The Myro:Air is two products in one: An
At least, that’s the theory. Here’s how it does, in our full review.
Before we get started, if you've got a question if high-end audio is really worth it, check out the appropriately titled Is High-End Audio Worth It?.
I have a huge music collection. Despite shelves and shelves of CDs (and DVD-Audio and SACDs), almost all of it is on my computer. I’m willing to bet you’re the same way.
If you also have a home theater, chances are you want (or have) a way to get that music to your big speakers. The easiest way is to get an Apple TV. For $100 it connects to iTunes, and you can stream music from your PC. You can also connect your mobile device to the receiver directly.
The thing is, neither of these methods offer the best possible sound quality. In order to convert that digital audio into something you can hear, it has to go through a Digital-to-Analog Converter (DAC). There’s one in your phone/tablet, and there’s one in your receiver. The Apple one is OK, the ones in Android devices vary, and the one in your receiver is… well I don’t know what you spent on your receiver. If it’s really high end, the DAC may be pretty good. If you didn’t spend a bunch, or it’s an older receiver, it might not be good at all.
The Myro:Air's DAC is very good, and it's paired with Apple AirPlay. As far as iTunes and iOS is concerned, it’s another source to send music to. The DAC converts the audio, which goes to your receiver (or powered speakers).
It’s a good pairing, one I’m surprised we haven’t seen more often.
The Hardware
The Myro:Air has a simple, yet elegant design. The metal chassis and wood side panels are classy. It’s light, though, since there doesn’t have to be a lot inside. The DAC is a Wolfson WM8741. In addition to the analog outputs, there's an optical digital output, a USB input, Ethernet (no WiFi) and RS-232.
Interestingly, the Myro:Air is assembled in Washington, and uses parts sourced mostly from the US and Canada.
Sound
I compared the Myro:Air by connecting it and an Apple TV to my Anthem MRX 700. I connected the Myro analog (using its DAC) and the Apple TV using optical (using the Anthem’s DAC). I streamed Apple Lossless files from my PC. iTunes, if you’ve never tried it, lets you stream the same feed to multiple Airplay devices simultaneously.
My first selection was one of my standard test tracks: Radka Toneff’s “Moon is a Harsh Mistress.” The Myro sounded a little bit smoother, a little less gritty on “S” sounds, and with the upper registers of the piano. The Anthem is a pretty high-end receiver, so how much a better DAC will improve your system's sound is going to vary depending on your gear. Most mid- and low-end receivers have pretty mediocre DACs, so the Myro might be a noticeable improvement. However, keep in mind that the difference isn’t going to be as drastic as something like changing your speakers. In most cases, a DAC might offer 10-15% improvement, depending.
Next I queued up “Ramble On” by Zeppelin. At the risk of sounding repeatedly repetitive, over the Myro the sound had a bit less of a harsh edge to it. This isn’t to say it makes it soft sounding, just that it takes off a touch of the artificialness.
I used my own music for my testing, but if the app is AirPlay compatible (like
App/Control
If you want to leave it alone, the Myro:Air will just stream music from your computer (or mobile device) with no additional setup past selecting it in iTunes. I’m not a huge Apple fan, but you can’t beat them for simplicity.
If you want to control iTunes from your phone, you can download Apple’s free Remote app.
The Myro:Air has RS-232 and so if you have a Crestron or Control4 or other smarthome/ automation system, the Myro:Air can send it all the available iTunes metadata (artist, song, etc). In addition, there’s 2-way communication, so your control system can send commands back through the Myro to control iTunes or the iOS device that’s playing.
uPnP
If iTunes isn’t your thing, or you want to stream higher-quality music, you can connect via uPnP to your computer or from a harddrive on your network (NAS drive). They have a list of file formats and resolutions/bit-depths on their website. The short version: FLAC and WAV up to 192/24-bit, others lower.
As someone who has had their AppleTV connected to an external DAC for years, I like the Myro:Air’s simplicity. The sound is good, though how good largely depends how good the DAC is in your receiver. Most likely, the one in the Myro is better.
All in all, the Air is a really cool product, well executed, and that’s always a great combo.
Myro:Air: $600
