afaik there is no standardized upgrade path at Mytek (unlike some companies like PS Audio that I think does life time upgrades, or Simaudio where I got my amp that has a time period for upgrade).
so, formally, no…
Where you able to also discuss with Michal the sometimes incorrect information in Roon’s signal path on Mytek gear?
I opened a ticket with Mytek support regarding this about a month ago but the only response sofar has been “We will consult with our R&D team…”
I asked and he had no idea about it.
I called Mytek on the phone and talked with Damien who also opened a ticket. Damien said his engineers agree with me their network module isn’t communicating to Roon correctly and said this would be solved in a software update but indicated no timeline.
My sense is that their focus is ok rushing to released the new Brooklyn Bridge, where mostly it’s a software challenge to complete product.
And that their old product is maintained by HEM, the OEM which they just stopped working with as they have switched manufacturing facilities for the new products and moving forward. That team is likely isn’t super motivated to work hard.
Frustrating…!
Hi guys,
Not too convinced that taking the Brooklyn Bridge + Roon core and put in a similar form factor is the greatest of the ideas.
I own the Brooklyn Bridge, and it’s a really nice one box solution for me, acting as Roon end point/dac/preamp into my ATC 40s actives.
But it does get pretty hot if you use the internal power supply and the network module.
It can be managed by setting the network card to turn off when the unit goes idle. I ended up with an external power supply as I wanted to have the card on to play music as fast as possible!
Putting a core in there (is it a PI?) is only bound to make the heat worse. I’d really avoid it/keep the core separate. You have to have your library somewhere else anyway, as they didn’t squeeze storage in there too.
Regards,
gami
Perhaps the new 1.5x firmware just launched is related to that. Haven’t seen info on it yet. My Brooklyn Bridge has just been turned around very quickly in Poland after warranty network card replacement and returned to me in Madeira. Fortunately the local hifi shop is the distributor for Portugal, so maybe that helped. All communication was quick and efficient. I hope the brand can get our confidence back, though I’m now a little hesitant to upgrade my Amps to Amp+
@jobseeker - the 1.51 firmware is for the control panel (the software used on computer to remotely control the unit). The brooklyn bridge latest firmware still shows as 1.44 on Mytek’s support website - or did you find different info? would love to understand this.
I would absolutely avoid bying the Amp+. I was very tempted to do that (looks so nice together, and same beautiful form factor), but it was a terribe experience. Long story short, they are manufactured by the HEM, the same OEM in Poland where the current Brooklyn Bridge is being manufactured, and which relationship has been terminated due to quality issues. The ewn Brooklyn Bridge will be manufactured in Poland by Mytek itself in a new facility, and I suspect the Amp+ problems reflect some of the reasons for this change. I bought a brand new unit in Oct, and it short circuited and blew up, as did the 2 brand new replacements that Mytek (from their NY headquarters nearby) personally to me and tested on site as they burned. In retrospect I think my (very starndard) 8 Ohm speakers, which range in the usual 8 Ohm nominal, but 4.6 Ohm minimal, was too much for them to drive on the lower resistence range and they just blew up each time. This was solved instantly when I bought a new more expensive amplifier (Simaudio Moon 330A, which btw is fantastic). Much larger, and heavier - but quality of sound much better, and - most importantly - it just works. Long story short, don’t buyt the brooklyn amp…
Worrying about the Amp+ certainly. I use two Brooklyn Amp in mono to drive Boenicke W5SE, a very difficult load. I am just now testing with a single Brooklyn Amp in stereo, as I might need to trade one Amp in against a new purchase.
As far as firmware 1.51 goes, my Brooklyn Bridge has just updated itself to it direct from the internet (I don’t use the Mytek Control Panel). You will see the ‘update’ indicator green arrow flashing on your Bridge display, to let you know it’s available. What the changes might be, I do not know until Mytek publish something.
Quality issues might be a factor here, but the main reason for Mytek to terminate their partnership with their former EU partner seems to be fraudulent behaviour and financial irregularities from that company. Some pretty serious statements from Mytek regarding this on their website.
I’ve just posted on another thread that’s about 1.51, speculating as to whether the update was anything to do with this dispute.
I also just wrote this on the other thread
In fact I’m now a little worried. It may be that this update should not have been done? It looks like it has in fact come from HEM, the now discarded partner of Mytek, but who supplied the original firmware. The details are on what is the old Mytek website here. It contains a ‘no regression’ update, presumably to stop Mytek taking control? I hope we are not caught in a war here
https://mytek-europe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/BrooklynBridge_firmware_readme.txt
Wow, that’s disturbing. Mytek really needs to come forward here, leaving customers with legacy devices out in the wild is just not OK!
My concern is: who controls the server that the legacy units download the firmware from?
@jobseeker, you refer to the source of the 1.51 readme txt as “the old Mytek website”.
Was mytek-europe.com always the domain?
I checked the WHOIS registration info of the domain mytek-europe.com and it states it was registered on 18 DEC, 2020.
The firmware update and readme txt posting both post-date the publicly announced split (01 NOV, 2020) on the Mytek site (CONTACT | Mytek Audio). Thanks to @sohe68 for posting that! Note: the readme txt URL (weblink) implies the content was upload in Feb 2021 (…/uploads/2021/02/brooklyn…)
It is quite disturbing that a potentially unauthorized entity has direct access to a device on our internal networks so I looked into my firmware status.
