6. Audio e o Santo Graal/Audio and The Holy Grail

“Legend had always portrayed the Grail as a cruel mistress, dancing in the shadows just out of sight, whispering in your ear, luring you one more step and then evaporating into the mist.”
[p. 549: Chapter 101]

“It is the mystery and wonderment that serve our souls, not the Grail itself. The beauty of the Grail lies in her ethereal nature.”

“For some, the Grail is a chalice that will bring them everlasting life. For others, it is the quest for lost documents and secret history. And for the most, I suspect the Holy Grail is simply a grand idea… a glorious unattainable treasure that somehow, even in today’s world of chaos, inspires us.”
[p. 581: Chapter 105]

in Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown, 2004, Corgi (UK)

LET'S COMMENT:

Well, audiophiles invest so much energy (emotional, financial and time) dreaming and looking for the Holy Grail in the playing of music. A dream, a “grand idea… a glorious unattainable treasure” that is great as long as it inspires you and makes you happy. A hell on Earth the moment it obsesses you and makes you forget that a music system is “just” instrumental, a tool, the physical means to reach the real “Holy Grail”, something of ethereal nature, that you can not see and offers infinite hours of pleasure: MUSIC. A music system is the means, the road to oblivion. Music is the goal, the aim, the ultimate destination. The essence.

Of course the means are important to reach something else, but they are not the most important thing by itself alone.

So, the secret is tracking the right road and not loosing yourself looking for something that “does not exist” unless at the end of the road: in the act of enjoying music. Of course you can enjoy the view while walking that road, but not thinking, no matter how pleasant and enjoyable is that view, that it makes sense alone and by itself, that is, without the act of enjoying the music.

Be careful with the technical and aesthetical wonders in the building of the music systems. Let the music (Art) seduce you above all and not the hardware (Technical aspect). Well, you can be seduced by the hardware until a certain point (different for every person: you must determine yours), as long as it increases the enjoyment of music. That is the basic condition. That it the frontier line.

A good music system is that one that increases your passion for music. That increases the pleasure in listening to music. When it obstacles the enjoyment of music, it is time to stop and rethink your way.

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photo: Myryad M240 Power Amplifier

Designed with the audiophile in mind, reviewers have praised the limitless power and effortless control of Myryad amplifiers. It is said that "Myryad's MA 240 never shows any sign of strain, however hard you drive it". "For such a powerful amp, the MA 240 has a surprisingly light touch and it handles vocals with real delicacy…" - What Hi-Fi? magazine.

"An admirable sense of dynamic contrast"; "the Myryad MA240 lived up to its end of the bargain by being neutral and natural . . . and oh, the dynamics! "; "the MA240 during my listening tests never ran out of steam"; "there was an effortlessness to the dynamic swings that caught me by surprise, in a good way"; "the MA240 exhibited a smoothness and openness in the top end that I associate only with very good equipment"; "the upper frequencies were not harsh or brittle"; "I was struck how music seemed to move along with urgency, presented with a buoyant, vivid feel to it. This is a quick amplifier"; "exhibits realistic clarity through the midrange and the ability to lay out a soundstage that’s on par with any amp I’ve had in my system"; "displays no harshness or forwardness in the upper mids through the treble" - Paul Knutson.

"The sound of the Myryad solid state amplifiers was excellent, with plenty of dynamics and punch, and the subwoofer added to this impression with its very clean bottom foundation" - Andrew Marshall.