Mytek Stereo96 DAC

I've been asked about the Mytek Stereo96 DAC a few times by PM, so I'm posting some comments here. There are 3 versions of the DAC: the original with AES and SPDIF in, the 2nd version with 2x SPDIF, AES, and Toslink in, and now a third version that adds USB in and some other new features. (not yet released, AFAIK) I have the 2nd version. I originally bought the Stereo96 DAC for use at work due to the small DVD case-sized footprint and inconspicous appearance. It turned out to be overkill for that application though. Here is a picture next to the Lavry DA10 and Benchmark DAC1 USB:



The features, designed purpose, and overall performance of this DAC is very similar to the Lavry DA10 and Benchmark DAC1. Each is excellent. The Mytek seems to have a slightly forward mid-range in comparison, giving the overall sound an immersive liquid quality. Very detailed and resolving but with a sense of ease and forgivingness compared to the other two DACs. For this reason, I find the Stereo96 DAC to be the best one-box solution of the three. The sound has a visceral and slightly analog quality that a nice sounding separate amp might bring - still very transparent and accurate though.

The trade-off vs the Lavry and Benchmark to my ears is in the sound-stage, which is slightly less well defined, and in the behavior of the treble. Electric guitars don't have quite the same crunch, percussion doesn't have quite the same punch and sizzle, which is not necessarily a bad thing. W5000's and Grado's sound very good straight from the headphone amp. Depending on the source material this is not so much the case with the other 2 DAC's. The Lavry DA10 in comparison sounds slightly more neutral, dry, with better defined soundstage, while the DAC1 sounds unforgivingly analytical - particularly with the W5000's.

I acquired the Stereo96 DAC around the same time as the Rudistor RPX33 amp. Listening to the Stereo96 DAC originally with the Graham Slee "Green" Solo, I was seriously thinking of selling the Lavry DA10 and getting another Mytek to use at home. The relatively dry and neutral sound of the Lavry works very well with the character of the Rudistor amp combined with the W5000's IMO. The overall sound signature of the Mytek reminds me a bit of the Pico dac/amp, due to the slightly forward mid-range, but overall performance, resolution, and satisfaction is significantly better.

Thank you very much, would you say that the Mytek neutral (read transparent and not colored) compared other DACs such as Audio-gd, Valab, MHDT and the like?

In short, despite of the differences between those three pro Dacs, do they belong to the same family sonically speaking?

As far as I know their would be no USB/Firewire of the Stereo96 Dac, but Mytek plans to release a Stereo192 Dac with USB/Firewire in Q1 2010. It will also play DSD for those of you who have such files.

^The only Audio-GD DAC I have heard is the Compass, which I thought sounded OK. I posted some comparison impressions between the Benchmark and the VALAB DAC in the VALAB thread.
The VALAB is reasonably neutral, sounds transparent, and communicates the ambience of a venue well. It's also a good value. The shortcomings and distortions only become apparent in direct comparison with the Benchmark, Lavry, and Mytek, which have superior resolving power, soundstage depth and focus, and trueness, to my ears. I have not heard the MHDT DAC's.
I would say that the Mytek is neutral and uncolored, and like the other pro DAC's, I'm sure would measure flat. The more forward mid-range is a subtle difference and only really apparent in direct comparison with the other DAC's. Each is effectively neutral and uncolored. I would say that the Mytek is the most musical of the 3, though, and should appeal to people who otherwise might not be interested in a pro DAC. It's also the best value of the 3.
The newest version of the Mytek Stereo DAC with USB, Firewire, and DSD support, will indeed be the "Stereo192".

Good, I hope to find a place where I can try them.

@Headphony

What XLR-RCA cable do you use to connect Mytek to RPX33 or Graham Slee?
Did you turn down internal input gain trimpots (turn it down for unbalanced consumer in accordance to manual)?
Also did you change jumpers JP2, JP4 (output XLR volume control)?

Did you have an opportunity to try Mytek with balanced headphone amp?

Thank you for the impression

What is your opinion of the headphone output of the Mytek ?

I guess it would miss out quite some compared with the mighty Rudistor RPX-33 ?

Quote:



I was using Cardas XLR-RCA adapters and Profigold RCA interconnects to connect to the other headphone amps. Being technically incompetent, I did not bother with tweaking the trimpots and such - just using the volume control knob to set the level of the outputs with default settings. I have not had the opportunity to connect the Mytek to a balanced headphone amp. Currently, it is connected balanced to an Abrahamsen V2 integrated amp for loudspeaker listening, which sounds fantastic.

Quote:



The headphone output of the Mytek sounds very good, but not as great as the Rudistor.

Headphony, did you got the chance to check out the Apogee mini DAC?

Quote:

acix said:

Headphony, did you got the chance to check out the Apogee mini DAC?

Click to expand...

No I haven't.

Which DAC is the best one, in term of sound resolution/definition, instrument separation, soundstage, depth and focus.