Musical Fidelity M6si Amplifier - DAC
We frequently presume that quality is directly proportional to mass, but in this instance which may really be accurate.
The build quality is not low - nothing feels not substantial. Back panels and the top believe as if made of more heavy -gauge alloys compared to average. Was not white with silver accents; it is also obtainable in all silver. The M6si comes double- wrapped and packaged with white gloves, in a good cloth bag for set up and management, to stop the transport of skin oils to the outside that is finished.
The M6si has subtle details to make to get an extremely pleasant look. Like its managements, the M6si's faceplate is somewhat convex, bulging slightly in the centre, where it is a bit over 0.5" thick. Along a line tangential to the underside of the dial are four on every side, eight little silver pushbuttons. These are: Power, CD, USB, Phono, Tuner, Aux 1/ Aux 2, HT, and Balanced. Is the IR receiver for the remote control. Left are business logo and the version name. Heatsinks working from front to back action the topmost rail, as the side panels scalloped. Panel are three rows of slots that are ventilations, as well as the M6si sits on silver feet.
The back panel is where all of the pleasure is. The top half comprises two pairs of simple-to-use, plastic-over-alloy loudspeaker binding posts. Between these are a heavy duty earth trigger and post inputs and output signals. The left-channel binding posts are straight over among the balanced input jacks, as well as the right-channel posts are straight on the pre-out RCA jacks. Manufacturing companies, please: Quit setting loudspeaker binding posts right over input jacks, although I am aware there are often limits of space in sound electronic equipment. I had problem without stressing the connections, routing the input signal interconnects and loudspeaker cables, and utilized the balanced input signals of the M6si for a few testing. Loudspeaker cables with bare or spades wires hang down straight in the front of the other jacks, or should be run to the tops of the posts - your only options appear to be make the setup look awful or to place stress.
I usually set up for direct digital connection via balanced connection from my benchmark D/A converter, a Standard DAC2 HGC, or USB from my Mac computers. Once everything was plugged in, my interaction with the M6si all was via the provided remote control - a big apparatus of typical layout using numerous buttons for commanding everything Musical Fidelity now makes. As usual, this kind of remote that is plastic did not live up to the degree of build quality of the M6si.
At musicalfidelity.com, Musical Fidelity suggests the M6si's USB port will take signs of resolutions up through 24-bit/96kHz. As I generally make most of my connections via the optical interfaces provided by many DACs this is a subtle issue for me personally. Ensure you are in a position to join your DAC as that is your only choice.
Sound
Before doing essential listening, the M6si ran in the backdrop for a while, to get accustomed. Its sound reminded me of that of its own big brother, the M6 500i! HiFi Hans, by my brother in August 2012. As soon as I believed the M6si was completely broken in, I estimated that it'd excel at small scale choral and orchestral pieces because, as I Had gone with all the system supplying background music about my life, solo instruments or small instrumental groups 'd frequently drawn in me. Life would be placed on hold in order that I could listen more.
It is not a large bit, and every instrument stands very much by itself. Sitar and tabla are introduced promptly, followed by miked flute, supported by little chimes. The Musical Fidelity interpreted perfectly the sound of the flute, and contained the sound of rushing atmosphere related to not quite striking a note total facility, a technique which is normally part of Indian -styled music. Most of the track felt as if intended as it had been introduced to reach the sweet spot of every instrument. Because of this, the sound was secure and pleasant, without unpleasant upper-end glare or boomy bottom.
Doyle's music for A Little Princess fluctuates widely, from silent solo and softly supported primary tunes for complete orchestra to a number of sections. A children's choir, which never sounded shrill, as can occur with a few equipment all sings the choral sections. Through the soundtrack, the sizes of pictures that are instrumental change together with the miking space, but the soundstages mostly stayed between my loudspeakers.
The flute may be glaring, but was balanced from the harpsichord and plucked strings and projected. The sound wasn't analytic, but felt as if there was only enough sharpness to prevent sounding not thin. The soundstage stayed largely involving the loudspeakers, as well as the replica of the music felt neutral to somewhat laid back.
The soloist could be heard alone, over the orchestra, but with an extremely fine integration of the sounds. I could pick and select instruments from the work that is intricate . The sharpness that many of supporting strings may have seemed somewhat rolled off, but I do believe that was to the good thing about the operation of the system here. I've discovered that somewhat grating can be sounded by a highly analytic replica of the highs, with respect to the record. The M6si struck a great balance between smoothness and resolution.
The piccolo and oboe solos about a third of the way struck me as seeming nice without being especially strident. When chorus and the orchestra crescendo to the very best of the dynamic range of this track, I adored that I failed to discover cringe in expectation of over the top transients of drums, voices, and cymbals. The chorus felt as if it were found behind the orchestra, but the instrumentalists never overwhelmed its sound. The soundstage was wider though deeper than before. The cymbal crash that stops this record, neither under- nor overwhelming, proved to me the audio of the M6si was: essential although not raw, without being fat, musical or distended.
Hearing orchestra and a polished chorus left me needing to change into more competitive manner. To get a live performance, it seems to be nicely combined and has a surprisingly great balance of sound. The M6si prevailed over this challenge at the same time. Deep bass in the stage was astonishingly clean, for a rock show. The crazy sound of the group wasn't restricted at all. Keyboard, bass guitar, drum, and each guitar had its space on the soundstage, but was not suitably disconnect with all the remaining players.
The M6si could not play soft. Extremely loud. When powering Rammstein at concert volume amounts within my space, it never fell short. It was readily able enough to shove on the huge bass drivers of my Wilkins & Bowers 801 Series 2 loudspeakers to trips that are long, yet was definitely in charge of everything. While keeping sonic arrangement other integrated amplifiers have not been successful at projecting this group with power.
In a few ways, the exact music, created nearly entirely electronically of VNVN, is pretty simple to copy -- the sounds do not have anywhere near complexities or the nuances of those generated by analog instruments. In the event the device is underpowered or haphazard on the flip side, that purity of electronic signal may be hard to play at high volumes. The M6si was not sloppy with anything. Over Ronan Harris's raspy voice, it kept complete control at all times, as well as the deep bass was balanced with the midrange. High pitched synthesizer notes can sound shrill through more analytic systems. They are not overly sharp here.
Comparison
I was lucky to have on hand, to compare the Simaudio Moon Neo, using the Musical Fidelity M6si 340i integrated amplifier-DAC. The Neo 340i may be somewhat overbearing with trebly music, and is more analytic as opposed to M6si. In the $5450 settings I reviewed, it's also significantly higher priced as opposed to $2999 M6si. Because of this, it'd the sound that is more open. Voices in the Borodin and Rammstein tracks sounded less unrealistic. Subtle sounds of cymbals that are hit had more of the hiss that is likely . All in all, the M6si sounded enjoyable; the Moon 340i was precise.
I also used the Musical Fidelity along with the Simaudio together with the Standard DAC linked with their analog input signals. In both instances, the Standard DAC raised the clarity and opened up the soundstage -- and so for the M6si. I discovered the Simaudio in sound quality nearer to it with its DAC as soon as I removed the Standard DAC.
Decision
The attributes of the Musical Fidelity M6si are not useless - using its full complement of USB digital input signal and analog inputs, it is all that numerous users will ever want. The sound of the M6si never brought attention to itself, managing all kinds of music and its own operation was evenhanded at any given listening level. Because its sound generated no tension in me, I loved listening to it. The proper equilibrium struck at.
