#433683 - 11/11/03 02:12 PM
Apogee Rosetta vs. Mytek stereo AD - direct AB!
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ISedlacek
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Registered: 12/07/01
Posts: 165
Loc: CZECH REPUBLIC
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After a long anxious waiting I got Mytek stereo AD. Now finally I could forget about all the contradictory (and often theoretical) comments, advertisements etc. and simply listen to the naked reality. Having Apogee Rosetta for last two years (as a grand sound quality leap from 001 convertors), I am happy to share the comparison test with Mytek, since I think it would be of great interest to many of you.
Well, taking Mytek AD out of the box is nothing close to impressive. The non-labeled box could be as well used for some biscuits and inside there is no manual at all, not a single piece of paper reminding that we receive some sophisticated equipment from some company. Just a power cord. OK. The device itself would probably be a loser at any beauty contest, since it realy does not look very pretty, just some black small box with dark blue front pannel with extremely tiny letters and numbers, without any special touch of sophisticated design... Still OK, it is not a piece of jewelery in the end...
I switched on my pair of Millennia Origins and prepared two pairs of Schoeps and Neumann U87 (hopefully quite high-end chain for this test). I listened on Genelecs 1030 with Apogee mini DAC hooked on. I started with my voice. I used exactly the same mic and preamp adjustment (both solid state and tube) and just changed the ADs. Well, to my big surprise the difference was huge. The voice through Mytek was full, with nice, very open high end and full of details. Rosetta's voice sounded a bit darker, more tight, as if a bit "muffled" comparing to it. Maybe more decent ? Maybe not ? Then I tried a flute with a pair of Schoeps. Again the same thing - Rosetta's flute was OK (as I was used to all the time), but with Mytek it suddenly opened a lot, as if I removed some cap from the mic. It was not kind of "hyped" at all - it sounded fully, just smiling, present and natural. Back to Rosetta - kind of "muffled" I would say. Then I tried guitar on stereo Schoeps. Already guessed what will happen ... Not only that Mytek's guitar sounded with much more tembre (very close to reality) but also the stereo image and feeling of space was a bit greater. Then I tried viola, violin, viola d'amore etc. Well, as you can already guess, Mytek always brought more air to the sound, more space, more details and more presence. More natural ... Rosetta was a bit more narrow in the tembre spectrum comparing Mytek. I wonder - has Mytek some extended high end frequency or Rosetta lacks something there ? Maybe someone could still prefer Rosetta's sound, as it has some "character". Mytek howerer seems to be very close to the pure reality ... I don't think that the high frequency is boosted. It is simply as it is.
I ended the test with very elevated feeling. It sounds great !!!!!!!! My recording chain got the missing link ! I want the things to sound with a stamp of pure reality, if I want adjust, I will do it later. Mytek can offer exactly this. It is a big pleasure now to play and to listen what was recorded. No more excuse and half- satisfied feeling.
I am tempted to say that the quality leap between Rosetta and Mytek is the same distance as between 001 convertors and Rosetta.
The only thing I don't understand is the output level button. Whether I put it on minimum or maximum, the output level remains the same, it has nothing to with it. I must ask Michal about it.
The result of the test ? I am selling Rosetta tomorrow (being grateful for its reliable service for the last years) and ordering another Mytek.
Well, looking at it right now, resting on the top of my rack, it does not look ugly any more. It is actually quite a nice fellow :-)))
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#433684 - 11/11/03 06:53 PM
Re: Apogee Rosetta vs. Mytek stereo AD - direct AB!
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adebar
Gold Member
Registered: 07/17/01
Posts: 709
Loc: Wiesbaden, GERMANY
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Many thanks for sharing your experiences with these 2 converters.
Think I have to try the Mytek by myself.
Did you also consider purchasing a converter other than the Mytek?
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#433685 - 11/12/03 02:52 AM
Re: Apogee Rosetta vs. Mytek stereo AD - direct AB!
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ISedlacek
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Registered: 12/07/01
Posts: 165
Loc: CZECH REPUBLIC
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I did not consider any other convertor - since I don't believe that 8000$ stereo convertors sound 8 times better than Mytek. I don't know about anything else in the same price range and the same top quality.
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#433686 - 11/12/03 04:10 AM
Re: Apogee Rosetta vs. Mytek stereo AD - direct AB!
