Musical Fidelity A1 speaker amplifier clone review: so good, so musical!
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- čas přidán 4. 09. 2024
- Doge says "much fidelity, much musical" :)
Class A clone of the output stage of Musical Fidelity A1 produced by BRZHifi.
Check out my review and tour of internals.
As usual, ask me about things I probably forgot to mention - in comments.
You can get it from ebay or ali:
www.ebay.com/i...
www.aliexpress...
As it was with DartZeel, I got it from Funkenya - it was delivered via parcel service and well protected with foam in the box.
Hifi Zone: you just made me order one! A class A amp has always been on my bucket list. Great review.
Lol my fault entirely :)
I think this is the cheap and great entry point to class A. I'm wondering how this compares to cheap jlh1969 amps, some guys say they are nice but not really transparent. This one is nice and transparent :)
@@k4syx when are you going to get the fm300a clone?
@@k4syx
Class A runs 🔥
Leave top lid off
@@MasterofPlay7 when budget permits. It's on my bucket list along with 255 pre or something similar
@@k4syx but I heard the fm255 will have ground loop hum when paired with the fm300a amp
I hope your channel continues to gain subscriptions, i think you are providing a good service :-)
Im going to buy a clone and compare it to what I have without spending shitloads of cash.
@@user-qu4dm3vr4p Thank you!
@@user-qu4dm3vr4p You won’t be sorry! I’m still amazed by the clones and their cost! I could never justify sending thousands for the originals. Wait to you see, feel and listen to these amps there amazing!
@@user-qu4dm3vr4pHope you’re as thrilled as I am with the clones! I’m a little paranoid so I order two complete prebuilt circuit boards for $65.00 just in case. Let us know how they work out for you! Take care.
Great review again, just straight forward to what we like to know. So please don’t change the way you are filming your videos, they are excellent!!
Thank you!!!!
Thank you, that's really motivating!!
I agree! More clone reviews it's awesome!!
@@ClassifiedBrief Thank you!
Also...not being a 1:1 clone is actually a plus...the original A1 integrated amp had a great design but was built with the very cheapest of parts and insufficient heat sinking. I think the original designer was miffed when he saw how much MF downgraded the parts quality when the amp was commercially released.
Yes when I saw re-edition of this amp I couldn't help but wonder why would they put bad stuff from the 80s back inside now. I would at least upgrade parts that are better and available now. Well, I guess there will be market for A1 modding soon :)
For sure, and same thing with speakers´ crossovers! 3 years ago I bought the so hyped Wharfedale Lintons, and was exceptionally underwhelmed and disappointed. Severely lacking high frequency resolution and detail, and actually ridiculously lousy spatial qualities. Airy ? No, not at all. My 40 years old Heybrook HB1:s just killed them, which was not a matter of nuances, but so stark it took merely some seconds to realize. Of course I started surfing the internet for similar experiences as mine, and soon found not only that, but a knowledgeable guy who had done some experimenting ( Mike at HEAD Quarter Acoustics ) with upgrading crossover components qualitywise in his Lintons. The transformation of these Lintons, after having upgraded all capacitors and all resistors from cheapest of the cheap China parts, to average or high quality ones, was so profound that my first spontaneous thought was that this must have been the speaker performance the designer originally signed off as "Mission accomplished", and that the purchasing department at the same company then destroyed by swapping overall for cheap crap components.
I believe the designer was Tim de Paravicini.
Bean counters ruin everything.
@@mrcarpentersc life :)
I have been bi and tri- amping my audio systems since the 70's. I would bet this amp is as good as many of the smaller ones I have utilized on the upper end. Of course I use an electronic cross-over for this. 7 watt triode amps work also.
Upper mids and treble, yes. Stunning!
Another great review of an audio gem.
Many thanks:)
Thank you!
Bought this after seeing your video and I am extremely impressed and satisfied. Thanks for guiding me to this gem of an affordable amplifier! Vocals have never sounded better in my room.
Thank you! It's a steal, I'm glad you enjoy it!
Thank you very much for your dedication, you have compared it with other class A amps
@@martinvidartnovo8441 not really, just to the other amps that I own...
Thanks, I have several class A set amps diy (300b, 45, 71A, VT25) because of the cost of the triodes I started experimenting with semiconductors I made a jlh hood 1969, jean hiraga 8 watt called le monstre great amplifier I bought in ebay a monarchy sm70. Your comments on the mf A1 clone caught my attention, again thank you very much.
Thanks for these videos! This looks like a sweet little piece for very little money. I think I will pick one up. Thanks again.
Thank you!
You are 1000% right this amp is awesome compared with accuphase e 207, speaker evoke 20 and Emit 20. .no chance e207 its time to the clone a1 . Thanks a lot for true review.
Big respect ❤.
Mine will be here in 2 days. Im excited!
Please do share you thoughts here, ok? Thanks!
Nice review (Subscribed). Would you say the treble on this reveals the worst in poor recordings? Or does it help to smooth out the harshness of a poor recording? Thank you.
@@hifiaudioreview Thanks!
Answering the question: neither one. It's not merciless in showing everything recorded badly, but it's not also masking every bad mix and making everything look beautiful. It walks good, thin line in being honest. For me that's the best choice possible here.
