The Musical Fidelity A1 is a piece of Hi-Fi history. First released in the 1980s, its all-electric Class A design was renowned not only for its ability to drive a wide range of modern equipment, but also for its ability to deliver unrivalled sound. The new generation Musical Fidelity A1, released in 2023, remains faithful to the original design in almost every way, making changes only to improve certain specifications and meet modern requirements.
The Musical Fidelity A1’s circuitry is built using fully discrete, fully symmetrical, pure Class A technology. Delivering 25 watts of power (into an 8 ohm load), it can also handle a maximum output current of 25 amps. While these ratings may seem low compared to some modern amplifiers, the Musical Fidelity A1 is still capable of driving more challenging speakers thanks to its ability to switch into (rather than “switch”) Class B operation when additional current is temporarily required. The
Musical Fidelity A1’s transformer design is directly inspired by the 1988 design, but has been updated with more efficient dual monorail windings and improved components for increased stability and better thermal management. The amplification stages are now fed from completely independent power supplies for the left and right channels, allowing for better power management and stereo imaging. Each power amplifier now also has double the amplification capacity, resulting in reduced ripple and noise interference.
The low-noise preamplifier circuit is the same as the original Musical Fidelity A1, although there are new modern touches in this area too. Firstly, a direct switch on the front panel allows users to bypass the gain stage before the music signal reaches the volume control. When this button is engaged, the preamplifier stage will output approximately 10dB less gain, allowing it to be used in more modern high-gain devices that can benefit from a wider range of volume control. Secondly, the use of a new ALPS RK series motorised potentiometer for volume control not only provides greater accuracy and reliability, it also means that the new Musical Fidelity A1 amplifier can also use the remote control to adjust the volume.
Along with five stereo RCA inputs, a fixed level output and a variable output, the Musical Fidelity A1 also features a high-quality built-in audio stage. The phono input provides a direct connection to a turntable, whether it is equipped with a moving magnet (MM) or moving coil (MC) cartridge. The low-noise design and automatic impedance matching of MC cartridges make this a viable solution and a great convenience for vinyl lovers. The
industrial design of the Musical Fidelity A1 is the same as the 1980s original, with its angular front panel, full-length heatsink mounted on the top and ventilation panels mounted on the side. The only minor changes are intended to improve the user experience and manage heat dissipation due to the pure Class A technology used inside. The result, combined with the sophisticated design, is an amplifier that takes you back to the original intent of the Musical Fidelity A1: to enjoy music.
The Musical Fidelity A1 sounds soft and smooth, creating the perfect environment for your favorite music to come alive inside. When paired with well-matched speakers in a properly sized room, it delivers warm, rich, and immersive sound without harshness. Just pure music.
Musical Fidelity A1 Specifications
Amplification channels 2
Dynamic power at 8 Ohm – 25 W
Frequency range 10-40000 Hz
Signal-to-noise ratio 82 dB
Channel separation 85 dB
Phono equalizer MM/MC type
Sensitivity 5 mV (MM), 450 µV (MC)
Inputs 5 x RCA, 1 x RCA (phono)
Outputs 1 x RCA, 1 x RCA (Pre Out)
Speaker connectors 2 pairs of 4.0 mm, screw
Dimensions: Width 440 mm, Height 68 mm, Depth 283 mm
Weight 10.5 kg
