So here we are in late 2025, and once again I have a Musical Fidelity X-A1 Amplifier with X-Ray CD Player. I first bought these as new units in 1998, sold them in 1999, and here I am again, over 25 years later, with a second-hand X-A1 and X-Ray. Both are in excellent (near mint) condition. The X-A1 was purchased via a popular online auction site, the X-Ray came from JS Audio / John Samson who coincidently, and to my delight, had a spare one for sale. John performed his ‘Stage 2’ upgrade and tuning on my X-A1 Amp. The X-Ray CD Player had a service, having previously had a replacement laser pickup fitted. So, mission accomplished…but what mission was that you may ask…..
After 25 years of working my way up through some of the 90’s to 2000’s era Musical Fidelity gear then jumping on a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows as I worked my way through gear from some other manufacturers, I had one of those ‘light-bulb’ moments as I came to realise it was time to go back to the start. Time to go back to Musical Fidelity, and back to equipment that I had cherished and had only really sold because I’d caught the bug that us HiFi and Music enthusiasts sometimes refer to as ‘upgraditus’. The X-A1 plus X-Ray system represented what for me, was my first serious and significant investment in a HiFi System. Now I have them again. I’m back to where it all began, and I can joyfully report it’s a great place to be.
When I called John Samson to arrange the work, I gave him a brief summary of my HiFi story since he and I had last been in contact, and in response, he gave me an amusing and friendly telling-off. In particular, when I expressed regret at moving away from Musical Fidelity, he said “I keep telling people not to do this. For people who start with Musical Fidelity, it can be a big mistake. – it has a particular sound that people get used to.” I agree, and I can say with conviction, that now I am back with this MF X-Series system, music sounds wonderful again, its sounds right, and it sounds how I like it to sound. I’ve been told that a famous conductor – Sir Thomas Beecham – once said in an interview – “I really hate music, but I love the sound it makes”. In a similar vein, I have once again begun to focus more on the music, rather than listening (with a critical ear) to what the HiFi is doing. Listening sessions now extend into the small hours as I feed CD after CD into the X-Ray. I’ve not done this for years…..
So that is already, perhaps, the best compliment I can give this MF X-Series gear. But what of the upgrade work completed? X-Ray aside for a moment, has it been worth investing what is basically the same amount of money for a JS Audio Stage 2 upgrade to my X-A1 Amplifier, as it cost to buy one of these Amps brand new in 1998? Absolutely YES. Does it sound better? YES. Does it have a cleaner sound, have more headroom, and maintain a stronger grip on the music / speakers? YES.
I can’t begin to remember enough about how my original X-A1 sounded back in 1998, and being honest, I did not listen to this latest one for very long before I picked up the phone to John for the upgrade. But I’m pretty sure it sounds more dynamic, cleaner, and has more ‘grunt’ and heft. The low frequencies are strong, well defined and tuneful, more than adequate with bass instruments, and extremely forceful with percussion such as kettle drums or kick drums. Mid-range and top end characteristics are as I remember them – open, airy, sweet, spacious and slightly forward but not harsh sounding with decent separation and offering up authentic tone and timbre to all instruments in the orchestra. Plenty of body to notes, and so on.
But rather than continue with my poor attempt at imitating a golden-eared HiFi reviewer, I will simply say it sounds and performs better than anything else (including amps at 2 to 3 times the price) that I’ve heard for a very long time. No, it’s not an entirely fair comparison. Other amps I’ve had have more features. The X-A1 has no DAC, no tone controls, no phono stage, no remote control. It’s a Class AB amp for an old-school analogue purist, beautifully designed and built, and unique in appearance. The budget was spent making it look, and most importantly sound good, and John has made mine better, and given it the longevity to hopefully last me for another 20 years. That’s priceless.
I’ve recently added a matching MF X-Plora to my system, so I now have (for the first time) Hi Fidelity FM Radio that from my experience, eclipses anything I’ve previously heard from a radio whether FM, DAB, or Internet stream. But to close, I want to say something about the X-Ray CD Player. I love the way the CD drawer blasts out of the chassis when you eject, then rapidly snatches the CD back in and loads it like a hungry animal. But most importantly, I love how it sounds with a forensic level of detail retrieval without ever sounding clinical. Yes, it does perhaps expose poorer recordings more than other players but your ears aren’t punished, and with great recordings, it’s an absolute belter. Back in the day, the X-Ray cost nearly twice the price of the X-A1 yet they were marketed and sold as matching components. Now that my X-A1 has been upgraded, I feel it is an even more worthy companion for the X-Ray.
In the front of every user manual for MF components in that era, MF make the claim that “….together these components will form one of the finest HiFi systems available….” Its not a claim, its simple fact and demonstrable proof that those of us with more modest budgets and aspirations, can have truly exceptional HiFi, without needing to buy into the amazing, but cost prohibitive High End.
Thanks John. Superb.