Musical Fidelity - A3 CR power amplifier description and test
Introduction
Split stereo systems have a lot of supporters among audio lovers who say that a separate power amplifier + preamplifier (Power amplifier+Pre-Amplifier) gives better sound results than the integrated amplifier (Integrated amplifier). I also belong to this group. There is a lot of truth and logic in this, which comes from listening tests and the experiences of the users themselves. Currently produced integrated amplifiers, such as HEGEL are really high-quality products that sound great, but the split system consisting of a separate power amplifier and preamplifier gives greater benefits. Despite the fact that the signal in the path is extended (an additional device), the advantages of separating the power and amplification from each other from the most sensitive preamplifier circuits offer more benefits than losses.
The power amplifier I am describing, from the well-known British manufacturer Musical Fidelity, is a product of audiophile origin. This is evidenced by its well-thought-out Dual-Mono design, where two toroidal transformers for the right and left channels function as Mono-Blocks connected to each other. Additional two separate power transformers, which we can rarely find in this type of design, make us realize that this is a truly audiophile product that has not been spared. High output power and a well-fitted rigid chassis with aluminum front, and high-quality connectors on the back of the chassis, taken from the top NU-VISTA series, place the A3CR high among its rivals. The power of the amplifier is 120W per channel at 8 ohms load and almost doubled, as much as 210W at 4 ohms. A3CR consumes as much as 600 Watt from the mains at maximum load, which gives a large reserve of electricity. The amplifier should easily drive most of the loudspeakers connected to it.
A little curiosity- I don't know if any of the users of Musical Fidelity A3CR i Densen Beat B200 discovered the possibility of combining a pre-amp with a power amp with two pairs of interconnects. It is possible and gives amazingly good results.
Sound
After starting, you can feel the high power that lies in the A3CR, which translates into a very dynamic sound. The bass is fast, well-controlled and kept in check, the rest of the band depends on the preamplifier connected to it, which always plays the first fiddle in shared systems. The A3CR combined with the Pre-Amp from Densen with the Beat B200 model complements well, and although, as we know, the timbre depends to a large extent on the source and loudspeakers, matching it with the above-mentioned Densen gives a clean, well-differentiated sound throughout the whole band. . Densen brings a velvety color to the music and a certain magic to Musical Fidelity, especially in the vocals, which are of such good quality that you don't have to calm down and focus to feel the silky character of the artist's voice. The sounds that reach the listener have the right filling, mass, dynamics and this is a magical thing that can bring good components to the A3CR, such as a pre-amp, CD player or turntable . There is no discoloration or persistence in the sound. Nothing sticks together, the natural message is preserved, and the sound stage is well-arranged, where each instrument has its designated place. The whole thing is musical, with a magical envelope that makes us not only listen to music, but also have the impression that we are participating in it. 210 watts of power per channel with the frequently used 4 ohm load, is large enough not to complain about amp clipping and choke at higher power levels. A3CR has two pairs of RCA connectors to which we can connect two independent preamplifiers, e.g. stereo and home theater, in which Musical Fidelity will be responsible for driving the main front stereo channels (left and right).
As I have (though not used anymore) the A-10 integrated amplifier from PRIMARE, and my main source of signal delivery from the PC is the wonderful HI-END RME ADI 2 DAC FS (click-review). I decided to test and use the devices as a separate DAC, preamplifier and power amplifier, so as to exclude the weakest link . The featured Musical Fidelity A3CR, Densen Beat B200 (click-review), and a great analog-to-digital converter acting as a sound source connected to a computer via a USB bus, controlled by free software Foobar2000 armed with ASIO plug-in in the Microsoft Windows 10 operating system environment.
Test methodology:
Pre-Amp + Powe-Amp (i.e. connection combinations provided by the devices).
