What happened to Mytek?

Mytek emailed me about a new or updated product launch (I don’t remember which) a couple of months ago so it seems they’re still around. I wasn’t interested so didn’t click on it.

I got an email from them on Xmas eve. I know they had an issue with a fabricator reselling used Mytek equipment without Mytek’s knowledge a couple years ago. They then had to re-establish their fabrication capability, etc.  Seemed to be a pretty painful process. 
 

Love my Manhattan II DAC. 

My understanding is that their tech was developed in Poland. That group split off and founded Ferrum. Not sure where Mytek is developing its tech now.

Thanks guys, some of this I was aware of, like having to find a new factory. I didn't realize they had their business partner decide to compete with them.

The last I really followed them they were developing the Empire, which had essentially 2 micro PC boards inside it, or something like that.  A hugely wasteful set of resources... but whatever. 

This interview is pretty old by now but gives some hints as to the situation and is worth a read: 

https://www.highfidelity.pl/@main-924&lang=en

Keep in mind this is A) from before Mytek and their partners HEM (who now make Ferrum Audio gear) split up, and B) only one sided, with the HEM folks giving their perspective and nothing from Michal of Mytek. 

Even so, you can hear some frustration already. Who would talk about their partners like that in an open forum? They are basically badmouthing or minimizing the contributions Michal made to the project over the years. I would say by the time this interview took place in 2019, things were probably already going south quickly. You can read between the lines.

I am not even a huge Mytek fan but I take Michal's side on this situation. Seems like he was wronged by the HEM people. Michal appears to be continuing with Mytek and focusing on the higher end (Empire line, including the new GANFET monoblocks at $10k each), also doing side projects like designing the MoFi StudioDAC.