Musical Fidelity M8xTT
High-end record player
Musical Fidelity is not directly synonymous with record players, but founder Antony Michaelson had the idea that music should be grandiose, warm and rich in detail. This is a quality also found in the company's amplifiers, DACs and CD players, but certainly a quality that can be experienced when listening to vinyl.
Back in 2002, Antony Michaelson asked for assistance from Heinz Lichtenegger, the owner of Pro-Ject, as he wanted to create a turntable that could convey these qualities, and match the sound signature of Musical Fidelity electronics. The result was the Musical Fidelity M1, a heavy, very large and enormously well-sounding record player, made in clear acrylic. The idea was to combine the inertia of metal with the resonant dead acrylic. The motor was decoupled from both plinth and platter via the sandwich-built construction, a design choice that repeats itself in the new and improved version Musical Fidelity M8xTT.
The 10" long tone arm is a completely new design from Pro-Ject Audio Systems, which today owns Musical Fidelity. It is made from a combination of aluminum and acrylic and has adjustment options for both VTA and azimuth and comes with two TPE damped counterweights for use with phono cartridges from 6 to 20 grams. On the back of the record player, you will find the outputs – there are two pairs – a single-ended RCA and balanced XLR, for great flexibility in connection.
The motor of the Musical Fidelity M8xTT is placed on a specially developed foam on the lower of the two plinths, to decouple it from the tone arm and platter. Electronic speed control offers a choice between 33 and 45 RPM, and the platter, which is constructed in two levels, is driven by a rubber belt. The heavy construction stands on four TPE cushioned feet with magnetic support and Teflon cushioning. They can be adjusted in height, so that the record player can stand completely flat, regardless of the surface.
The Musical Fidelity M8xTT comes with a range of accessories, including a leather turntable mat and a heavy turntable weight. The record player is manufactured in Europe by Pro-ject.
| Measurements | 53,3 x 24,5 x 41,3 cm |
| Weight (net) | 31.5 kg |
| Output, Stereo RCA | 1 |
| Output, Stereo XLR | 1 |
| Tonearm | 10" Pro-Ject acrylic/aluminum |
| Platter | Aluminium |
| Drive | Belt |
| Speeds | 33.3, 45 |
| Speed control | Electronic |
| Automatic | No |
| Dust cover included | No |
| Built-in phono pre-amp | No |
| Interchangeable interconnect | Yes |
| In the box | Power cable, Users guide |
| Other included accessories | Turntable leather mat, record puck |
| Made in | Czech Republic |