MUSICAL FIDELITY M8X DAC - Digital to Analogue Converter - NEW!

PLEASE CHECK AVAILABILITY BEFORE CONFIRMING YOUR PURCHASE! Our stock can change any minute – we sell through various sales channels.Brand New! – Closed BoxWe are authorised dealers of the finest audio gear and musical instruments.Note 1: Free shipping within EU. Shipping price to any other country is an estimate. Please message us for specific shipping price to your particular location.Note 2: This product is custom ordered, please check availability and/or eventual shipping delay.Note 3: This product is factory set for 240V. If you need a different voltage, please message us.Note 4: We sell without taxes anywhere outside Europe and to valid VAT ID companies inside Europe. Please ask us your price without Tax in those cases.Note 5: We can quote any kind of bundle with our products at the most convenient prices. Just visit our store and ask for it.Note 6: International buyers are responsible for destination country taxes, duties and custom fees.MUSICAL FIDELITY M8X DAC - DIGITAL TO ANALGUE CONVERTERThe M8x DAC proudly continues Musical Fidelity‘s legacy of pioneering world-class DAC technology. Back in the early 90s, Musical Fidelity revolutionized audio performance by being one of the first to develop separate DACs to enhance CD player sound quality.Today, in a world dominated by digital sources like PC audio and streamers - often built by software companies lacking hardware expertise - Musical Fidelity leads the way with its superior ability to transform digital signals into breathtaking analogue sound. Built on the same core design principles as our acclaimed amplifiers, the M8x DAC delivers exceptional audio quality:Class A discrete analogue amplification for pure, detailed soundNo displays to avoid unwanted electromagnetic interferenceNo WiFi or Bluetooth for zero RF radiation and jitter-free performanceToroidal transformers for robust, clean power deliverySolid mechanical construction ensuring durability and premium build qualitySuperlative Headphone AmplifierThe M8x DAC doesn‘t stop at DAC performance, it also boasts a high-end, ultra-powerful headphone amplifier capable of driving even the most demanding headphones with ease. Whether you‘re listening through speakers or headphones, experience the signature Musical Fidelity sound: soft yet powerful, clear, and effortlessly musical.Technical TalkBuilding on our knowledge and experience with Sabre ESS chips, the M8x DAC uses 2x ES9038Q2M chips in dual differential mode for a pristine dual mono design. Thanks to these converters, the it supports up to 768 kHz files in PCM and DSD256 via DoP and native DSD512 via USB, covering any digital file you can buy or stream. The SPDIF inputs are greatly improved as well, now supporting MQA (up to 384kHz) and DSD (DoP 64) as well!Digital ArchitectureWe utilize an extremely low-noise, low-dropout regulator designed specifically for high-performance audio systems and optimized for high-resolution audio thanks to its revolutionary dual-regulator architecture. The inclusion of a Time Domain Jitter Eliminator results in superb SNR and THD+N performance with unbelievably detailed transient response. Digital audio is the art of time, with our proprietary clock design we have managed jitter rates of unrivalled and below 100 femtoseconds. This outperforms many renowned and respected audiophile clock generators! Other advances in the DAC section include optional upsampling and reclocking and an oversampling bypass mode. The 16-core XMOS and CPLD MAX II Altera processors ensure there is always enough headroom for these operations, the digital filters and the MQA processing. Compared to the M6x DAC, MQA processing is now possible on the USB and SPDIF inputs!Upsampling, Reclocking and Digital FiltersThe CPLD MAX II (Complex Programmable Logic Device) Altera is used for re-clocking, which together with the XMOS microcontroller brings high-quality processing of both PCM, DSD and MQA technology. Upsampling and reclocking can be individually turned on and off for PCM signals. DSD and MQA use their own format specific settings and filters. For PCM signals, the M8x DAC has eight selectable digital filters.Oversampling BypassFor ultra-high-res audio we have gone the extra step and created our oversampling bypass mode. This mode can be accessed by selecting filter 8 and is by default selected when the M8x DAC is first turned on after unpacking. In this mode the DAC’s oversampling FIR filters are disabled and source data is upsampled to 352,8kHz or 384kHz respectively.Going even one step further, ultra-high sample rates of 705,6k and 768kHz enter the DAC block directly. Effectively, this