Serious hi-fi for the Bluetooth age
It’s hard to pigeonhole products such as
the M1SDAC. As the name implies it’s a digital-to-analogue converter but
there’s more here. It’s a forward-looking device that recognizes phones and
tablets are viable music sources and should be celebrated rather than ignored.
To that end the M1SDAC accepts Bluetooth apt-X signals, and makes a serious
attempt to make them as listenable as possible.
Musical
Fidelity M1SDAC review
Not those traditional hi-fi areas are
ignored. This electronic brick will also accept analogue signals from two
line-level sources, deliver sound to a pair of headphones and drive a power
amplifier.
So, for those who feel the need to put this
product into a specific category: the M1SDAC is a DAC/Bluetooth receiver and
decently equipped preamp? Not bad going, if it sounds good.
This is a nicely built unit. It’s finished
well and has a clear enough display. That large control knob on the front panel
governs the volume levels and, when pushed, produces a change in input.
As with most modern DACs, high-resolution
music streams are firmly on the menu. As is typical, the optical input is
limited to 24-bit/96kHz, but the USB, co-axial and AES/EBU inputs will accept
full-fat 24-bit/192kHz signals
Listen to Nick Cave’s The Lyre of
Orpheus and this DAC is right at home. The open, expressive presentation works
beautifully, with Cave’s passionate vocals rendered with real clarity
PC software for hi-res
Many Windows-based PCs won’t stream 192 kHz
music through their USB output as standard. Musical Fidelity provides USB
driver software for Windows Vista, XP and 7 to make it possible. Any recent Mac
should just stream the highest-resolution files without issue.
Once we wire our MacBook to the M1SDAC
we’re pleased with the results. Through its asynchronous USB input, playback is
stable and solid. Listen to Nick Cave’s The Lyre of Orpheus and this DAC is
right at home. The Musical Fidelity’s open, expressive presentation works
beautifully here, Cave’s passionate vocals coming through with real clarity.
The sound is composed and fluid, avoiding the clinical, sometimes mechanical
edge some digital equipment still imparts.
A
tidy appearance and good build quality combine with generous features and an
open sound
The lovely midrange is underpinned by a
deep, powerful bass performance that gives a really firm foundation to the
music. That bass is rarely overplayed though, and always has the speed and tunefulness
to keep up when necessary.
Transparency and fluidity
Have a listen to higher-resolution
recordings, such as Kate Bush’s 50 Words For Snow or The Rolling Stones’ Gimme
Shelter, and the good news continues. The Musical Fidelity is transparent enough
to show the sonic gains made by the increased resolution, and sounds notably
more fluid with material such as this.
It’s not all positive news though. Despite
all the good things the M1SDAC does, it’s not the most rhythmic of devices.
It’s good enough at defining the individual notes of The Dead Weather’s 60 Feet
Tall, but can’t convey the momentum of the song or the sense of rhythmic
interplay as well as Audio-lab’s MDAC.
This shortcoming is less apparent when
listening through the M1SDAC’s optical input. Compared with USB there’s a loss
of sonic punch and solidity, but the MF sounds a little more enthusiastic when
it comes to conveying timing information with this input. The Audio-lab is
still better in this respect though, and adds a little more dynamic punch to
the proceedings.
Move to Bluetooth and we’re impressed.
Pairing is as easy as we hoped it would be, and the sound quality is decent. In
absolute terms, recordings sound less transparent than the wired alternatives,
but the presentation is still good enough to allow us to enjoy The xx’s
Coexist. The production may be sparse but there’s plenty going on here, with
complex rhythmic interplay between instruments and beautifully recorded vocals.
There’s a good amount of detail on offer, and it hangs together well.
Bluetooth, particularly in aptX form, is a feature we wish more manufacturers
would include.
Move on to analogue sources and the M1SDAC
disappoints just a little. It sounds smaller and less transparent than we
hoped. There’s still evidence of good detail retrieval and fine handling of
dynamics, but it doesn’t quite hold our attention as well as we’d like. We
think the headphone output is a good one though. It sounds solid, meaty and in
control. There’s a degree of stability and composure here that’s mighty
pleasing.
There’s no denying that the M1SDAC is a
useful box. It’s thoughtfully conceived, and we’re particular fans of the
Bluetooth capability. It’s up against some mighty rivals though. Audio-lab’s
MDAC may be a few years old now, but we think it delivers a more involving
sound.
The Musical Fidelity counters with a more
full-bodied sonic presentation and a more comprehensive specification. And
that’s enough to secure our recommendation
Round the back
1. Flexible aerial
The top-corner location for the aerial
point is convenient if you’re not going the detachable way
2. Analogue in
It’s rare to see analogue inputs on a DAC,
but it means the SDAC can act as a hub to an analogue/ digital system.
3. Digital out
Digital outputs may seem out of place, but
they open the door to recording or processing possibilities.
4. Pro touch
An AES/EBU digital input is more usually associated with
professional kit, but it boosts the SDAC’s flexibility.
Round
the back
Feature facts
Volume control
The M1SDAC could do with a speed-sensitive
volume control. It’s a little slow to track big changes and requires lots of
knob-twirling.
Bluetooth
Pairing is fuss free. Thanks to aptX, the
Musical Fidelity latches on to the signal within seconds and delivers a stable
connection.
Aerial
Musical Fidelity provides a detachable
aerial with a magnetic base. This gives greater freedom as to where the aerial
can be placed. Alternatively, the aerial can be screwed directly into the back
of the M1SDAC.
USB
As is the fashion these days, the M1SDAC
has an asynchronous USB input. This puts the DAC in charge of information flow
– an arrangement that usually leads to a better sound.
Rating: 4/5
For: A full-bodied, open sound; fluid
dynamics; authoritative bass; refinement; good features
Against: A shortage of rhythmic drive
Verdict: A forward-looking product with a
refined sound but not quite enough sparkle
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Specifications
·
Price: TBA
·
Finishes: 2
·
RC out: 1
·
RCA in: 2
·
XLR: out: 0
·
Optical digital out: 1
·
XLR in: 0
·
Transport: No
·
Integrated: No
·
Coaxial digital out: 1
·
Coaxial digital in: 2
·
CD text: No
·
Optical digital in: 1
·
DAC: Yes
·
Display off: No
·
Multidisc: No
·
Headphone: 1
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