Musical Fidelity M1 CLiC: Universal Music Controller – DEMO UNIT Musical Fidelity

DEMO UNIT

We describe the M1 CLiC as a universal music controller for all your digital and analogue sources. Essentially it combines a high-quality streamed music player, internet radio, 24-bit/192kHz digital-to-analogue converter (DAC) and pre-amplifier in one compact box. The multi-faceted M1 CLiC handles and enhances a vast array of sources and formats, with support for both wired and wireless networking increasing its flexibility further still. Whether you’re enjoying a new level of music quality from a laptop, Apple iPod/iPhone/iPad, USB drive or more traditional sources, the M1 CLiC clearly displays what it’s playing on its bright, colourful display.

The M1 CLiC’s exceptional capabilities may mean it’s a hard product to categorise, but they make it easy to praise. EISA – Europe’s most prestigious technology association – named the M1 CLiC as Best Network Player in its 2011-2012 Awards; Gramophone’s review called it “remarkable for the money”, Hi-Fi News dubbed it “outstanding’ and Hi-Fi World declared ‘it’s hard to think of another product that’s as versatile’.

Inside its beautifully finished compact casing, the M1 CLiC is engineered to offer standout performance and flexibility. The M1 CLiC sports seven digital connections. A USB socket on the front panel makes it easy to quickly connect an iPod/iPhone, memory stick or hard drive. Around the back you’ll find an iPod dock connector, one optical and two coaxial inputs, a USB DAC input and an Ethernet network socket. There’s also a wi-fi antenna if you want to wirelessly stream music or access internet radio.

Providing further flexibility, the M1 CLiC’s three analogue inputs are pure analogue from beginning to end. Digital inputs feed into the 24bit, 192kHz DAC at the heart of the M1 CLiC, a reclocking, upsampling design with extremely low distortion and excellent linearity.

The M1 CLiC happily handles the following formats: FLAC (up to 24bit/192kHz wired; 24bit/96kHz wireless); WMA/9 (up to 16bit/48Hz); AAC and HE-AAC (up to 24bit/96Hz); LPCM (up to 24bit/192kHz wired; 24bit/96kHz wireless); Ogg vorbis (up to 16bit/32kHz) and MP3 (up to 16bit/48kHz).

Internet radio is handled via vTuner, a proven and reliable platform that offers excellent speed, quality and ease of use. The M1 CLiC has both fixed and variable outputs, meaning it can be used as a standalone pre-amplifier – a compact pairing for a power amplifier or active speakers – or a source component feeding into the integrated or pre/power amp of your choice. Its low output impedance, plus high current drive capacity, means it will easily drive a wide range of amps.