British Company


Our Philosophy


The History of Myryad

The design of a good-sounding amplifier, or any hi-fi product, requires careful attention to many details. If just one key feature is overlooked it could turn a great product into a mediocre one. The designer must always design the product as a whole and not focus too much any one 'favourite' area.

Careful and precise engineering can take you 90% of the way to a top design and without it the design will fail. But it is the final 10% which distinguishes the best hi-fi marques. Experience and a deep understanding of the critical aspects of an amplifier's performance lead to the best circuit topologies and physical layout. Again, looking at the product as a whole is important. An amplifier and its power supply are one - and must be designed as such.

The final subtleties of tonal balance musicality and soundstaging, which distinguish even the best amplifiers, can be influenced by component type and quality. Although the primary specification of all components must be to meet engineering requirements.
That still leaves a great deal of choice available to the designer.For instance, Myryad's use of precision metal film resistors and polypropylene film capacitors - even in its budget products in key locations - is based on many hours of listening. The use of parts such as these make a significant contribution to the open and transparent yet warm and musical sound exhibited by all Myryad's products.

This design philosophy is applied equally to all Myryad's products, from the least to the most expensive. In a budget amplifier the cost constraints are more onerous and the quality of the sound must be compatible with lower cost sources and loudspeakers. At the high-end an amplifier must perform impeccably with the most detailed sources and the most transparent (and often taxing) loudspeakers while still meeting the approval of the critical ears of the high-end listener. In either case the same design philosophy guides all Myryad products to ensure they sound and look beautiful.
Myryad was formed by two brothers, Chris and Dave Evans and their wives, Sue and Lynn. The company started trading in 1995 with Chris, Dave and Lynn working full-time from premises in Waterlooville, Hampshire – near Portsmouth on the south coast of England.

The first product was the MI 120 60wpc Stereo Integrated Amplifier. Building on Chris’s audio design experience, Dave’s software and production skills and innovative styling from Cambridge Design, the MI 120 very quickly became a success. It won the hearts of all who saw and heard it. In its first review, in What Hi-Fi, it was awarded 5 stars, with the headline “Myryad starts with a stunner.” in January 1996. An early sample on loan to a UK loudspeaker manufacturer was spotted by their visiting German distributor who immediately decided to sell the product just on looks. Looking back it is amusing to remember that the MI 120 was then one of the few UK amplifiers with full remote control!

The MI 120 was designed as the beginning of a product range so, from day one, it was equipped with a pre-amp output for bi-amping (which was becoming very popular) and the My-Link communications bus for system linking – a clear sign of intent from a one product company.

The MI 120 was quickly followed by the matching MA 120 60wpc Stereo Power Amplifier. So now a bi-amplified system could be built and operated as a single unit by virtue of the My-Link.

In 1996 the MC 100 CD player was launched with a Sony CD engine, but wholly Myryad audio electronics. It too achieved a 5-star review in What Hi-Fi in November 1996.

In 1997 it was decided to add some higher end products to the “M-Series” range. First the MP 100 class A Preamplifier, and then the MA 240 120Wpc Stereo Power Amplifier. To complement these a high-end CD player, the MCD 500 was launched in around the end of that year

The MP100/MA240 combination received a 5-star review in What Hi-Fi in March 2000

Finally, after a long period of gestation, the MT 100 FM tuner was launched at the beginning of 1998. And the MI 240 120wpc Stereo Integrated Amplifier was added in 2000. So now Myryad had a full range of stereo separates: 2 integrated amplifiers, 2 power amps, a preamp, a tuner and 2 CD players. Not bad for a company that had started from scratch with almost no capital!

A new lower priced range, the T-Series, was introduced in 1998, consisting of the T10 and T20 CD players, T30 FM Tuner, T40 Integrated Amplifier and T60 Power Amplifier.

At this time (Dec 1998) Myryad was joined by Chris Short (ex TGI group and, previously, Mordaunt Short). Chris added much needed sales and marketing skills and capital to the growing company. There followed a period of rapid expansion.

Myryad’s first “AV” products, the T50 Dolby Pro-Logic Surround Preamplifier and T70 4 channel Power Amplifier were launched at the beginning of 1999. This latter was configurable by single switch on the rear to provide: 4 x 40W for Pro-Logic Surround (single channel for surround speakers), 2 x 40W + 1 x 100W (for L/R/C) or 2 x 100W for high power stereo. When linked to the T50 Preamp, this latter change could be made automatically when stereo operation was selected.

