Musical Fidelity M3x DAC
The M3x is Musical Fidelity’s new entry point to high-end DACs. Musical Fidelity’s award-winning M6x DAC heavily influences the M3x, allowing users to experience near-M6 series performance at a more accessible entry point. The M3x employs an up-sampling DAC design with the SRC4392 – a high-end sample rate converter from Burr Brown – tasked to re-clock all PCM signals and convert them into 24-bits and 192 kHz. This sophisticated and clean implementation helps the M3x achieve lowest distortion levels and elevates digital music playback.
The M3x’s PCM1795 DAC handles PCM rates of up to 24 bits and 192kHz and native and DoP DSD of up to DSD256. The single-ended RCA and balanced XLR outputs each have their own output buffer, and both output stages deliver large output voltage swing and high current drive, exhibiting very low noise. The system’s gain, bandwidth and fast slew rate produce exceptionally low distortion.
The M3x DAC confirms Musical Fidelity’s continued development of its Super Silent Power Transformers – industrial-grade power sockets with an EMI filter and DC blocker stop interferences and eliminate transformer hum. With its low core saturation, this toroidal transformer is ideal for audio applications and an impeccable choice for digital audio due to its extremely low electromagnetic radiation.
Musical Fidelity believes that digital to analogue converters bring alternative design challenges compared to analogue amplifiers. DACs work in different domains and have specific needs. Power requirements are unique, and amplifier solutions do not show similar results when paired with digital circuitry. Musical Fidelity has always held circuit board design and layout up to the highest standards, and it never advocates flashy board design for the sake of looks. Musical Fidelity custom-tailors its designs and layouts to each application. Only once the model measures well and sounds as envisioned does Musical Fidelity consider its job done: giving listeners a palpable sense of the recording venue.
The M3x DAC’s mechanical construction is uncompromisingly rigid and solid in the Musical Fidelity tradition. The maker mills its front panel from an extruded aluminium profile, which, together with the heavy steel case, protects the internals from outer electromagnetic fields. The Musical Fidelity M3x DAC is available from July 2023, priced at £1,349/€1.499.