Intro
Contents
Mytek knows very well how to merge pro-audio and consumer electronics. It is the design of the fronts in a ‘dimple’ structure that makes Mytek devices stand out to pro audio equipment. The Mytek Brooklyn Bridge is no exception to this.
Mytek has a quite impressive product line up, from DA converters to AD converters and streamers. And recently a power amplifier, the Brooklyn Amp. The Clef is literally an outsider, being a portable DAC/headphone amplifier. To the Brooklyn series recently a streamer is added, featuring Roon and MQA: meet the Mytek Brooklyn Bridge.
Those who, like us, regularly attend audio shows and fairs, often see the same equipment come back in the booths. Mytek pops up regularly. The DAC stereo 192 DSD DAC (2012) and now the Brooklyn models are often used for connecting headphones or audio sources. The reason will be that the Mytek DACs are amply equipped with outputs and inputs. And the fact that they keep working after many shows and fairs, also says something about the reliability of Mytek’s products.
Mytek lineup
We have already reviewed the reference model of Mytek, the Manhattan II with network card and phono stage. And in the Headphone Heaven test of high-end headphone amplifiers, the Brooklyn DAC was one of four contenders alongside the Moon Neo 430 HA D3, the Pass Labs HPA-1 and the Moon Neo 230 HAD.
The Brooklyn Bridge is actually a Brooklyn DAC with a network card, so in this review we will only discuss this new functionality. The other features of the Brooklyn: headphone amplifier, phonostage, ease of use and the like we have already described in detail in the previous reviews. And we compare the Brooklyn Bridge to the Manhattan II. They have the same features, only the Manhattan II ‘full option’ is priced more than twice as high as the Brooklyn Bridge.
Mytek Brooklyn Bridge in use
Just a few more words about the Mytek Brooklyn Bridge in practice. What strikes me is that it’s so fast and responsive. We briefly press the button on the right once and the device is ready to use. Depending on the speed of your network, it may take a few seconds for the Brooklyn Bridge to be fully ready for network services. It takes a short while before we understand the operation of the four pushbuttons and the rotary/select dial, it also works very pleasantly. When we switch sources, we hear the clicks of the relays; this really adds something to the user experience. It feels robust and solid.
Setup
We use the Brooklyn Bridge as a DAC/streamer/headphone amplifier connected to an iMac 27″ desktop computer connected to the Brooklyn Bridge via USB.
To test the Roon function we connected the Metrum Ambre via SP/DIF. We use wired network connections. We also used the Brooklyn Bridge in the studio, connecting the balanced outputs to the monitor speakers, and the laptop via USB. As DAW, we use Logic Pro X.
For playing stereo tracks we have playback application Vox and Roon. Streaming services: Primephonic and Spotify. Headphones used: Oppo PM-3, Hifiman Sundara, Sennheiser IE 800 in ears, Fostex T50RP, Beyer Dynamic DT990 Pro, the Sennheiser HD410 SL. The latter type is now in the German Radio Museum, but it still sounds great. With an impedance of 600 Ohm, it is a headphone that is difficult to control and therefore one that is ‘hard to handle’ for a headphone amplifier.
