Country of Origin
Reviewer: Glen Wagenknecht
Financial Interests: click here
Sources: Wyred 4 Sound Music Server/Streamer and Auralic Altair Music Server/Streamer
DACs: Wyred 4 Sound DAC-2, Ideon Ayazi, Auralic Altair
Preamplifier: Tortuga Audio LDR6 Passive, Auralic Altair
Amplifier: Audio Zone D-2
Main Speakers: Mark Daniel Maximus Mini Monitor, Mark and Daniel Maximus Monitor Mk2 SVS SB3000 subwoofer
Rack: Codia Acoustic Design Stage 3000 BAB
Stands: Charisma Audio Function Stands Target Stands
AV Speakers: JohnBlue M3s
Desktop Audio Speakers: Sans M200 MkIII
Desktop DAC/Pre Headphone Amp: DA&T U-2
Cables: Arkana Physical Research Loom, Audio Art SE, SE-2, e2,and Classic cable looms, JPS Labs Ultraconductor 2 speaker cables, Madison Audio Lab E3 Extreme 1 Interconnects/Extreme 2 speaker cables, Signal Cable Silver Reference interconnects, optical and coax digital cables, Audio Sensibility Impact SE balanced interconnects, Statement S/PDIF and Impact USB digital cables, SwanSong USB cable, DH Lab Power Plus AC cable.
Resonance Control: KAT Audio Terminator 1 Feet, Solid Tech Feet, EquaRack Footers, Weizhi Precision Gold Glory footers, Boston Audio TuneBlock2 footers, Audio Exklusiv Silent Plugs, Audio Exklusiv d.C.d. Footers, CA Electronics Standard Cones, Feet, Cable Clamps, IsoAcoustics L8R130, Aperta and L8R200 SUB speaker stands
Powerline conditioning: Exact Power EP15A, GutWire Ultimate Ground cable
USB conditioners: Ideon 3R Renaissance
Listening Room 1: 12' x 17'
Listening Room 2: 10.5' x 16.5'
Review component retail: $3000/pr including stands, shipping extra
Who would release a new audio product while a pandemic was in full swing? That takes real chutzpah! Trevor May, chief designer and owner of MayFly Audio Systems, must be built of such stern stuff because he's chosen to introduce his new and conceptually exciting MF201A loudspeaker now. There's real engineering acumen afoot, with design innovation necessitating pending patents and hardcore difficulties of execution requiring considerable craftsmanship yet all priced at an extraordinarily modest sum by audiophile standards. New, different and affordable? That was enough to pique my interest. The review was arranged, speakers shipped and a short time later, two good-sized cardboard boxes arrived on the doorstep. Based out of Ottawa/Canada, MayFly Audio Systems have blossomed from their R&D phase back in 2018 to a currently 3-deep speaker line starting with the MF-101, a smaller monitor, peaking in the MF-103, an all-out assault with a separate bass enclosure, and today's flagship MF-201A stand mount in-between. They also offer custom stands built to order. These products are currently available Internet direct but the company are looking to establish a hybrid sales model with a dedicated network of distributors and dealers.
Outwardly MayFly embody a low-diffraction ethos of curved sides plus front port constructed layer upon layer of stacked high-grade birch ply. The 201A adds a second cosmetically matched but false port on the rear to facilitate easy removal from the shipping container – a clever touch. While such laborious workmanship lends the speaker a stunningly intricate and aesthetically refined appearance, it also serves the practical purpose of creating the elaborate internal patent-pending Skyline architecture. It's the foundation of Mr. May's assault on internal cabinet resonances. Fundamentally his Skyline geometry creates a multitude of calculated wave traps to prevent specific or sustained resonances here chiefly aimed at a clean midband. The same design principle is familiar to us as room treatment for recording studios, concert halls and home listeners but here could mark the first time that it's been inside a speaker. The Mayfly represents an almost symbiotic relationship of form and function marrying aesthetic cabinet construction with serious resonance control. Highly polished outer surfaces and an embossed gold logo are additional subtle touches to define the difference between functional and fine furniture. For drivers, Mr. May kept it clean and simple with a premium 8" polymer coax incorporating a fabric dome tweeter to ensure wideband point-source coherence. For those who just need basics, here are those specs: 52 x 30 x 37cm HxWxD, 35-20 Hz/kHz bandwidth, 100-watt power handling, 88dB sensitivity, 14.3kg weight.
Of course, a prospective purchaser isn't just buying numbers and hardware but always buys into a designer's vision of what audio ought to be. To that end, I took a little time to get to know more about MayFly Audio Systems and the man behind it, Trevor May.