@@k4syx Thank you for your answer.
Final comments.
The unit has been burnt in now. After a lot of listening, I find the sound has changed, in that its imaging is not really its strongest point, and there is a certain opaqueness to how it sounds despite my earlier view that it was clear sounding. To its credit it is smooth and natural sounding with plenty of bass, if a bit loose at times. Good to have the experience of this clone!
@@MarkEdwards-u9p Thanks for sharing! Have you bypassed volume controls?
Great review, I have the JLH 1969 amp in the same case and now I think about ordering the A1 clone too 😅
Wow I was thinking about JLH - they seem popular, though I've read someone stating that they are not that clean and transparent, though nicely musical. What's your opinion on your amp?
@@k4syx Interesting, in my system JLH is somewhat neutral and clean. Not overly airy though. I was hoping for a bit more smooth treble. However, I run it directly through an ifi DAC with volume control, not through a separate preamplifier. Still thinking about to get a Musical Paradise mp-701 preamp, but can't afford it at the moment.
@@quma001 Funkenya recommended me MP-701 as the preamp for DartZeel clone I got some time ago.
So, it seems that there's truth in JLH not being transparent and airy. Try this clone then, it's excellent!
@@k4syx Ok, I also bought the A1 (of course I did 😄) It was running for about 30 hours and I'm very impressed. (Although It was already good from the beginning.) Musical, full, smooth, yet airy. Bass is deep and pleasant but on the soft side. I can imagine it will be even better with a high quality preamp, but it is already at about 85% of my 3.5k Pathos integrated. 👍
@@quma001 And it will be even better. Tiny, amazing amp. I'm glad you enjoy it! :)
I'm currently preparing two preamps for testing, two clones (obviously) that could work with MF and DartZeel clones ;)
Looks solid and well built. Nice review. I am building two tpa3255 mono board amplifier. I am happy to see inner details to understand how to place boards inside the case. This particular case is great indeed. I enjoy it small form factor. Looking for something similar but the black version.
Happy to help. I like TPA3255, it has potential. I wonder where we will be with class D in a few years.
@k4syx I am going to measure my mono tpa3255 on 8 om load, but I expect to have pure 110w before clipping. For me, it is more than enough!
I have to say, please continue with the A class clones, see if you can find something powerful enough for your Martins or my Epicon 😅
Always on the lookout for something that can feed my power hungry ML beasts :)
Great reviews ! keep them coming !
Thank you!
Umm, krasavets!
Lyubov moya!
Umm! I simply adore your voice… it’s such a joy when you’re talking! I could listen to you for many hours by the candlelight.
@@DrNoahBoddy004 Lol thanks but I'm not russian :D
(Though you're not the first one to make that mistake, there has to be something with my accent. Do I sound like all these actors playing russians in the movies? ;) )
@@k4syx either way Xa3anna!
I thank God, and your parents on such velvet seduction of such amazing, pitch perfect sweetness. (I must remind myself not to lose my senses in such rhapsodic hypnosis)…. Continue working , my joy. I will always stay out of the way.
@@DrNoahBoddy004 xD I will!
@@k4syx
Nope !
You sound like a Polish guy with a terrible accent.
Also grammatically incorrect too often.
The guy who's either too lazy or too greedy to get proper English lessons from native speakers.
Get at least a part of the "Cayin's deal" profit and invest in your language skills.
Please.
The videos and the stuff you're reviewing are pretty interesting, but linguistically... 🤦
Just unbearable 🤷
Hi Again
Yes, the mod works well and brings enough clarity for me to like this amplifier. It sounds pretty good to my ears, a lovely sound. It's a keeper. Thank you for your help.
Kind regards
Mark Edwards, New Zealand
@@MarkEdwards-u9p Hi Mark! I'm glad you like it, for me it's also the keeper that will stay in my collection!
After owning an A 1 and A100 I've never strayed from class A amplification.
I just arrived, first impressions sounds great, highly recommended, pc- dac- fostex 126E blr horn, thanks friend
@@martinvidartnovo8441 and it will get even better! Enjoy, thanks for sharing!
Great video, just ordered one. I'm interested in bypassing the Volume pots, could you maybe do an instruction Video? That would be awesome
I can if I'll find the time. It's really easy as you just need to disconnect two plugs from reach pot and connect them together with dip8 sized pins - like these used for computer mainboard jumpers. But I will try to find time for you :)
I owned an original A1 in 85 the best value in the history of Audio Yes it was unreliable but I got 7 years of heavy use out of it Worth every penny one hundred thousand other people agreed as well . Had an A100 as well the same applies.
I bought the Musical Fidelity clone amp and a JL Hood 1969 clone. Both use the same chassis, but different circuit designs. How the Chinese can make and ship these amplifiers for $us196.00 for the Musical Fidelity and $us229.00 for the Hood clone delivered in the USA. It took less than two weeks to be delivered. The shipping box was extremely well designed and packed. If I have one complaint is the manual is in Chinese. I used Google Translate and basically the manual contained no technical information.
