the size and a few watts of amplifier power, it is almost the same design as the large M6si. Its award-winning sound, its extremely complete features including phono and USB input and its attractive appearance make the M5si a BEST BUY regardless of its market environment.

Because of its complex preamplifier / power amplifier configuration, it produces large, stable sound images with an effortless, clear, very fine resolution. His basses have huge penetrating power and a punch with high-speed attitude. All in all, the M5si offers true high-end sound quality with a wide range of useful inputs - a compact package, reliable and at a fair price. The trade magazine Hifi & Records summed it up: “A first-class music machine.” And the trade magazine Audio: “The master musician!”

M5si – Technical background

Like all new amplifier designs from MUSICAL FIDELITY, the M5si works entirely with boards using SMD technology. This significantly reduces the size of a circuit board and allows the developer much greater flexibility in circuit design. As a result, we were able to design the M5si as a preamplifier with two completely separate and independent monoblock power amplifiers. So here we are dealing with a real preamplifier with a separately regulated power supply plus discrete monoblock power amplifiers that only share one housing. Because of its configuration of a preamplifier with two monoblock power amplifiers, both channels work almost completely independently of each other - which is what you would actually expect from a preamplifier with separate power amplifiers, but not from a normal integrated amplifier. With 150 watts of power per channel at 8 ohms with distortion of less than 0.010%, the M5si confidently drives almost every loudspeaker to its maximum performance. The current delivery capacity of 62 amps and the damping factor of 36 across the entire frequency range do the rest. The integrated phono stage is also outstanding. It has very precise RIAA equalization, which deviates just ± 0.5 dB from 20 Hz to 20 kHz. The asynchronous 24 bit / 96 kHz USB input connects to a PC, notebook or MAC and enables very high-quality playback of modern media with the shortest and optimally coordinated signal paths.

The elegant case is ultra-solid and manufactured with the highest precision. The massive heat sinks enable the power amplifier to always work under optimal temperature conditions thanks to their special, horizontal design.

The trade press is also convinced of the M5si concept. The specialist magazine Audio writes: “Here we are celebrating an extraordinary component. He brings deep bass information straight to the point. Plus the feeling for singing voices. A wonderful master musician who intervenes in the sound with both joy and precision.”

The high-end magazine Hifi & Records states: “The MUSICAL FIDELITY succeeds in removing itself and the entire system from the playback and putting the music at the center. You allow yourself to be drawn into its sound sphere without resistance. This could be another amplifier that people will still be raving about in twenty years. A first-class music machine.”

The online magazine LowBeats states: “It does everything right: sounds sonorous, has a tremendous amount of power and pulling power, a fine transparency and a high degree of neutrality. The workmanship and casing quality is beyond any doubt. The MUSICAL FIDELITY M5si is the ultimate ratio.”

The hi-fi trade magazine Stereo concludes: “Word has probably gotten around over the past 30 years that MUSICAL FIDELITY knows how to build amplifiers. The M5si reproduces what is required in fine resolution, the lower registers live, breathe, oscillate finely in and out - long-term listening is a pleasure. Its sound is the perfect refinement of music – and at a very tasty price.”

And finally the specialist magazine stereoplay: “The MUSICAL FIDELITY M5si is a competent, powerful amp. It combines its speed and dynamics with a great sense of atmosphere. Music sounds coherent and harmonious, he follows fast bass lines effortlessly, and he presents details and nuances without forcing them on the listener. Pressure and control meet convincing spatiality and a great sense of atmosphere.”

Specifications

• Output power: 150 W / channel or 35 volts RMS at 8 ohms (76 V max.)
• Current delivery capability: 62 amps
• Damping factor: 36
• Total distortion: less than 0.010% across the entire listening range
• Signal-to-noise ratio: > 100dBA
• Inputs:
• 3x RCA/Cinch analog high level
• 1x RCA/Cinch analog switchable directly to the power amplifier
• 1x RCA/Cinch Phono MM
• Grounding: 4mm banana/cable lug/bare
• 1x USB type “B”
• Phono input:
• RIAA equalized, +/- 1dB 20hz – 20kHz,
• Sensitivity: 3mV (suitable for MM pickups
• 1.5mV output voltage or high output MC)
• USB input: up to 24bit, 96kHz AAC, FLAC, WAV, MP3
• Outputs:
• 1 pair of speaker terminals banana/cable lug/blank
• 1x RCA/Cinch fixed level (LINE OUT)
• 1x RCA/Cinch variable level (PRE OUT)
• TRIGGER IN / OUT: 3.5mm mono jack (IN: 4.5 to 15 V DC / OUT: 12 V DC)
• Power supply: 115/230 volts, 50 or 60hz
• Power consumption: < 0.5 watts in standby, 450 watts maximum
• Dimensions W x H x D (mm): 440 x 100 x 405
• Weight: 14.6 kg (18.8 kg gross)

Finishes: Silver or Black