Michael Yee Audio
Welcome to Michael Yee Audio...
Michael Yee Audio is a small company located in Mount Shasta, California, which is devoted to maximizing the accuracy of the listening experience with superior state-of-the-art amplifiers and preamplifiers. The two goals at MYA: are to offer high fidelity at a reasonable cost and to help individuals experience the wonders of music. Michael Yee Audio produces high-end components that recreate the musical experience with tremendous accuracy and depth using Mike's unique designs that allow for a higher performance/price ratio.. If Mike's designs do not perform to the highest audiophile standards, he does not offer them to the market.
MYA has put a great deal of thought into the concept of "why we listen". The MYA line of phonograph pre-amplifiers and power amps are designed to accurately reproduce original sound based upon the concepts of tonal imaging and harmonic integrity, which are at the heart of MYA technology. Tonal imaging is a set of techniques allowing for objective evaluation of components (as opposed to judgements based on vague subjective listening habits). Harmonic integrity is a concept describing the accurate placement and balance of sound within a listening field.
Under the hood...
One of the things that sets the Michael Yee Audio designs apart from most (even top-of-the-line) amplifiers is the discrete circuitry that Mike has developed. Phonostages often use integrated operational amplifiers or op amps, which leaves a designer with not much to design, just a power supply and part selection, as much of the sound is determined by the op amp. When you see the inside of a typical phonostage, you will see few parts (much less than 40 parts including connectors), while an MYA design will contain somewhere around 200 parts or more (see here for comparison). In MYA products, the signal path op amp has been replaced by a crafted signal path that uses 17 transistors per channel for a completely customized and unique sound. Mike makes decisions how best to bias each transistor for the given application as well as optimizing distortion components and power supply requirements. The list of parameters is very large. Mike crafts every important element of the phonostage. To use an analogy, if Mike were designing a car, he would consider every aspect, from the number of wheels to the design of the motor, and create the most efficient, effective and unique auto design imaginable for the intended usage. He has done that with audio, delivering a customized motor that maximizes sound within a specific set of parameters.
In the beginning...
It all started in 1977 when Bob Shogi (a friend at engineering school) bet that Mike couldn't figure out why "tubes" sounded "tubey" and "transistors" sounded "transistory". Mike took the bet quite seriously, and he designed two solid-state amplifiers that had identical specs but which sounded completely different. Mike knew that the difference was below the noise floor. In the early 1980s took his ideas public, designing special equipment for the underground market. This led to his designing for various hi-fi companies. In 1990, the first Michael Yee Audio product was released: the PFE-1. MYA products have always been popular among those in the know because of their great sound and extreme value. The sound from MYA amplifiers has the detail and bass of the best transistor amplifiers along with much of the seductive character of tube amplifiers, while the body and texture are unprecedented. MYA products are designed to function at the highest level possible.
Why we listen...
"To enjoy music to new depths!"
Mike is often asked, "Why does a person get involved with high-end audio?" His answer is: "To enjoy music to new depths!" Most audiophiles have been drawn deeply into audio because of a love for the nuances of accurately-reproduced sound. And this love for the nuances of sounds has always brought a love for the music. Whether the music is a violin concerto or a bluegrass fiddle jam, MYA strives to accurately reproduce great recordings of great music. At Michael Yee Audio, we cater to people who appreciate wonderful sounds and great music. Our design philosophy goes beyond being accurate. Body, texture, and simply the overall beauty of the sounds are very important to us. These sonic characteristics are possible with every Michael Yee Audio component.
Our current products:
Our newest product, the SuperNova2...
The SuperNova 2 / The SuperNova Battery Power Supply
The SuperNova2 is a Musical Surroundings preamplifier which features inputs for two turntables or cartridges and an auxilliary line level input, as well as customizable loading settings for each turntable or cartridge, adjustable gain settings for each input, and a separate SuperNova Battery Power Supply to provide clean and quiet power from eight rechargable batteries. The SuperNova2 looks and sounds fantastic, and is the most versatile product on the market of its kind.
The Phonomena II, successor to the original Phonomena...
The Phonomena II, front and rear views
The Phonomena II is a Musical Surroundings phono preamplifier and the successor to our very popular Phonomena.The Phonomena II features much of the circuitry of the SuperNova and Nova Phonomena in addition to user-friendly gain and loading switches located on the back panel for easy access, allowing full customization to meet specific cartridge and listening needs. The Phonomena II provides phenomenal sound at a low price.
The Nova Phonomena...
The Nova Phonomena is a Musical Surrundings phono preamplifier which features customizable gain and loading switches for specific cartridges or turntables as well as an internal self-recharging battery power supply for the cleanest possible sound. The Nova is a superior preamplifier at an affordable price.
The PA-3...
The PA-3 is a Michael Yee Audio 25W Class A power amplifier and the successor to the PA-1 and PA-2.
Michael Yee Audio has also designed and manufactured the PFE-1, PA-1, PA-2, the Phonomena and the SuperNova. For more information on these designs see Previous Products.
Michael Yee Audio products are also critical favorites. Here are some of the awards MYA designs have won..