Yes its amazing, in Europe that price would be probably for chassis and maybe transformer alone! How do you find 1969? I'm thinking about getting one.
@@k4syx I can see and hear why people back in the 70’s loved these amps. A friend has a Hood 1969 he built from a kit. My Musical Fidelity clone has arrived, but not the Hood clone. So I was listening the friend system. What I heard reminded me of my Dynaco ST70 and 35 modified by Ban Alstine. The Hood has better bass control and a tube like mid and high frequencies. The image and depth are really incredible. JL Hood loved the tube sound, but wanted to use transistors. At the time transistor HiFi was it or miss with incredible variations. He succeeded with his circuit to come very close to his ideal. Even though it produced about 10 watts RMS it drove most speakers to reasonable sound levels. Nelson Pass and John Curl had only praise for the amplifier. Both went on to making Class A amps at Threshold and Mark Levinson. If I can get 75% of what was described I’ll be incredibly satisfied. From two days of listening to the Musical Fidelity clone, it’s beyond all expectations. A reviewer recommended disconnecting the volume pots and bypassing them, I plan on doing it tomorrow. The parts are first rate, nothing spectacular, but good quality. There was some concern that the Chinese were using recycled or fake parts, they found that all the parts were original new manufacture. Still can’t believe how they can make a 6.3kg amplifier and ship it thousands of miles in 11 days for what they charge. As soon as I receive the Hood Clone and listen to it I will let you know! Thanks for your interest. Just to let you know I am in Maryland, USA.
@@AlanFenick Thanks for sharing Alan!
Yes MF clone is simply amazing and the regular parts now have better precision and quality than manually paired stuff that was produced 50y ago. I've recommended bypassing volume pots because they are not really needed there and each time you change volume you have to set balance by ear again.
Greetings from Warsaw, capital city of Poland!
Greetings from
Have you got the Hood 1969 yet ?
@@jupitermoongauge4055nope, I got Burmester 933 instead (just for now, but Hood is still on my list)
Great video, keep up
Thank you very much.
Terrific Power Amp, better sound quality than my long held Quad 99/909 amplifier. Drives my Harbeth P3ESR speakers very well. Your review is spot on, many thanks!
Thank you! It's absolute gem!
I owned the original A1 when the company was called British Fidelity back in about 1987. It was an all time favorite! If this sounds anything like the original, it would be a joy to hear again!
I trust your ears since getting a D5 pro and am sure this is well worth it. Like many of the originals, mine went up in smoke. The new A1 is said to have solved the overheating problems.
Thanks again for all your reviews!
Thank you!
I'd risk stating that this may sound better because it omits cheap pre section of original. I seriously have no idea why on earth they're again using tl072 opamps in 2024, that's like crippling the device on purpose for nostalgia
@@k4syx The original had the best midrange around as you've noted. Circuit was designed by Tim de Paravicini of Quad and EAR/ Yoshino fame... everything he put out had that clean holographic and harmonically rich and complex midrange. The phonostage in the original A1 was also first rate. If the clone is like the original you will find that little amp capable of driving just about anything...it really swings alot of current like most class A amps.
@@mikec8763 yes these two things (mids and imaging) are standing out here IMHO. Great little amp!
It was only called British Fidelity in the US, since the name Musical Fidelity was already registered by a small company in America.
And in the UK, all Kenwood products were branded as Trio, so they would not be confused with the Kenwood who made kitchen appliances.
The company was NEVER called British Fidelity. BF was a a brand name used for a short time by MF for the North America markets..
I set mine up last night and Z3M's got booted out of this system. Thanks for the review!
@@mattmiller4978 that's the best one line review so far! XD
Thank you sir !
Excellent review!!!
Hello when you are expecting to show us the differences between the fake cables, I can't wait to see it .. Thank you ❤
Soon :) I need to get a few days off to record everything I have lined up.
Nice build! However, I have had many of those Omron relays from china on various equipment - they ALL fail after a while and cause a crackle noise. Just buy the real ones and replace.
Also, it doesn't seem to have any soft-start circuit. With all that capacitance the transformer gets very stressed on startup. Another easy thing to upgrade.
It actually does some kind of soft start while it's blinking, thought I can't see separate module for that like it was in D5PRO. I wasn't tracing PCB to look for actual parts though.
And thanks for the tip on Omrons, I will watch them carefully!
BTW, thanks for the great work l!!
@@moussaobeid Thank you!
Great review. Cheers.
Thanks!
great review!! Looks like a great deal!
Thank you! It is! :)
The new MF A1 has a 'direct' button that bypasses the preamp gain stage resulting in -10db gain (still plenty for modern digital sources) and provides better noise and distortion while maintaining volume control functionality. It also measures about 65C on the top plate heat sink not 70C plus. It also sounds noticeably better than the old one so please do not mix up the two in your comments, especially since you have no personal experience.
Hi! Yes I'm aware of that, though I don't understand why they put that bad pre back there. If I recall correctly bypassing it gives additional 10db to SNR. And 70plus was for fins of the clone :D (if you're referring to my video)
@@k4syx I don't know how much better SNR it provides, I don't believe it is as much as 10db. It provides 10db less gain. Fins are the heat sink on the clone, top plate is the heat sink on the non-clone.. When the system is thermally stabilised the output devices are as hot as the heat sinks by definition, so clone works hotter. The idea was to replicate the original one with as few modifications as possible to replicate the sound character of the original.
would this amp power a speaker that requires sensitivity: 90 dB. impedance: 8 ohms ?
