Mytek Brooklyn Bridge II Streamer Review

[voodooless]

-Why is it broken?

The manufacturer claims it sounds 20% better than the original, but it doesn’t… ergo: it’s broken

 

[Hipster Doofus]

Hmmmm….the Denon 3600 is not looking so bad against this if you use your own DAC

 

[voodooless]

The hash was not audible from the balanced or headphone outputs

Now that makes me wonder about the headphones output… it has less of a noisy route to take.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

The manufacturer claims it sounds 20% better than the original, but it doesn’t… ergo: it’s broken

No. That's not broken either.

I explain that. My measurements show all kinds of interference in the analog output of the system:

You see numerous sources of interference. Such systems will change behavior depending on how you are using them, causing noise to manifest itself here, but not there.

When you have a super clean measurement, then you have confidence that such variability is not going to exist. And this, gives me confidence to recommend a system knowing that the design itself is super robust.

Those are down 110 dB. -Warrants a "broken" designation?

 

[amirm]

Those are down 110 dB. -Warrants a "broken" designation?

This level of performance and not fixing a bug with filtering is "broken" by my standards. It would be an insult to give a different recommendation when other products do so much better. You disagree? Vote in the poll accordingly. Don't skip over the clear explanations I have given you to (once again) complain about a review. Move on.

 

[KSTR]

I will quote you stereophile review: https://www.stereophile.com/content/mytek-digital-brooklyn-bridge-ii-roon-core-preamplifier-page-2

"Downstairs, with my desktop system, I noticed some low-level noise and hash, the kind that can sometimes leak through a computer soundcard, and also some hum. The hash was not audible from the balanced or headphone outputs—only the unbalanced.

That's a very strong indication that this is the typical unbalanced system noise / ground loop issue and not a issue with the device itself (other than that it is 3-prong mains and thus audio GND bonded to earth ground).

I bet the noise/hash would not change if the output signal were shorted at the sending end -- which is the easiest check of all for any ground loop issues and I'm frustrated that reviewers don't use it. All you need is one RCA cable (or adapter) where the center conductor is soldered to the shell and the center pin left open (so as not to actually short the output).

 

[Hipster Doofus]

I may be wrong but on older units you could change the color of the M on the face of the unit, that should be worth $2000 to $3000 alone.
I go back to plugging in Roon on my laptop to my GUSTARD x16 to my second hand Denon with AudyssyXT which is pre outed to my PA5 and then EQ the speakers.

some one had a good point that the manufacture claims it is sounds 20% better…I think it’s funny that men are willing to believe almost anything as long as it has a pretty face, but my wife does not believe me when I keep telling her I can walk on water.

 

[Axo1989]

That's a very strong indication that this is the typical unbalanced system noise / ground loop issue and not a issue with the device itself (other than that it is 3-prong mains and thus audio GND bonded to earth ground).

I bet the noise/hash would not change if the output signal were shorted at the sending end -- which is the easiest check of all for any ground loop issues and I'm frustrated that reviewers don't use it. All you need is one RCA cable (or adapter) where the center conductor is soldered to the shell and the center pin left open (so as not to actually short the output).

That's a good point. If I wanted to run my power amp via unbalanced inputs I'd have to sort my sh*t out, because that hums, but XLR-in is fine. The amp isn't really broken. Now I don't need to sort out the RCA-in issue, but a reviewer should.

 

[solderdude]

No. That's not broken either.


Those are down 110 dB. -Warrants a "broken" designation?

I think this is one of those devices that is audibly transparent and has a bunch of inputs.
If one is not plagued by the 60Hz hum then I would say it can probably not be told apart in a well performed blind test.

That said... Amir has a good point in that performance is below par and a ESS 8029PRO implementation should reach much better signal fidelity. The filter not changing is another aspect. If it were stuck in a 'technically correct' filter mode it would not be so bad.
stereophile measurements:

Seven reconstruction filters are listed in the touchscreen's DAC settings window: Fast and Slow Rolloff Minimum Phase, Fast and Slow Linear Phase, "Brickwall," "Apodizing," and "MQA Custom Apodizing," similar to those offered by Mytek's earlier Manhattan D/A preamplifier. The display indicated that Fast Rolloff Minimum Phase was the active filter. If I attempted to choose a different filter with the touchscreen, my choice was confirmed by the display, but the Brooklyn Bridge II's impulse response with 44.1kHz data (fig.1) remained the same, a short minimum-phase type with a small amount of ringing following the single sample at 0dBFS.

and about the power supply:

Note, however, the presence of low-level power supply–related spuriae in this graph.

another odd design decision:

The line input inverted absolute polarity from the preamplifier outputs and the left-hand headphone jack but preserved polarity from the right-hand headphone jack.

