Muscular Fidelity

Mark Craven wrestles this beefy multichannel amplifier into place, and then gets drunk on power

- Mark Craven

Here's something I wasn't expecting. Musical Fidelity, the audio brand known for its high-end hi-fi products, and association with turntable maker Pro-Ject, which acquired the company in 2018, has launched a seven-channel power amplifier. And it's a big old beast of an amp too.

Available now via UK distributor Henley Audio, the M6x 250.7 is the first of three multichannel amplifiers incoming from Musical Fidelity - apparently there are five-channel and 11-channel models, based around the same technology, due to launch. This begs the question of whether the manufacturer will also unleash a multichannel processor, but there's no word on such a thing yet. Still, as I wrote in my recent review of the seven-channel Emotiva BasX A5 (HCC #335), multichannel power amps aren't exactly common, so even if Musical Fidelity doesn't add a partnering processor, I'm not going to grumble.

Backside story

If any processor does arrive, it will no doubt offer a balanced output to match the M6x 250.7's seven balanced inputs, on XLR connections, found on the rear panel. There's also the option of an unbalanced connection via RCA. Musical Fidelity doesn't, however, provide the usual switch to select between the two. Don't connect both types at once, then...

Other back panel features include something else a little unusual - seven further RCA output terminals. These enable the input signal to be fed to the adjacent amplifier output, for bi-amping. There are also in/out triggers for system integration (with on/off switch), IEC socket and power button, and a bank of well-spaced gold-plated multi-way speaker terminals.

The front panel is, as expected, uncluttered. Musical Fidelity says it 'gives you a clear understanding of what is going on with the amplifier,' which basically means there are small LED status lights for each channel, and a standby button.