Mytek Liberty 2 DAC $1500

(1.74h, 5.5w, 8.8d)

I’m betting anyone who is reading this has a pretty good system already. You don’t need to replace your DAC, or add one, unless it is SPECIAL. I think there are some bullet points to cover that are imperatives for making this move.

While Liberty 2 is worthwhile for a number of reasons, I want it for streaming from my Bluesound Node. Anything additional is just gravy.

The Node sounds quite nice on its own. Most of our customers buy it and use it that way. HOWEVER, if you run Node into a Liberty 2, you get a nice improvement in dynamics, resolution and transient speed. The improvement is so substantial that when you hear the A/B comparison in our store, I promise you’ll want a Liberty 2.

Due to C19 Liberty 2 is has come out a full year later than planned. It’s been a long wait, but at last, it’s here! Liberty 2 uses Sabre ES9038. The original Liberty used 9018. There is a new MQATM decoder. Mytek has upgraded the power supply and electronics to achieve superior sound.

1) MQA

In today’s world my DAC has to have MQA. I’m not saying that DACs without MQA are no good.

There are plenty of nice ones. But if I’m making a CHANGE, my new DAC has to have MQA. The Liberty 2 DOES.

I’m surprised at all the political diatribe in the forums about MQA. If you can’t hear that MQA sounds absolutely GREAT, you haven’t heard MQA through a Mytek. If you want to cry about encoding and decoding, think again.

OK Mr Academic Breath, your friggin records, yep, your beloved analog, is encode decode! Your LPs have a squished encoded signal scored into them. To even play your LPs, the signal has to be played through AN EQUALIZER (RIAA). Phono EQ’s are available from $15 to many thousands. And yup, your analog world is encode/decode, and only as good as the decoding EQ you choose to run them through. Did you know the RIAA is minus 20dB at 20k? Let’s not be quick to dis encode/decode.

There are performance benefits to be gained with MQA. Why leave that performance on the table? You don’t have to. I’m interested in spending my time listening to great music. Streaming through MQA is an awesome start.

MQA content has been available since early 2017. Missing out on MQA would be your loss.

2) Balanced

If your preamp accepts balanced inputs, your DAC needs to have balanced outs. The Liberty 2 DOES!

Balanced performance provides more gain and a blacker, quieter background for your music to POP out of. Balanced also provides better bass impact and dynamic contrast. The more revealing your system, the bigger this difference. Please visit to hear the difference. I guaranty you’ll agree with me.

3) Terrific Sound!

I invite you to listen to the Liberty 2 in our shop. I guaranty you will love the sound in single ended or balanced mode. Liberty 2 has much improved attack and clarity compared to what’s in most CD players, computers or streamers. Liberty 2 sounds noticeably cleaner in the bass and upper frequencies than most DACs and has MQA. The improvement in transient attack alone is worth making the move for.

4) Logistical Flexibility

Liberty 2 is physically small so you can stash it in your cabinet, even vertically if need be. A lot of us have too many components jammed in a rack. Liberty 2 is small enough that if you have the will, there’s a way to shoe horn it in. Liberty 2 is well worth the trouble.

Inputs

*2 Coax

*1 OPT

*1 XLR

*1 USB2

Outputs

*Balanced XLR

*Single Ended RCA

Power recept is standard C15/C13, not C7 type!

5) Liberty 2 is also a headphone amp, with 3w for hard to drive headphones. It’s an added bonus

that could be worthwhile for some listeners.

In Summary

Liberty 2 is among the best sounding DACs you’ll hear REGARDLESS of price. Please don’t hold it against Liberty 2 that it isn’t expensive.

It ticks all the boxes above. I want Liberty 2 to make my Bluesound Node even more resolving than with its own built in DAC. Node has pleasant sound on its own. But of course NAD couldn’t put a state of the art DAC in a $600 unit. They were quite wise to provide OPT and Coax outs so you could improve your sound down the road with an MQA equipped DAC going forward. Liberty 2 is that DAC!