Yes, that's a good pairing
a few years ago I bought from aliexpress another 20w class A, it was called A6, and it has like a 2000 damping factor. I couldn't compare it to a lot back then, but it sounded really nice and poweful but I sold it after a while. Looking to get another one of these class a cheap amps, ar maybe 2 as suggested in a comment. You could also try that one and compare it to see if that damping factor makes a difference. Thanks and please do more of these. Also curious about the FW F7
Well I have two of them and both are brilliant. I'm planning on reviewing more pre and power amp clones as this got me really interested, seems like a really big bang for a buck. Two "blind" shots and two superb amps!
No, I have not done that yet, will give it a try, do you think it improves the sound quality a lot?
@@MarkEdwards-u9p "a lot" is a difficult word here :)
It does improve the sound, that's for sure. Try it - it's very simple and totally reversible!
hi, what speakers you use for your auditions of these chi-fi amps? how about the bass from this A1?
Martin Logan Ascent I, Motion 35XTi, Motion 15i , Dali Ikon 2 MK2, sometimes Dali Opticon 2 and Wharfedale Diamond 12.3 (these are rare guest as I always need to carry them upstairs).
And bass for MF1A clone - as described in video
The power amplifier works really very well, thank you!!! Can I also use this as a mono power amplifier and buy a second one for my setup (Dali Oberon 7, Bluesound Node one, Heed Elexir as a preamplifier) and use these as mono power amplifiers using an adapter? What do you think? Thank you very much! LG Nicolai
@@lunol6165 Hi! Thank you!
Yes that's doable, to have two to use in biamping setup. There was a discussion about that about earlier in the comments!
@@k4syx thank you very much! Greetz
Would the Aiyima A07 Max you reviewed sound more detailed and clear than the Musical Fidelity clone?
Nope.
Thanks for the great review.
How does the Sabaj A30a compare to this one?
Good question. Sabaj includes DAC inside and it's like 3 times more expensive. And powerful, 150W AFAIR vs 20W. Soundwise, A30A is more precise: and MF clone has these gorgeous mids.
It's very hard to compare them as they are very different, I would need some kind of table and scores in different categories:)
Thanks for reviewing this and the D5 Pro. Do you think the A1 could be used to drive low-sensitivity planar headphones? Also, to start off with do you recommend the A1 or the D5 Pro? Also, do you plan to explore some clone DACs too?
Yes A1 is splendid with my He6SEv2 - blows away all dedicated headphone amps that I've tried. And for starters I can recommend A1 (its cheaper), but bear in mind that its only 2x20W so if you have low sensitivity or difficult load speakers go for DartZeel clone. DAC clones seem like very rare breed, I've seen just a few of them as there is plenty of great delta-sigma and r2r DACs coming from China with established brands. I dont think I saw any sales for this replica DACs that I've found...
@@k4syx I took the plunge and got the A1. I'll update you when it makes its way here. Thanks for the nudge
@@SartajAnand yes please do, let it burn in for some time and enjoy it - and share your opinion!
Can anyone explain how to connect two MF A1 amplifiers to a pair of speakers? Thanks
Hi! Ive explained that in the other comment from you, in pot bypass video. Check it out!
Wow, great this amp is. i was listening to Nirvana unpllugged and it sounded so live and natural and at almost at a lower pace like music was voiced at 432hz instead of 440hz. Switching to Ramstein it was more then ok although i missed slightly some punch. Then again it has only 15 hours of playtime. I still have to compare it to my Moonriver 404 reference. But if it is clearly better i made a mistake buying the moonriver.
@@GentielioGaming Give it some time and bypass these volume pots (look for my other video)
Any chance someone to explain how to connect two MF A1 amps?
@@user-ns5ns2cw7n You have to get two RCA Y splitters. Plug them in your source (DAC or pre) left and right outputs. Then, one RCA cable (both channels) has to be connected to one splitter and another RCA to the other. And then other end of first RCA cable - both L ad R - connect them to L and R inputs on MFA1. This way you'll have both monoamps with the same input signal, and you can use one speaker out for HF connectors on your speaker and other set for LF connectors - be sure to remove the short/bridge between speaker terminals. Repeat for second RCA cable with second amp. This way you'll have them set to mono with biamp mode. Pls share the results, Im really curious if I should get a second one myself! :)
@@k4syx Thank you for your detailed response. All the best, my Slavic brother.
@@user-ns5ns2cw7n Likewise, likewise! :)
Great Thank you🤩
I ordered the amplifier from Ebay yesterday. Do you think it fits my setup (Heed Elexier as a preamp, Dali Oberon 7 and a Bluesound Node 1)? Thanks for your video and greetings from Germany!
Hi!