In May 2000 an innovative series of separates was launched aimed at the more “lifestyle” end of the audio market. Dubbed the Cameo Series it consisted of an Integrated Amplifier, a CD Player and an FM Tuner. Great care was taken with the styling – all curves and elegance – but the key factor distinguishing Cameo from other separates on the market at that time was the introduction of Smart My-Link (now a standard across all Myryad separates). Smart My-Link (SML) added the intuitive ease of use that “non-hi-fi” customers had come to expect from single box systems – but now available for the first time in separates. For example, the “Start-On-Open” feature allowed the user with his system in standby simply to press the Open/Close button on the remote or front panel which would: wake up the CD Player and Amplifier (not the Tuner), select the CD input on the Amp, and open the CD tray ready for the insertion of a disc. A full description of all Smart My-Link features can be found by clicking on Smart My-Link.
Later in 2000 Myryad’s CD players were updated with new DACs and a new CD mechanism to models MCD200 and MCD600.

Work proceeded to expand Myryad’s presence in the burgeoning sphere of Home Cinema. At the end of 1999 the MA360 3x120W Power Amplifier was launched, partnering the MA240 to provide the 5 channels needed for Home Cinema at that time. This was swiftly followed by the launch of Myryad’s first Digital Preamplifier-Processor, the MDP500, with Dolby Digital, DTS and all the trimmings. The MDP500 was first shown in public at the January 2000 CES, where one of the few samples was borrowed by Dolby Laboratories for their CES demonstration – which included DVD-Audio.

Myryad’s first DVD player, the MDV200, was launched in April 2001 and the full AV system – MDV200 DVD Player, MDP500 Preamp-Processor, MA240 2x120W Power Amp and MA360 3x120W Power Amp – was reviewed in Issue 14 of Essential Home Cinema an received a 5 star result. The reviewer’s final comment was “Absolutely awesome.”.

The MA500 5x100W Power Amplifier was introduced in 2001 to offer a lower cost power solution.

AV technology advanced rapidly and in 2002 the processor was updated to the MDP500-G6 with Dolby Digital EX, DTS-ES Dolby Pro-Logic II, 96k/24bit capability and so on. A new DVD Player, the MDV300 was launched at the beginning of 2003.

During this busy period, at fully revised “entry-level” range, the Z Series, was introduced in Nov 2001 This consisted of the Z110 CD Player, Z120 DVD Player, Z130 FM Tuner, Z140 Integrated Amplifier and Z160 Power Amplifier.

In 2003 a one box AV system was launched – the Cameo Theatre DVD-Player/5-channel amplifier. For those requiring more power the 5x100W Cameo Theatre Power Amplifier was added shortly after.

2004 saw the introduction of a whole new range of product from Myryad – the high-end “MX-Series”. Previewed at the CES in January the range included:

MXP2000 Stereo Preamplifier
MXI2080 2 x 80W Stereo Integrated Amplifier
MXI2150 2 x 150W Stereo Integrated Amplifier
MXA2080 2 x 80W Stereo Power Amplifier
MXA2150 2 x 150W Stereo Power Amplifier
MXA####Modular Power Amps – up to 7x150W or 14x80W or combinations of both powers.
MXC6000 CD Player
MXT2000 FM/AM Tuner
MXD6000 Digital Preamplifier Processor
MXD7000 Digital Preamplifier Processor with balanced I/O
MXV3000 DVD Player

In December 2004 Myryad became part of the Armour Home Electronics family.

After a long period of development the all-in-one stereo Mi System was launched containing a CD Player, 2x100W power amplifier and DAB/FM (or FM/AM) tuner.
In 2010 the Mi was upgraded and the matching A120 loudspeakers added.

During this period the MX range was kept up to date:
MXD4000 Digital Preamplifier Processor with HDMI inputs
MXV4000 DVD Player with video up-conversion
MXT2000 – upgraded to MXT4000
MXC6000 – upgraded to MXC7000

At the end of 2012 the entire Z-Series was re-vitalised as the Z200s with some significant sonic improvements in the amplifier and a dramatic re-styling bringing the range fully up to date.

At the same time a complementary range, the Z-Mini series started with Z20 DAC, with USB and SPDF inputs and all sources up-converted to 24bit 192kHz.