Musical Fidelity M8x DAC – Both DAC and Headphone Amplifier
27.03.2025 05:26 | ~2 minutes read
Musical Fidelity has developed a new digital-to-analog converter with headphone amplifier Musical Fidelity M8x DAC. In its development, the company relied on its proprietary approaches that have been developed over the years – such as the use of Class A output stages, the absence of an information display to reduce electromagnetic interference (indication is displayed using LEDs), as well as the avoidance of wireless Wi-Fi and Bluetooth modules.
Musical Fidelity M8x DAC is housed in an extruded aluminum case that functions as a Faraday cage, blocking external electromagnetic interference. The large toroidal power transformer is additionally shielded by an aluminum casing.
The heart of the Musical Fidelity M8x DAC is a pair of ESS Technologies Sabre ES9038Q2M converter chips operating in a fully balanced, dual differential configuration. The new product is capable of decoding digital streams in PCM format with parameters up to 32 bit / 768 kHz and native DSD up to DSD512. The DAC has oversampling systems, but the company pays special attention to the bypass mode - which allows processing signals with minimal digital intervention. A fully balanced analog output stage, made on discrete elements and operating in class A, provides excellent channel separation and low noise.
In addition, the Musical Fidelity M8x DAC is equipped with a top-class headphone amplifier - fully balanced and implemented on discrete components. The headphone amplifier is capable of developing 3.9 W (with peaks up to 10 W) when operating on a load with a nominal impedance of 8 Ohms. Musical Fidelity M8x will go on sale in Europe at the end of March 2025 at a recommended retail price of 3,999 euros.
Specifications
This product is in the Hi-Fi and High End Electronics and Acoustics database
DACs — Musical Fidelity M8x DAC
Model name
M8x DAC
Conversion type
N/A
Engine
2 x Sabre ES9038Q2M
DSD compatability
Yes
Parameters
up to PCM 32/768 and DSD512
Frequency response low +/- 3dB (Hz)
10
Frequency response high +/- 3dB (Hz)
20000
Gain (dBu)
N/A
Output Level (balanced) (V)
N/A
Output Level (single-ended) (V)
N/A
Input Impedance (balanced) (Ω)
N/A
Input Impedance (single-ended) (Ω)
N/A
Output Impedance (balanced) (Ω)
100
Output Impedance (single-ended) (Ω)
100
Analog outputs
N/A
Signal to Noise Ratio (dB)
100
Total Harmonic Distortion + Noise (% at 22 kHz)
0,001
Dimensions (mm)
483 x 102 x 381
Weight (kg)
10.6
Official link
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