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Five Stars - Hi-Fi World Magazine
The Return of an Audiophile Favorite
Musical Fidelity's A1 integrated amp was a hi-fi legend, and audiophiles around the world were disappointed when the British-based company finally discontinued it to make way for new designs.
The great news is that the A1 is back again, and boy howdy does it keep up with the times. Musical Fidelity went all out with the redesign, not only by adding a USB interface, but also in its beautiful implementation of the A1's 36-watts-per-channel power delivery.
"Wonderful, Seamless Clarity"
In its November 2008 issue, England's Hi-Fi World magazine gave the A1 its top rating of Five Stars. "Exceptionally sweet and open sound from this retro-styled, pure 'Class A' marvel. Superb value for what it does." According to the review, "This amplifier is one of the lowest for distortion we've ever measured, and this manifests itself as wonderful, seamless clarity."
The result is a brand new integrated amplifier that's fully equipped for making the most of today's demanding source material. At the same time, it draws clear inspiration from its much-loved predecessor. It's unmistakably an A1.
Designed to Deliver Superlative Sound
The new A1 is designed to deliver superlative sound. All aspects of its circuitry and layout have been designed to this end. Conceptually the circuit elements are similar to Musical Fidelity's revered kW Series. The only difference is that the A1 has less power and is a more compact package.
Within its power range, the sound quality of the A1 is equal to anything from anywhere. Pair it with a relatively modest pair of loudspeakers and you'll get exquisite sound. The 'Class A' bias yields sweet, accurate, and fluid sound quality.
Lots of Inputs, Including Phono and USB
The A1 has a wide range of inputs, including USB, four line stage inputs (one with home theatre bypass), and a fully configured tape loop. It also includes a phono input for the built-in, high-quality and ultra-quiet moving magnet phono stage. The USB input makes it easy to connect your computer or any other USB audio gear.
And speaking of connectivity ease, the home theater bypass makes the A1 especially convenient to integrate into your home theater system. The fully configured tape loop is a classical audiophile perk that can be used with three-headed machines.
Owner’s Manual (540k PDF)  | 
