When the English language doesn’t quite have a word for it,
we pragmatically turn to other mother tongues. Musical Fidelity’s latest range
of V90 mini components can best be described as catching the ‘zeitgeist’, the
spirit of the age, of the hi-fi world. Right now it seems, as the economy picks
itself up off the floor and real-term incomes lag behind inflation, we’re all
after something for nothing – or at least something nice for a lot less than we
used to have to pay for it.
Musical Fidelity
V90-HPA
The V90 series appears to offer just this; it is way more
attractively packaged than the V series it preceded, which looked rather cheap
and nasty – even if the electronics inside were precisely the reverse. Still,
the V90s have grown into proper little boxes, hewn beautifully from aluminum
alloy extrusions and the overall effect is that Musical Fidelity’s cost saving
line has gone from one extreme to the other.
It now looks like high end that has shrunk in the wash,
rather than something that’s been stuffed into a case bought from Maplin and
given an once-over with a rattle can! Measuring 170 x 47 x 117mm (w x h x d),
it’s very small and neat.
Let’s twist again
The V90 HPA is a headphone amplifier with a twist, which is
that it also sports a 24-bit/96kHz-capable DAC with an asynchronous USB
connection. Effectively then, it’s a ‘one stop shop’ for those wishing to
listen to hi-res music from their computers, the sort of thing you’d place next
to your Mac or PC and listen to while you ‘work’ (if that’s possible, of
course!). There’s also a line-level RCA input for analogue sources, too, and a
choice of either 6.3mm or 3.5mm headphone jacks, so both sizes are catered for.
Plug in and tune
out
The manufacturer says that: “It’s our generic headphone amp
circuit inside”, meaning it’s likely – give or take a capacitor here or a
resistor there – to be the same as the (already well received) $638.20 M1 HPA.
Its 250mW amplifier is claimed to be able to drive: “The vast majority of
headphones (from 10ohms to 600ohms)”, and said to have typically less than
0.005% distortion across the audio band, with a signal to noise ratio of 109dB
(‘A’ weighted), and 20Hz to 80kHz (-1dB) frequency response. These are
impressive specs sure enough, but as ever the question is whether the sound
quality measures up!
Tested with a pair of Philips Fidelio X1 headphones, the HPA
produces a characteristically clean, open and well defined sound. There is
absolutely no sense whatsoever of listening to a ‘cost cut’ product; indeed the
sound comes pretty close to the pricier M1 HPA. Via USB, the V90 sets up a big,
punchy soundstage on Daft Punk’s Get Lucky, with plenty of power and about two
thirds of the volume control left in reserve after I get the headphones about
as loud as I can take them. The sound is finely etched and superbly detailed,
with just a touch of atmosphere missing, and a slightly mechanical feel to the
rhythms; this is in absolute terms, up against the best, so the V90 HPA acquits
itself brilliantly at the price.
The V90 series
appears to offer just this
Via a 24/96 rendering of Kate Bush’s Snowflake– using
Adriana off a MacBook Pro – the unit shows it itself to be an excellent way to
listen to hi-res computer audio. The icily cold vocals aren’t in any way hard
or grating, and the lushness of the recording is largely maintained with some
lovely depth to the piano work. In absolute terms the Musical Fidelity lacks a
bit of ‘ballast’; it isn’t the most solid and weighty performer low down, but
again for the price it is totally beyond criticism. I love the open window the
unit gives into the recording and the ease with which you can follow the
different strands of the music.
Plug in and tune out
Via the analogue inputs the little headphone preamplifier
does better still; the DAC fitted is good, but the preamp circuitry is better
in my view, meaning you can use it as a very respectable way to listen to an
existing CD player or turntable (via a phonon stage) should you so wish, and get
even more power, resolution and music out of it. A vinyl pressing of Simple
Minds’ New Gold Dream shows how deep and three dimensional the unit can be, as
well as showcasing its taut, tuneful bass, smooth midland and lovely, sparkling
treble. Overall, it’s another very strong showing from Musical Fidelity’s great
little range of hi-fi widgets.
Details
·
Price: $269.64
·
Website: www.musicalfidelity.com
·
Our verdict: 5/5
Technical specs
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Performance
·
Power: 0.25wpc into 32Ohms
·
Ouput Impedance: 50Ohms (Suitable for 10-600Ohm headphones)
·
THD(+ noise): <0.005% typical (20Hz to 20kHz)
·
Signal to Noise Ratio: >109dB 'A'-weighted
·
Frequency Response: +0, –1dB, 20Hz to 80 kHz
Inputs
·
1x RCA / Phono Line Level
·
1x USB Type 'B' Asynchronus up to 24bit / 96kHz sample rate
·
1.3mm Power Socket
Outputs
·
1x RCA / Phono Line Level (switch selected, fixed 0dB)
·
1x USB Type 'B' Asynchronus up to 24bit / 96kHz sample rate
·
1x Stereo Headphone Jack - 6.35mm / 1/4"
·
1x Stereo Headphone Jack - 3.5mm / 1/8"
General
·
Dimensions - WxHxD (mm): 170 x 47 x 117 inc. terminals /
switches
·
Weight (unpacked / packed): 600g / 1.1 kg
Supplied
Accessories
·
1x 12v 500mA DC power supply
·
Instruction Manual
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