Looking for Linear Power Supply for my Mytek Brooklyn DAC. Suggestions?

Did you ask the folks art Mytek? I use a SBooster on a Lumin.

wsrrsw-
Was there an improvement in SQ?

I recently added an Sbooster to my Brooklyn DAC+ and notice about 10% improvement.  Not fully broken in yet but my expectation is I won't notice that much even after it is.  
It was worth it for me.  

The Mytek literature says, "Mytek Brooklyn DAC is equippped with external 12VDC power supply input. There is some sound quality improvement (particualrly deeper base and better soundstage) when a large external power supply is used. To have an effect the power supply has to be substantailly (5-10 times) larger than the 30W internal power supply. Here are some option which have been used by our customers. Mytek has not yet conducted testing of either of these." 

I am using two external aftermarket power supplies. An upgraded MCRU from the UK with an Arcam irDAC (first generation with Burr Brown chip set and input circuits designed by DCS) and an upgraded Swagman “SE” version from Hong Kong feeding a Project Tubebox DS. Neither the Project nor the Arcam are close to list price of the Brooklyn, but linear power supplies noticeably improved the performance of both sources, and my experience might be illuminating.

There are at least three reasons to upgrade the power supply on the Mytek Brooklyn. First, get a potentially noisy switching power supply out of your power strip and outlets. This pays potential dividends across the board with all of your gear, not only the directly attached source. Second, the linear supply can and should improve the performance of the directly attached gear, even with a generic power cord. My experience has been lower noise/darker backgrounds, better bass, better speed, attack and decay, more natural sounding instruments focused in the midrange like guitar, horns, voice and piano and more convincing sound staging. And third, a linear supply allows you to experiment with different power cords, where you can really pull it all together. Like the removal of the switching supply, adding a well designed power cord to one component can, in addition to improving the sound and performance of that one piece, lower the noise floor of your whole system.

All three reasons given above pay important dividends for sound, and they are additive. In some ways the ability to shape the sound to your liking via using different PCs is the most important, and it wasn’t until I found the right cord that I fully appreciated the improvement possible with the linear supply. For example, I have tried six different cords with the MCRU/irDAC combination with very different results. For now, I have decided I like the sound of silver plated high quality copper core power cables with rhodium connectors with both the analog and digital power supplies-sources, and am using a shielded cord I assembled on the DAC and an unshielded one hand built by an Audiogon vendor on the phono pre. I may change my mind later, and the separate linear power supplies allow me to continue to customize the sound to my liking.

I have listened to a lot of very expensive gear, and to my ear, the combination of quality external linear supplies and well designed but modestly priced sources with high quality and well matched power cables is very satisfying and offers a very high level of performance/$ invested.

The s-booster is a well regarded linear supply, as are supplies from Swagman Labs, MCRU, Teddy Pardo and Paul Hynes. The latter is the maker of the power supply for Empirical Audio’s Overdrive DAC, which was the inspiration for me to go down this route in the first place, along with NAIM’s fanaticism for power management and external supplies.

Good luck,

kn

I like the Astron models. You need to make your own cable, but that’s pretty easy.

https://amzn.to/2xZTJzo

Erik-
The specs of the Astron are more in line with Mytek recommends.
Did you make any voltage adjustments? Are you using with a Mytek?

Hey OP:

I used the Astron with the variable voltage dial and usually set it around 13 V. Yes, I'm using it with a Mytek Brooklyn (the original version).

https://amzn.to/2ArKg4J

Best,
E

The best one I know of is from Mojo Audio they were the first one
to make a great one years ago , I have done mods for a long time 
mojo uses Top quality parts in fact much better quality in dacs as well as LPS Any voltage you need and a 5 yearwarranty.
i have tried several the mojo is over $1k but fantastic sonics and build quality.

Take a look at the HDPlex 300W LPS

Teddy Pardo who does wonders with Naim stuff has a full line of LPS.
I am waiting for one for my Lumin U1 mini and I am sure he can suggest one for the Mytek.
https://www.teddypardo.com/powersupplies/generic.html

Teddy Pardo on my NAIM server, awesome!

get all those switching wall warts isolated and off your dedicated audio power lines :-)

So far, I have tried Keces p8, Teddy Pardo, SotM, HD Plex and Sbooster. So far, the Farad3 by far is the best. Look for a good power cable.

  There is a switching wall wart ps from iFi ($50) that is reportedly blowing away linear supplies.  I have ordered a couple but waiting for lockdown here to end before delivery.

Some high end manufacturers (eg Soulution) offer switching power supplies instead of LPS built into their equipment...last time I checked that option costs 20k, per! The theory is that they always deliver full power - no caps to recharge for accurate sustained hi power delivery. 

The iFi is the first time a cheap hi end option is available.

The problem with switching power supplies is that they vary from extremely quiet (all Rowland and Benchmark products) to extremely noisy and cheap (computers).   Switching power supplies are line and load regulated, work over wide voltage range and are tolerant to DC.  Linear supplies in power amps are unregulated and can be noisy (they are also switching!).

The assumption that a piece of equipment that cost more than $2000.00 and has no more than $300.00 in parts needs a better power supply is offensive to me.  Yes, I know it happens, but it should not and a "better" supply could probably be had for thirty to forty dollars more.  This is yet another example of why/how the American electronics industry, in general,  has lost so much of our market.   Ayre is another company that has been criticized, by some for under sizing it's power supplies and look at what they charge.
When I was in Engineering school, my professors told us that every dollar added to a design created ten times that cost in retail price.  That is the equation that needs changing.   If it is still true, then it shouldn't be.  Sorry for this side show, but this is a sore spot with me.

My experience is that I have not found a switching power supply that outperforms a well designed external LPS with an appropriately matched power cord on audio source equipment.  
The best performing switching power supply I have used is on my Amazon Fire TV Cube ($99).  The worst power supply was my Xfinity X1 cable box ($10/month), which was overall the noisiest POS I have ever had in my system.  Taking that out and replacing with the Fire TV Cube made everything in my system sound much better, even with quality power conditioning on all sources.  The video and sound quality of the Fire Cube is at another level as well.  But I digress.

I have not tried the ifi switching supply.  Perhaps it performs as advertised.

kn

It's not that switching supplies are necessarily bad, it's that they are not always designed with an eye to keeping noise out of the AC line.

A good switching supply can offer stellar output. 

For the currents and voltages we are talking about in the Mytek though, a linear supply is a great choice.

When I was in Engineering school, my professors told us that every dollar added to a design created ten times that cost in retail price.

And this is why speaker kits can be so cost effective... but I digress.

The IFI power  is a perfect solution for a switch or router. But not for your mytek! Even compared to the internal psu it hasn,t the current or ampere. If you like a Sps in stead of Lps take the SotM sps500. Fine upgrade for you Brooklyn; But the Farad3 or Teddy Pardo,s are the better choices..

I use the SBooster with my DAC+.  I think it made a nice improvement.  Deeper, tighter bass, wider sound stage and more silence between the notes.  It's a refinement and not a night and day difference.

Anyone ran the Mytek Brooklyn on just batteries. Maybe buying 2.. keeping one charging in the Garage? Are there batteries that are recommended for just this purpose? Anyone guess how long a charge would last?

coachpoconnor "Was there any sound improvement?"

Yes I think so (but not a night and day thing), But yes for sure aduiable. This is on a Lumin T2. Not sure about if it is recommended/made for your unit?

A bit more telling was the power supply I removed was minuscule conspired to the extremal SBooster.

Some higher end streamers have external power supplies. A clue.

Cleaner power always a great way to go. A clue times a clue.

I use Sbooster for my Liberty DAC.  As I remember, there's some improvement in the soundstage and musical weight. Other options you can look at - Farad Super 3 and the Teddy Pardo.

coachpoconnor OP
Looking for Linear Power Supply for my Mytek Brooklyn DAC. Suggestions?

Anyone ran the Mytek Brooklyn on just batteries. Maybe buying 2

Cheap way to get the ultimate power for it, for just $28

Best will be battery as Mytek has said in the manual, (and best battery is Lithium-Ion rechargeable).

This I think will give around 6hr before a recharge is needed.
But it has a 2.1mm plug center positive, you’ll need a 2.1mm to 2.5mm converter for it to plug into the Mytek.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/EU-DC-12V-6800mAh-Portable-Rechargeable-Li-ion-Battery-Pack-fr-CCTV-Cam-Monitor/163746680297?hash=item2620100de9:g:5UkAAOSwDk5T5Mia

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1pc-17cm-DC-Power-Adapter-Convert-Cable-5-5x2-1mm-Female-to-5-5x2-5mm-Male/...

I recommend these to my Lightspeed Attenuator customers over the supplied linear power supply, they love them.

Cheers George

George - thanks
I really hadn't considered a battery of that size. When I initially thought of battery power, I thought of motorcycle size batteries and recharging them in the garage. With your idea, if the battery would last 5-6 hours and I could recharge them on the Kitchen circuit, which is 5 feet away from my music room, this would be, inexpensive and great sound quality.
One of the best preamps I've heard is the Dodd Audio (battery). I have a Musical Surroundings Nova Phonomena phono preamp (battery/wall wart option), and all of these have preformed very well. I'm trying to remove all wall warts from the same electrical circuit from my music room. After changing the power supply, to the Mytek, I have the Google fiber and the MacBook Air power supplies to evaluate.

coachpoconnor OP
I’m trying to remove all wall warts from the same electrical circuit from my music room.

Yes do remove all smp wall warts, ok if the are linear ones’
Unplug your laptop charger, desk top computer, tv etc etc, and anything that has a smp.

And this is my big I’ll let you in on, the big one nobody I know knows about, if you have a solar roof array the inverter box injects massive amount of square wave noise back into the household wiring there are 2 switches to turn that one off. the AC and the DC one

I know it’s a bit of a ritual to do just to have a serious listen, but you wait till you hear your system when you’ve done all that, and it then sounds good any time of day, instead of just sometimes sounding good, just hope none of your system runs smp’s.

Cheers George

I use a Teddy Pardo on my Chord Qutest.
Really worthwhile upgrade.

Chose a TP as it looks good in my rack...seriously.
Those sBooster things were U.G.L.Y.

Two suggestions I find very interesting and helpful from George. For one, it’s really better to clean your power by isolating from SMPS devices first than just adding any power conditioning or exotic LPS’s and power cords. Secondly, the battery option does make sense. I am going to try one with a bigger capacity (mAh) though so it lasts longer. While a bit pricier, still beats the boutique LPS brands out there by far, not including the power cords I will be tempted to buy those with.

https://www.amazon.com/TalentCell-PB120B1-Rechargeable-38400mAh-142-08Wh/dp/B07H8F5HYJ/ref=sr_1_4?crid=35J02X9XR72W4&dchild=1&keywords=talentcell&qid=1589935284&sprefix=talent%2Caps%2C380&sr=8-4

Georgehifi

I do have solar but the inverter is 300+ feet away. Good right? It’s our back and not on roof. 

wsrrsw Georgehifi

I do have solar but the inverter is 300+ feet away. Good right? It’s our back and not on roof.

Better maybe you have to try, could be just lower in intensity if it were closer to the hifi circuit.
Because if you think, no matter how many different circuits you have in a house, they all eventually come back to the one active wire and one neutral wire that come in from the street.

I also use a proper isolation transformer (with gap between primary and secondary) on all my source equipment, because noise can’t jump a gap so they say.

Tried a real big isolation transformer on the power amp, it still sounded better into the wall socket because no matter what conditioning I tried on it, it always introduced a series resistance which robbed the dynamic life out of the amp, because big power amps power supplies don’t have regulated circuits in them, they need to have low esr (equivalent series resistance) power supplies. David Manley (VTL) was the one that opened every ones eyes to this way back in his book The VTL Cookbook", he called them a "stiff" power supplies, and was dead against rectifier tubes for that series resistance reason

Cheer George

@divertiti,

Thanks for sharing the link.  I am not familiar with any of those lps brands.  Perhaps the reviewer was trying to compare similar price items?  I own and am currently using three different after market lps to replace the stock switching supplies that came with my sources (DAC, phono pre and video streamer).  They range in price from $125-$500 USD, so well above most of the units tested here.  
My power supplies came from two manufacturers: Swagman Labs in Hong Kong and Main Cables R’ Us (MCRU) in the UK.  Two of the three are significantly upgraded from their standard models, and I am using high quality power cables.  All perform at least as well as the stock switching supplies as I noted in a previous post, and two of them perform obviously and considerably better.  I would be extremely surprised if the ifi unit beat the real world performance of linear supplies from Reputable makers like Hynes, Pardo, MCRU, sbooster or Swagman.  

kn

FYI - Though I have an Astron, it's really too big and bulky so I've ordered an iFi for my Mytek and another for my streamer (Pi 4). I'll let you all know.

I ordered an ifi iPower for both my Pi 4 streamer and Mytek Brooklyn.

https://amzn.to/33dvsTz

(Disclaimer, that’s an affiliate link, if you buy from it I’ll save money on my CD’s)

Pretty good sounding. I haven’t been able to do any direct comparisons to my variable voltage, $250 Astron but based on measurements on ASR and that they sound good, at $50 each I can give them thumbs up for price, performance and convenience. Despite being a little underrated for a Pi 4 (only 2.5 A) the 5V model works fine. I read up online and I guess the Pi 4 only takes about 0.5A unless you have any high draw accessories, so this should be OK.

I’ve only listened to the original version, not the X which seems to add more current to the spec, and looks a lot nicer. I’ve also not yet tried the Mytek with more than 96kHz sources. I’m not sure if the higher sampling rates will tax the ifi’s 2A output, compared to the 25A Astron, but after several days of listening I have no complaints or operating issues at all with the ifi.

My listening area is a mess. After I have moved hopefully I will have a better comparison between the ifi and Astron, but based on performance, size convenience and cost I don’t see myself going back. I’ll keep the Astron in case I ever go back to doing any op-amp projects again.

Best,

E

I bought an SBooster for my Node 2i after upgrading the PSU interface.
It came with a thin, stock 18g power cable.....Is there any sense to upgrading a power cable to a linear power supply?

I wonder since a PSU is its own transformer and just delivers its stored, clean power.