The modern version of the legendary Musical Fidelity B1 is an adrenaline shot for your music at just €699.
In Musical Fidelity's sentimental archives, the letter A will always hold a special place, engraved in fire on the (almost) incandescent heat sinks of the legendary A1 from 1985. A small Class A integrated amplifier, with 25 W of sonic tenderness, which won the hearts of the most sensitive audiophiles—and the shop shelves, when it didn’t collapse from the heat.
It was reissued in 2023, with the same circuits but improved ventilation and more resilient components, so that the flame could burn again without scorching the “sardines.”
Musical fidelity A1 (2023 remake)
Note: Read the Musical Fidelity A1 review (2023 remake) here.
The B1 revisited
Less famous but no less relevant, the original B1, launched shortly afterwards, sought to democratise this musical philosophy by offering a more accessible and conventional version (Class AB), yet still faithful to the spirit of warm, rounded musicality—not hi-fi, just music.
Now, in 2025, Musical Fidelity is bringing back the “B” series with the B1 xi—which, unlike the new A1 (faithful to the original even in its topology), is an entirely new design with different ambitions, different circuits, and different features. A kind of B1 revisited in the light of the digital age—but without losing its original British analogue accent. All at an affordable price of €699.
Musical Fidelity B1 xi without the cover lid
Class AB with pedigree and power to spare
Unlike the reissued A1, which stubbornly remains in pure Class A, the B1 xi adopts a more pragmatic approach: 50 W per channel into 8 ohms, 100 W into 4 ohms, with a generous Class AB topology, powered by an overspecified toroidal transformer—as per Antony Michaelson's playbook, even in post-Michaelson times.
Musical Fidelity does not reveal many secrets about the circuit. Still, those familiar with the company can expect a discreet architecture, featuring selected components, short signal paths, and well-decoupled stages, all in the name of achieving linearity and thermal stability.
The exterior confirms this: the chassis is solid, and the brushed aluminium front panel displays only the essentials. Small buttons, for selecting analogue and digital sources, flank the large volume control knob. Other than that, there is only the discreet brand logo and the headphone output — no frills, no screens, no menus. An old-school amplifier, like they used to make. But unlike the Rotel A8, which we tested last week, it has doors open to the modern world.
Musical Fidelity B1 xi: back panel
The Bi xi is a real shot of adrenaline to your music!
Welcome to the 21st century
The B1 xi's technical specifications are quite thorough for such a modest device. It features three analogue RCA inputs—including one MM phono input—and a capable internal DAC, which is powered by coaxial, optical, and HDMI ARC inputs, enabling connection to both a CD player and a modern TV or streamer.
But there's more: integrated Bluetooth with aptX HD support and a front headphone output (6.3 mm), which impressively powers demanding models with authority. There is also a pre-out output for those who wish to connect it to an external power amplifier or active subwoofer. In short, it offers everything you would expect from a modern amplifier—but without compromising the purity of the analogue path.
Adrenaline shot
I had just tested the Rotel A8, which exudes tranquillity, and when I swapped it with the B1 xi, it was a shock. The B1 is pure Michaelson, although he no longer oversees Musical Fidelity's new designs, which now reflect the energy of Heinz Lichtnegger, CEO of Pro-Ject and the new owner of MF.
All it took was a quarter turn of the volume control for the Radiant Acoustics 4.2 speakers, also used with the A8, to make a significant leap in dynamics. The Bi xi is a real shot of adrenaline to your music!
The sound isn't as neutral as the A8's, but it's far more dynamic, lively, and robust. The B1 xi is pricier but includes DAC and Bluetooth, whereas the A8 is purely analogue. They are therefore not direct competitors, as they fight in different categories.
Musical Fidelity B1 xi: a lot pf power in a small package.
Listen now
- In Norwegian Wood, from The Beatles' album Rubber Soul, in the 2009 remastered version, the delicacy of George Harrison's sitar and the lightness of Lennon's voice are revealed with an almost tactile texture. The wood of the guitar seems to resonate in the room, without colouration or artifice.
- In "Kerala" by Bonobo, the Bi xi reveals its rhythmic vein, emerging with a firm beat and dry, defined bass, without sacrificing the fluidity of the ethereal vocal loops that float over the central plane. There is no saturation or fog; instead, there is dynamic tension and control.
- In Radiohead's "No Surprises", the B1 xi delivered a solid percussion and a full-bodied bass, keeping pace with the melancholic atmosphere, shrouded in a cloak of tense silence between bars. The keys illuminate the sombre voice like a music box. The B1 xi neither dramatises nor softens the music. It simply reproduces the track with the emotional fidelity possible within its price range. No alarms, and no surprises here, as Radiohead would sing it.
- And speaking of price, in Dire Straits' “Money for Nothing”, the iconic drum intro and the biting attack of the guitar riff are delivered with just the right amount of tension and impact, never sounding aggressive, rather exquisitely exciting, as if saying: 'Lemme tell ya, them guys at Musical Fidelity ain't dumb!
The soundstage is stable and well-sized, with good separation between instruments and no conspicuous colourations. There is a tonal balance that both respects the beauty of simplicity and sustains the power of complexity.
Compared to the new A1, the B1 xi sounds less warm, of course. And less ‘romantic’ too—but it is more powerful, more versatile, more capable of handling contemporary recordings, and less docile speakers. Where the A1 captivates with its musical perfume, the B1 xi convinces with its dynamic muscle.
Conclusion: B stands for Best Buy
The Musical Fidelity B1 xi is not intended to be a nostalgic tribute, nor does it attempt to replicate the past like the A1. Rather, it is the logical evolution of a lineage, redesigned for the present. It retains the signature sound that has made the brand respected among music lovers but now offers connectivity, power, and versatility worthy of the decade we live in. All at an affordable price.
It is therefore the ideal amplifier for those who want to combine tradition and modernity, vinyl and streaming, and musicality and functionality—without falling for fads or paying for extras you can't hear.
As Shakespeare would say, had he lived to hear Scandinavian jazz in 24-bit: ‘B1 or not B1, that is no longer the question—the B1 xi is now the answer’.
Listen to it at your local dealer or contact the Iberian distributor: