Mytek new dac Brooklyn.

[gmplus]

On 7.02.2018 at 4:01 AM, exdmd said:

Mytek just put up a new smaller little brother to Brooklyn called Liberty DAC for sale. List is $995 does MQA accepts external LPS built in headphone amp.

 

Based also on ESS9018 Sabre chip, but have x10 worse jitter clock :?

[exdmd]

6 hours ago, gmplus said:

 

Based also on ESS9018 Sabre chip, but have x10 worse jitter clock :?

 

Would using an Eitr and connect to Liberty by coax help the jitter problem?

[aslg]

I have a Brooklyn DAC+ with the latest firmware installed (v. 1.11) . I am currently testing the headphone output with my AKG Q701 and Sennheiser HD 650 headphones and I need to move the volume to the -25, -15 db range for reaching a satisfying level (and I am not the type of guy that likes to play music loud). 

I installed the jumpers but I think I read somewhere that they do not influence the headphone volume output.
Is it normal that I need to raise the volume so high with the above headphones or do I have a problem somewhere?

Thanks!
 

[exdmd]

1 hour ago, aslg said:

I have a Brooklyn DAC+ with the latest firmware installed (v. 1.11) . I am currently testing the headphone output with my AKG Q701 and Sennheiser HD 650 headphones and I need to move the volume to the -25, -15 db range for reaching a satisfying level (and I am not the type of guy that likes to play music loud). 

I installed the jumpers but I think I read somewhere that they do not influence the headphone volume output.
Is it normal that I need to raise the volume so high with the above headphones or do I have a problem somewhere?

Thanks!
 

 

I normally run my DAC+ to an external amp. No jumpers installed, unit is stock from factory and a comfortable listening level for me using the headphone out with HD800S is -30 db. Why not open a support ticket at https://mytekdigital.com/hifi/support/ keep us informed.

[aslg]

2 hours ago, exdmd said:

 

I normally run my DAC+ to an external amp. No jumpers installed, unit is stock from factory and a comfortable listening level for me using the headphone out with HD800S is -30 db. Why not open a support ticket at https://mytekdigital.com/hifi/support/ keep us informed.

Thanks!

I understand now there was a level of ambiguity when I said  I listen with the headphone out between -25 and -15 db.
After you mentioned you listen with your HD800 at -30db, I listened other CDs in my collection with my HD650 what has similar impedance and sensitivity.
I found some CDs that I listen at -30 db like Dire Straits - Brothers in Arms and Jose Gonzalez - Veneer
Others at -25 db like Neil Young - Live at Massey Hall 1971
Patricia Barber - Modern Cool at -23 db
and Blue Coast Collection 1 DSD between -20 and -15 db

There is a huge difference in the sound level of these recordings so maybe everything is fine and it all depends on what I am listening.
 

[exdmd]

@aslg I think if you contacted customer service I bet they would tell you there is no problem. The headphone amp in the DAC+ is not exceptional do you have an external amp? Even a $150 Schiit Vali 2 sounds better than the built in headphone amp. I know because I have one and used it until my Kenzie amp was built.

[aslg]

@exdmd I do not have a headphone amp. The Brooklyn DAC+ is connected to an integrated Rogue Audio amp.

I ended up removing the jumpers and I can confirm @Sanlitun 's findings that the jumpers affect the headphone output too.
It is, more or less, a 5db difference that it is hard to miss.

But even with the higher output I do not like the sound too much. Do you like your Kenzie amp? Does it work well with the Brooklyn DAC+? Can I connect a headphone amp to the Brooklyn's XLR outputs leaving the RCA outputs for the integrated amp?

 

 

[intensemojo]

I use a schiit Jotunheim as my main hp amp. More power and control than the built in in dac + 

 

balanced out to amp 

unbalanced to Jotunheim 

[exdmd]

2 hours ago, aslg said:

@exdmd I do not have a headphone amp. The Brooklyn DAC+ is connected to an integrated Rogue Audio amp.

I ended up removing the jumpers and I can confirm @Sanlitun 's findings that the jumpers affect the headphone output too.
It is, more or less, a 5db difference that it is hard to miss.

