Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista DAC Digital-to-Analog Converter - Black

Eight Tubes Between the Chips and Your Amplifier

The Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista DAC is the company's flagship converter. Its defining feature is what sits after the conversion. Eight 7586 nuvistor triodes form a balanced Class A buffer stage. What reaches your amplifier has passed through valves, not another op-amp.

Conversion is handled by two ES9038Q2M chips in dual mono, one per channel, with eight selectable digital filters. Digital and analog sections get their own power supplies, fed by a low-noise toroidal transformer.

Six Ways In, and All of Them Serious

Three optical inputs, a coaxial, an AES/EBU and a USB Type B cover the back panel. An I2S input sits alongside them for a matching transport. The USB input reaches 768kHz PCM and native DSD512. MQA decodes fully in hardware.

Outputs come as a balanced XLR pair at 4V and an RCA pair at 2V. Each switches between fixed and variable. Set them variable and the Nu-Vista runs a power amplifier directly, with no preamplifier in the chain at all. Set them fixed and it behaves as a source.

Where Twenty-One Kilos Goes

Total correlated jitter is held under 100 femtoseconds. Signal-to-noise measures better than 120dB A-weighted at 1kHz, distortion under 0.003%, and channel separation better than 130dB at 10kHz. Linearity holds within 0.5dB down to -130dB.

Why Nuvistors, and Not Just Any Valve

The 7586 is a metal-cased miniature triode. It was built for reliability and low microphony rather than for glow. Musical Fidelity uses it here as a low-impedance output stage, which is why output impedance stays under 10 ohms despite the valves.

The chassis measures 483 by 188 by 510mm and weighs 21.5kg. Consumption is 40 watts at maximum, and under half a watt in standby. Trigger in and out are fitted. So are power connections for the optional Nu-Vista Uni PSU, which is sold separately.

Who Is This DAC Best For?

• You have chased the last of the digital edge — a balanced Class A nuvistor stage is a different answer than another op-amp. It is the reason this DAC exists.
• Your system runs balanced — the 4V XLR pair and sub-10-ohm output impedance drive long cable runs, so the interconnect stays out of the way.
• You want to remove the preamplifier — fixed and variable outputs mean the Nu-Vista can be your volume control, so one box and one interconnect leave the system.
• Your library is everything at once — 768kHz PCM, native DSD512 and full hardware MQA decoding mean nothing in your collection needs converting before it plays.
• If the music comes off a network, add a streamer — there is no Ethernet, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth on board. One of our Music Streamers feeds the AES/EBU or coaxial input and the Nu-Vista does the rest.

How Does It Connect to Your System?

Computer on USB, streamer on AES/EBU, disc player on coaxial. Televisions and consoles go across the three optical inputs. Run balanced XLR to your power amplifier where you can. Then choose fixed if a preamplifier handles volume, or variable to let the Nu-Vista do it.

Give it a shelf that will take the weight, and leave it powered.

Pairs Well With

Building a system around the Nu-Vista DAC? These are the natural companions:

• Music Streamer: Puts your library on the digital inputs — see our Music Streamers.
• Interconnects: Balanced XLR cables worthy of the output stage — see our Interconnect Cables.
• Power Cables: For a component with its own separate supplies — see our Power Cables.
• Audio Rack: A shelf rated for 21.5kg — see our Audio Racks.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the nuvistors actually doing?

Eight 7586 triodes form the balanced Class A buffer between the converter and the outputs. They are the analog stage, not a tone control.

Which digital inputs does it have?

Three optical, one coaxial, one AES/EBU, one USB Type B and an I2S input. The S/PDIF and AES inputs run to 24-bit/192kHz, MQA to 384kHz and DoP DSD64.

What does the USB input support?

PCM to 768kHz, DSD256 over DoP and native DSD512, with full MQA decoding in hardware. It needs USB 2.0 or higher on the computer.

Can it replace my preamplifier?

Yes. Switch the XLR or RCA outputs to variable and the Nu-Vista controls level, so a power amplifier or active speakers connect directly.

What is the Nu-Vista Uni PSU?

An outboard power supply Musical Fidelity sells separately. The DAC has the connections for it and works fully without it.

How much room does it need?

483 by 188 by 510mm and 21.5kg, so a deep, well-supported shelf rather than a standard component space.

See It in Action

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