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The MARQUIS “Memento Mori” is a sublime, minimalist Preamplifier + Headphone amplifier “sculpture” designed for music-loving audiophiles who require few functions but insist on the purest sound.
No-one could ever accuse Kostas Metaxas of creating something "boring". Yet again, this eccentric artist presents us with his unique take on a very utilitarian subject - the headphone amplifier.
Memento mori means "remember that you must die" in the language of Latin.
For men living in antiquity all the way up until the beginning of the 20th century, death was seen as a motivator to live a good, meaningful, and virtuous life. It served to remind us of our own mortality, of our mistakes and failures and of the shortness and fragility of human life.
Memento mori "objects of art" compel us to meditate on the meaning of life.
According to the artist, " I take every opportunity to infuse art into everyday objects. When I looked at what was being offered on the market, and the resurgence in serious headphones sales, I felt that there was room for something far more inspiring."
"Life is too short to listen to expensive headphones through an musically uninvolving headphone amplifier".
TECHNOLOGY:
The MARQUIS borrows from over 25 years of concert recording experience with serious headphone monitoring to produce an amplifier with unparalleled transparency and effortless realism.
Like all Metaxas & Sins amplifiers, the CNC-machined "head block" can be meticulously finished in a choice of 10 aluminum colors, or automotive painted.
As well as a dedicated headphone amplifier and headphone stand, the MARQUIS also can be used as a minimalist preamplifier with a choice of 3 line-level inputs [RCA connectors] and a set of RCA outputs to connect to a power amplifier to drive a pair of speakers.
The solid CNC-machined base encloses the power supply to keep all stray RFI and noise from the delicate low-level signal stages, but also can be offered with optional "battery-pack" so that you can use the Marquis for over 5 hours before needing a recharge.
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