For some reason, my mytek control panel (also written by HEM) does to see my BB on the network so I checked the “Device Info” on the unit itself. I feel lucky that the device says:
Mainboard Firmware: 1.00 STBL (rev. 0021)
Network module firmware: 3.7.52 (server error)
once in a while the unit does a lookup to contact the server, so in my case (luckily?) it does not reach the server and errors. I’m hoping this means I don’t have firmware v 1.5. If I found v 1.51, I would have done a Restore and bring it back to a Firmware version that pre-dates 01 NOV, 2020.
I encourage Mytek to address this situation asap!
Dear Roon and Mytek users,
Generally our legitimate website mytek.audio located in the USA is the place to go for any info on Mytek, and the situation is somewhat addressed there, but since Roon is the key platform for Mytek I will elaborate a bit more here as well.
Please goto mytek.audio/contact and there is more under “news” as well.
Indeed, Mytek, Company founded by myself in 1992 is now dealing with a situation where the former partner of Mytek, HEM Electronics who had responsibility for contract manufacturing of some products as well as maintaining the firmware has gone rogue. Mr. Marcin Hamerla, the owner of HEM attempted to register Mytek trademark in European Union and hijack Mytek business there, pretending that HEM is Mytek. Unable to get HEM to the table to negotiate, Mytek has stopped working with HEM on November 1, 2020, and discontinued most products manufactured to date, this has been announced. I’m terribly sorry for the situation, but there is only so much we can do to address it immediately. Legal proceedings have been filed, and the matter will be resolved later this year in courts, but this will take time. In meantime HEM is shamelessly usurping being Mytek and continues to try to sell old products they made and is also attempting to hijack products already on the market through the firmware. Mytek supports for firmware for all products stops at Nov 1,2020 and the newest available firmware is posted on legitimate Mytek website (1.44 for BBridge). Any firmware after that is considered hacked/counterfeit and Mytek will not support units purchased from or firmware upgraded from the fake mytek-europe.com website. HEM has cyphered the firmware which includes elements we do not support (like HEM logo) and made it irreversible. If for whatever reason your units gets bricked by such firmware update we wont be able to help you. So, if you need our support, don’t buy or download anything from the fake site mytek-europe.com.
There are no new significant new functional features in firmware released after Nov 1. Don’t upgrade, just keep using what you have. We are about to post this information next to legacy products on our website. As far as the future support, we traditionally have always extended support and path forward for our loyal customers and fans. There will be some path towards the Brooklyn Bridge II which will ship by the summer along with the slew of several new amazing Mytek products. BB II will be far superior to BB with built in Roon Core, product precisely for the members of this forum. Once the new products are out and shipping , the focus will change to these, and Mytek will have a great 2021 with cutting edge Streamer DACs and more.
Hope this clarifies things a bit.
If you like to continue this discussion please use support system on our page or email us.
All is going to be great with Mytek in 2021 and beyond.
Sincerely
Michal Jurewicz, Mytek Founder, President and Chief Designer
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@Michal_Jurewicz1 Unfortunately that doesn’t help those of us who simply downloaded firmware indicated as available by the Brooklyn Bridge automatically in the normal manner. No attempt was made by Mytek USA to warn registered product owners of these issues - you had our details so why was it not done? So I (and others) through no personal fault, now have a device under warranty that you say you will not support because it has firmware beyond 1.44 that was made available through the normal update facility on the device, as it was designed to. I do not consider that satisfactory at all and I’m not sure that it is a legally correct position for Mytek to take. You are hanging loyal customers out to dry.
Hi Paul
This is an extraordinary situation when someone (HEM) is actively trying to mess up our business. HEM behavior is incremental, we never though we’ll have the firmware issue until it happened. We reacted, in this case server was disabled few hrs after we realized HEM programmers put the hack firmware on the server. But we do take full responsibility of all our products including Brooklyn Bridges sold to our customers. All Brooklyn Bridge customers who need help with a problem should contact Mytek through regular support channels (support system, email, tel) and we will help you to resolve it. Please contact us with this issue of 1.51.
Thank you, Michal
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Hi @Michal_Jurewicz1 , I’m glad you’re taking the time to post here on the forums. Your advice to make any contact through your official channels doesn’t help much as there’s seldom any response. I raised the issue about the Roon signal path (also discussed on these forums) in a support ticket but haven’t heard back.
I also sent inquiries about what’s happening with your sales as I was looking to expand the Manhattan II with the phono card. My question is if it is even possible or are they also considered counterfeit? Didn’t get an answer here either.
/Ola
Dear sohe68
Mytek Support ticketing system was managed up until Dec by Wojtek form HEM. Since then it’s managed by our New York office and it’s done regularly by Damian with my occasional help. I just looked at few open tickets and don’t see your post you mention. If you can please let us know your identity in our support system, and ideally please email your original QQ to Mytek. Once I have the QQ I will reply privately to you. Thank you for raising the issue, we’ll work on improving catching up with answers. Sincerely MJ
There are TWO sides to any story.
Wow. I hope you can get over this saga and bring Mytek’s great old reputation back.
I’m an original Mytek Stereo192-DSD owner. A classic.