Mytek new dac Brooklyn.

[PMJ72]

Hi,

so far no DSD256 on Mac OS X. I incorrectly assumed the Brooklyn+ DAC had the firmware set to handle the issue based on the marketing and the specs.  I hope they will be able to do something similar to the iFi IDAC2 that had a firmware update last year allowing DSD256 on Macs.  I have had no issue at all finding DSD256 content and have a pretty good size collection though most of the music is classical.  

Thank you

[exdmd]

@PMJ72 did you open a support ticket at Mytek website and what do they say?

[Leeuwarden]

DAC+ must be very dissapointing since nobody writes about it...

[conqubite]

Yes, only fools ard buying it.. ????

Just kidding.. ?

[Leeuwarden]

No, you are probably right 

[rayl1234]

46 minutes ago, Leeuwarden said:

DAC+ must be very dissapointing since nobody writes about it...

 

It's not big enough of a change from the original...

 

Personally, I am beginning to look to moving on soon as I've become less enamored by MQA. I waited a year for Tidal to pick it up, etc., but the catalog isn't that deep nor, to me, does it always sound better -- sometimes yes/sometimes no. Outside of MQA, there are other DACs I like more.

[occamsrazor]

2 minutes ago, rayl1234 said:

 

It's not big enough of a change from the original...

 

 

I have to say personally I was hoping to see some kind of new Brooklyn type model with ethernet - eg with Roon, or even (given their pro- roots) Dante....

[Leeuwarden]

5 minutes ago, rayl1234 said:

 

It's not big enough of a change from the original...

 

 

Have you tried?

[PMJ72]

11 hours ago, exdmd said:

@PMJ72 did you open a support ticket at Mytek website and what do they say?

 

Hi, Yes I did open a ticket but did not get a response yet.

I will attempt to produce a review of the DAC+ in the coming days.  I have been working and not had time to really sit down and listen. 

The limited time I have had so far has been very impressive especially with the MQA playback.  

Thank you

[rayl1234]

14 minutes ago, Leeuwarden said:

Have you tried?

Not at length -- just a few minutes at RMAF booth. Personally, as I am considering abandoning MQA as a requirement, I am focusing on trying other units at present.

 

To more precisely state it, I am opining that -- the first Brooklyn was groundbreaking in terms of being MQA native, etc. The + does not offer enough incremental improvements, based on description, to warrant attention from the press, etc. Of course if there's a groundswell of people being blown away acoustically, this will change, but the burden of proof is on the new upgrade.

[John Eaton]

40 minutes ago, rayl1234 said:

 

It's not big enough of a change from the original...

 

Personally, I am beginning to look to moving on soon as I've become less enamored by MQA. I waited a year for Tidal to pick it up, etc., but the catalog isn't that deep nor, to me, does it always sound better -- sometimes yes/sometimes no. Outside of MQA, there are other DACs I like more.

How deep does the MQA catalog need to be.  Have you looked at this Meridian link?  http://www.meridianunplugged.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=268318#Post268318

Is over 5000 MQA albums not enough to get ones attention?  Most, so far as I have looked, are available via Tidal by searching in Roon.  

The link will open a .CVS spreadsheet.

[rayl1234]

8 minutes ago, John Eaton said:

How deep does the MQA catalog need to be.  Have you looked at this Meridian link?  http://www.meridianunplugged.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=268318#Post268318

Is over 5000 MQA albums not enough to get ones attention?  Most, so far as I have looked, are available via Tidal by searching in Roon.  

The link will open a .CVS spreadsheet.

 

This is a matter of personal music preference... I am primarily (67%) a Billboard top charts listener / 33% favorites accumulated over time.

 

I've found maybe only two tracks with MQA since June in terms of weekly BB Top 100 (though I cover only maybe 50 of 100), Pop or Hip Hop charts.

 

Sure I can go out of my way to find quite a few MQA tracks, but I religiously believe in technology making the music I like sound better as opposed to selecting music that sounds better on the technology. Just a personal preference.

[BigGuy]

17 minutes ago, rayl1234 said:

 

This is a matter of personal music preference... I am primarily (67%) a Billboard top charts listener / 33% favorites accumulated over time.

 

I've found maybe only two tracks with MQA since June in terms of weekly BB Top 100 (though I cover only maybe 50 of 100), Pop or Hip Hop charts.

 

Sure I can go out of my way to find quite a few MQA tracks, but I religiously believe in technology making the music I like sound better as opposed to selecting music that sounds better on the technology. Just a personal preference.

Given that the majority of the Billboard Top 100 probably has a Dynamic Range below 8, I am not sure MQA or any other tech will make them sound good!

[exdmd]

I have had a Brooklyn DAC+ for two weeks now so can give some impressions. Main reason for the purchase was to listen to MQA on Tidal and was well worth the money to me. After a couple weeks of listening through Elears I am a fan of MQA. The built in headphone amp is very good; roughly equal to a Magni 3 I have on my desk. I prefer using a Vali 2 though which for me is a better match for the Elears.

