Mytek Stereo 192

[orgel]

yverof wrote:

 

"If you connect Mytek to Firewire, external disk should NOT be in a chain with Mytek, but on USB. Go to Pure Music site and read a) the manual for Pure Music and the general information about computer audiophile advices (they are very good)."

 

Yves, I appreciate the advice, and I've read the Channel D stuff, which overall I've found very helpful. (I've been heavily influenced by their advocacy of heading in the direction of pro audio gear rather than traditional audiophile kit.) I'm aware of the common wisdom that if your DAC is connected via FireWire any external HD's should be on the USB bus and vice versa. However, there's another school of thought on this (i.e., both DAC and HD on FW), convincingly advocated by Clay, among others, so I'm going to give both hook-ups a try and decide for myself which sounds better.

 

--David

 

[k-man]

I am hearing that it is possible this set up will be adaptable for the DSD via the dCS solution in the near future...

 

Thank you for this announcement! Not heard anything this specific since the dCS event. I never imagined DSD playback would come into fruition since I started my Computer Audio journey :-)

 

[blaine78]

I've noticed a couple of times in the thread that the XLR's are significantly better than RCA outs? I thought the RCA are really just the positive pin of the XLR? how can it sound significantly better?

It's also bit disheartening and second thoughts on mytek, as my amp will only do RCA... i ain't changing my ATC for no DAC

 

 

[Miska]

I thought the RCA are really just the positive pin of the XLR?

 

I don't know, but I actually hope it is not. Because it can be done better by combining the positive and negative signals of XLR through differential amp. If it is just the positive pin then the XLR is technically better... I would actually like to hear from Mytek which is the case, because my amp can take either one in and it has it's own internal balanced -> unbalanced conversion done through a differential stage.

 

I'm planning to get new Genelec/Focal/Adam active monitors so in this light would be especially interesting.

 

 

[blaine78]

Miska, have you tried RCA and XLR outs, was there a significant difference?

 

I know with the Lavry DA11 DAC i had, the conversion was taking XLR + straight to RCA, as the lavry had no RCAs, it came with stock XLR to RCA converter. same applies to the previous Mytek 96 DAC

 

[Miska]

Miska, have you tried RCA and XLR outs, was there a significant difference?

 

So far I've been most of the times using the headphone connector with AKG headphones. And I'm actually quite happy with the headphone output quality.

 

Since I've been mostly listening Mytek while writing software and in order not to disturb others been using headphones. In other cases I've been using RCA outputs and not seriously XLRs yet, because my amp has an extra stage for the XLR input to convert to unbalanced for it's internal use. But if the balanced -> unbalanced conversion in Mytek is not as good as what my amp could do, I could definitely switch over to XLR.

 

And those new monitors I've been planning have XLRs, so it's not an issue there.

 

I have three systems, living room, bedroom and office desk monitoring system. Currently Mytek has been mostly on the office desk to test all kinds of DSD things.

 

[pjomaestro]

Hello! Please guide me how to set up Audirvana Plus (the latest version) to play DSD using Mytek 2ch 192 DS DAC.

 

Does DSD playing only work with Fire Wire and not with USB ?

 

pjo

 

[ted_b]

A+ needs no setup per se, just choose the Mytek_Firewire in the pulldown screen of preferences-audio, then load DSD fils into the playlist. It doesn't work in iTunes integration mode, cuz iTunes doesn't handle DSD in A+.

 

And in my system currently my Mytek USB driver doesn't seem to like DSD, just PCM. It did at one point (and I'm sure will again) but with firmware 1.3.2 I'm no-DSD-in-USB.

 

[pjomaestro]

Thanks Ted !

pjo

 

[twluke]

Hi Ted,

 

I'd like to thank you for your IR remote information.

 

To control multiple devices by a single remote unit, I'm currently using the one from Meridian Audio (MSR+). Based on your suggestion, I picked a device code for Loewe TV system from the list given by Meridian and put it into the unit. Wow! This worked like a charm.

 

Best Regards,

 

twluke

 

[pjomaestro]

Hi! I was able to play DSD file using Pure Music Beta via FireWire following the guide by Yves.

 

Has anyone played DSD file with Pure Music Beta via USB ?

 

pjo

 

[ted_b]

working with 1.3. or 1.3.1. Maybe you haven't seen them. Just below (in my setup I have all new posts shown at the top; flat list expanded, date newest first, 300 comments per page) your post I made mention, again, that the USB driver is not working for DSD, only PCM. So did Miksa. It will be fixed asap, but currently it doesn't work for DSD.

 

As mentioned, I played DSD via PM in earlier iterations, but not now.

