Shown at the Munich High End Show last week, the Musical Fidelity A1 builds upon the original circuits with modern improvements and superior components.

You'd be hard-pressed to spot the difference between the old and new unless they were side by side, though the refreshed edition is a touch larger - most certainly to better manage heat dissipation from its pure Class A operation, which offers 25 watts @ 8ohms. It also sports a remote control for 2023.

There's a built-in MM/MC phono stage, with low noise current to voltage converter for further amplification and RIAA equalisation, and automatic input impedance matching (1K nominal) for MC selected along with increased gain.

We'd love to hear the pairing with Musical Fidelity's newly released remake of two more classics: the LS3/5A and LS5/9 loudspeakers, also announced before Munich.

Further improvements on the 2023 release are said to include an updated transformer "for more efficient "dual mono split rail" windings", along with a high quality and updated ALPS RK series potentiometer as volume control. All transistors, including output devices, have been carefully selected from modern equivalents, with polypropylene (PP) type capacitors used in the signal path. 

Musical Fidelity says that particular care and attention were made to not change any component specification from its original, but to update them to modern equivalents with a long lifespan. The circuit layout is also said to follow the original faithfully. Finally, the phono stage and preamplifier layout have been improved for less noise and hum.

In Munich, the expected price was stated as €1,599.

For more information visit Musical Fidelity