Upgrading Mytek to Chord DAC

[rattosecond]

I have the Mytek for over 2 years old. Although not perfect Ive been to enjoy through it however my hands are itchy.

 

Will the Chord DAC be a better choice? Why?

 

I want to have A DAC that is not a digital sounding and more of a musical sounding DAC. Am I on the right track?

Any other DAC suggestion?

[firedog]

Mytek is allowing Mytek Stereo 192 DSD owners trade their DACs in for full value ($1500) towards the purchase of a newer, better Mytek Manhattan - so you pay $3500 instead of $5000 for a new Manhattan. Limited time offer.

 

If you like your Mytek, but just want an even better sounding DAC with most of the same features you like, it might be a good choice for you.

[bmoura]

Mytek is allowing Mytek Stereo 192 DSD owners trade their DACs in for full value ($1500) towards the purchase of a newer, better Mytek Manhattan - so you pay $3500 instead of $5000 for a new Manhattan. Limited time offer.

 

If you like your Mytek, but just want an even better sounding DAC with most of the same features you like, it might be a good choice for you.

 

I'd agree. The Manhattan will be a comfortable upgrade for owners of the Mytek Stereo 192 DSD DAC.

[Totsipaki]

I have the mytek since 2012 and was also curious about chord dacs especially the hugo.

 

A couple months ago I had the opportunity to compare the more modern hugo to the mytek in my system.

To my ears differnces were mninmal. The hugo was a bit fuller in the midrange but also a bit more opaque while the Mytek sounded one breath thinner but with better bass and 3D soundstaging and to my ears with the upsampling disabled sounded a bit less impressive but more realistic and "musical".

The differences were truly minimal though audible which in my opinion draws some conclusions.

 

1st The Mytek truly was ahead of it's time and a reference product in it's category since 4 years after it's original launch more expensive (and supposedly advanced) and highly praised by the press dacs sound as good. I am still looking for something superior in up to the 2k plus price point and havent found anything to make me think of parting with It (the next in line is the ifi i dsd pro in the fall but I am very constrained in my expexctations even though would not mind a pleasant surprise)

 

2nd If you want something different than the Mytek the chord surely is not for you since you will spend your money for approximately the same sound in performance and qualities and the overpriced in my opinion chord hugo tt will not be considerably better since the supercaps and better power supply it advertises are allready there in the substantially cheaper Mytek which has the better bass and definition the hugo tt advertises over the original one.

 

I am not judging the hugo for a bad dac on the contrary it is a very good dac but It has alot of as good competition at it's price and will not surprise you since you are allready listening to It (perhaps even the TT) and haven't yet realised It.

[bmoura]

I have the mytek since 2012 and was also curious about chord dacs especially the hugo.

 

A couple months ago I had the opportunity to compare the more modern hugo to the mytek in my system.

To my ears differnces were mninmal. The hugo was a bit fuller in the midrange but also a bit more opaque while the Mytek sounded one breath thinner but with better bass and 3D soundstaging and to my ears with the upsampling disabled sounded a bit less impressive but more realistic and "musical". The differences were truly minimal though audible which in my opinion draws some conclusions.

 

1st The Mytek truly was ahead of it's time since 4 years after it's original launch more expensive (and supposedly advanced) and highly praised by the press dacs sound as good.

 

2nd If you want something different than the Mytek the chord surely is not for you since you will spend your money for approximately the same sound in performance and qualities and the overpriced in my opinion chord hugo tt will not be considerably better since the supercaps and better power supply it advertises are allready there in the substantially cheaper Mytek which has the better bass and definition the hugo tt advertises over the original one.

 

I am not judging the hugo for a bad dac on the contrary it is a very good dac but It has alot of as good competition at it's price and will not surprise you since you are allready listening to It (perhaps even the TT) and haven't yet realised It.

 

That's the way to do it - listen to both DACs and decide based on how you hear it.

 

To date, I share your reactions on these DACs. I'd go with Mytek, especially the new Manhattan DAC with DSD 256, over the Hugo. Others may hear it differently.

[Totsipaki]

For ceartain I am not a reviewer but my Luxman class A amp and 803's ceartainly don't lie..

 

Try the ifi gemini USB cable, disable the upsampling and use the sharp filter in pcm on your dac and you will listen a very big difference in terms of musicality you haven't thought your dac was capable of. Who knows maby a 200 euro USB cable and some new settings may relieve you from your itch. they surely have relieved me from mine..

 

I 've listened to the Mytek in much more expensive systems than mine and It sounded even better making some legendary and expensive players sound clearly worse in comparison (though not bad at all on their own) Don't be hasty in parting with It. In my opinion It is a very difficult and challenging choice you are about to make.

 

I will be following your thread with interest.

[stewboss]

Graham Slee Majestic dac is probably one of the most analog sounding dacs in the world but his products rarely get discussed on here.

[al210]

I have not heard the Hugo or Mytek but based on how they are differently built its hard to believe they would sound so close to the same. I'm no dac expert but don't the Chord product line use their own chip programming (FPGA) vs everyone else using a standard chip like the ESS 9018.

[kennyb123]

I have not heard the Hugo or Mytek but based on how they are differently built its hard to believe they would sound so close to the same. I'm no dac expert but don't the Chord product line use their own chip programming (FPGA) vs everyone else using a standard chip like the ESS 9018.

 

I agree that this is hard to believe.

 

My Mytek tends to sound at its best when playing DSD. Seems the one knock on the Hugo is that it's not as impressive with DSD.

[bmoura]

I have not heard the Hugo or Mytek but based on how they are differently built its hard to believe they would sound so close to the same. I'm no dac expert but don't the Chord product line use their own chip programming (FPGA) vs everyone else using a standard chip like the ESS 9018.

 

Of course there is more to making a good sounding DAC than whether it uses an FPGA or an ESS chip. As you will hear when comparing various DACs that use the ESS chips or FPGAs.

[Blizzard]

There will be a new DAC announcement late Aug early Sept that anyone wanting to spend between around $2500 USD will want to hear. It should set new standards for DAC's under $5000. It will use a ESS chip. Sorry can't give out any more info but it's gonna be big news.

[Audio_ELF]

There will be a new DAC announcement late Aug early Sept that anyone wanting to spend between around $2500 USD will want to hear. It should set new standards for DAC's under $5000. It will use a ESS chip. Sorry can't give out any more info but it's gonna be big news.

To be frank there's always something new on the horizon...

[bmoura]

To be frank there's always something new on the horizon...

 

Very true. Both in terms of new DACs and upgrades of existing ones. That is what keeps the DAC section here lively!