Michi - P5 Series 2
More of the Recording. Less Between You and It.
The Michi P5 Series 2 stereo preamplifier combines dual ESS SABRE ES9028PRO DACs with moving magnet and moving coil phono support, balanced analog connections and aptX HD Bluetooth. A revealing system should make music easier to follow, not turn listening into an exercise in picking out details. When a mix fills out, the voice, bass and quieter accompaniment should still make musical sense together.
The P5 Series 2 puts careful circuit design and component selection at the centre of that task. Its digital architecture gives each channel dedicated conversion resources, while analog, vinyl and wireless sources share a single control centre for a separates system. It feeds a suitable power amplifier rather than driving passive speakers directly.
What Makes It Series 2
Two DACs, Configured for Stereo Differently
Two eight-channel ESS SABRE ES9028PRO converters are each configured in mono mode. Eight DAC circuits work on each audio channel, using redundant processing to pursue fine detail and a low noise floor across a wide soundstage. The eight-channel chip architecture does not make this a surround processor. It is applied to two-channel music reproduction.
Digital Playback With Options
PC-USB supports DSD, DoP, MQA and MQA Studio, alongside PCM playback up to 32-bit/384kHz in USB Audio Class 2 mode. Rotel notes driver installation is required for that Class 2 specification. USB Audio Class 1 supports up to 24-bit/96kHz, while coaxial and optical inputs accept LPCM up to 24-bit/192kHz. Roon Tested certification supports use with Roon software.
Your Sources, Properly Accommodated
Phono Support Beyond Moving Magnet
The phono stage supports both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges. Input impedance is specified at 47kΩ for MM and 100Ω for MC. Cartridge matching still matters, particularly when considering a moving coil model, so those figures are more useful than assuming every cartridge will suit the same input.
Wired Analog and Wireless Listening
RCA and balanced XLR line inputs sit alongside digital connections and aptX HD and AAC Bluetooth. This gives records, wired sources and wireless playback their own place in the system. RCA and XLR line outputs provide connections to compatible power amplification, while bass and treble controls offer adjustment of ±10dB at 100Hz and 10kHz.
Designed to Serve the Complete System
The P5 Series 2 combines a broad source selection with an understated enclosure measuring 485 × 150 × 452mm. Its 22.9kg weight is worth considering when planning an equipment shelf. Michi builds on decades of audio-design experience, but the useful test remains the music: follow a familiar voice and bass line through a busy passage, then listen to how the quieter layers fit around them.
Tech You Can Hear
| Feature | What It Means for Your System |
|---|---|
| Dual ESS SABRE ES9028PRO eight-channel DACs, configured in mono | Eight conversion circuits assigned to each stereo channel. |
| Moving magnet and moving coil phono stage | Support for compatible MM and MC cartridges. |
| Phono loading: MM 47kΩ; MC 100Ω | Specifications to check against cartridge requirements. |
| RCA and balanced XLR line inputs and outputs | Connections for compatible analog sources and power amplifiers. |
| Coaxial/optical: LPCM up to 24-bit/192kHz | Defined format support for those digital connections. |
| PC-USB Class 1: up to 24-bit/96kHz; Class 2: up to 32-bit/384kHz | USB playback options, with driver installation required for Class 2 as noted by Rotel. |
| DSD, DoP, MQA and MQA Studio support; Roon Tested | Compatibility options for computer-based playback and Roon software. |
| aptX HD and AAC Bluetooth | Wireless playback from compatible devices. |
| THD, 20Hz–20kHz: <0.002% | Manufacturer distortion specification. |
| S/N, IHF A-weighted: line 116dB; digital 100dB; phono 80dB | Noise specifications identified by input type. |
| Tone adjustment: ±10dB at 100Hz/10kHz | Bass and treble adjustment for listening preferences. |
| 485 × 150 × 452mm (W × H × D); 22.9kg | Dimensions and weight for installation planning. |
| Power consumption: 40W | The preamplifier’s specified power consumption, not a speaker-output rating. |
Download the Michi P5 Series 2 User Manual
Experience It For Yourself
If you would rather trust your ears than take our word for it, we would expect nothing less. Visit us at 5910 Malden Road, LaSalle, Ontario or call 519.979.7101 to reserve your private listening session. Come in skeptical. Leave certain.