Musical Fidelity M3x Vinyl - Phono Stage

The M3x ViNYL

It is a MM/MC phono stage of very high audio performance, in an elegant modern design and built without placing any limits.

The design ensures that the input stage cannot be overloaded or capacity limitations in its output stage cannot be encountered.

It features a single unbalanced RCA input/output that can be set to MM/MC.

The build quality and sound performance are similar to its bigger brother, the M6x Vinyl.

Discrete Circuitry The M3x ViNYL has a completely discrete circuitry, to the benefit of the sound and technical dimensions.

A discrete circuit is made up of several separate, individual electronic components, also called “discrete components.”

These can be "passive" components, such as resistors, capacitors and inductors, as well as "active" ones which in our case are transistors.

The opposite of this would be an integrated circuit, which uses operational amplifiers (Op-Amps) in the signal path.

In the hi-fi sector, Op-Amps designed for audio applications are commonly used, which allow for the creation of smaller and more efficient electronic circuits, as well as saving designers time.

However, countless hours of listening tests and years of experience have shown that even the best Op-Amps are not as neutral, natural and dynamic as a discrete circuit.

For this reason Musical Fidelity has decided to create a completely discrete circuit for this phono stage, using hundreds of individual components instead of a few dozen operational amplifiers.

Toroidal Power Transformer The special toroidal transformer made to audio specifications, with low core saturation, helps to keep electromagnetic emissions very low, essential for a respectable phono stage.

Furthermore, the signal amplification circuit is completely shielded, through a mechanical separation, from the power supply stage, to the advantage of an incredibly high signal/noise ratio.

For the first time in a MF product, our new power stage is implemented which in stand-by has no consumption. Absolutely zero!

Separate passive equalization Many phono stages use a single equalization network, even for the feedback loop.

The amplified signal from the phono preamplifier output is fed back to its input.

Normally the feedback loop is not synonymous with quality, far from Musical Fidelity standards anyway.

The M3x ViNYL uses separate passive equalization for the amplification stages, and without feedback, for both its RIAA and DECCA curves.

It is certainly a more expensive and complicated circuit design to realize, but it guarantees the accuracy of the ideal equalization curve.

M3x Vinyl – Technical Features

• MM entrance

• Frequency response: RIAA or RIAA/IEC ±0.2dB

• Input sensitivity: 5mV in for 500mV out (at 1kHz)

• Input impedance: 47KΩ

• Input capacitance: 50-400pF selectable

• Gain: 40 or 46dB with +6dB function

• THD+N: <0.028%

• Signal to noise ratio: 71dB

• Separation: > 100dB MC input

• Frequency response: RIAA or RIAA/IEC ±0.3dB

• Input sensitivity: 500μV in for 500mV out (at 1kHz)

• Input impedance: 25Ω to 1.2KΩ selectable

• Gain: 60 or 66dB with +6dB function

• THD+N: <0.28%

• Signal to noise ratio: 59dB

• Separation: > 90dB Output

• 1 RCA: left and right 500mV nom 10V max Power supply

• 230V/115V AC 50/60Hz, internally selectable

• Consumption: 20 Watts max, 0W in standby Weights and dimensions

• Weight of single unit: 6.59 kg

• Dimensions (WxHxD): 440 x 105 x 390mm (feet and connectors included)