Brutus Awards for 2019 - Page 2 of 3

The Wave Kinetics NVS Turntable with the Durand Tosca tonearm, hosting the DS Audio DS Master 1 cartridge and EQ system

Joel Durand made a special trip to setup the Durand Tosca tonearm and mount/adjust the DS Master 1 cartridge and its associated DIN to RCA cable, running to the DS Audio EQ/Phono Amp unit. We started out with the Cardas Clear Beyond RCA for the connection from the EQ to the PASS Labs Xs Preamp.

I could go on and on, and will in a follow-up review. But for now I can say that the results from the beginning and over time with the DS Master 1 have been nothing less than absolutely breathtaking. I've listened to tons of cartridges in my listening rooms over the past thirty years, but my current listening room is intimately known to me, having been our stereo home base for the last twenty years now. Many turntables, tonearms, and cartridges have come and gone over the past two decades.

Frankly, I don't think that I've ever heard better LP playback than the DS Audio DS Master 1 hosted by the NVS and the Durand Tosca. For transparency, clarity, detail, and purity of sound…for making grooves sound like master tape…the DS Audio DS Master 1 is top-o'-the-heap here in 2019. Only my Walker Audio Proscenium Black Diamond Level V (all latest updates as of 12/2019) with the Soundstream Hyperion MC is in the same league.

Frankly, if I can arrange it, the DS Master 1 will stay here at PF Central.

Yes, it's that good.

One of my PF Brutus Awards for 2019 is highly merited for all three major components of this reference-grade LP playback system, and they are most enthusiastically given!

Focal 100 OD8 High-End Outdoor Weather-Resistant Loudspeakers

The Focal 100 OD8 weather-resistant outdoor loudspeaker, in place at Chez Robinson

"And now," said Monty Python, "for something completely different."

True secret, part one: I had been looking to replace my aging outdoor loudspeakers with a next-gen solution. These overlook our deck, just under our powered Pike awning, which acts as my cigar and pipe room and outdoor bar. All was nicely internally cabled, with separate in-wall volume control, just inside the door.

Earlier in 2019, I noticed that Focal had announced a new weather-resistant outdoor loudspeaker, their 100 OD8. (For more about the profile and specifications of this product, go HERE.) After looking over the description online, I contacted Focal about a review set. They agreed, and sent along a pair of the 100 OD8's after several months.

Installation was a breeze with son John the Mighty's help, and we soon had the new loudspeakers in place outside. They were placed under the eaves, protecting them from most weather; Our Pike awning when extended would protect them from just about everything, winter or summer.

(Image courtesy of Focal)

The specifications of the 100 OD8 are tolerably impressive for a compact outdoor speaker. You can look them over at the Focal Web site right HERE.

But, of course, loudspeakers need quality power and sources upstream; this Brutus Award is entangled with two others.

This brings me to True Secret, Part Two: the unindicted co-conspirators, and fellow 2019 Brutus Award winners…

The Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ and the Mytek Brooklyn Amplifier

In great company: The Mytek Brooklyn Amplifer (upper left) and Brooklyn DAC+ (upper right), with the exaSound Playpoint Network Audio Player/Streamer (lower left) and e32 Mk II DAC (lower right), previous winners of Brutus Awards themselves, helping via Roon on the stream of TIDAL Master and Qobuz Studio Premier feeds

As I thought about the outdoor system, I had to consider the associated electronics for the Focal speakers. The solution was right at hand, though: I had the Mytek Brooklyn DAC+, and its companion Brooklyn Amp. Both were nicely compact, so they would fit on our multimedia rack in the multichannel room, which is right next to the deck. The in-wall connectors run to a connection point right behind the rack…couldn't be better. The Mytek kit, and the associated exaSound components, are all attractive, and don't generate much heat.

The Brooklyn DAC+ in silver, front view…

…and the same in rear view. Plenty of I/O! (Images courtesy of Mytek Digital)

The Brooklyn DAC+ continues Mytek's tradition, in evidence since the Stereo192-DSD DAC, of being able to provide excellent electronics and high resolution digital, in very compact packages.

Unlike the Stereo192-DSD, however, I found that the sound of the Brooklyn DAC+ went beyond dynamic punch, which was a very strong characteristic of the earlier DAC. There's a much more nuanced sonic presentation in the latest generation of Mytek DACs, including the Manhattan II DAC. The dynamic muscle is still there, but now there is a greater sense of spaciousness, smoother integration of harmonic structures, and a more organic musical flow. At its price point of $1,995, it should be considered a real steal, and a high horsepower-to-weight audiophile option.

The Mytek Brooklyn Amp…powerful and compact. (Yes, that's a credit card laying in front of the amp.)

Rear view of the Brooklyn Amp

The Brooklyn Amp outputs 250 watts per channel (dual mono) at the nominal 8 ohms impedance (minimum of 6.7 ohms) of the 100 OD8s. (Full specifications of the Brooklyn Amp will be found HERE.) The OD8s are only middle of the road on efficiency, at 88dB/w/m, but the Brooklyn Amp showed that it had plenty of juice for the Focals…no problem achieving nicely listenable volume levels outside (in-wall volume control at 12 o'clock high), at -10dB to -5dB on the DAC side of things. And at need, I could really rock! And all at only $2,495....

The combination of the Mytek kit with the Focal 100 OD8 is nicely synergistic…ditto the exaSound Playpoint and e32 Mk II DAC…and has knocked out all who've sat out with me on the PF cigars-ain't-hollow-deck, enjoying high-end outa' doors. Killer outdoor sound, for sure.

These are all Brutus Award winners at the end of 2019!