Also it seems the RIAA correction differed between L and R channel almost 1dB (which is potentially audible)

Also the price/performance ratio is poor... if that matters to someone.

Broken may be a hard word as a DAC when it comes to audible sound quality (I am pretty sure it is a transparent DAC) but not recommended as Amir said for the reasons he mentioned seems fair. It does seem 'broken' in certain ways.
There are plenty of DACs with better signal fidelity around to choose from.

 

[voodooless]

You call a transparently performing device (disregarding filter) "broken" due to some kind of personal standard?

Well, it’s his opinion, isn’t it? You can have your own.

 

[Deleted member 48726]

Well, it’s his opinion, isn’t it? You can have your own.

Doesn't seem like room is being made where different opinions can coexist though.
And that's my opinion.

 

[KSTR]

You call a transparently performing device (disregarding filter) "broken"

Consider that people will often run their DAC output 20+ dB down from max level to get reasonable listening levels from their power amps / active speakers, and then the SINAD will drop by the same amount (assumed the volume control is digital in the DAC itself or in the DAC feed).

Given the nature of the mains buzz with lots of higher harmonics this can be enough at times to become audible in quiet passages, despite the still good-looking number of 80dB(0.01%). 0.01% of low-order harmonic distortion is inaudible for sure, but a constant and aggressive noise floor at that equivalent level can be problematic IME.

 

[antcollinet]

Using the RME as an example, for 5x the price

Why not use the Wiim pro plus at around 1/20th the price?

 

[voodooless]

Doesn't seem like room is being made where different opinions can coexist though.
And that's my opinion.

All I see is two people disagreeing about what “broken” means…

 

[KMM]

The heavy transformer supports the marketing angle ' HiFi by the pound'. Who shells out 5k for a light weight piece of HiFi equipment?

 

[amirm]

Doesn't seem like room is being made where different opinions can coexist though.
And that's my opinion.

The Poll is there for people to vote with their fingers. And an open forum allows everyone to post what they like. What I am not open to is complaining about my opinion just because. Such generic complaints need to go elsewhere and not in the review threads. This is your second warning.

 

[amirm]

All I see is two people disagreeing about what “broken” means…

Worse yet, I did not use the word broken in my review. Buggy, yes. Poor performance, of course. But broken is not what I called it.

 

[Palladium]

The marketing decision to use a bulky linear power supply was very wrong from the start. Besides the mains interference problem, a lot of valuable space got occupied by the large transformer, lots of reservoir caps, subsequent voltage regulators, the 115/230V switching.

They simply could have used an on-board or out-board 19Vdc SMPS with universal mains input which is a bog-standard item, and then generate additional voltages for the analog stuff, ADC/DAC etc with DC/DC converter modules locally.

Yeah what's the point in messing around with a huge LPS when the CPU and memory are still using their own SMPSes on the motherboard?

IMO the whole "but its is audibly transparent!" thing is a moot point when considering the obscene cost for it.

 

[Toni Mas]

Fine for the many features, though the price is simply not for me.
Though noise spoils the measurements, i dont think noise brings any audible problem. Better sinad would not bring any audible improvement. Slow filter sound better to me, so no problem if sharper ones are not available. For me this will sound transparent enough.

 

[Mnyb]

The marketing decision to use a bulky linear power supply was very wrong from the start. Besides the mains interference problem, a lot of valuable space got occupied by the large transformer, lots of reservoir caps, subsequent voltage regulators, the 115/230V switching.

They simply could have used an on-board or out-board 19Vdc SMPS with universal mains input which is a bog-standard item, and then generate additional voltages for the analog stuff, ADC/DAC etc with DC/DC converter modules locally.

It’s sad when audiophile beliefs influence actual engineering decisions it happens a lot . Many expensive products have impressive circuit boards and power supplies with massive capacitors and brand name components, looks the business for a layman on the open top photos of it .