Musical Fidelity AMS 35i - Measured Performance

MEASURED PERFORMANCE

In spite of its massive size and weight the AMS35i produces just 32 Watts into 8 Ohms, so it will need reasonably sensitive loudspeakers, However, nowadays, large floorstanders are relatively sensitive, offering 89dB or so from 1 Watt (nominal, 2.8V) and working into a 4 Ohm load the AMS35i perfectly doubles its power to 64 Watts. In real life then, with nominally 6 Ohm loudspeakers that usually sink to 4 Ohms at low frequencies the AMS35i will go loud enough for most people.

Distortion was all but negligible at low output powers, even at 10kHz into 4 Ohms, a test that usually provokes some distortion. Only at high power into 4 Ohms at 10kHz did distortion rise a little to 0.015%, still a negligible amount. So the AMS35i offers very clean reproduction. A damping factor of 44 suggests reasonable but not overly large amounts of feedback are used.

Input sensitivity was very high at 120mV via unbalanced phono socket inputs and balanced XLR inputs, so low volume control settings will give high volume from the loudspeakers. Noise was 3dB higher from the balanced line inputs, measuring -80dB, than the unbalanced inputs at -83dB, likely due to internal balanced receiver chips. Balanced inputs can cancel cable noise however and usually give good sonic results.

The AMS35i measured very well in all respects. It is best used with low impedance loudspeakers to maximise its output potential, then a healthy Class A 60 Watts should give great results. NK

Power 32 Watts

CD/tuner/aux.

Frequency response 4Hz-55kHz

Separation 110dB

Noise -83dB

Distortion 0.0045%

Sensitivity 120mV

DISTORTION