Mytek Digital company announced a new Empire device, which combines a network player, Roon Core server, DAC, headphone amplifier, preamplifier and MM/MS-phone corrector.
Mytek Digital CEO Mikhail Yurevich talked to blogger John Darko (darko.audio) about the new Mytek Empire device - an ultra-high end streamer with functions of Roon Core server, DAC, preamplifier and MM/MS-phone corrector.
For many developers of High End hardware, combining a network player, server and analog part in one housing is a complete disaster, because of the strongest cross-conference. But Yurevich's development team was able to cope with noise problems in each functional block, so there is no need to carry them into separate components.
As for the Streaming module, Empire will be the first Mytek product to run on a Linux-based operating system with two processors for data processing, each powered by a dedicated toroidal source. According to Jurevic, "because of an allergy to moving parts" the cooling in Empire will be completely fanless. The first processor is designed to work with the operating system Roon: media library management and DSP Roon. In other words, the first processor is fully responsible for the Roon Core function. The second processor will work under Mytek OS, and already it is responsible for the work of Gigabit Ethernet, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, touch screen display and connectivity interfaces: coaxial, AES / EBU, TOSLINK, USB2 and 8-channel HDMI outputs, as well as coaxial, AES / EBU, TOSLINK and 2-channel HDMI inputs.
The built-in headphone amplifier will be dual channel, balanced with high current output. The iPhone size Empire touch screen has an increased vertical viewing angle for easy reading. You can use an external hard drive to store your music library, or a built-in 8TB SSD.
Isolated from other components, the digital-to-analog conversion board in the new model is expected to be much better in sound quality than the one installed in Manhattan DAC II. A pair of 8-channel chips ESS 9038PRO, with dynamic range of 130 dB, supports PCM 32bit/768kHz, DSD512, MQA and DSD formats with increased sampling rate. The chips are included in a double mono configuration, with each channel having a separate power supply with a toroidal transformer.
The company plans to develop not only the hardware, but also the capabilities of Mytek OS, in particular, the algorithms of embedded DSP. "Hyendic machines must give more," says Yurevich in this regard. - "For this we will use Empire firmware updates".
Empire functionality designers plan to develop in three stages. With the start version of the firmware Empire will work as a Roon device for easy and direct access to music playback with the ability to control through the application Roon Remote, installed on laptops, desktops, smartphones and tablets. The first firmware upgrade will add the functionality of an analog preamplifier with a fully balanced dual mono path and give access to the transformer-based MM/MS function. In addition, the DAC digital filter settings will appear.
The second firmware upgrade will allow to process signals from two analog inputs to the DSP as well as digital inputs. Yurevich plans to develop for Mytek OS a whole package of plug-ins to be installed. And their preliminary list looks as follows: correction of acoustic features of the room, the function of crossfid for headphones and de-clicker for vinyl.
Among the additional features of Empire is the automatic switching between the voltages of 100, 120 and 240 V, while the power supply units are linear and operate on toroidal transformers! Already known dimensions of the device: 89x356x432 mm (VhShHHG) and weight 9 kg. The first deliveries are expected in 2021 with an approximate retail price of 1.7 million rubles.