Michi S5 Reference Stereo Power Amplifier

The Michi S5 is a massive Class AB stereo power amplifier designed to combine serious output capability with the refinement and control expected from Michi's flagship electronics.

Delivering 500 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 800 watts per channel into 4 ohms, the S5 has the power and current reserves to confidently drive large, demanding loudspeakers while maintaining the detail, dynamics and musicality expected from a high-end two-channel system.

And while it's housed in a single chassis, internally the S5 is built around a dual-monoblock architecture with separate oversized power supplies for each channel.

500 Watts Per Channel

The S5 delivers:

500 watts per channel into 8 ohms
800 watts per channel into 4 ohms

Those numbers give the S5 tremendous headroom, but the real advantage is what that power does for speaker control.

Large dynamic swings, difficult impedance loads and deep bass passages require an amplifier capable of supplying substantial current without losing composure.

The S5 is built specifically for that job.

True Dual-Monoblock Architecture

Inside the S5, the left and right channels are treated as independently as possible.

Michi uses two custom-engineered 2,200VA toroidal transformers, manufactured in-house and installed in individual epoxy-filled enclosures to reduce noise and vibration.

The dual-monoblock approach gives each channel its own substantial energy reserves while helping minimize interaction between channels.

The result is the convenience of one stereo amplifier with an architecture much closer to a pair of monoblocks.

188,000µF Power Supply

The transformers are supported by four patented British bulk storage capacitors providing a combined:

188,000µF of capacitance

That massive energy reserve helps the S5 respond instantly when the music demands current.

The benefit isn't simply volume. It's tighter bass, greater dynamic authority and the ability to maintain control when driving difficult loudspeakers.

32 High-Current Output Transistors

The S5 uses 32 high-current output transistors across its output stage.

This allows the amplifier to deliver substantial current while distributing the workload across multiple devices.

The result is effortless power delivery with the speed and control required to preserve timing, rhythm and low-frequency definition.

Class AB Amplifier Design

The S5 uses a high-current Class AB amplifier topology.

Michi's approach combines the efficiency and tremendous output capability required for a 500-watt-per-channel amplifier with careful component selection and extensive sonic tuning.

This isn't an amplifier designed around power specifications alone.

It's designed to deliver that power without sacrificing the resolution and refinement expected from a high-end system.

Balanced XLR & RCA Inputs

The S5 provides both:

• Balanced XLR inputs
• Unbalanced RCA inputs

Balanced XLR connections are especially useful in large reference systems where the amplifier may be positioned farther away from the preamplifier.

Rhodium-Plated Speaker Terminals

Michi equips the S5 with custom high-current 5-way rhodium-plated binding posts designed to provide a secure connection to high-performance speaker cables.

Front-Panel Display

The S5's understated industrial design incorporates a front-panel color display that can provide useful amplifier information without making the amplifier itself visually distracting.

The result is unmistakably modern while remaining appropriate for a serious two-channel listening room.

System Integration

The S5 also includes the control connections needed for sophisticated audio installations.

Integration options include:

• Ethernet
• RS-232
• Remote control

This allows the S5 to work within advanced control and automation systems while remaining a purist analog power amplifier at its core.

Key Specifications

• Type: Stereo Power Amplifier
• Amplifier Design: Class AB
• Architecture: Dual Monoblock
• Channels: 2
• Continuous Power: 500W Per Channel into 8 Ohms
• Continuous Power: 800W Per Channel into 4 Ohms
• FTC Power Output: 580W Per Channel into 8 Ohms
• Transformers: Dual Custom 2,200VA Toroidal
• Bulk Capacitance: 188,000µF
• Output Transistors: 32 High-Current Devices
• Total Harmonic Distortion: <0.008%
• Intermodulation Distortion: <0.03%
• Frequency Response: 20Hz–20kHz +0/-0.15dB
• Extended Frequency Response: 10Hz–100kHz +0/-0.4dB
• Signal-to-Noise Ratio: 120dB
• Damping Factor: 350
• Minimum Speaker Impedance: 4 Ohms
• Balanced Inputs: XLR
• Unbalanced Inputs: RCA
• Gain – XLR: 24dB
• Gain – RCA: 28dB
• Input Sensitivity – XLR: 4.2V
• Input Sensitivity – RCA: 2.6V
• Input Impedance – XLR: 100k Ohms
• Input Impedance – RCA: 12.5k Ohms
• Control: Ethernet & RS-232
• Power Consumption: 1,200W
• Standby Consumption: <0.5W
• Dimensions: 19" W × 9.375" H × 18.25" D
• Weight: 132.1 lbs.

S5 or M8?

The S5 and M8 share the same basic Michi philosophy: oversized power supplies, enormous current capability and high-output Class AB amplification.

The difference is how far you need to take it.

The S5 delivers 500 watts per channel into 8 ohms and 800 watts per channel into 4 ohms from a single dual-monoblock chassis.

The M8 moves to completely separate monoblock chassis and increases output to 1,080 watts into 8 ohms and 1,800 watts into 4 ohms per amplifier.

For all but the most extreme loudspeaker and room combinations, the S5 provides an enormous amount of power while keeping the system considerably simpler.

For particularly difficult speakers, very large rooms or a true cost-no-object system, a pair of M8 monoblocks takes the concept further.

Experience the Michi S5 at The Grid HiFi

The Grid HiFi is your Michi and high-performance two-channel audio expert in Houston, Texas.

An amplifier with this much capability deserves to be properly matched to the rest of the system.

Speaker impedance and sensitivity, room size, listening distance, preamplifier gain, source components and cabling all influence how the finished system performs.

The Grid can help match the S5 with the right loudspeakers, preamplifier, source components, cabling and power solution to build the system as a whole.

And at more than 130 pounds, equipment support, ventilation and proper installation matter too.

Contact The Grid HiFi to experience the Michi S5 and let us help design a two-channel system around it.