 

The only complaint I have is SQ through the Toslink optical in. I have a Samsung TV at my desk and use the TV's PCM digital out into the DAC+ and hear digital glare, but only on the optical input. There is also a problem with intermittent drop outs using the Toslink input; through experimentation I found the drop outs vanished when I disabled MQA. With MQA off I tried the various filters but still heard the glare. It is annoying to the point that I keep a Schiit BiFrost/Magni 3 dedicated to the TV now and use the DAC+ for USB. Mytek support is aware of my problem. Not in a  hurry to send it back to get looked at as I am enjoying MQA too much. 

[rayl1234]

1 hour ago, BigGuy said:

Given that the majority of the Billboard Top 100 probably has a Dynamic Range below 8, I am not sure MQA or any other tech will make them sound good!

 

That's part of the disappointment... my expectations (perhaps naively) were that it won't just be a format change (for given that, how can a format change alone positively impact the uncompressed PCM?), but that we will get content actually mastered for MQA.... like when something is remastered for issue as a maxi single.... Kinda like when 1080p was introduced, studios starting issuing movies in true 1080p....  (And now 4K though the ramp up is slower.)

 

Anyway, not to detract further from the Brooklyn discussion -- I still feel the original was great for MQA (and the + probably better)...

 

MQA aside, my poor RMA experience and also reports of poor communications from others (such as on the amp)  is also detracting somewhat from the shine, so I will not be testing the + nor the Manhattan.

[Kal Rubinson]

2 hours ago, rayl1234 said:

 

This is a matter of personal music preference... I am primarily (67%) a Billboard top charts listener / 33% favorites accumulated over time.

Agreed.  I am primarily a classical listener (>90%) and I am equally unimpressed with the available MQA repertoire.  (And I have MQA playback ability!)

[LaurentS]

I have a question regarding sound volume with the Brooklyn. It is my first DAC with a preamp but I have connected it to my integrated amp, so I should not need the preamp function. Question is : how do you bypass/disable the preamp in the Brooklyn ?

[rayl1234]

16 minutes ago, LaurentS said:

I have a question regarding sound volume with the Brooklyn. It is my first DAC with a preamp but I have connected it to my integrated amp, so I should not need the preamp function. Question is : how do you bypass/disable the preamp in the Brooklyn ?

 

There is a Bypass (On/Off) setting between Vol Control (Digital/Analog) and USB Volume (DSBL/db/Win).

 

If you find the +10 dBu output too hot for the amp, you may need to install the resistors to bring it down to +4 dBu.

[PMJ72]

On 10/31/2017 at 9:50 PM, exdmd said:

@PMJ72 did you open a support ticket at Mytek website and what do they say?

Still no reply on the ticket, but guessing they are at show or something.  

If anyone can chime in on this question I would appreciate the input.

I have been told that if I use a Microrendu I would effectively bypass the issue with the Mac OS X and DSD over DOP frequency limitation. 

Since the file or music is networked to the Rendu and then the Rendu sends the USB to the DAC.

Thanks for all of your help!

[rayl1234]

1 minute ago, PMJ72 said:

Still no reply on the ticket, but guessing they are at show or something.  

If anyone can chime in on this question I would appreciate the input.

I have been told that if I use a Microrendu I would effectively bypass the issue with the Mac OS X and DSD over DOP frequency limitation. 

Since the file or music is networked to the Rendu and then the Rendu sends the USB to the DAC.

Thanks for all of your help!

 

Support ticket is not too reliable in my experience.

 

Call their NYC #... it's a bit hit-or-miss (it gets forwarded to Michal's cell phone when no one is in office)... but if it's a hit, you will likely get a definitive answer quickly.

[PMJ72]

48 minutes ago, rayl1234 said:

 

Support ticket is not too reliable in my experience.

 

Call their NYC #... it's a bit hit-or-miss (it gets forwarded to Michal's cell phone when no one is in office)... but if it's a hit, you will likely get a definitive answer quickly.

I just got a reply on the support ticket.

 

Copied:

Thank you for contacting us.

DSD256 works on Windows and SDIF inputs. It is not available on the Mac.

Kind regards

Adam 

Mytek Support Dept:

 

 

 

 

[intensemojo]

Just got the DAC + to replace the Brooklyn. I am not a reviewer but will provide some impressions soon.

 

First off, its heavier. Maybe some lead somewhere...:)

 

[bmeinhard]

28 minutes ago, intensemojo said:

Just got the DAC + to replace the Brooklyn. I am not a reviewer but will provide some impressions soon.

 

First off, its heavier. Maybe some lead somewhere...:)

 

Do what was your reason for upgrading to the Brooklyn +?  Were you unhappy with the sound of the Brooklyn?

[intensemojo]

Actually, very happy with the two channel playback. 

 

Two things for me are worth the upgrade on paper:

1. Redesigned analog circuits - I route my phono preamp through the Brooklyn for headphone playback. So if they say its better I'll try it.

2. New balanced headphone amp - If it can improve the sound through my LCD-X, again I'l try it

 

 

[Leeuwarden]

I did the same. So far so good!