Thank you :)
It'll fit your setup just fine, honestly I would say Oberons will be a bottleneck. This amp is not ashamed to perfectly drive my Martin Logan electrostats, so you'll be ready to get some better speakers in the future (with all due respect to Oberons which are great in their price range)
Can I confirm that this is a power amp? I will need a premp and a dac to hook up to it？Thank you
@@pheunthai this is power amp but with simple volume control: so you can start with DAC and add pre later on
What are qualities of this amp that outperforms the DartZeel amp?
If I would be forced to pick, then only mids. DartZeel has amazing mids and this one amazing+1.
Other than that it's very hard to compare them as DartZeel clone pulls 2x150W per channel and costs 2.5 times more.
I see a problem in that the US voltage is often approaching 120VAC and the amp is only rated to be used with 110 VAC,
All of them have some input tolerance, but it's always good to ask the store. I think some of the guys here in the comments that got it are from the States
I recently purchased Choco Sound Emei because the reviewers say that it sounds like tube amp. Previous to that, i have Audiolab 6000a and a Marantz 6400H. So not much experience with amplifiers. The Choco Sound Emei sounds better than the Audiolab overall, only the Bass in the Audiolab have more punch and more defined. Do you think this A1 is going to sound similar to the Choco Sound?
And the other question, do you think the Dartz will be an improvement over the Audiolab which is AB class? I love the sound signature of the Choco Sound, but in some tracks i miss the defined and punchier bass.
Regards from Mexico City.
@@zombielandiii2711 I think the DartZeel will be better (that's an easy answer because it's just very very good), but I have no idea how to answer the first question about sound signatures as I never heard Choco...
Great! Subscribed and I think I might just get one.!
Go get it and thank me again later ;D
Where can I get the schematic?, Thanks
@@martinvidartnovo8441 I think the easiest way would be to contact BRZHIFI and just ask them which one of schematics that are floating on DIY forums they have used :)
I am also a big fan of class A amplifiers. I only aware that Chinese components are usually used ones and a questionable quality.
@@kamertonaudiophileplayer847 used is actually a good thing in my book (as long as we're not talking about dried caps) as these will be proven, reliable, cheap and in some cases no longer produced. Call me psycho but I do have a box of different parts that Ive unsoldered from dead equipment over the years ;)
@@k4syx Noise and instability is the major problem. Other - shorter life time and an expensive repair.
@@kamertonaudiophileplayer847 I can tell you my clone is better made than the original Musical Fidelity A1. Better transformer, better capacitors and other parts than the original ever had. Will it last, who knows, I’m a risk taker having some fun. What do you think made Musical Fidelity crash. So far I’m impressed with ChiFi and I believe the reviewers and manufacturers look at the Chinese as “market disruptors” and will do anything to denigrate their products. Ask yourself how can the Chinese produce these amps for $200-300 and yet others charge in the thousands? Do they sound differently, yes, but are they bad that’s your decision. I say they are one hell of a bargain! In the last two days a few of my friends have been over and they couldn’t believe what they heard from these amps, then show them the invoices! I understand the new owners have addressed the quality control problems of the past as well as having good customer relations. The company is Austrian, not British and they say they are proud of the British heritage. Haven’t seen or heard the new intergrated amplifier. The Clone does not have a pre-amp section, though it does have volume controls. As for customer relations with the Chinese, absolutely no problems. Asked a question and they responded within a few hours.
Great discovery. I wonder how is this compared with Smsl vmv A1 10 watts?
No idea, I haven't heard A1 so I won't try to guess... :(
Edit: There is an instructional video on bypassing the volume pots. watch?v=nkxfpDr2su4
Could you please speak more about which part we would need to purchase to bypass the volume pots and connect the two leads WITHOUT soldering?
@@dbot2006 There's a separate video on that with disassembly instructions! :)
@@k4syx I just noticed this other video and came back to delete my question but I'll leave it up for anyone else that is wondering. Thank you!
Further comment, overall, a very clear sound, but a little too bright in my system. I wonder how it compares with the original.
@@MarkEdwards-u9p What kind of speakers are you using? It may be useful to know the pairing.
@@k4syx Harbeth P3ESR, and Dynaudio speakers which are quite neutral. I have lots of amps, cables and gear to compare the AI with. Overall, this clone has many good strengths including a liveliness (as a trait across all music I play) which at times can be a little intrusive, but still, I rate this amp as a good buy for the money.
Nice Toroid, Huge Capacitors - CLASS A DISSIPATES ENORMOUS POWER. ...Understand the Massive Heat Sinks... BUT, I have 9 Speakers I Drive from a $1200 100 W/Ch Marantz. Reliability is also a buyer Issue... what No One Wants to talk about. When we've had Known Products for 20 to 30+ trouble-free years ... yup, we worry bout new 'stuff'.
@@falvegas511 What I like about these clones is the build inside. They are planned like servicemans dream, everything is easily accessible and modular, and since both channels are the same if one fails you can use other one as a model for comparison.
There's also the fact that repairs for original, branded audio devices that are out of warranty are never cheap and easy. And usually only authorized service centers will do that. I've been there with my Naim Unitiqute that had faded OLED display (standard for this model, all of them die quite soon). 15 minutes repair but YOU CANT BUY that damned part unless you're authorized service center: and then you'll pay arm and leg for 5usd monochrome display.
