Musical Fidelity M6x DAC
High-end digital-to-analog converter
For decades Musical Fidelity have been known for their excellent digital-to-analog stages, both dedicated stand-alone DACs and the ones found in their CD players. Musical Fidelity was among the first companies to launch a dedicated DAC all the way back in 1987, with the introduction of the Digilog, just five years after the CD format was released. Needless to say, Musical Fidelity has a rich history of digital audio products, that very few manufacturers can match.
Musical Fidelity M6x DAC is the latest DAC from the legendary audio company, and compared to the 1987 Digiloc, this is on a whole other level. Technology has improved tremendously in the last decade, and the required features from a modern DAC have certainly changed radically. The Digilog was compatible with just 16-bit/44.1kHz signals, which was also the standard on compact discs. The Musical Fidelity M6x DAC on the other hand, is compatible with any widely available audio format, today.
Compared to its predecessor, the M6s DAC, this latest version has seen some substantial upgrades, including a dual mono configuration with a pair of ESS ES9038Q2M DACs with 32-bit Hyperstream II architecture. This modern D/A chipset converts digital files into analog signals and supports PCM up to 32-bit/768kHz, DSD up to DSD 512 and MQA over USB. The S/PDIF inputs support PCM up to 24-bit/192kHz including MQA. The LEDs on the front of the M6x DAC shows the incoming sample rate, active filters, etc. Connecting the M6x DAC to an amplifier can be done using single-ended or balanced cables. There’s even a 1.5w/32Ohm headphone output on the front.
In terms of inputs, the Musical Fidelity M6x DAC has a total of five digital inputs. With one coaxial S/PDIF, two optical TosLink, an AES/EBU and a USB, there’s ample opportunity to connect all your digital sources, including a CD player, network audio player, TV, etc.
| Measurements | 44 x 10 x 39 cm |
| Weight (net) | 6.9 kg |
| Input, optical (TosLink) | 2 |
| Input, coaxial (S/Pdif) | 1 |
| Input, USB | 1 |
| Input, AES/EBU | 1 |
| Output, Stereo RCA | 1 |
| Output, Stereo XLR | 1 |
| Output, Headphone | Yes, 1/4" TRS |
| Audio decoding | DSD64 / 2.8 MHz, DSD128 / 5.6 MHz, DSD256 / 11.2 MHz, DSD512 / 22.5 MHz, DXD, MQA decoder |
| Supported sample rates, kHz | 44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192, 352, 384, 768 |
| Supported bit depth | 16 bit, 24 bit, 32 bit |
| Roon Tested DAC | Yes |
| Audio chipset | Dual ESS ES9038Q2M |
| In the box | Remote control, Power cable, Users guide |
| Power consumption when standby | <0.5 watt |
| Power consumption | 20 watts max. |