1. RME ADI 2 DAC FS as USB DAC source for Hi-Res DSD files from computer
2. RME ADI 2 DAC FS as USB source from PC + preamplifier from RME + Musical Fidelity A3CR power amplifier
3. PRIMARE A10 as integrated amplifier + RME ADI 2 DAC as DAC source from PC
4. Densen Beat B200 + PRIMARE A10 as a power amplifier with RME DAC source
5. PRIMARE A10 as a preamplifier + power amplifier Musical Fidelity A3CR + DAC RME
6. Densen Beat B200 + Musical fidelity A3CR + DAC RME
7. RME as DAC and preamplifier + Primare A10 power amplifier
8. RME as a DAC and preamplifier + Musical Fidelity A3CR power amplifier
The test was performed in a room with averaged acoustics in the form of front diffusers and one centrally located absorbing panel on the back wall. Everything was accompanied by the award-winning KEF-LS 50 loudspeakers (the first series without Meta-absorbers), installed on the Dynami Duo glass stands with lead loading from Atacama Atabiter SMD HD, standing on spikes and 1.5 cm thick marble plates. Two active subwoofers connected mono-phonically REL-T5i with a Neutrik Speakon cable and VELODYNE-CHT 10 QR with a Cat-5e Ethernet cable. The cabling is the speaker cables available to me at the moment:
Chord Epic Super Twinin Single-Wire configuration (2x positive and 2x negative wires twisted together)
The cables connecting the devices used for the test are (RCA interconnects)
QED-Qunex Silver Spiral Reference
Cambridge Audio - Studio Reference
Cambridge Audio - Atlantic
IXOS-1002
Power Cables:
1. MCRU-Asylum Mains Power Cable
2. WireWorld - Stratus 7 Conditioning Cord
Feed conditioner: Tacima IFI-23 Mains Conditioner
Test results
The best sound was the combination of the Musical Fidelity A3CR power amplifier with the Densen Beat B200 preamplifier and the RME ADI 2 DAC FS source. Pre-wired with Chord Epic Super Twin speaker cables with Cadenza Reference and Chameleon Plus interconnects.
I must also mention here that the much cheaper QED TX40 speaker cables were not inferior to the much more expensive Chord Epic SuperTwin.
The PRIMARE A10 preamplifier (from the integrated) was not able to keep up with the Densen in every respect, its cool sound character did not transfer so much information to the KEF LS50 loudspeakers that they received from the Densen. The sound from Primare was flat, sterile, devoid of charisma.
RME did not perform well as a preamplifier. By placing it next to the esteemed Densen, it provided less dynamism and lacked the character that Densen brought. Comparing it directly with the Primare A10 integrated preamplifier, it had a similar cool, vigorous color. The bass was slimmer, the midrange more analytical, and the highs lacking shine.
The changes in the cabling introduced considerable sound differences into the devices. As you'd expect, the most audible differences were shown by the interconnects.
When confronting the Musical Fidelity A3CR with the PRIMARE A10 integrated as a power amplifier, which has a much lower power of 78W at 4 ohms vs 210W Musical Fidelity at the same load, I did not feel any discomfort for the weaker one. There was not much difference in dynamics and overall quality. As a power amplifier, the Primare was perfect, it reproduced a clean, well-defined sound without losing the nuances and vigor of the stronger competitor. It seems to me that the combination of two power amplifiers of the A10 integrated in a monophonic configuration could beat a very efficient Musical.
Conclusion
As an integrated amplifier, the Primare a10 does not shine, its weak preamplifier cannot spread the wings of the good power amplifier it has. Using it as a power-amp gives you a strong sound of good quality.
RME ADI 2 DAC FS does a great job in what it was created for. Its capabilities as an analog-to-digital decoder offer what the competition does not. And although its preamplifier works fantastically with efficient headphones, it looks rather pale as a preamplifier controlling a power amplifier.
The Musical Fidelity A3CR is a very well-designed power amplifier, you cannot find any flaws in its design or budget limitation. All components are of very good quality what we expect from the manufacturer with many years of HI-END background . With well-chosen companions, it shows pure dynamic power while retaining the details and character brought by the preamplifier and source. Despite its great design, it cannot stand next to HI-END amplifiers. The idea of Musical Fidelity engineers to supply the A3CR with dual-monophonic transformers with two separate power supplies was excellent, but it did not translate into a significant improvement in sound compared to competitors using cheaper single solutions.
Technical data:
Output power: (0.5% distortion) 120 watts per channel into 8 ohms, 210 watts per channel into 4 ohms
Harmonic distortion THD: 20 Hz - 20 KHz <0.005% at 1 KHz "A" weighted
Frequency response: 10Hz - 20KHz + 0.5dB
Frequency response: 10Hz - 100KHz + 2dB
Channel separation: -85dB 20Hz-20kHz
Input sensitivity: 1000mV
Input impedance: 31 KOhm
S / N ratio: -98dB weighted (Ref 1W) -120dB weighted (full power output)
Power consumption max: 600 W.
Dimensions Amplifier: 440 x 95 x 400mm (W x H x D)
Height includes feet, depth includes clamps
Power requirements: 100/115 / 230V AC 50 / 60Hz
Libra15 kg (without packaging)
Standard equipment: IEC type power cord
Prepared by: Łabędź Przemysław