Sorry for that rant :)
And since you stepped into the realm of class a amplifiers. I am obliged to suggest you an aleph 3 or aleph 5 amplifier. Better if you have access to first watt f7.
I've seen Alephs and I was wondering why almost nobody buys them. Like just a few single sales here and there and the buyers comments looked like something generated by bots.
I have a list of things that I'd like to try, but my budget has its limits :)
@@k4syx I built it from a kit. The total wasn't more than 100 dollars.
@@tamayaytam exactly, these are great constructions that still make your speakers dance. It's fun to build them and you can tune them with higher quality parts, wiring etc. The only thing that's hard for me is diying really good looking case. I love my stuff looking great and shiny;)
Hello friend
I have a question?
When i run 2 hours plus its too hot . Is there any heat protection builtin there?
@@maxrider2887 Hi! What's the actual temperature? Have you measured it? Mine was running for like more than a week with temperature as I described in the review (don't remember the value now but it was ok). Class A runs hot, but this one was quite ok even for very long sessions.
Maybe you are overloading it with some low impedance speakers? Remember it's a low powered baby amp :)
@@k4syx my speaker is Dynaudio emit 20 86db.Temperature may be 40•c +- not too high it can touch for 30/40 sec. I scared about the ic . If it will breakdown.
@@maxrider2887 40C its literally nothing for class A :)
@@k4syx that’s mean continuously play 3 or 4 hours.
@@maxrider2887 that's perfectly fine, you're ok
Mine Is on the way because of u cheers
@@Carl-yx1ww Cheers! Enjoy and share your thoughts! :)
Thanks for the great review.
Do you prefer this over the Dartzeel?
No. I'm keeping both of them. MF clone cannot power my Martin Logan electrostats. But it has these gorgeous mids that are just right with my less demanding speakers like Motion 35XTi.
What preamp do you recommend to mate with it?
@@robertm8518 the cheaper JC2 version that I've reviewed (just one input) to have great budget simple pre, or more expensive JC2 version with multiple inputs and remote (but it alone costs more that this clone)
What speakers did you use for the evaluation.
Martin Logan Motion 15 and 35XTi, some short listening on Dali Ikon 1 MK2. This has not enough juice for my electrostats (unfortunately)
Thanks for the review. Did you measure the DC offset at the output?
3.3mV R, 4.7mV L, inputs disconnected, maximum volume set on both channels.
Great question, thank you!
@@k4syx Those are good numbers and probably even better with inputs shorted.
@@airlineflyergg Yes these are good for such simple construction. I have to measure DartZeel clone as it's using DC servo, didn't think about it earlier.
Do you know anyone who could tell if this could be modded with true xlr balanced input?
Interesting idea! The original A1 was designed as single ended, but this is just power output stage here, so maybe, maybe?
Cay you compare these amplifiers to the new fosi class D mono block amplifiers.
Simply put sonically these are better (both DartZeel and Musical Fidelity clones). TPA3255 with good power supply will be more powerful and energy efficient than MF, but sound quality wise both clones are better.
And I say that being huge fan of class D, there are amazing developments happening now!
@@k4syxThanks for your answer. issues with buying clones is warranty and reliability, how was the warranty for these clones?
@@naren.freak1c yes, these are two main worries. As for reliability my clone worked for past two weeks continuously with no problems (same with DartZeel clone) - the shop owner says that because of shipping costs they check them thoroughly before sending. As for warranty I think it's 6 or 12 months (gotta check this) for Ali purchases.
The good thing is that clones have a simple and accessible modular build so it's modder and technician dream: easy to repair.
But it would be good to have local dealer, though price probably wouldn't be that great then.
@@k4syx Thanks again. I think dartzeel clone was measured by German youtuber and power specs measured as promised and linearity looked good. I'll consider these ones when I'm able to build my speakers.
@@naren.freak1c Yes Frank measured D5PRO and if I recall correctly it was pulling a bit more power than specced.
Waiting for more "fake cable" reviews!
Stay tuned, there's a heap of them in burn in as we speak :)
i have this amp!
These are cheap enough to get a pair and run them in a pseudo- monoblock arrangement, driving only one channel per amp.
I have done this arrangement on quite a few stereo amps, including ones that sell for $30k+, and this always gives a much improved presentation.
This one inside is dual mono, so it would also work for dual bi-amping in such setup: one amp for one speaker (same input on both channels) and one speaker output connected to bass and another to treble speaker connectors. Im sure you know what I mean. This way we'd have 40W per speaker (=channel) totaling in 80 for both channels. Not so weak anymore!
Many speakers do not have dual inputs that would allow passive biamping.
Although this may be dual mono internally, the transformer is still shared between channels.
BTW the 30k$ amps that I tried in pseudomonoblocks was the Naim NAP500...dual mono EXCEPT for a shared transformer.
Splitting them between channels was a huge improvement.
@@rontoolsie Kinda like this one: dual mono except for the transformer. Separate windings, yes, but common flux. Still better than 90prc of commercial stuff
@@k4syx not really, since bass is what needs the most power (at least in dynamic driver speakers). If one amp is not enough to drive your bass, then 2 amps connected in that scheme will probably not be enough either.
