Mytek new dac Brooklyn.

[m5sime]

Hi everyone.. Now before I get shot, I am hoping for some open advice on my setup and lets be frank - i cannot hear any difference between:

 

2L downloads of Arnesen: MAGNIFICAT or Mozart Violin Concerto in D major KV218

DSD vs high sample rate PCM vs MQA vs 16 bit redbook CD

 

Or the same track (16bit 44.1kHz Redbook as Sonos will not play anything else. Unfortunately also not playing MQA files! Which is how I found Mytek, this forum and parted terms with a chunk of bank balance.). from my NAS streamed via sonos into the SPDIF or USB via A+ on a macbook

 

So this means I cannot hear a different between inputs on the Brooklyn (or cables) and nor a difference on the resolution and file size of the audio files..

 

To be honest I am pretty miffed... I was expecting to be wowed having just spent this money on the Brooklyn.

 

Caveats - Brooklyn is a few weeks old and has probably 50 hrs of playback on it.

 

So - I know what the responses will be - my system is not able to resolve the details as subtle as they are.. So - im guessing I am looking for advice on the setup and potential weak links..

 

Overall the sound is good.. very clean, black/dark backgrounds and quiet..

 

My system:

 

Power - custom made power distribution - no filtering. Belden power cable.

 

Sources - Sinology NAS on Gigabit ethernet

Renderers - Macbook 13 inch with Audivarna. Sonos Player XP90/ZP80 i recall

 

Cables - USB (nothing special from Amazon). SPDIF (from the sonos).. very short Belden 1694 coax. Canare connectors

Power - screened power for Sonos

 

DAC - Brooklyn (of course)

Power - Belden 83803 mains

 

Balanced XLR - custom made - Trying to recall what I made it with. Belden again I expect. Pro audio spec.

 

AMP - Cambridge Audio Azur 840A (suspect may be a weaker link, but got good reviews and has a lot of power)..

Speaker Cables - QED Xtube XT300

 

KEF LS50 speakers. On marble plinths on a large set of units. (not perfect but A/B tested against my speaker stands and works OK).

 

I have not had a chance to put some half decent headphones into the Brooklyn and listen way to isolate the application and speaker stages..

 

So .. Am I heretic for claiming what I want to hear isn't there or just not spent enough money :-) ??

 

Listener - 40's - own ears..

 

BR

 

Simon

 

Pics added.. sorry they are rotated.. not sure why!

 

[m5sime]

I've ever had the same experience when I bought my NAD M51 years ago.

 

It didn't sound good as i heard at audio shop or as stereophile described and recommended.

 

But now it still sounds incredible. It makes me hesitate and afraid to replace it with a new DAC.

 

It will shine and its beauty will come after you upgrade all the rest of your gears to the same level of Brooklyn.

 

Hi thank you for your reply! Did you replace a lot of things to get your upgrade?

[m5sime]

Yes the speakers need to be at least 2 to 3 feet away from the back and side walls. You'll need stands, but it is worth it.

 

Hi Thank you! I have played with placement and the sound is very balanced. The rear ports have not needed their bungs.

 

I do have some very good speaker stands for them but on moving here the lounge didn't lend itself to having them on them.

 

So I am not unhappy with the sound and the room is not influencing acoustics much as in other rooms I have had my system in.

 

It's more that I cannot resolve audible major differences in sources and file quality for the music. Hence the surprise. I will experiment again however with putting them on stands

 

Br

 

Simon

[m5sime]

You might also play with the AC side of the system. I find extraordinary SQ sensitivity to power cables and wiring toplogy here.

.

 

Thank you. I will experiment some more!

 

I have a few power cables in my system and a custom made/upgraded power distribution block I re-cabled.

