Mytek Audio proudly introduces the Liberty DAC II; the new portal for all things digital from Mytek Audio. Capable of exceptional quality playback and monitoring of all high resolution digital formats in both PCM and DSD, the Liberty DAC II also includes a built in certified hardware MQA™ decoder and a reference grade headphone amplifier capable of driving complex headphone loads.
The heart of the Liberty DAC II features the ESS SABRE® ES9038, 32-Bit HyperStream® DAC, selected for both its unprecedented level of performance and musical decoding accuracy. Surrounding this exceptional DAC circuit is: (i) an overbuilt 60 watt linear power supply with toroidal transformer and 48,000uF of filtering capacitance; (ii) a fully balanced analog output stage for increased dynamic range as well as headroom, higher resolution, and significantly improved signal-to-noise ratio. All three of these circuits together in one box are virtually unheard of for a DAC at this price point.
Other noteworthy features present in the Liberty DAC II include: the facility for firmware upgrades via USB connectivity; 5 digital inputs including an USB2 Class 2 module that doesn’t require the installation of additional software drivers on you digital source; Both balanced XLR and single-ended RCA analog outputs; A clock generator yielding less than 2ps of jitter for ultra-low distortion and finally, a 1/3 chassis width and small footprint that allows for easy portability.
Earlier this month the Mytek Audio Liberty DAC II made its first appearance during the Capital Audio Fest, along with the previously announced Liberty THX AAA™ HPA (Headphone Amp) and flagship EMPIRE DAC/Streamer/Preamplifier. All three models were actively displayed and very enthusiastically received by show attendees, the audio press, as well as members of the industry at this hugely successful event.
Liberty DAC II Significant Design Features
● 5 Digital inputs: AES/EBU x1, S/PDIF x2, Toslink/ADAT x1 – PCM up to 192KHz and up to DSD64 DoP; USB2 Class 2 x1 (OSX, Win 11, Linux driverless, all audio formats) – PCM up to 32-bit/768kHz, up to DSD256 native, MQA™, DXD.
● Analog outputs: 1 pair of balanced XLR; 1 pair of unbalanced RCA.
● Front panel LED indicators: active digital input; current bit-depth; MQA active; current sampling rate or DSD rate; volume level.
● Signal-to-noise ratio >128dB
● Hardware based 32-bit (w/192dB DR) dynamic volume control featuring 256 steps in 0.5dB increments that can also be controlled by (i) an included IR remote control, (ii) a connected computer via USB HID or (iii) a ROON core.
● Additional USB HID IR remote features include playback, pause and skip functions on Tidal, Spotify, Qobuz, Youtube, etc. players.
● Headphone amplifier: High current maximum output of 300mA/3.0 watts with the ability to effortlessly power any headphone, including those that are hard to drive.
● Overbuilt power supply includes automatic worldwide AC input voltage switching.
● Chassis: Black aluminum front panel finish.
● Dimensions (w x d x h): 5.5” x 8.8” x 1.74” / 140mm x 225mm x 44mm.
● Weight: 4.4lbs / 2.0Kg.
● Global Warranty: 2 years.
The Mytek Audio Liberty DAC II is now shipping with an MSRP of $1,295.00 U.S. or € 1,295.00 (VAT incl) E.U.
About Mytek Audio
Mytek was founded in New York City by Michal Jurewicz in 1992. He began working at Manhattan’s famed Hit Factory recording studio in 1989 with the likes of Paul Simon, Billy Joel and Barbara Streisand, recording to analog tape. Here he learned the “ins and outs” of what a great recording was supposed to sound like, and which equipment was necessary to achieve this. Famously, he repaired a room full of broken equalizers, amplifiers and compressors that were just too complex for the other technicians to handle. It was this reputation that landed him a job as Skyline Studios’ tech engineer. Skyline was the home of legendary music producer Nile Rogers and the preferred studio for the likes of Mariah Carey and James Taylor.
While at Skyline, Michal developed solutions to help improve the workflow and sound quality of the new digital systems. It was here that Mytek was born 1992. From the very beginning, artist and producers praised the sound quality of Mytek’s equipment. Soon almost every NYC recording studio had a “Mytek Private Q” headphone monitoring system and those using Mytek’s first analog-to- digital converters produced recordings that didn’t suffer from the harsh sound that was so typical of the digital recordings from the 1990’s.
Since then, Mytek has continuously innovated; From pioneering 18, 20, 24 and now 32-bit PCM recording to being part of the “DSD Super Audio CD Project” and today helping to develop MQA mastering and playback. Most recently, as digital audio and internet distribution began to evolve together, the barrier of audio quality between the professional studio and the home has vanished. It was with this eye towards the future that Mytek began designing playback equipment for music lovers, not just music makers. Today the same equipment used to create timeless music is accessible for a lifelong enjoyment of music. Michal Jurewicz has consistently demonstrated that a proper understanding of how to digitally encode music in the recording studio results in a cutting-edge ability to design the award-winning DACs used today by Mytek for digital music playback. Convenience, design, and sound quality are all at the heart of everything Mytek does.
Mytek currently maintains two physical locations for Sales, R&D, Support and Distribution: Mytek Audio Headquarters in Brooklyn, New York and Mytek Europe Corp, the EU Branch office in Warsaw, Poland.