M3x DAC - Overview

"The Musical Fidelity M3x DAC presents itself as a true secret weapon for audiophile connoisseurs who do not want to invest huge sums in high-end sound."

Patrice Lipeb - Audio Test 06/2023

Our M3x DAC is our new entry in affordable high-end DACs. With its technical prowess, superb technical performance, careful PCB design in Musical Fidelity tradition, meticulous power supply layout, and excellent build quality, the new M3x DAC offers a truly outstanding modern high-end DAC design.

Technical Talk

The M3x DAC employs an upsampling DAC design with the SRC4392, a high-end sample rate converter from Burr Brown, tasked to re-clock all PCM signals and convert them into 192 kHz. Up-sampling done in this sophisticated and clean implementation allows us to reach the lowest distortion levels and maintain and elevate your digital music playback.

The PCM1795 DAC handles PCM rates of up to 32 bits and 192kHz and native and DoP DSD of up to DSD256. DSD files are not up-sampled, but played in their original format.

The single ended RCA and balanced XLR outputs each have their own output buffer. Both output stages deliver superior audio quality, exhibit very low noise, large output voltage swing and high current drive. The excellent gain bandwidth and very fast slew rate produce exceptionally low distortion.

Super Silent Power Transformer

The M3x DAC displays our continued development of our Super Silent Power Transformers. Industrial grade power sockets with EMI filter and DC blocker stop interferences and eliminate transformer hum. The toroidal transformer with low core saturation is ideal for audio applications and especially perfect for digital audio due to its extremely low electromagnetic radiation.

Correct PCB Design & Layout

Digital to analogue converters, compared to analogue amplifiers, present their own design challanges. They work in different domains, have their own requirements and need to be treated as such. Power requirements are unique and solutions designed for amplifiers will not show similar results when paired with digital circuitry.

We have always held circuit board design and layout up to the highest of standards at Musical Fidelity. We are not believers of flashy board design just for the sake of looks. The design & layout need to be custom-tailored to each application, measure well AND sound as envisioned. Only then have we done our job. At this point, we have given the listener a palpable sense of the recording venue that places the performers in a real-time holographic space in their own homes.

Mechanically Sound

Paying close attention to every aspect of the M3x DAC, we get a tremendous performer. The mechanical construction is uncompromisingly rigid and solid in typical Musical Fidality tradition. The front panel is milled from an extruded aluminium profile. Together with the heavy steel case this protects the internals against outer electromagnetic fields, and in the same way, the rest of your HiFi gear against electromagnetic fields generated by the M3x DAC.

M3x DAC In Brief

• PCM1795 DAC with SRC4392 Upsampling Chip
• 2 digital PCM filters & 2 analogue DSD filters
• PCM inputs upsampled to 192kHz
• USB: up to 32bit/192kHz
• USB: DSD 256 (stereo DoP and native)
• SPDIF: up to 24bit/192kHHz
• 1x USB, 2x coaxial, 2x optical inputs
• 1x RCA, 1x balanced XLR output
• Affordable entry into high-end DACs
• Very low noise
• Extremely low distortion
• Outstanding linearity
• Outstanding channel separation
• Super Silent Power Transformer
• Balanced and RCA output
• Heavy aluminium frontplate with steel chassis
• Minimal electromagnetic interference from power supply to DAC circuitry
• Roon Tested (*pending)
• Made in the EU