CD / SACD players and transports — Myryad Z310

The Z310 is a CD player from Myryad, the British company founded in 1995 in Hampshire by the brothers Chris and Dave Evans with their wives Sue and Lynn, whose first product was the MI 120 integrated amplifier of 60 W per channel. The Z310 also works as a USB DAC, a digital media player and a Bluetooth receiver. It was launched in 2022 together with the Z350 integrated amplifier and media player, and firmware updates for both appeared in August 2023.

Key specs that matter

An ESS ES9219C converter handles up to 32 bit and 768 kHz and DSD512 through USB. Discs in CD, CD-R and CD-RW formats, 120 or 80 mm, are accepted, and USB drives up to 1 TB with WAV, FLAC, AIFF, DSD and DSF, WMA, MP3 and AAC files. Digital inputs are USB from a computer, optical up to 192 kHz and coaxial, and Bluetooth 5.0 receives LDAC, AAC and SBC through a rear antenna. Analogue outputs are balanced XLR and RCA, the digital outputs comprise 75 ohm coaxial and optical S/PDIF, while a 6.35 mm headphone socket is on the front. Frequency response is 20 Hz to 20 kHz within 0.5 dB, THD is 0.001% at 1 kHz, signal to noise ratio is 116 dB A-weighted and channel separation is 115 dB. Output is 2.3 V RMS at 0 dB with an output impedance of 5 ohm. The player measures 436 x 95 x 348 mm and weighs 6.8 kg, in fine-textured silver aluminium.

Engineering and use context

The circuit uses Nichicon capacitors and Sanken audio transistors. Because the converter serves the disc drive, the USB input and the other digital inputs alike, the Z310 can act as the central digital hub of a system, with a computer, a television or a phone feeding it. Plugging headphones into the front socket mutes the line outputs, which allows private listening while the amplifier stays on. A multifunction touchscreen works alongside physical transport buttons, and the MSR1 infrared remote controls the player. Equaliser settings, a high-gain setting for the headphone output and control through the Eddict Player app are also listed. The balanced XLR output keeps the signal less exposed to interference on longer cable runs, and the low output impedance means the player drives interconnects and amplifier inputs without losing level. An outboard converter can also be fed from the digital outputs.

Pairing

Myryad designed the Z350 integrated amplifier as its partner, while the XLR and RCA outputs suit any amplifier with balanced or single-ended line inputs.

Alternatives

The Myryad Z210 is the earlier CD player of the Z200 series with a Cirrus Logic 24 bit and 192 kHz DAC.