turns off all remaining filtering, improving audio parameters and the frequency spectrum by yet another step. The oversampling filter is the largest single digital section “block” on the ESS DAC chip by silicon area. By powering this filter block down, we reduce the on-chip PSU / ground noise and consequently lower signal correlated clock modulation on the ESS DAC’s silicon die.Discrete and Fully Balanced OutputThe M8x DAC bolsters a massively improved discrete output stage. Immediately noticeable by the enormous space requirements on the PCB – owing not only to the fact that it is fully discrete but also fully balanced - it is a major evolution compared to the M6x DAC’s counterpart that was built using integrated circuits (=chips). This design also makes the M8x DAC truly fully balanced from beginning to end. Not only is this benefitting sound characteristics, but also longevity and sustainability. The M8x DAC remains easy to maintain and repair as chips go eventually out of production and might not be replaceable many years later. But discrete components will always be built and can always be serviced.The Advantage of Discrete CircuitsA discrete circuit is composed of electronic components which are disparate, individual devices, also called discrete components. These can be “passive” components, like resistors, capacitors and inductors, as well as “active” components like transistors. The opposite to this would be an integrated circuit (IC = chip), which can, for example, be used as an operational amplifier (Op-Amp) in the signal chain.In our industry we employ specialised IC Op-Amps built for audio applications, which allow us to produce very small and efficient electronics, as well as saving the time of design engineers. However, countless hours of listening tests and years of experience have shown us that even the very best ICs do not tend to be so neutral, natural, dynamic or vivid – all of which are characteristics of the Musical Fidelity “sound”. They are also difficult - if not impossible - to repair. For that reason, we’re rediscovering our passion for traditional, discrete designs.Where standard headphone amplifiers or output stages with integrated circuits have a few tens or hundreds of components, discrete designs will employ hundreds or thousands of components by comparison. That makes for an extended design process, but in our opinion results in the best sound for your money.High-power balanced & discrete: The new M8x DAC headphone ampThe M8x DAC features a headphone amplifier that outclasses many other stand-alone designs with ease. Unlike almost all modern solutions that use chip-based designs, the M8x DAC incorporates a fully discrete design with DC coupled power operational amplifiers using transistors. Equipped with a 6.3mm jack output for unbalanced headphones, the M8x DAC also features a 4-pin XLR output for use with balanced headphones.Balanced headphones get the full luxurious treatment. We are not just using a single ended amplifier with a fancy balanced XLR connector on the front. By using a fully differential balanced amplifier design, performance metrics are raised, achieving a mighty 3900 mW of power into 8 ohms, compared to 2000 mW with unbalanced headphones. Short time peaks way in excess of 10 Watts (for one cycle) are handled with ease.And it gets even better. The amp has been carefully tuned to work completely in Class A up to full power for 30 ohms headphones or more. The terminal transistors used also allow the use of low load headphones down to 8 ohms, ensuring their high-current demand is comfortably met at all times.Whether you’re driving demanding low-impedance headphones or high-impedance studio-grade monitor headphones, the M8x DAC ensures a powerful, distortion-free experience. Its ability to handle load impedances as low as 8 ohms, while maintaining incredible clarity makes it a versatile choice for any audiophile. Balanced or unbalanced, the M8x DAC offers a jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring listening experience. The M8x DAC does not have “just a headphone amplifier” built in – truly, it’s your gateway to Musical Fidelity.Fully BalancedThe M8x DAC employs fully balanced circuitry throughout. Dual mono DACs - two ES9038Q2M chips are used in dual differential mode - are feeding the fully differential balanaced output and headphone amplifier stages. A fully balanced design principle consists of a hot and a cold (also called + and -) signal. Both the + and – signal chains effectively carry the same musical information. A true balanced amplifier can now extract the final musical information out the +/- signals and subtract, remove, all no