Any Owners of the MUSICAL FIDELITY - MX-VYNL MM/MC phono preamp?

Anyone has a real life experience on how it compares to the cheaper V90 LPS in the MM section?

 

I'm interested in this...thought I'd post and bump to see if there are any more opinions on it. My phono stage is getting up there in years and may need replacing some time in the not too distant future...

The easy loading dial feature seems like a really attractive feature to me, but ultimately I need to know more about the sound.

Musical Fidelity - MX-VYNL MM/MC Phono Preamp | Shop Music Direct

 

For about twice the price there's the M6 Vinyl since recently:
Musical Fidelity | M6 Vinyl Phono Stage
Like the full size. Wonder if it's significantly better sounding and if the psu is like the optional one for the MX.

 

Looks like a nice one. Hard to find reviews. Everything I just came across looks like company boilerplate. I've owned Musical Fidelity gear in the past, though, and thought very highly of it.

 

Sorry to revive this old thread, but I can't figure out how to send a PM.

Preston, I've got a KW 500 as well that I bought used a few years back. Have you every tried using a MC cartridge with the onboard phono preamp? I have a Denon DL-103 that is rather low output and wondering if it would play nice. I've been using an outboard Cambridge Audio preamp for a while, but it has a MM/MC selector.

Thanks,
Shahram

 

Shahram - Yes, I have a Sumiko Blackbird MC cartridge that I ran through the excellent phono section in the kW500. It's a high output MC, so gain was no issue. I added a Parasound JC3+ phono stage and am now running the Blackbird through that. The Blackbird's impedance works well through either the MM or MC inputs on phono sections because its impedance is near (or identical to) a MM cartridge and the loading is the same, so no downside to running it through a MM phono stage. The issue that you might have with other more typical MC cartridges is you'd have to check with the manufacturer to see how it would interface with the kW500's phono section. Might not be an issue, but it's worth checking out. I guess my MC is atypical and may not be a good example for you. Good luck!

 

Thanks for the detailed response! Did you find that the Parasound phone stage made a noticeable improvement?

I will give it a shot with the Denon cart, but my TT is too far away from the KW 500 to directly connect it. I will need to dig up some RCA extensions.

 

I bought that unit in February and I think it's great with lots and lots of detail and air. It is the quietest preamp I have heard, even quieter than my Musical Surroundings Nova II when run on battery.

 

To avoid misunderstanding: you bought the M6 or the MX? Whichever it is, can you tell more about the sound? Sweet or analytic?

 

Yes. A huge improvement in every area. Don't get me wrong: the phono section in the kW500 is excellent, but the JC3+ betters it by a wide margin, as it should for the price.

 

That M6 pre is identical in looks to my unit, but I have the Nuvista Vinyl preamp that has 5 inputs

 

Any idea if the MX-Vinyl would handle a low output/low impedance cartridge like the Technics 310MC? Output voltage 0.2 mV, 30 ohm impedance?

 

Yes this does work. I have done this myself.

 

Anyone compared the MX (with upgrade PS) and M6? Does the M6 sound better or the price difference is due to more features?

 

Pricewise the M6 does look a better deal when you consider it has a proper built in PS and extra facilities (if you need them).

 

I've had the MX-Vinyl for about a year now. I had the facility to input a balanced signal to my Pre/Processor which attracted me to the MX-Vinyl in the first place. What sealed the deal was the balanced input to the MX-Vinyl itself. Initially i used the RCA connection from tonearm to the MX-Vinyl. This sounds good, but I was curious as to how a fully balanced path would sound.

I had to make my own cable to run from my SMEV to the MX-Vinyl, using Mogami cable a Cardas Din plug at the tonearm end and this mini-XLR plug at the Phono stage end:
RT5FC-B - REAN Connectors
This carries the signal from the cartridge, through the tonearm and into the phono stage as direct and unadulterated as possible.

The difference was night and day.

I had a few grounding issues that were easily fixed. My OrbeSE needs grounding for the motor, the chassis and the tonearm. Once these are all on the same path, everything is fine. The chassis grounding is very important as this is where the static charge dissipates. A good ground at the platter helps reduce pops and crackles that you might assume are dust but in reality are static discharge. For good measure I also use a static removing brush wand, tied into the same ground. It's a cheap addition that reduced static noise to almost zero.

