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Musical Fidelity M8xTT
M8xTT - Overview
Antony Michaelson‘s idea of music was big scale, warm and mighty with details in colours. His amplifier creations are a rare expression of this sound character. In 2002 Antony asked Mr. Lichtenegger to help with a design with all these attributes. Also, the design was very important and should match the mechanically stunning amplifiers. The Musical Fidelity M1 was born and a great success. The base idea was to combine the inert mass of metal alloys with zero resonating acrylic. The motor was effectively decoupled from the tonearm and platter with the dual chassis construction. The new M8xTT is following the same design philosophies with even more expressive technical features.
The Tonearm
The 10-inch tonearm is a complete new ultra low resonance Musical Fidelity design with transparent acrylic bearing ring and conical aluminium tonearm tube. The tonearm is fully VTA and azimuth adjustable and comes with two counterweights to use it with cartridges from 6 to 20g. The counterweights are TPE damped to prevent resonances. On the back you can find standard phono RCA outputs, as well as balanced XLR sockets which gives you ultimate flexibility for your phono preamplifier choice.
The Motor & Platter
The motor is sitting in on a special foam in the lower level acrylic plinth to decouple it from the platter and the tonearm. The electronic speed control allows you to switch between 33 & 45 RPM. A silicon belt connects the motor and the two floor TPE damped platter, which is made of aluminium with additional inserts to improve the flywheel effect.
The Feet
Four heavyweight TPE damped aluminium feet with magnetic support connect the two acrylic plinths with teflon spacers in between. You can adjust them in height by turning the riffled middle part of the feet to level the turntable.
In The Box
You will find a heavyweight full aluminium puck in the box to stabilize your records while playing to achieve the best possible tracking. A leather turntable mat is also included, which is a superior base for your vinyl records. You will benefit from less noise and a special sound characteristic. To connect your M8xTT to your preamplifier, a semi-balanced phono interconnect cable with gold-plated connectors is included as well.
The M8xTT in Brief
Mass loaded belt drive design with electronic speed change 33/45
Heavyweight aluminium sandwich platter
Heavy multi-alloy record puck included
Height adjustable magnetic feet
New 10“ Musical Fidelity tonearm
Azimuth and VTA fully adjustable
Non-resonant acrylic plinth with effective decoupling
RCA and balanced XLR outputs
Heavy aluminium record puck included
Leather mat included
Handmade in Europe
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Professional Reviews 91/100
Deliciously Crispy
Sound Quality
94/100
Build Quality
94/100
Features Usability
85/100
Value for Money
85/100
The Musical Fidelity M8xTT marries muscular bass authority with a silent, expansive soundstage, bringing poise and scale to dense arrangements and intimate acoustic recordings alike. HiFi News admired its taut, silky refinement, while SoundStage Solo found its lucid midrange and precise imaging especially compelling. Add superb isolation, a substantial 10-inch arm and striking acrylic engineering, and this is a seriously immersive high-end deck.
What Reviewers Are Saying
Pros
Delivers deep, taut bass alongside a clean, silky treble, with convincing instrumental and vocal realism.
Exceptionally quiet isolation and absent motor noise support a large, precisely focused soundstage.
The adjustable 10-inch tonearm retrieves insight and clarity without sounding hard or edgy.
&
Cons
One review found inconsistent speed during run-in until the bearing was cleaned and re-lubricated.
Cartridges shorter than roughly 17mm may require headshell spacers for proper setup.
The polished acrylic plinth scratches easily and demands careful cleaning.
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 94/100
Reviews portray the M8xTT as a powerful yet refined-sounding source, combining authoritative bass, a notably lucid midrange and an open, smooth treble. Its exceptionally quiet presentation helps it create large, precisely focused images, while the adjustable 10-inch arm is praised for extracting insight without hardness.
Overall Sound
96/100
Reviewers repeatedly praise a muscular, controlled presentation with taut, detailed bass, clear and coherent mids, and a clean, silky, open top end. Complex recordings are said to be unusually easy to unravel, while vocals, strings and percussion retain lifelike tone, detail and rhythmic momentum.
Speed Stability
90/100
One reviewer initially found speed consistency disappointing during run-in, but reported that it settled to an even 0.10% the following day. In listening, the deck was also credited with retaining control over pace and rhythm, supporting its strong sense of musical grip.
Tonearm Performance
94/100
The 10-inch arm is described as solid, competent and easy to set up, with full VTA and azimuth adjustment plus a well-damped cueing mechanism. Reviewers found it an excellent match for a Clearaudio MC cartridge, delivering insight and clarity without hardness or spit.
Noise Isolation
95/100
The substantial magnetic feet were found highly effective: a hard knock on the equipment rack produced silence at the stationary stylus, and no motor noise was detected while spinning. Reviewers also repeatedly describe a black, quiet backdrop that benefits image depth and scale.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
94/100
The deck’s two-part adjustable feet, separated acrylic plinth layers and isolation-focused execution drew specific praise. Hi-Fi News called the fit and finish outstanding, while SoundStage found the chrome-and-acrylic construction striking and purposefully engineered.
Features Usability
85/100
Electronic 33/45rpm selection, an adjustable arm, and a well-damped cueing lever make day-to-day setup and operation straightforward for a high-end manual deck. It remains a purist design, however, without the convenience connectivity or automation found on more feature-led turntables.
Value for Money
85/100
At approximately $10,499, this is firmly a premium turntable purchase. The reviews strongly praise its sound and execution, but they offer no direct comparison with similarly priced rivals or clear judgment on whether it represents especially strong value.
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Authorized dealers for Musical Fidelity M8xTT
- The Music Room — online and in-store — Erie, Colorado, United States (website)
- Abt Electronics — online and in-store — Glenview, Illinois, United States (website)
- Accessories 4 less — online and in-store — Apopka, Florida, United States (website)
- Acoustic Sounds — online and in-store — Salina, Kansas, United States (website)
- Acton Gate Audio — online and in-store — Cymru, United Kingdom (website)
- Alta Fedelta — online and in-store — Lombardia, Italy (website)
- Analogue Seduction — online and in-store — Whittlesey, England, United Kingdom (website)
- Area Hifi — online and in-store — L'Eixample, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
- Art & Voice — online (website)
- Audio Advisor — online and in-store — Michigan, United States (website)
and 150 more verified dealers