[m5sime]

Out of interest. What cables (USB and SPDIF) are my fellow Brooklyn owners using? I'm interested to see how much of a difference spending money makes vs broadcast spec cables like Belden 1964a with Canare phono for the SPDIF

[m5sime]

The manual says all 4 jumpers need to be engaged with the power off to get a cut of 6dB. I do not recall the inside state of my Brooklyn currently but it doesn't look like more than adding or removing the 4 links

[m5sime]

I use a Tellurium Q Black.

 

With my previous DAC (Audiolab 8200CD) it made quite a difference.

 

Never bothered to test the Brooklyn with a generic cable though.

 

Thank you. Nice cable! I'm really interested in whether the Brooklyn is sensitive to cables. My initial experiment seemed to show otherwise but this is ongoing as I test different cables in general

[m5sime]

I use a Moon Audio Silver Dragon USB which gives a marginal improvement in the upper register over the stock cable (but I've only just installed it). The immediate change came with moving to a balanced headphone cable. My Foster TH900s are cabled in Silver Dragon with a convertor/extension system which really comes into its own when a new headphone amp/DAC demands a different connector. When I swopped to the new balanced connector mid-song, the difference was remarkable – more presence altogether.

 

Thank you John, have you used spdif with your Brooklyn? Was the moon audio cable expensive?

[m5sime]

 

Another thing to try is somewhat counterintuitive. Mytek suggests that the BYPASS mode of preamp operation (obviously, if used with an external preamp) will provide the best sound quality but a reviewer actually reported significantly better results when using the ANALOG mode set to maximum (100) while using the external preamp to control the volume. Both I and my friend found that operating the DACs this way improved the naturalness of our system's sound quality without sacrificing detail and frequency extension.

 

As with all things in this audio hobby, YMMV.

 

I recall this review also and the comment that Mytek has deliberately made the analogue out sweeter and warmer to provide what some listeners would like and hence both options available. Bypass and the true sound and analogue and a slightly tuned sound

[m5sime]

I use a Curious Cable usb cable of 80 cm length and before (when I used a Teac UD 501) I started with the Audioquest Carbon. The Curious Cable I like better and I haven't had the inclination to try the Audioquest once more.

 

It seems so far that not many have experimented with cables with their Brooklyn. I have been looking at the Carbon as an upgrade to a cheapy USB .. Will look at the curious also thank you

[m5sime]

Hi I just this minute opened my Sbooster. .....

 

Now I know what the girls have said to me for years....

 

"I never realised it was so big.. I don't know where to put it...."

 

I hope it makes that difference...

 

What I should do is burn it in, then try deoxit, mapleshade silver contact grease... But I just can't wait that long...

 

Will pass on thoughts as I find changes...

 

Have a nice weekend Mytek threader's

 

Dave

 

Hi Dave well done and I too hope you hear a difference and as I have a Brooklyn using the standard mains supply then fascinated to hear if you got results

 

Best Simon

[m5sime]

In another moment's madness (I used to think I could resist tweaking) I added to my Brooklyn + Qualia Physic 271 psu, an iFi Micro USB 3.0. And what a startling improvement! All the usual audiophile phrases apply – much improved separation, more powerful and tuneful bass – I'm no basshead but this is v welcome. Instrumental timbre more realistic all round. btw I use Fostex TH900 phones, Moon Audio silver dragon headphone and USB cables. Dispassionately I realise that all this pimping out of an already expensive DAC/headamp must seem absurd, but the sonic benefits are unarguable. Uh, wow.

 

Hi! Sounds fab. I too have a Brooklyn and have started to get an itch for a psu upgrade and hear the difference. I have already splurged on the DAC and now a Rendu with the IFI power supply. So wondering where to spend/upgrade the power first.

 

Did you test the psu upgrade vs the USB 3.0 upgrade? I have had limited results with cable tweaks on the USB with the Brooklyn

 

Best Simon

 

Ps- I have a Cambridge audio Azur 840 balanced amp. It was 800 pounds new and wondering if I should be spending more on the amp than expensive psu tweaks on the sources. The Rendu and the Brooklyn being 2k

[m5sime]

Hi - not sure if this is news for anyone but I have TIDAL Masters (MQA albums) streaming via Roon to my URendu and into my Brooklyn DAC. The MQA light is on and sounding fab

[m5sime]

The power supply solution they use is very good. You can see the measurements at Stereophile, but also from my own listening. The 12v input lets you try different options, I heard no appreciable difference using a LPS or even a car battery (just had to try since they mentioned it...).