The result is a virtually silent path from cartridge to speakers. Even at full volume, there is very little noise to speak of. The best I've achieved. At normal listening volume, it's an inky blackness.

I have a Dynavector 20X-L mounted right now. I've set the loading at 50 ohms, gain at +6dB, EQ at RIAA. Sonically it's pretty dreamy.

I'm toying with the idea of upgrading the power supply for the MX-Vinyl but I can't see how it could improve things much. I've got a battery block I might try out. Any advice there would be appreciated.

Just thought I'd share that. I'm impressed by this little unit. But I can't see the point of using it unless you follow the fully balanced capability.

 

Someone can answer my question:
Is it possible to connect the turntable using the RCA inputs and have the signal through the XLR outputs, like a M1Vinl or Pro-Ject Phono Box RS ?

 

Yes, you can do that. That is how my MX-VYNL is connected to my turntable and headphone-amp.

 

MF seem to have abandoned the balanced input on their upmarket stages (likely because you can't buy the correct cable). Anyway I've ordered an M6 Vinyl based on good review and matching my amp. Couldn't bring myself to shell out an extra £2K for Nuvista version which is same basic circuitry with addition of a valve output stage. That would require an extended loan to weigh up the value in better sound. https://www.henleyaudio.co.uk/shop/product/viewfile?FileId=5115&ProductId=993 . I have a V90 LPS as spare / second system stage so will be able to compare. I like the basic tonality of this though it sounds rather small scale in terms of soundstage and less detail against my NVA (which I feel is not doing the best job with some vintage pressings).

 

Actually the M6 has fewer mc loading settings and also lacks the balanced input, which otherwise allows a balanced connection from the cartridge to the amp (as a colleague user described couple of posts above). With the optional power supply it's still much cheaper than the M6. That's why I see the MX a better choice, which is also confusing a bit.

 

They don't now do an Optional PS. (Thakker in Germany did one (which is a large switch mode type and MF branded - used it with the V90 to good effect though it doubles the cost). You will have to buy a third party one which will add at least £250 for a linear and may invalidate your warranty. The balanced input is limited in practicality. If you have an SME arm you aren't going to mod a cable that costs £200. You can't buy any made up to a mini balanced connector (I searched for this some time ago) so you have to make one yourself which entails another cable change (how much difference is due to the new cable?) There are several potential variables here and and cable type rather than connections could be a bigger change than between the two models?. Probably why the M6 and Nuvista Vinyl dropped this feature. Question is does this make a difference? The M6 still claims to be fully balance internally and has balanced outputs. The extra MC settings likely have limited use. Just bought an M6 and found 800 ohm to sound best.

The only downside of these stages is the gain options. Many MC need the +6db and for very low output there should have been more and likely a bit more headroom. The higher resistance settings help here to my ears. Still running in but it is continuing to sound better.Those with 0.1 to 0.2 output cartridges probably should look elsewhere. The only way you will know the difference is to buy or loan both and compare in your system (can't see a dealer dem being definitive if you can get one). I really can't say if the more expensive stage is better sounding but would expect it to be. MF new owners do appear to have reduced the price of the MX Vinyl so it may well be a good buy now though I don't expect the balance connector to be the main factor in SQ here. BTW the M6 Vinyl is made in the EU now (Austria or Czechia?)

 

I can see it available on Amazon etc. for about £150. However, it was never presented on the MF site.

I like the balanced input because it allows to draw wires from cartridge thru the tonearm out of the table straight in the MX with no interruption. Not for everyone, though.

Can't find any word on this, while it is explicit in the case of MX.

Pro-ject bought them, but not sure if the production has moved from Taiwan to EU.

 

Amps still built in Taiwan plus some new products built in Slovakia incl M6 Vinyl.

It looks like that PS is available again. Certainly better than the supplied plug top PS.

M6 is described on Henley Audio (UK distributor) website as fully balanced design. Also note better power supplies are important in improving phono stage quality.

 

Do you know the actual gain when switch position is at 0? Can't find it in the manual or elsewhere.

 

If speaking of the M6 Vinyl, the user manual shows MM gain = 42dB and MC gain = 62dB, and the switch would presumably add 6dB to those numbers.