But even with the higher output I do not like the sound too much. Do you like your Kenzie amp? Does it work well with the Brooklyn DAC+? Can I connect a headphone amp to the Brooklyn's XLR outputs leaving the RCA outputs for the integrated amp?

 

 

 

The Kenzie works quite well with the DAC+. Single ended only though no XLR inputs. If you need a TOTL headphone amp with XLR inputs you need to look at an amp like Eddie Current Aficionado ($3250). Which would probably be the last amp you would ever have to buy:) On a budget Schiit Mjolnir 2 ($849) is a good choice.

[exdmd]

@aslg forgot to mention you could always use an XLR to phono adapter like Neutrik NA2F-D0B-TX

[57gold]

Enjoying my new B+ directly into a McCormack DNA-500 with 4 meter balanced Yamamura 5000 cables.  Analog volume attenuator works well.  Plenty of range for broad array of recordings.  

[Whyme]

Can anyone comment on sound quality of the b+ compare to Ps audio ds Jr? 

[Whyme]

33 minutes ago, 57gold said:

Enjoying my new B+ directly into a McCormack DNA-500 with 4 meter balanced Yamamura 5000 cables.  Analog volume attenuator works well.  Plenty of range for broad array of recordings.  

 

Have you used the b plus with an external preamp? Are there any noticeable differences? 

[57gold]

Nope.

 

Sold my "fancy assed" eight NOS Siemens 6922/E88CC, two box pre-amp more than a decade ago when I installed a Wadia 861i in system.  Wadia sounded better attached directly to amp, so the pre amp was un-needed.  

 

Used the Wadia with the Wavelength USB/SPDIF converter in my first endeavor in CA, which sounded pretty nice with Audirvana.  Then stepped it up with a Mytek DSD192 in 2011 and HQPlayer as main software, which moved my system up the high def curve. 

 

Now the B+, which adds dimensionality, additional clarity and is without some of the glare that the DSD192 would exhibit on certain recordings.

 

I only use one source, ripped files, so no need for switching.  If I was unhappy with my DAC's ability to drive my amps, I'd get a different DAC, not spend big $s on a bunch of needless circuitry, extra interconnects, power cables...for an attenuator.  YMMV.

[jonniema]

On 02/01/2018 at 12:47 PM, Veovis said:

Wish Mytek will lower the output of the XLR:s in upcoming models. Not a problem for me now that I use the Brooklyn DAC as a preamp together with the Brooklyn AMP, but even with the jumpers installed the XLR output in bypass mode was too hot for the preamp I used before when playing certain loudly mastered material. Bad idea to sell pro spec DAC:s to consumers imo.

 

Btw, does the Manhattan II have the same high output level on the XLRs? How about the DAC+?

 

Edit: There's a Picture in the manual showing where to put the jumpers. Easy job.

 

Strange you are reporting DAC output is too hot....

I also have the Brooklyn DAC / AMP combo but i connect via RCA's as i still do not own XLR cables.

 

i find that to  have moderately good sound level coming out of the Brooklyn AMP i have to get the DAC knob to around -30db and up,

This is about 75% of the vol. range. I can even go to 0db without sound distorting which is strange for an AMP rated +200W at 8ohnm (speakers are KEF LS50's with 85dB/2.83V/m)

 

I did tried the Brooklyn amp with a Benchmark DAC3L (via XLR) at a friend's house and it was normal. Lots of oomph from 25% of the DAC knob and up, although here it was driving the Golden Ear Triton 1 speakers.

 

Also on my REGA ELEX-R (integrated) connecting via RCA had good oomph without having to turn volume on it too loud driving the LS50's

 

So it seems to be related with the Brooklyn DAC output impedance/gain on RCA to the AMP....

I have not tried to connect the Brooklyn DAC to the AMP via XLR so not sure if it will solve the issue.

 

Anyone else with same issue?

[Veovis]

10 hours ago, jonniema said:

 

Strange you are reporting DAC output is too hot....

I also have the Brooklyn DAC / AMP combo but i connect via RCA's as i still do not own XLR cables.

 

Not so strange if you read my post again.:) As I said, no problem with hot output through the XLR:s when using the Brooklyn as preamp. With my speakers and the DAC/AMP combo the volume is normally within the -45 to -35 dB range.

