An iconic amplifier design of the 1980s makes a welcome return
Stereo amplifier | £1499 | whf.cm/MusicalFidelityA1
This review isn’t straightforward to write. Normally, we use a new product over an extended period of time, compare it with any natural rivals and then give our verdict. The problem with Musical Fidelity’s A1 is that it doesn’t have any obvious rivals.
Sure, you could look at it as just a rather basic, low-powered all-analogue integrated amplifier, and judge it like that, but we think that’s missing the point. This is clearly not a normal proposition. It is a (mostly) faithful remake of what is arguably Musical Fidelity’s most iconic product, one that was first manufactured in 1985.
Judging such a design strictly by modern standards doesn’t quite seem right. So, rightly or wrongly, we have chosen to bend our usual rulebook and partially view the A1 through the lens of someone who might consider owning an original classic A1 amplifier but doesn’t want to deal with the uncertainties and reliability issues that come with any second-hand amplifier that is decades old. Does this resurrected design scratch that particular itch? Perhaps just as importantly, we are keen to find out if it still has anything interesting to offer modern hi-fi fans.
A-grade appliance
What made the A1 (see p42) so unusual back in 1985, and continues to do so today, is that it uses an electrical circuit that is biased strongly in Class A. On paper such a design minimises distortion, so has obvious benefits for sound quality, but there are downsides too. Chief among these is that the circuit generates lots of heat. It is this issue that leads to the A1’s distinctive look – the entire top plate is just a giant heatsink.
How hot does it get? We would liken it to a fully functioning central heating radiator. We could leave our hand on the fluted top panel for only a couple of seconds before it became uncomfortable and that’s despite the development work aimed at reducing that temperature.
To this end, the new generation’s reworked casework is larger than before, so increasing the heatsink area and dissipating heat faster. Electronics don’t tend to like excessive heat, and it is fair to say that early versions of the original amplifier gained a reputation for poor reliability because some of the internal components were under-specified. Musical Fidelity has avoided the same issues in this new version and improved its performance by updating components where necessary.
The company has been careful to stick to the original circuit for the
