Musical Fidelity B1xi

The B1xi is a stereo integrated amplifier from Musical Fidelity, designed to make refined amplification accessible without sacrificing connection versatility. It combines a classic analogue power stage with a set of inputs covering both vinyl and digital and wireless sources.

The power stage is built around a fully discrete class A/B circuit, supported by a dedicated power supply and a generously sized toroidal transformer. This architecture delivers 60 W per channel into 8 ohms and 100 W into 4 ohms (measured at 1% distortion), with a peak of 140 W into 2 ohms: enough to retain dynamic headroom on musical peaks and drive low-impedance speakers without faltering. The damping factor of 30 and the 8 A peak-to-peak output current reflect good control over loudspeakers, while a pair of output devices per channel ensures load handling.

On the connectivity side, the B1xi brings together an MM phono stage, three RCA line inputs, optical and coaxial digital inputs, an ARC input and Bluetooth 5.1, all managed up to 24-bit/192 kHz in stereo PCM for digital links. A variable RCA preamp output allows for the addition of a subwoofer or a bi-amping configuration, and a 5 V USB-C output can power an external media player.

This profile suits a single stereo system intended to receive multiple sources without adding extra boxes: a turntable fitted with an MM cartridge, a television via ARC, a smartphone over Bluetooth, or a digital source via an optical or coaxial link. The metal construction, with metal controls and a solid aluminium fascia, is aimed at an enthusiast wanting a robust everyday unit rather than a model destined for an exceptional system.