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The M3i integrated amplifier uses similar drive circuitry to our most expensive amplifiers. This may sound incredible to you, but please let us explain how it makes perfect sense. A power amplifier, for example our ‘monster’ Titan, is made up of a driver circuit, output stage and power supply. The critical part of any amplifier’s design is the drive circuitry. If this is not right, then no amount of huge output stage or power supply will compensate. On the other hand, if you get the driver circuit right, and by this we mean both its circuit design and printed circuit board layout, then it becomes much easier to select the output power and put the amplifier together. It is not as simple as that, of course, but the point is, the drive circuit is the starting point. So what about the drive circuit? Once you have designed an incredible amp like the Titan (as we have), then it is a simple matter to take its driver circuit and use it in different applications. We are utterly committed to giving maximum value for money, so for us the only sensible thing to do is use our best possible driver circuit wherever we can. Hence you will find inside the M3i Integrated a driver circuit that was first developed to drive the Titan. The M3i on the test bench and in use The M3i integrated amplifier has low distortion, typically less than 0.02% from 20Hz to 20kHz. Most amp manufacturers do not bother to measure high frequency performance. They claim that because you cannot hear such high frequencies, the distortion and other artefacts are irrelevant. We could not disagree more strongly. We think that how much high frequency distortion an amp has reveals the inherent rightness (or wrongness) of the whole circuit design and printed circuit board layout. Driving loudspeakers is demanding for any amp, and we believe that very low distortion into a wide range of loads over a very wide frequency range is the basis for a proper design. The M3i delivers 76 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 137 watts into 4 ohms, a near-perfect result that shows that the M3i will perform well even when driving power hungry loudspeakers. The M3i has a Class A preamp with its own, independent power supply with separate transformer windings. It is, in effect, a separate Class A preamp with a stereo power amp, in a single elegant package. We have engineered the M3i to be as smooth and seamless in operation as possible. For example, it has ultra low noise silent switching, perfect volume control matching even at very low levels, and outstanding power amp stability margins. The M3i may be modest in price, but it achieves huge ambitions and offers true high-end performance. … “Bass response is uniformly very, very good-extended and dynamic on the bass drum and percussion.” … … “In my experience, every component Musical Fidelity brings to market meets or exceeds my own lofty expectations. The M3i is no exception. Its performance is rock-solid, it’s sonically well-rounded and it’s comfortable with a wide array of speakers. And it’s all served up in an elegant no-nonsense package-exactly the way I like my audio prepared. Well done” … SEPTEMBER 2010 THE ABSOLUTE SOUND … “This amp is a revealing and insightful performer” … … “Tonality is good throughout the frequency spectrum” … … “The results are never less than convincing.” … … “It will replay anything with a sense of excitement and liveliness.” … … “A very strong performer at the price point” … OCTOBER 2010 HI-FI CHOICE
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