Musical Fidelity Nu-Vista DAC & Nu-Vista Vinyl 2 – First Look

All Image Credit: Musical Fidelity

Musical Fidelity has this week added two new products to its flagship Nu-Vista range; the Nu-Vista DAC and Nu-Vista Vinyl 2 phono pre-amplifier. Each model contains eight 7856 Nuvistor triode tubes that run in a completely balanced discrete Class A mode. Just like other models in the Nu-Vista range both are housed in a very heavy and rigid chassis that are milled from extruded aluminum profiles. This solid case acts as a Faraday cage protecting all internal circuitry from noise and interference. Both models use the same display technology and redesigned front panel as all other recent Nu-Vista additions and also come with an IR Nu-Vista remote that is also machined from solid aluminum.

Nuvistor tubes were invented back in the 1950’s in order to solve a number of conventional tube technical issues. They are very small offering low; noise, microphony and power consumption and are very reliable providing both high batch consistency and technical performance.

Nu-Vista DAC

The core of the DAC uses a pair of ESS Sabre ES9038Q2M chips in dual differential mode that are clocked by a  proprietary clock design with jitter rates below 100 femtoseconds. Optional upsampling, reclocking and an oversampling bypass mode are controlled by the 16-core XMOS and CPLD (Complex Programmable Logic Device) MAX II Altera processors, ensuring that there is always enough headroom for these operations, including; 7 digital filters, and MQA processing. Circuitry is fully balanced throughout, output stages are fully discrete Class A and a large “super silent” very low noise analog toroidal power supply with a dual regulator design powers all the electronics.

The Nu-Vista DAC supports 32bit/768kHz PCM, MQA 384kHz, native DSD up to DSD512 and is Roon tested.

Rear panel digital connectivity includes; USB, AES/EBU, coaxial, 3 x TOSLINK and an I2S HDMI socket for a future, yet to be announced, Nu-Vista CD-player. Analog output connectivity includes; balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA.  Trigger I/O is available for control while the three larger multi-pin inputs are for the addition of Musical Fidelity’s ‘Uni’ outboard power supply, helping to reduce noise even further.

Nu-Vista Vinyl 2

The core of the Vinyl 2 now features discrete and fully balanced audio circuitry throughout. The phono pre-amplification uses three gain stages powered by fully Class A discrete transistor circuitry. The two stage completely passive equalizer provides the standard RIAA curve, as well as the less common DECCA and COLOMBIA curves. Audio signals from the phono pre-amp drive separate boards for each channel that use fully balanced discrete Class A Nuvistor stages. Both XLR and RCA outputs have their own amplifiers allowing them to be simultaneously used.

Inputs include both fully balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA, both of which can be individually set for either MM or MC loading, with memories for all settings for each input. Gain adjustment covers 40dB to 69dB and is selected using switching signal relays, with loading being selectable between 5.0-47Kohm and 50-400pF, both controlled by JFET switching. A defeatable sub-sonic filter is also available. All providing a very wide range of cartridge support.

Power is again supplied by their Super Silent Power Transformers, industrial grade power sockets with EMI filter and DC blocker to stop interferences and eliminate transformer hum. An encapsulated toroidal transformer ensures minimal electromagnetic radiation with the preamplifier being powered by two high-quality symmetrical low-noise power supplies, one for each channel, while the supplies for the Nuvistors are fully balanced and passively filtered and regulated, all ensuring minimal power supply noise.

Rear panel phono connectivity includes; two pairs of balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA inputs with associated grounding lugs, with analog outputs being simultaneously available on one pair of balanced XLR and unbalanced RCA connectors. Just like the DAC, the three larger multi-pin inputs are for the addition of Musical Fidelity’s ‘Uni’ outboard power supply, helping to reduce noise even further.

Optional Upgrade: Nu-Vista Uni PSU – Available 2024.

Features At A Glance:

• DAC:
  • DAC Circuit: 32 bit Hyperstream II
  • DAC Chip: 2x ES9038Q2M (dual differential)
  • Low Noise Nu-Vista Class A circuitry
  • 8x 7586 Nuvistors in balanced buffer output circuit
  • 16-core XMOS and CPLD MAX II Altera processors
  • Switchable Advanced Reclocking
  • Switchable Upsampling
  • Oversampling Bypass
  • Selectable digital filters with proprietary optimum transient filter
  • Full Hardware MQA Decoding for USB and SPDIF inputs
  • Roon Tested
  • Super Silent Power Transformer
  • Discrete input power filtering and DC blocking circuitry
  • 1x Asynchronous USB: up to 768kHz
  • USB: DSD 256 (stereo DoP), DSD512 (stereo native)
  • 1x coaxial, 3x optical SPDIF; 1x AES/EBU: up to 24bit/192kHz
  • 1x I2S for Nu-Vista CD 2
  • 1x RCA, 1x balanced XLR outputs: variable/fixed switchable
  • Trigger In/Out
  • Optional connection for external Nu-Vista Uni PSU (sold separately)
  • Color display with digital playback information, clear selected input and volume display
  • Dimmable display
  • Nu-Vista Remote Control “Front panel in your hand”
• Vinyl 2
  • Fully balanced and discrete design
  • 3-part gain stage with Class A circuitry
  • Split-passive RIAA, DECCA & COLUMBIA equalization
  • Two-step subsonic filter (Switchable: OFF – Mild – Standard)
  • Low Noise Nu-Vista Class A circuitry
  • 8x 7586 Nuvistors in balanced buffer circuit
  • MM (40, 43dB) & MC (60, 63dB) capable with +6dB option for each gain setting
  • Separate output and input stages – connect multiple inputs and outputs simultaneously
  • Super Silent Power Transformer
  • Discrete input power filtering and DC blocking circuitry
  • 2x RCA inputs
  • 2x balanced XLR input
  • 1x RCA output
  • 1x balanced XLR output
  • Optional connection for external Nu-Vista Uni PSU (sold separately)
  • Color display with loading settings and clear selected input
  • Load settings stored for each input
  • Dimmable display
  • Nu-Vista Remote Control “Front panel in your hand”

Specifications:

DAC:

• DAC chip: 2x ES9038Q2M (dual mono) with 8x digital filter
• Frequency response: -0,5dB at 10Hz and 20kHz
• Total correlated jitter: <100 femtoseconds
• Linearity: <0.5dB down to -130dB
• Channel separation: < 130dB at 10kHz @ 0dBFS
• SNR: > 120dB, “A”-wt. at 1kHz @ 0dBFS
• THD+N: < 0,003% at 1kHz @ 0dBFS
• Digital Inputs:
  • 1x USB input: USB Audio Class 2 requires USB 2.0 or higher on computer
    • USB PCM sample rates: up to 768kHz
    • USB DSD support: up to DSD256 via DoP and native DSD512
  • MQA support: full MQA decoding by hardware
  • 3x Optical input: up to 24bit / PCM 192kHz, MQA 384kHz, DoP DSD 64
  • 1x Coaxial input: up to 24bit / PCM 192kHz, MQA 384kHz, DoP DSD 64
  • 1x AES/EBU input: 1x up to 24bit / PCM 192kHz, MQA 384kHz, DoP DSD 64
• Analogue Outputs:
  • 1 pair line level RCA fix/var @ 2V RMS at 0dBFS
  • 1 pair line level XLR fix/var @ 4V RMS at 0dBFS
  • Output impedance: < 10 ohms
• General Information:
  • Trigger In/Out
  • Power connections for optional Nu-Vista Uni PSU (sold separately)
  • Dimensions (WxHxD): 483 x 188 x 510 mm
  • Weight: 21.5 kg

Vinyl 2:

• MM:
  • Gain at XLR outputs: 40dB, 43dB, 46dB, 49dB
  • Frequency response: +0.2dB, -0.2dB
  • Input sensitivity: 5mV IN for 500mV OUT (at 40dB, 1kHz)
  • Input impedance: 47kohm
  • Input capacitance: 50-400pF selectable
  • THD at 1kHz: <0.005%
  • Overload Margin: 32dB
  • Signal to noise ratio: >110dB “A”-wt. at 40dB
• MC:
  • Gain at XLR outputs: 60dB, 63dB, 66dB, 69dB
  • Frequency response: +0.2dB, -0.25dB
  • Input sensitivity: 500uV IN for 500mV OUT (at 60dB, 1kHz)
  • Input impedance: 5 ohm to 47kohm selectable
  • Input capacitance: 400pF fixed
  • THD at 1kHz: <0.008%
  • Overload Margin: 32dB
  • Signal to noise ratio: >98dB “A”-wt. at 60dB
• Features:
  • EQ curves: RIAA, DECCA, COLUMBIA
  • Subsonic filters: off, mild (IEC), standard (at 20Hz with 18dB/octave)
• Inputs & Outputs:
  • Inputs: 2x RCA, 2x XLR
  • 1x RCA output: unbalanced, left and right 500mV nom, 10V max
  • 1x XLR output: balanced, left and right 1V nom, 20V max
• General Information:
  • Dimensions (WxHxD): 483 x 188 x 510 mm
  • Power connections for optional Nu-Vista Uni PSU (sold separately)
  • Weight: 22 kg

MSRP (DAC/Vinyl 2) black or silver – TBC:

• US: $10,990/$10,990
• UK: £10,990/£10,990
• EU: €10,990/€10,990

For more information visit Musical Fidelity:

• Nu-Vista DAC
• Nu-Vista Vinyl 2

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