 

The problem with the hot output through XLR has been when using the DAC with another preamp. Too hot for my integrated, even with the jumpers.

[jonniema]

5 hours ago, Veovis said:

 

Not so strange if you read my post again.:) As I said, no problem with hot output through the XLR:s when using the Brooklyn as preamp. With my speakers and the DAC/AMP combo the volume is normally within the -45 to -35 dB range.

 

The problem with the hot output through XLR has been when using the DAC with another preamp. Too hot for my integrated, even with the jumpers.

 

yes...

It doesn't seem normal as the combo should be perfectly integrated...

 

But when i get Brooklyn DAC connected via RCA to Brooklyn AMP sound is only strong from 75% (-20db) of the dac's vol. knob. is this normal?

 

So i am thinking what if i get harder to drive speakers (bigger) will it be able to handle them although the rated output is +200W 

I think this is strange and hence i thought i might have a defective unit or have to fiddle with jumpers or something... 

i know that normally XLR have more 6db than RCA...so not sure if xlr will solve...

 

When connecting a Benchmark DACL3 via XLR to the Brooklyn AMP it seems to have normal power right from 20% of the dac preamp vol.

 

Also another experiment i tried connecting:

Brooklyn DAC (bypass) -----(RCA)----> REGA ELEX-R (using preamp-out) -------(RCA)-------> Brooklyn AMP i get good sound volume coming out of the Brooklyn Amp.

Seems to be vol. control characteristic of Brooklyn DAC to be too tamed... 

[BigGuy]

55 minutes ago, jonniema said:

 

yes...

It doesn't seem normal as the combo should be perfectly integrated...

 

But when i get Brooklyn DAC connected via RCA to Brooklyn AMP sound is only strong from 75% (-20db) of the dac's vol. knob. is this normal?

 

So i am thinking what if i get harder to drive speakers (bigger) will it be able to handle them although the rated output is +200W 

I think this is strange and hence i thought i might have a defective unit or have to fiddle with jumpers or something... 

i know that normally XLR have more 6db than RCA...so not sure if xlr will solve...

 

When connecting a Benchmark DACL3 via XLR to the Brooklyn AMP it seems to have normal power right from 20% of the dac preamp vol.

 

Also another experiment i tried connecting:

Brooklyn DAC (bypass) -----(RCA)----> REGA ELEX-R (using preamp-out) -------(RCA)-------> Brooklyn AMP i get good sound volume coming out of the Brooklyn Amp.

Seems to be vol. control characteristic of Brooklyn DAC to be too tamed... 

If using the Brooklyn to feed a separate preamp, your problem may be that you are daisy-chaining 2 preamp gain stages.  Brooklyn needs to be set for BYPASS.  I HAVE used the ANALOG setting so signal goes thru 2 preamp stages BUT then gain of Brooklyn needs to be reduced so separate preamp is not overloaded.  IIRC, early firmware for Brooklyn set the volume default to full so if unit was connected to external pre, gain was WAY too high.  I believe this default was corrected with more recent firmware versions.

 

Got confused by the previous posts so hope this provides some insight.

[jonniema]

6 minutes ago, BigGuy said:

If using the Brooklyn to feed a separate preamp, your problem may be that you are daisy-chaining 2 preamp gain stages.  Brooklyn needs to be set for BYPASS.  I HAVE used the ANALOG setting so signal goes thru 2 preamp stages BUT then gain of Brooklyn needs to be reduced so separate preamp is not overloaded.  IIRC, early firmware for Brooklyn set the volume default to full so if unit was connected to external pre, gain was WAY too high.  I believe this default was corrected with more recent firmware versions.

 

Got confused by the previous posts so hope this provides some insight.

 

My fault since i did not keep it simple, let me try being clearer and simple:

 

- Brooklyn DAC (bypass mode) to PREAMP to Brooklyn  AMP (all via RCA)

or

- Benchmark DAC to brooklyn amp (via XLR)

Result is loads of power...

 

- Brooklyn DAC (digital or analogue vol preamp) to Brooklyn AMP (via RCA)

Result is very tamed power comming out, moderately listenable values only come out from -20db and up...