 

Hi Smartin, that goes against what many others have said with the linear PSU route and I guess even the Mytek designer suggested the potential for a DC battery. But, I too have been wondering and now that I have been really looking seriously at class D amps, I have read quite a bit in the SMPS designs they use rather than linear.

 

Yes SMPS is harder to design to keep RFI out of the rails for supply and even as importantly out of the mains feed.. but interesting you heard no benefit

[m5sime]

Hi everyone.. I have had my Brooklyn for over a year and decided to finally invest in a LPSU to test and see whether I get sonic improvements from this in my setup. I looked at the various options from MCRU, Booster etc. The PSU is from China and being modified from a new spec replacing one that on other forums I have seen that people had purchased and commented very positively about the specification of the PSU. If anyone is interested the PSU has an updated rectification and smoothing board and circuit and I requested an R-Core transformer to be added.

 

It looks like mine is now available on eBay as a finished item (I assume it was the first as I had to request the modification). If anyone is interested, I will be happy to provide feedback on it's use when it arrives and has had time to soak in.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-mirror-style-100VA-R-core-Ultra-Low-Noise-Linear-Power-supply-DC-5V-30V/132158047595?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D40130%26meid%3D0401b1f48d0d469fad2676c9da13b65e%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D131918257571

 

Simon

[m5sime]

4 hours ago, rickca said:

I'm pretty sure the reference is to the ES9038PRO 

http://www.esstech.com/index.php?cID=360

 

I am no deep level expert but having reviewed the specs (9038 PRO vs 9018) (-122dB THD+N vs -120dB), added HW features like DSD over DoP (which many DACs have built externally), plus a few comments from designers I have seen that discuss that the vast majority of the DAC performance/differentiation is the surrounding electronics (and especially the analogue parts) then I am not inclined to rush to change. The Manhattan II uses this new ESS DAC chip and of course there will be a Brooklyn II that will use this chip as well given Mytek have integrated it on the flagship model, and it will be a needed bullet on the selling data sheet.

 

There will be many of course that the latest chip means a new purchase. In an era of software evolvable feature sets the likes of Chord with FPGA approaches make sense. 

[m5sime]

On 19/04/2017 at 6:31 PM, m5sime said:

Hi everyone.. I have had my Brooklyn for over a year and decided to finally invest in a LPSU to test and see whether I get sonic improvements from this in my setup. I looked at the various options from MCRU, Booster etc. The PSU is from China and being modified from a new spec replacing one that on other forums I have seen that people had purchased and commented very positively about the specification of the PSU. If anyone is interested the PSU has an updated rectification and smoothing board and circuit and I requested an R-Core transformer to be added.

 

Simon

 

 

 

 

 

Hi! My PSU arrived and I have been doing some tests with the Brooklyn. Its early days, but bass on tracks is less bloated and driving less room effects in my setup. I guess I need to work out how to listen for the improvements more, and also allow the PSU to break-in some more. The quality is pretty good. There was a strong chemical (paint) smell which is going away and the build overall is good (for the price). 

 

If anyone can share experiences of an outboard PSU and things you heard A/B tested against the onboard switch-mode PSU I would be really grateful. 

[m5sime]

10 minutes ago, JerryS said:

 

I am using this eBay-sourced 100 VA PS with my Brooklyn. The Brooklyn is a good ~$2000 DAC, until you add a decent external power supply. Then it becomes a great DAC that can hold its own against probably anything below $10k. With an external power supply, every sound becomes completely pure and resolution increases. Phenomenal! 

