Musical Fidelity M8xTT Turntable Inspired by Legend
Musical Fidelity's M8xTT turntable can trace its lineage back to 2002's M1 and features a bespoke 10-inch tonearm alongside a multi-layered plinth.
The M1 turntable was the product of Musical Fidelity owner Antony Michaelson approaching Heinz Lichtenegger for his input in creating a genuine high-end turntable that matched his amplifiers' aesthetic, technical performance and sound characteristics.
As Musical Fidelity's current owner, Heinz Lichtenegger has revisited this project to bring back the legendary turntable with the added benefits of improved, modern skills and materials.
Spotted earlier this year at The Bristol Hi-Fi Show (above), the M8xTT is visually striking. Tipping the scales at 31.5kg, it combines high-mass and isolation design principles. Firstly, the M8xTT's dual-layer plinth is made of non-resonant acrylic, mounted on four height-adjustable magnetic feet with Teflon spacers between the layers.
The top layer houses the main bearing spindle, and the tonearm mount for complete isolation from the stand-alone drive motor rests on the bottom plinth, which we are told is isolated from the structure by a "special foam" material. Musical Fidelity states that this effectively eliminates the transfer of internal resonances as well as from the surrounding environment.
A silicon belt connects the electronic speed change-equipped motor to the TPE-damped 10kg main platter that sits on an inverted bearing with a ceramic ball tip. The platter also boasts a dual-layer construction joined together by aluminium inserts. The manufacturer says that this also improves the flywheel effect as the platter begins to turn.
Rotational stability is listed as ± 0.11% (33) / ± 0.10% (45) alongside a quoted Wow & Flutter of ± 0.05% (33) / ± 0.04% (45).
The new 10-inch tonearm is a new model from Musical Fidelity, developed for the M8xTT and features a conical aluminium tonearm tube and a transparent acrylic bearing ring. The arm is fully adjustable for azimuth and VTA settings and comes equipped with two TPE-damped counterweights to support cartridges ranging from 6 – 20g. Specifications include an effective tonearm length of 254mm, 17g effective tonearm mass and 16mm overhang.
On the M8xTT's back panel, you'll find RCA phono sockets and balanced XLR connections.
The M8xTT comes bundled with a leather platter mat and a heavy aluminium record puck. It can also be ordered without a pre-mounted tonearm.
The M8xTT will begin shipping in October 2023 with an SRP of £8,249.
Visit Musical Fidelity for more information
Jay Garrett
StereoNET’s resident rock star, bass player, and gadget junkie. Jay heads up StereoNET as Editor for the United Kingdom and Europe regions. His passion for gadgets and Hi-Fi is second only to being a touring musician.
Posted in: Hi-Fi
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