Musical Fidelity M6si Chrome Edition

M6si Chrome Edition - Overview

The M6si is now available in a very limited Chrome Special Edition. Offering the same sonic excellence as the M6si, this limited special edition now shines in an expertly manufactured, spotless Chrome finish. A feast for eyes and ears.

At Musical Fidelity we think of the M6si as being a destination product. The M6si offers such excellent performance, facilities and power that unless you are seeking the most exotic high-end sound quality you would never need another amplifier. We believe it’s that good.

Internally, the M6si is configured as 2 independent monobloc power amps with a separate pre amp. It is, in fact, a pre amp with 2 monobloc power amps that just happen to share the same casework.

The M6si has 220wpc. It has very low distortion, outstanding noise ratio and extremely flat frequency response. Its inputs are phono (MM/MC), 4 line level, 1 balanced XLR and 1 USB ‘B’ up to 24bit 96kHz asynchronous.

The M6 combination of high power, high current and extraordinary stability means that it can drive any loudspeaker with ease.

In use it is hard to hear any practical difference between the M6si and other much more expensive amplifiers. In proper blind listening comparisons, the M6si performs incredibly well. If we sound rather enthusiastic it’s because we are.

We felt that the original M6i’s package size, power and price were spot on.  What was needed was the addition of extra input facilities and, if possible, an all round improvement of technical performance.  By the way, despite endless component price rises during the M6i’s life, we didn’t alter its selling price.  This made our final requirement even harder; the M6si should not be significantly more expensive than the outgoing model.

First we determined to use Musical Fidelity’s exclusive SMD layout techniques.  This reduced the size of the circuit’s footprint and gave us greatly increased flexibility with internal layout.  Consequently the new M6si is configured as a pre amp with two completely separate and independent monobloc power amps.  The M6si is a proper pre amp with its own separate regulated power supply and discrete monobloc power amps, sharing same casework.  This is a big change from the outgoing M6i.  The M6si’s technical performance is a significant advance on the old model.

The M6si performs immaculately.  Because of its pre amp with two monobloc power amp configuration both channels perform virtually identically, just what you would expect from a pre amp with separate power amps and not what you would expect from a normal integrated amplifier.  The M6si is a cut above everything else.

Distortion is very low at less than 0.005%.  More tellingly, HF distortion is incredibly low.  At 10 kHz about 0.006% and at 20 kHz an astonishing 0.007%.

The vast majority of amplifiers suffer huge increases in distortion as you go up in frequency.  The M6si’s meticulous PCB and circuit design means that HF performance is virtually identical to the LF performance.  This is significant for sound quality.

Channel separation is remarkable, and remarkably consistent.  Most amplifiers (integrated or pre/power) have dramatically worsening cross talk with increasing frequency.  The M6si cross talk is outstanding and even at 20 kHz it is better than 82dB.

The phono stage is also special.  It has very accurate RIAA, within ± 0.5dB from 20 Hz to 20 kHz.  Also it maintains its accuracy right out to 50 kHz.  The MM noise ratio is an outstanding 93dB down whilst the MC stage is, perhaps even more amazingly, about 87dB down.  The phono stage distortion is a very low 0.01%.  All in all the M6si’s phono stage is exceptional.

The 24 bit 96 kHz asynchronous USB input uses exactly the same circuitry and technology as our highly regarded V-Links and other top quality computer interfaces. Jitter is virtually eliminated. Noise is incredibly low and distortion virtually non-existent. The M6si’s USB input is capable of dredging the finest details from the computer source. 

We love the M6si and hope that you do too.

M6si Stream In Brief

• High-end circuitry from our TITAN amplifier
• Fully discrete transistor based Class A/B power amp design
• Two independent monoblocs with a separate preamp
• Drives power hungry speakers with ease and gracefully manages low impedance dips
• 220W/8 Ohm & 380W/4 Ohm output power
• Extreme power reserves for proper peak power delivery and wide dynamic range
• HT-input: bypassed preamp-stage allows connecting home-theater processors to use your M6si as ultimate L/R channel amp
• Low noise design for best THD and signal integrity at low as well as high levels
• High quality Burr-Brown stepped attenuator for better channel matching than conventional potentiometer designs
• Pre Out for bi-amping with M6sPRX or active subwoofer connection
• USB input with meticulously careful digital circtuitry layout to minimize HF interference
• Phono input for turntables with MM and MC cartrdiges
• Uncompromising metal work in typical Musical Fidelity tradtion
• Heavy front, side and top panels milled from extruded aluminium profiles
• Clean, stunning and indestructable metal exterior protects against electromagnetical interference