 

[pjomaestro]

Thanks Ted !

Pjo

 

[willshaw]

Hi,57gold, cound you share with us your setup with Mytek, preamp, amp and speakers ? The system that Mytek makes so musical.Tks.

 

[blaine78]

well, I'm making the Mytek purchase without an audition.

I just sold my trusty loved Ayre QB-9, and now feel dizzy, faint and nauseous from doing so, but audiophile is my hobby, i have to play with new toys.. for better or worse.

god i hope I've done the right thing, *falls to the floor sobbing*

 

[57gold]

Very simple system (computer, great software, MyTek, strong/musical amp, and accurate/dynamic speakers):

 

Mac Mini (SSD and 8GB RAM upgrade), OWC Raid 1 for library and Shunyata Python to power Mini;

 

Audirvana + (Hog Mode, iZotope SRC 2X, Integer Mode and other optimizations of OSX, Integrated iTunes for dedicated iPad as remote);

 

FireWire to MyTek with Virtual Dynamics PC (not sure of model), balanced Yamamura 5000 interconnects;

 

McCormack DNA 500, biwired with Mikro Omega to mid/highs and Acoustic Zen Tsunami to woofer;

 

Aerial 10Ts.

 

Just listened to Wayne Shorter, Jim Hall and Michel Petrucciani..."Power of Three" recorded at Montreaux in 1986...the playing and the feeling of being there, in the audience that day, was overwhelming...great music by great musicians putting their hearts into the performance, transcendental.

 

[ccclapp]

I am hoping to do something that's likely stupid, but maybe your tell me it will work...

 

I'd like to do two zones from the Mytek: how long can I run BNC balanced cables from Mytek to pre-amp, amp or powered speakers to the remote zone? I'm expecting not to like the answer...

 

Thanks!

 

[ccclapp]

Is my math or logic wrong: Is not the effective cost of Mytek in a CAPS v2 about $500, as follows: CAPS -> Mytek via Fireware...

 

Mytek: $1,400

Less SOtM tX-USB: -350

Less good USB ->SPDIF converter -550 (could be less or more)

Net effective cost of Mytek = $500!

 

This assumes alternative DAC does not do USB at 192

 

 

[barrows]

Mytek Firewire is not asynchronous, so this might be something to consider... Jitter:noise/distortion will be lower with a good async USB DAC, with an SOtM card or not...

 

[blaine78]

Now i'm confused. Mytek firewire is not asynchronous? I thought firwire audio was asynchronous? what about it's USB? better results to be had through it's USB?

 

 

[ted_b]

Whatever the name, the firewire interface on the Mytek is extremely good, and IMO, much better than the (current) USB driver. And in my system the fw uses a $40 Granite Digital cable, and the USb uses my go-to, a $400 Wireworld Platinum Starlight.

 

[orgel]

barrows wrote:

 

"Mytek Firewire is not asynchronous..."

 

It says in the DSD192 PDF brochure (page 5) that it is asynchronous. Do you know something we don't know?

 

IAC, I'm planning on trying both FireWire and USB, and with luck I should have an opportunity to see what USB -> Audiophilleo -> SPDIF sounds like.

 

--David

 

[barrows]

Has been reported that the Mytek uses the "DICE" FW solution, the same as that used by Weiss. This is not an asynchronous FW receiver, and uses a dual PLL to align the incoming clock rate with the DAC's own clock. If anyone knows details to the contrary, I would love to hear them. Is the USB interface Rigisystems BTW?

The Mytek, may be asynchronous in other ways (IE by the use of the onboard asynchronous SRC chip, or, if it uses the ASRC built in to the ESS DAC-which is not yet clear to me) so that may be what they are referring to when they say "asynchronous". This is different than actually using an asynchronous FW interface.

To be clear, an asynchronous computer interface by my definition, is one that does not in any way reference the incoming clock or data rate, and that uses no PLL circuit: this type of interface uses a fixed oscillator(s) to clock the data out of the receiver and to the DAC chip directly.

 

 

[57gold]

Into MyTek, sounded fine. But direct firewire connection is significantly more transparent, slightly better at frequency extremes and gives an almost spooky, "you are there" quality to well recorded files.

 

Today listened to John Hiatt "Bring the Family"...great greasy guitar work by Ry Cooder...but I now see Jamie Lee doing the pole dance when that song gets going. Could be worse. Anyways, great organic feel to the recording through MyTek.

 

Also, a Jack Dejohnette recording with Pat Metheny that features Jack's expressive drumming...cymbals and rim shots are startling good.

 

It's a very strong, clear, clean and full fidelity connection...however it's done.

 

[ted_b]

n/t