Outboard DACs

While the 'Bridge' is ostensibly a Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ with wired and wireless network functionality, there's further refinement under the bonnet. Not least is the switch from ESS Sabre ES9018 to the ES9028 DAC which is superbly implemented here. As before, the Brooklyn Bridge is aimed at both pro and audiophile audiences, offering a substantial 9.6V (balanced) output from a 72-73ohm source impedance (vol = '100'). Optimum performance is realised at vol = '96' (or 6.05V balanced output) before stress on the analogue op-amps increases along with the steep increase in output to 9.6V. Distortion is further reduced over the original Brooklyn to just 0.0003% at 0dBFs and 0.00017% at –30dBFs, with a minimum of 0.00007% at –10dBFs [all 1kHz – black trace Graph 1 below]. Even at high frequencies distortion falls to a minimum of 0.0002% (–10dBFs/20kHz) although intermodulation products do vary with your choice of digital filter. IMD is lowest and frequency responses are flattest with the 'Fast' filter modes, but I discuss this, the time domain responses, stopband rejection and MQA in the sidebar.

Otherwise, low-level linearity is true to ±0.1dB over a 100dB range and ±0.5dB over a full 110dB range, aided by the wide 112.2dB A-wtd S/N ratio. Jitter is almost entirely suppressed – a feature of all well-executed ESS Sabre DACs – to <10psec at all sample rates through all digital inputs [see Graph 2, below]. The analogue headphone preamp offers a maximum 9.1V output into high impedance loads (140mW/600ohm) and a substantial 2.65W/25ohm is available for low impedance types in single-ended mode. Hum and noise is very low at –90dBV (unweighted) ensuring the most sensitive of headphones may be used. PM