@@razisn In case of the electrostats the panel is the culprit as it goes as low as 1.2Ohm so its a difficult load. 20W for reasonably sensitive bass driver should be ok, as long as you are not planning to do disco in the stadium sized area ;) For home purposes in my experience its plenty, as long as you are not facing low sensitivity or difficult loads. Best regards!
👍👍👍
If its just a power amplifier and there is no pre amp are the knobs on the front purely decorative?
It's power amp with two pots added in line right after RCAs to attenuate input signal, so no preamp stage :)
@@k4syx Good to know, thanks. Do you think it might pair well with the SOUNDARTIST LS5/9 its 86db at 8ohm?
@@zenboy2000 should be fine, but remember this is just 20W per channel so no disco listening levels with less sensitive speakers.
Dartzeel clone can do disco? 🕺🏼
It's 2x150W, it can do disco and welding as well ;)
How about this vs D5 Pro for jbl 4349 speakers?
JBL recommends 25-200W amp for these so D5PRO.
How about a review of a first watt clone available at DIY audio?
If I can get my hands on it, sure :)
I'm not a pro reviewer, I just review things that I get for me or family. If I'll have one or someone nearby will get one, then sure!
Very good review. MF make great gear. I agree that the volume post are best bypassed
Good thing it's easily done and fully reversible here, so we have options.
How close is the sound to real A1?
Cant really tell without having them both on the bench, this has no preamp and no opamps inside so should be cleaner and more transparent (but less functional ;))
@@k4syx thanks, appreciate your thoughts
Great review again. But two important questions I do have: about which other amp you are talking exactly, I can't hear due to ... well sound perhaps. :-) Can you give the exact type? And two: how much electricity does it consume than really? How much wattage at 230 Volt? Greetings again from the Netherlands. 🙂
I know, I know :)
I'm trying though!
I've been in Rotterdam and Amsterdam a few times on business trips - greetings! :)
As for the amp that would be Musical Fidelity A1 or DartZeel clone I was referring to (what timestamp are we talking here?)
As for power consumed let me check and get back to you :)
Ah ok. 🙂@@k4syx
@@onnonugteren2935 62.5W when playing with maximum volume (6Ohm nominal speaker load) and 63.8W idle with minimum volume. So more or less stable power consumption regardless of actual usage. Class A heater. 50C on the fins and 51C on the transistors, so not bad at all.
Ah thank you. That's complete and helpful. 🙂@@k4syx Nowadays it's expansive to use 60 Watts constantly, so as you said it has its price. Greetings again.
@@onnonugteren2935
Are ye serious ?
That YT channel is about the stuff that costs a fraction of the original ones and you're moaning about the electricity cost of something which consumes 60W constantly 🤔
Don't you save a ton of the electricity bills by buying this cheap, Chinese ersatz ???
Must be you're joking
😂
Oh yeah.
I built a different musical fidelity a1 clone. Do you hear any humming noise while it is idle?
Dead silent, no sounds whatsoever. Also, clean and silent on max volume when idle. Probably should've mentioned that in the video, important point!
@@k4syx 👍
Are there any clone digital preamps that look promising even if you haven’t tried them?
FM ones, if you'll search for opinions on the web, there's a few people that got them and are very happy users now. Also, MF 701 came here and there as something really good, but I haven't heard it myself
@@k4syx I guess my question is this… Why are all these clones only analog amplifiers? Perhaps that’s not the right term? But why don’t any of them have digital inputs? Usb, Spdif? Hdmi Arc? And no integrated DACs?
@@TD05SSLegacy that's actually easy. All real hi end stuff does just one job. Amplifiers with DAC integrated are geared towards more common folk who just think about it as having more inputs. Reality is that if your serious about SQ you will pass on "free" built in DAC and get something better, dedicated. For example, many of such integrated amps are using 9016 or 9018 Sabre DACs. These were fine back in the day, but are dated now and were surpassed by any modern DAC. So if you want pure sound quality, you won't be using these internal dated chips, and hi-end manufacturers know about this. They will rather sell you separate HQ DAC than work on integrating something mediocre that can adversely affect sound quality of the whole device :)
Krell outside but MF inside obviously?
@@JanEskildsen Yes it seems that this badge just comes with the case. It's plastic so can be easily removed or replaced with something custom
Thanks
How did you identify this amp with the MF A1?
It's quite popular build with power stage only built based on available schematic by BRZHifi. They seem to make quite a lot of different clones (not always 1:1 builds) that have patents expired
is this a huge upgrade from the PMA 720 from 1989?
I haven't heard the PMA so unfortunately I can't reliable answer that... Original amplifiers dating back to 89 can probably have capacitor problems by now - worth checking this out.
@@k4syx yeah I am going to recap when it gives problems, still noise free atm.
@@k4syx If you look at a picture of the circuit it looks pretty high quality compared to moden amps. probably due to outdated circuitry though haha.
