Musical Fidelity M6s Preamplifier

A Class A Preamp That Already Has Your Phono Stage

Musical Fidelity builds the M6s PRE fully balanced, from the input sockets to the output sockets. It runs Class A throughout. That is the expensive way to make a preamplifier, and it is the reason this one weighs 11.4kg and measures 440 by 126 by 400mm.

The input list covers a full system. Four RCA line pairs and two balanced XLR pairs take your components. A USB type B socket takes a computer directly. An MM/MC phono input takes a turntable, so vinyl needs nothing extra.

Outputs run to three. A variable XLR pair and a variable RCA pair feed power amplifiers. A fixed RCA pair feeds a recorder. Home theater bypass is available on the balanced and line inputs alike, and an infrared remote is in the box.

Where the Class A Bill Comes Due

The measurements show what the balanced path buys. Distortion reads 0.005% through the RCA outputs. Through the XLR outputs it drops to 0.0004%. Signal-to-noise beats 96dB A-weighted, and channel separation matches it at better than 96dB.

Frequency response runs 10Hz to 80kHz, within a decibel. Output impedance sits at 47 ohms, low enough to drive a long cable without losing the top end. Maximum output is 9.5V through RCA and 19V balanced. No power amplifier will ask for more than that.

The phono stage is a real one, not a token. Sensitivity is 3.5mV for moving-magnet cartridges and 440 microvolts for moving-coil. Loading is 47k ohms on MM. The overload margin runs to 29dB, which is what keeps a hot cartridge from clipping the input on loud passages.

Who Is This Preamplifier Best For?

• You are done buying boxes — the phono stage and the USB input are already inside. A turntable and a computer both connect without another component on the shelf.
• Your amplifiers live across the room — 19V of balanced output and a 47-ohm output impedance push a long XLR run. The top end arrives intact.
• You switch between a lot of sources — four RCA pairs and two XLR pairs give you six line inputs. Nothing gets unplugged to make room for something else.
• You run a home theater too — bypass is available on the balanced and the line inputs. A processor drives your front speakers at its own level, and your two-channel setup stays as you left it.
• You want to plug a TV or CD transport in digitally — USB is the only digital input here; there is no optical or coaxial socket. Add one of our digital-to-analog converters on a line input and every digital source in the house comes through.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Run the variable XLR outputs to your power amplifier, or the variable RCA pair if it is single-ended. Line sources fill the four RCA pairs and the two XLR pairs. A turntable goes into the phono socket with its ground wire, and a computer plugs into the USB port.

The fixed RCA output stays at one level for a recorder. Set an input to home theater bypass and a surround processor shares your main speakers. One remote handles the rest.

Pairs Well With

Building around the M6s PRE? Here are some great companions:

• Power Amplifier: Give the balanced outputs a partner — see our Amplifiers.
• Turntable: The phono stage is already fitted — see our Turntables.
• Interconnects: Balanced cable suits a long run — see our Interconnect Cables.
• Speakers: Finish the system — see our Floorstanding Speakers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does it have a built-in phono stage?

Yes. It takes moving-magnet and moving-coil cartridges, at 3.5mV and 440 microvolts sensitivity, with 47k-ohm loading on MM.

Can I connect a computer?

Yes, through the USB type B socket on the back. It takes a standard printer-style USB cable from a Mac or PC.

Is it really fully balanced?

Yes. The balanced path runs from the input sockets all the way to the output sockets, in Class A, rather than being converted at the jacks.

What outputs does it have?

A variable balanced XLR pair, a variable RCA pair, and a fixed-level RCA pair for recording.

Does it work with a home theater system?

Yes. Home theater bypass is offered on the balanced and the line-level inputs, so a processor passes through at fixed level to your front speakers.

What size is it, and what finishes are there?

440 by 126 by 400mm, and 11.4kg, in black or silver. Leave clearance behind the rack for XLR plugs.

See It in Action

A close look at the M6s PRE and its connections:

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