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Musical Fidelity V90-HPA Headphone Amplifier

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11/18/2013 9:58:12 AM

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.

Description: Musical Fidelity V90-HPA

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.

Description: Plug in and tune out

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.

Description: The V90 series appears to offer just this

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

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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