New A1 FBP high quality, fully balanced preamp from Musical Fidelity challenges assumptions about performance and price.

The new A1 FBP from Musical Fidelity is a fully balanced preamp designed to exploit the extraordinary power and performance of our 550K and
750K Power Amplifiers, both of which can operate as conventional power amps.

With the A1 FBP, Musical Fidelity set out to challenge assumptions about preamp performance and price. The A1 FBP has a useful array of
features and functions, including two balanced inputs, phono (MC +MM), USB home theatre bypass, balanced and single-ended outputs and an
external choke-filtered power supply.

Its most notable feature, however, is that it operates in fully balanced mode.

Fully balanced

There are many so-called ‘balanced’ preamps on the market that are, in fact, single-ended preamps with a balanced input and balanced output.

The A1 FBP is not one of these. It operates in fully balanced mode. It is fully balanced throughout, from beginning to end. It has wide bandwidth,
low distortion and low noise. Because it has balanced operation, it can drive any length of cable to the power amps.

Sound quality

When the A1 FBP is used with a 550K or 750K Power Amplifier (as power amps), the sound quality is arrestingly tactile. The imaging is positively
three-dimensional, whilst the sound quality is sweet and clear, with a huge dynamic slam. The bass is tight and fast and the high frequencies are
crystalline. The A1 FBP offers the best of high end in a beautiful package.

External power supply

As with all of our top-of-the-range components, the A1 FBP has an external power supply. This ensures that the circuitry does not suffer
electromagnetic interference from the transformer or power supply elements. In addition, the power supply has an internal, four-stage choke
filtering to condition the AC power supply before it gets to the preamp. This ensures consistent, top quality performance almost regardless of
mains quality.

Wide range inputs and outputs

The A1 FBP has a wide range of inputs: two balanced inputs, phono (MM+MC), USB, CD, tuner aux (or home theatre bypass), tape in and tape out
and balanced and single-ended outputs.

Price and performance – the problem and its solution

With its excellent technical performance, exquisite sound, wide range of inputs including balanced USB and phono and balanced plus single-
ended outputs, the A1 FBP meets all the needs of a 21st century music-loving audiophile.

The A1 FBP will be available from August 2008.