The Mytek Manhattan 2 – T.H.E. Show Newport 2016
Mytek usually pitches their audio show tent somewhere in a high traffic area away from many of the digital products and high end rooms they compete with. This weekend at T.H.E. Show Newport the pro-inspired company could be found right off the main pathway as you approach the large main ballroom that hosted a mix of typical marketplace vendors and headphone displays.
The rise of MQA over the past year has been a hot button topic for much of the audio press and DAC makers alike. Mytek has been one of the few manufacturers that jumped on board straight out of the gate with the recent release of their NY inspired line of DACs including the MQA-enabled Brooklyn ($2k) that was featured front and center at the show.
The half rack DAC touts a extremely inclusive feature set that pretty much makes a grab for every popular trend and digital want that the market currently sustains. DSD (up to 4x), and now MQA are bleeding edge adds along with Femto clocks, headphone output and a back panel completely covered in digital/analog connections from of all walks of life. A steady presence within the audio show circuit, Marketing Director Chebon Littlefield was quick to add that the newest add on of interest for the Brooklyn is a very undigital-ish analog pre-amp that handles both moving magnet and coil varieties and was voiced by Chebon himself. With this final piece in place, its fairly safe for Mytek to tout the Brooklyn as one of the most full featured pieces of gear in this price and range. In addition to their presence next to personal audio, the pint-sized performer could be found in the racks of high end Burwell and Sons room $100k+ setup acting as the vinyl liaison for their turntable and the line level regulator to their tube stage amplifiers.
However, the real whip-cracking news item from the Mytek camp is the introduction of a replacement to their trusty Manhattan flagship, which should be called something akin to the “Manhattan 2”. Pricing should stay relatively level to the current $5k price tag but the D/A chipset will contain some of the newest flagship silicone available from ESS. The updated SABRE DAC lineup for audio now contains two new options called the 9028 and 9038 which should be hitting more digital converters as the chipset of choice in the near future. Expect the new Manhattan to hit the streets in time for a Sept 1 launch with a body shape that is similar to the current version pictured above. A phono pre amp option will also be available in the new digs for an additional $1k.
US Direct Store: https://mytekdigital.com/storeus/
Original Stereo192 on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D3KGOMC/
When you have to mention the dac chip set? Then that is the main “selling point”? Usually not enough innovation elsewhere in the design to warrant much attention. Delta Siggy sucks.