@@StagnantMizuI think you should also look for changes in frequency response as it may change with drying caps but I'm sure you are aware of that, so just a side note here:)
@@k4syx No devices to measure that accurately. as long as it sounds good enough to give me goosebumps which most systems dont do I am happy with it.
hope you will do more chinese clone reviews 👍
Me too! :)
Maybe i missed it in the review but what preamp did you use with this amp? Any reommendations?
None, I'm always using my DAC volume control. In my experience, all pres I had always caused loss of some very fine detail (electrostats are that transparent)
@@k4syx What's the input impedance of this clone and does your DAC provide proper buffering and decent volume control? My experience is that unless the DAC IS a real good pre-amp too then connecting through a proper good pre provides more body and substance to the sound even at the expense of a tiny bit of transparency (the latter would depend on the quality of the pre used).
@@razisn I have no info on input impedance, I can try to measure it. As for the DAC you're right on both points. I am using Gustard X26 Pro and it has excellent volume control. Regarding the body of the sound - I know what you mean, but if its not in the output of the DAC it shouldnt be added via pre - but its my opinion and sound preference is very personal so I totally get that. But that last bit of transparency lost really hurts with electrostats because when youll bypass pre you clearly hear whats missing. Its not like that with dynamic drivers, in these setups I have available I could hear the difference as these are not as fast and precise. Which makes me note that I should retest this with speakers with AMT to see if I can spot the diference then :)
The A1 clone is coming my way and i will use it with a ldr II volume control and propably the metrum nos quad dac or the Cherry Marashino DAC i have. My speakers are Hyperion HPS-938 speakers and some used single ended tube amps with this speaker with succes. Again i don't expect it to have slamming bass.
@@GentielioGaming cool setup! How do you find ldr II? Do you like it? That's interesting device.
Can you use two of those as monoblocks?
@@anything4 I guess so, why not. Good idea! Though then I would definitely recommend bypassing volume control - check my video on that.
@@k4syx awesome. Thanks!
Je viens d'en acheter un exemplaire !
Enjoy it and please share your impressions!
@@k4syx Yes, soon !
Is this and the Brzhifi Fax A1 is same?
@@maxrider2887 this clone is made by BRZHifi
@@k4syx thank again is this standard version?
@@maxrider2887 are there any other than this one? I guess it's "standard" :)
Shame about the silly Krell badge.........😖
Yes, shame! Seems like it's self-adhesive though so probably can be removed and replaced with something nicer. I've no idea why they do that when it's peanuts to order something that could help to promote the producers brand.
Hello
Did you compare the A1 and the JLH 1969 directly?
What are the difference in sound? l'am thinking about buying the A1 or the JLH 1969.
@@maxrider2887 no, I haven't heard JLH. I've read that it's warm, and not the last word in transparency so I went with MF A1
@@k4syx you heard Fosi za3?
@@k4syx thanks a lot
obviously you have not tried the A1000 clone
@@liangsek8243 no, not yet, it had been recommended in the comments already
Please provide the full model name A1000 clone.
@@maxrider2887 search musical fidelity a1000 clone in Aliexpress
With the amazing value that China is offering us, one feels like an idiot if he buys stuff from Europe or North America unless you have tons of money to burn
@@moussaobeid in the long run it's worrying, but should also be a great incentive towards rapid technology advancement.
It's like KZ headphones that I'm reviewing. I don't need that amount of IEMs, and I have TOTL stationary and mobile setups, but I just LOVE seeing them experimenting and pushing the boundaries while most of the established brands are just collecting coupons for the stuff that just gets older and older.
I prefer to buy locally made stuff if I can but in cases like these, Musical Fidelity is no longer British, it's owned by an Austrian company and they make their amplifiers in China. So you may as well buy direct from China, cut out the middleman and save money, given the new "British" version is a Chinese amp anyway 👍
compared it to A1-X. JLH 69 has no chance! for the money the JLH 69 is quite good. JLH 69 has other cirtcuit than A1
Yes the circuits are completely different, these are different constructions
Did you compare the A1 and the JLH 1969 directly?
What are the difference in sound?
I'am thinking about buying the A1 or the JLH 1969.
First watt
Buy the original this sucks ...bass on the A1 is awesome ..complete BS
1500 GBP V 230GBP........EVERYONES GONNA LISTEN TO U
Bass on this clone is very good, very well controlled and precise. It's not disco level bleeding bass that covers most of mid-range.
it is a cheap make , cheap parts amplifier , they cut corner by original design ,
Price good , but don’t expected too much with what you paying 💰 😂
As I hook it up this China clone with my B&W 804d2 , it sound like a garbage amplify ( no Sound stage , no layer , too harsh )
My used Pass labs X150 or SimAudio Moon W3 sound way better , my used amplifiers not too expensive and I can resell it anytime to get back with what I paid , the China clone you will never resell it …
Which clone are you referring to? This MF or something else, what have you tested and should be avoided? BTW - about cheap parts - you're talking about this build in my video or just as a general opinion? Regards!
Does this sound better than dartzeel bro? Or should I buy both
I have both ;) its like choosing between Ferrari and Lambo: if you can, get both. If you cant, then its personal preference. Whats the rest of your setup?
I have audiolab 9000a and pmc fbl i speakers@@k4syx
Audiolab 9000a and pmc fb1 speakers@@k4syx