Is it a streamer? Is it a digital
preamp? All we know is that this latest version of Musical Fidelity’s M1 CLiC
is really rather clever…
One of the most interesting aspects of the
media streamer being a relatively new category is that there as there are no
preconceived ideas about exactly what roles they should undertake. That’s why
you find such a wide variation in their functionality – Internet radio is a
given, multiple digital inputs are fairly common. Some units combine this with
a volume control to turn them into a preamp. Only one device has gone a stage
further from the ‘digital preamp’ and added analogue inputs though, step forward
the dinky little Musical Fidelity CLiC.
Musical
Fidelity M1 CLiC Universal Music Controller
It is called as a ‘Universal Music
Controller’, which for once is probably a fair description. Built into the neat
half-width casework of the M1 series, the CLiC is a 192 kHz-capable media
streamer with Internet radio, four digital inputs and three analogue ones. It
can either be used with a fixed output into a conventional amplifier or via the
variable output into a power amp or active loudspeakers.
The fitting of two outputs might seem a
little curious, but the answer lies in the CLiC’s stalemates. The M1 HPA
headphone amplifier is a member of the same range, and as I saw in a recent
Beautiful Systems piece, is a wonderful preamplifier in its own right. The CLiC
could be used as an ‘input collator’ and output to the HPA or be used direct
into a power amplifier in both cases the M1 PWR being an ideal candidate but
not the only one as the CLiC will also attach happily some of the bigger amps
in the company hierarchy as well.
The rear panel is busy but logical enough.
The CLiC has wired and wireless connections for networking and Musical Fidelity
recommends the use of the Ethernet connection for 192 kHz files. A rear USB can
accept an iDevice being connected to it (there is a separate USB at the front
for connecting USB sticks and drives) and show the contents on the front menu.
The four digital inputs comprise two SP/DIF connections, an optical and a USB-B
connection for a computer. The analogue inputs and outputs are all via RCA
phonos.
By comparison, the front panel is extremely
simple, with only a standby button, headphone socket and the large display.
This is relatively unusual in that it is full color and will show album art as
well as artist and title information. The result is visually elegant but means
that the CLiC is entirely dependent on remote control to be stopped or muted in
a hurry.
There was a deep soundstage between
the speakers and fine insight into the detail…
This is a good and bad thing. The supplied
remote is absolutely nothing to get excited about and is pretty much a standard
Musical Fidelity has gone to town on the control app for the CLiC. As well as
offering full control of the UPnP and Internet radio sections, it controls
volume and allows you to select the analogue and digital inputs as well. In
iPad form especially, this is one of the very nicest control apps I’ve seen and
using the CLiC with it is a vastly superior experience.
Fit and finish is good, with the CLiC
feeling reasonably substantial and well thought out. The all-metal chassis has
miniscule panel gaps and feels reasonably well damped. The display contrast is
reasonable and makes it easy enough to read although the font for artist and
album is a bit small. The display can be made to switch off after a period but
cannot be dimmed so this is all or nothing.