 

Hope this is clearer

I was just trying to see if other Brooklyn combo owners experience the same issue...

 

Tks

[Veovis]

Jonniema, why don't you use XLR between the DAC and AMP? With RCA the max output is lower. Using the RCA output may be problematic with the relatively insensitive speakers you have. Mine are 4 or 5 dB/m more than your KEF:s. Rarely need to go beyond -35 dB on the DAC volume control with the AMP.

[jonniema]

8 minutes ago, Veovis said:

Jonniema, why don't you use XLR between the DAC and AMP? With RCA the max output is lower. Using the RCA output may be problematic with the relatively insensitive speakers you have. Mine are 4 or 5 dB/m more than your KEF:s. Rarely need to go beyond -35 dB on the DAC volume control with the AMP.

 

Simply because i just got the amp and i do not own XLR (yet...) as my previous integrated did not have XLR inputs

But that will certainly be my next move.

 

Tks for the feedback, much appreciated!

[jonniema]

10 minutes ago, jonniema said:

 

Simply because i just got the amp and i do not own XLR (yet...) as my previous integrated did not have XLR inputs

But that will certainly be my next move.

 

Tks for the feedback, much appreciated!

 

By the way i figured out the problem...

 

Apparently dip switch 1 when off, all remaing dip switch settings are overriden by the Mytek Control Panel via USB.

And hence did they didnt seem to produce any effect...

 

So i connected the amp to the usb and via the Mytek Control panel i activated the +6db gain option and changed operation to unbalanced while i am now connecting via RCA.

 

Thought i share that with whoever has this same question.

 

Tks

 

[mumsoft]

Recently I invested in as much as a Raspberry Pi Model B+. Just to not stay behind the crowd.

My Brooklyn is not the + version, and operates lovely both with SP/Dif and Toslink. And sometimes some nice guy came along to upgrade the Brooklyn to the then newest firmware version. I'm on Linux and I will stay so, and until now I have to rely on someone with a Windows () or Mac laptop tot do the upgrade for me. I guess that won't change in any near or far future, alas.

 

My Brooklyn is on v3.32, for about a year now. As said, I bought a Raspberry Pi, just for fun, to begin with, and hopefully to fulfill some serious task with Tidal or video-streaming to end with. And I hoped to connect it to my Brooklyn to get some decent sound. So, I connected it with an USB cable, and configured the sound to go this way. But no luck. The Brooklyn ignores my Raspberry and keeps showing the No Lock message. Nevertheless the Raspberry recognizes a Brooklyn DAC.

 

To try something else, I connected a laptop via USB to the Brooklyn. It recognizes it as a Brooklyn DAC as well, configures it, but no sound, and the Brooklyn is reluctant to show anything else than No Lock.

 

What can be the problem, or better, solution?

Is it the old firmware (2.32, not 2.36), is it the cable? I switched the thin cable I uses to upgrade the Brooklyn with the Metropolis cable that came free with my Brooklyn (back in the old days...), but that did not change anything.

I  have used my laptop in the past to test sound with the Brookyn with USB, and I can't remember that anything was wrong.

I hope someone has a bright idea.

 

Marc

[jonniema]

It a long shot but...

Have you tried unplugging AC cable?

I had similar problem in the past with my Brooklyn DAC latest firmware where it was not recognized by windows or Mac. Even after firmware restore. I unplugged the ac cable and back again and problem gone.

[aslg]

I just installed the v0.4.17 firmware on my SOtM sMS-200ultra. This version supports the native DSD mode on the Brooklyn DAC+.
I use the sMS-200ultra's squeezelite application connected to a Logitech Media Server on a  Synology NAS.
DSD mode is set to "Native" and Max samplerate to 384000 in the squeezelite's config.
I tried to verify that DSD native is correctly passed from the SOtM sMS-200ultra  to the Brooklyn DAC+ playing a 2.8Mhz DSF file. 
I was expecting to see something like "DSD 64" on the DAC+'s display but instead I see "32 352.8K".  Is this what I am supposed to see when DSD native is passed to the  Brooklyn DAC+?

Thanks!