 

Thank you Jerry! I am going to do more A/B tests and listen to the differences it makes. Your PSU looks similar to the one I have (regulation circuit is different but same R-Core transformer).

[m5sime]

15 hours ago, smartin said:

As a counterpoint, I haven't found that an external power supply makes an improvement.  I tried a JS-2 and a car battery (because Mytek mentioned it, and figured why not try...).  I did not notice any improvement.  Objectively, the Brooklyn's PSU is very quiet (see figure 9 in the Stereophile review).  I am still using the JS-2 as I don't have a use for the second output (I don't really have a use for the first either, currently using it to power an LPS-1 (unneccesary) which powers an Adnaco USB extender), but would happily use the built in PSU if I had another use for the JS-2.

Thank you! I admit that I struggle with hearing night and day differences with some tweaks like cables and power so have to try harder to hear. But I also think if I don't hear something then how much is the change worth in monetary terms. I will see how I get on.

[m5sime]

10 minutes ago, Octavius said:

I use a Qualiaphysic PSU with my Brooklyn.

 

It simply gets the Brooklyn's sound quality to a different level. It gets more organic, with lower noise, better detail and focus. 

Couldn't be happier really.

 

When you say noise could you possibly describe this a little more?  I read regularly about professional reviews that talk of blacker backgrounds etc. In my setup I have zero audible noise even with the amplifier at high output and no file playing and my ear to the speaker. So I wonder what I might remove other than distortion of my actual audible sounds when playing a track 

[m5sime]

2 minutes ago, diver110 said:

Forgive my ignorance, but how do you connect an external power supply?

The Brooklyn has a 5.5x2.5mm Dc 12v round connector on the back panel. The Mytek suggestion was a power supply with significantly more power capacity than the inboard PSU. So circa 6amp capable I believe. 

[m5sime]

5 minutes ago, mozes said:

Just be prepared if SQ suffers. I tried to power both my tX-USB ultra and Brooklyn from one VR mini and it sounded harsh and musicality was lost. Now my VR powers the Brooklyn only and the sound is breathtaking again

 

Do you mind me asking @mozes and @jtwrace about your power supply experiences for the Brooklyn and the Vinni in particular. I just bought a far cheaper Chinese R-core based linear PSU for mine and wondering about the LPS-1 for the Rendu 

[m5sime]

9 minutes ago, mrvco said:

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/25VA-TALEMA-Low-Noise-LPS-DC-12V-Linear-Power-Supply-psu-option-5V-9V-15V-18V-/262844375057

 

I requested a quote from Qualiaphysic as well.

The actual is I recall just over 2A. For an external PSU Mytek had suggested something considerably more powerful than the internal smps. 

 

I ordered a 6A supply from eBay with an R-core transformer and having it measured currently (looks a bit noisy). 

 

The Longdog mcru PSUs have very good specs from what I see. The Chinese stuff is well made but not so good on noise it seems and the cheaper ones even worse. 

[m5sime]

12 minutes ago, Cornan said:

Have anyone compared Brooklyn DAC powered via high quality ac cables into a isolation transformer with floating secondary with a great LPS or VR Mini? I am awaiting the delivery of my Brooklyn DAC and will start with the former. I like the fact that the built in SMPS draws less power than an external PSU, but are curious why so many choose external power supplies?

Hi - I do not believe that the Brooklyn draws more or less power from the internal smps vs external..  the internal PSU is highly rated and clearly measures very well from the reviews. Those with external PSUs (me included) are seeking  to get more from it and many have said it's possible. I haven't yet been able to say how much from mine. 

[m5sime]

4 minutes ago, Cornan said:

 

I read somewhere that the built in SMPS is less powerful than what is recommended to use for external DC supply. I cannot remember where though. .

Hi - I have said this before on here and it was an anecdote I read from the Brooklyn designer suggesting that the external PSU should be considerably more powerful. When I mentioned this to a PSU designer he commented that those designed for steady state 3A can burst upwards easily as needed. The Brooklyn isn't especially demanding I believe