Finally...A basic DAC from Mytek

[arcman]

I was hoping Mytek would release a stripped down DAC. Not everyone needs analog preamp and phono preamp functions.

 

https://mytekdigital.com/hifi/products/liberty-dac/

[botrytis]

It is still 1000 USD. Not far off the price of their other DAC's.

[One and a half]

Are the TRS 1/4in? Can Mytek supply that detail, something that's forgotten in the spec sheet?

 

For the 12V DC connector, what's the plug size that fits? 

 

Right, what's the chip in the DAC in use.

 

Is  the AC power supply linear or SMPS?

[exdmd]

AFAIK TRS is standard 1/4". The 12 V DC input uses same 5.5mm/2.5mm male as Brooklyn. Chip is ESS Sabre 9018K2M. AC power supply is definitely internal switching PSU hence provision for an external LPS.

[One and a half]

The first hack if, it's a separable part is to remove the SMPS, why feedback to parts that are not needed. 

 

The external 12V supply needs to be a minimum of 150W, (5-10 times 30W) wow. Are the pulsed currents so severe that only such a high powered device will work. That's minimum, mind, 12.5A, LPS-x to be shown the door.

It's a small enclosure to dissipate that heat, another warm DAC, like the ifi gear, small compact and hot.

[firedog]

7 hours ago, botrytis said:

It is still 1000 USD. Not far off the price of their other DAC's.

Yeah only about 45% of the price of their next cheapest DAC, at $2195. That's the current lineup.

[Miska]

10 hours ago, arcman said:

I was hoping Mytek would release a stripped down DAC. Not everyone needs analog preamp and phono preamp functions.

 

https://mytekdigital.com/hifi/products/liberty-dac/

 

It is not basic DAC, it has MQA decoder, but doesn't give access to DAC chip's filter settings. So probably it is running all PCM all the time through the poor MQA filter? Well, running it with DSD input all the time avoids that, but still...

 

[mordante]

It still hase a headphone amp. So not a basic DAC.

[jtwrace]

Yeah, I'll be steering very clear away from Mytek after my last no customer support experience.  

[PunkRiot]

6 hours ago, Miska said:

 

So probably it is running all PCM all the time through the poor MQA filter?

Or maybe they chose one of the 7 built in ESS filter for PCM and just use that one by default and switches to MQA filter only when MQA content is playing? Otherwise the PCM will sound like crap. This is still Mytek, I doubt they would compromise quality by using MQA filter for all PCM content. 

[exdmd]

10 hours ago, One and a half said:

The first hack if, it's a separable part is to remove the SMPS, why feedback to parts that are not needed. 

 

The external 12V supply needs to be a minimum of 150W, (5-10 times 30W) wow. Are the pulsed currents so severe that only such a high powered device will work. That's minimum, mind, 12.5A, LPS-x to be shown the door.

It's a small enclosure to dissipate that heat, another warm DAC, like the ifi gear, small compact and hot.

 

Mytek is recommending Sbooster for Liberty on product page same as for Brooklyn DAC+. They probably should update the product page as the listed requirements for an external LPS are not realistic. This has already been discussed in reviews of Sbooster with DAC+.

 

There are no hands on reviews of the Liberty yet I can find. Owners could probably justify an Sbooster at $380. I use an Sbooster with my DAC+ works fine. Other Brooklyn DAC+ owners swear by the JS-2 LPS. I preferred to economize with the Sbooster and use the savings for amplification.

[One and a half]

1 hour ago, exdmd said:

 

Mytek is recommending Sbooster for Liberty on product page same as for Brooklyn DAC+. They probably should update the product page as the listed requirements for an external LPS are not realistic. This has already been discussed in reviews of Sbooster with DAC+.

 

There are no hands on reviews of the Liberty yet I can find. Owners could probably justify an Sbooster at $380. I use an Sbooster with my DAC+ works fine. Other Brooklyn DAC+ owners swear by the JS-2 LPS. I preferred to economize with the Sbooster and use the savings for amplification.

The higher spec psu is more beneficial for the HP amp, if this is not used, then a 30W would be ok.

[Miska]

3 hours ago, PunkRiot said:

Or maybe they chose one of the 7 built in ESS filter for PCM and just use that one by default and switches to MQA filter only when MQA content is playing? Otherwise the PCM will sound like crap. This is still Mytek, I doubt they would compromise quality by using MQA filter for all PCM content. 

 

That has some delay challenges when MQA content starts playing, which is why some manufacturers opt for the MQA filter. And Brooklyn uses the MQA filter always when MQA support is enabled...

 

[Ralf11]

is the SQ better than a Sonica?

 

if so, is it $400 better?

[exdmd]

It would be nice to read a review of the Mytek Liberty if one pops up please link; not the promos you can find now without a true hands on review from an experienced listener preferably in comparison to the Brooklyn DAC+ .

[beerandmusic]

On 2/13/2018 at 2:38 PM, exdmd said:

It would be nice to read a review of the Mytek Liberty if one pops up please link; not the promos you can find now without a true hands on review from an experienced listener preferably in comparison to the Brooklyn DAC+ .

not much of a review, but a little more perspective...

https://darko.audio/2018/02/freedom-mytek-announce-us995-liberty-dac/

 

I would "think" it would have the same SQ as the brooklyn....which does get pretty darn good reviews.

[beerandmusic]

here is another

 

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/mytek-shipping-the-affordable-high-performance-full-featured-liberty-dac-with-mqa/

[beerandmusic]

you can get a used altair for about the same price and it has

network port, femto clocks and LPS

 

[occamsrazor]

For similar money the RME ADI-2 DAC would be worth considering. You lose MQA but gain 768khz higher rate as well as DSP functions.

[Panelhead]

On 2/14/2018 at 6:14 PM, beerandmusic said:

you can get a used altair for about the same price and it has

network port, femto clocks and LPS

 

  The Altair looks great for the money. Does it use the same ESS chips as the Liberty?

[exdmd]

10 hours ago, Panelhead said:

  The Altair looks great for the money. Does it use the same ESS chips as the Liberty?

 

Mytek Liberty uses ESS Sabre 9018K2M DAC chip while Altair uses a Quad-Core Coretex-A9 processor running at 1GHz.

 

Different markets: Liberty is attractive to someone who wants MQA under $1000. Altair does not do MQA and looks to be marketed to someone who wants a Roon ready wireless streaming D/A processor with LPS built in. Liberty uses switching power supply so you would need to buy an external LPS like Sbooster. There have still been no listening reviews of the Liberty online yet all the links posted are just promos.

[trl]

For a 9018K2M DAC chip sounds a bit expensive to me, however...still waiting for some inside pictures. I wonder if the internals are better in any way than the 299 USD BURSON Play which is using a similar DAC.

[Aboulfad]

Part of my search for a MQA DAC sub $1000, this one came up, but no details from 3rd party reviewers. Any update ?

[plissken]

Amir at Audiosciencereview.com just benched the Topping D50. From an empirical data standpoint it's stunning. Then you throw in the $249 price tag (PSU extra $). 

[Aboulfad]

8 minutes ago, plissken said:

Amir at Audiosciencereview.com just benched the Topping D50. From an empirical data standpoint it's stunning. Then you throw in the $249 price tag (PSU extra $). 

Thank you for the link. Not sure if this was in response to my post, but everyday I am learning of yet another make for DACs... Unsure if the D50 support MQA as the Mytek liberty which is one differentiator in the sub $1k.All other mini DACs mentioned in this thread do not.