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Mark Lemaire
Gold Member
Registered: 03/21/00
Posts: 930
Loc: Emeryville, CA USA
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Very Impressive! I've been using Apogee PSX100 and have been pretty happy. Your posting gives me pause...
If I go hunting, is there only one currently manufactured Mytek 2 channel model?
thanks
ML
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#433687 - 11/12/03 07:18 AM
Re: Apogee Rosetta vs. Mytek stereo AD - direct AB!
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ISedlacek
Senior Member
Registered: 12/07/01
Posts: 165
Loc: CZECH REPUBLIC
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I have been also very happy with Rosetta ... Till the moment I hooked on Mytek. This is not a subtle difference at all ... Mytek makes 8 channels AD DA, stereo AD DA is very new.
Now I understand what the term "open" means :-))
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#433688 - 11/13/03 10:01 AM
Re: Apogee Rosetta vs. Mytek stereo AD - direct AB!
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Lemke
Senior Member
Registered: 07/11/01
Posts: 38
Loc: Ekaterinburg,,RUSSIAN FEDERATI...
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Mytek... Here in Russia we have its distibutor (at least on paper). But the first deal on 8-ch AD Converter turned into 1-year (!!!) waiting for the thing to arrive from USA. Then it was concidered by many as physical impossibility to get Myteks. Onwing myself a Rosetta96 I'm constantly thinking of upgrade. Some people (Mercenary) say that MiniMe sounds better. It's difficult to believe in it considering the price difference (not much space for preamps) and the fact that new gear usually sound worse than the old one. Also why MiniMe is so damn limited in
pro features? I.e. no wordclock IO, no proper metering. And who needs that strange USB?
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#433689 - 11/13/03 10:05 PM
Re: Apogee Rosetta vs. Mytek stereo AD - direct AB!
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Mark Lemaire
Gold Member
Registered: 03/21/00
Posts: 930
Loc: Emeryville, CA USA
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I'm now considering the Mytek 8ch a/d or the Apogee Rosetta 800 8ch unit. My understanding is that the Rosetta800 is actually a new design from Apogee that is not a Rosetta at all, but, according to users, supposedly much better.
Has anyone compared the Mytek with the Apogee Rosetta 800?
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#433690 - 11/14/03 11:06 AM
Re: Apogee Rosetta vs. Mytek stereo AD - direct AB!
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StoneinaPond
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 11/22/02
Posts: 2009
Loc: New York City
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Has anyone compared the Mytek with the Apogee Rosetta 800?
I do however have a Rosetta 800 that replaced a PSX100. All I can say is that since starting to use Pro Tools many, many years ago, I am now at least close (very close) to enjoying writing and recording music again.
Very, very nice piece of kit.
_________________________
Yorik
Stone In A Pond
"Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick himself up and continue on."
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#433691 - 11/16/03 12:29 AM
Re: Apogee Rosetta vs. Mytek stereo AD - direct AB!
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RaGe
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Registered: 04/26/01
Posts: 786
Loc: 16°14 N 61°32 W
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I'd like to hear more opinions on the Rosetta 800. Any user who cares to chime in?
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#433692 - 11/20/03 06:30 AM
Re: Apogee Rosetta vs. Mytek stereo AD - direct AB!
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DigiGeek
Member
Registered: 06/25/03
Posts: 20
Loc: Los Angeles, CA
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I have heard the Rosetta 800 and it really is everything Apogee has billed it to be. This unit is a nice improvement over my AD8000SE.The lows are tighter, the high end is more precise and the mids and the imaging are outstanding. I have also heard the Rosetta 800 in shootouts between Digi's 192I/O and the Prism Dream and none of these other boxes come close to the quality of the Rosetta 800 (and that is not an exaggeration!)
The Rosetta 800 is definitely better than the 2 channel Rosetta A/D that ISedlacek was using for his shootout. I owned a Rosetta A/D myself prior to upgrading to an AD8000SE and the AD8000SE was a big improvement over the Rosetta A/D.
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DigiGeek
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#433693 - 11/20/03 07:27 PM
Re: Apogee Rosetta vs. Mytek stereo AD - direct AB!
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ISedlacek
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Registered: 12/07/01
Posts: 165
Loc: CZECH REPUBLIC
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It is hard to understand the philosophy behind naming two different products (old and new) by the same name - Rosetta ... Quite confusing I would say
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#433694 - 11/20/03 07:36 PM
Re: Apogee Rosetta vs. Mytek stereo AD - direct AB!
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StoneinaPond
MP Hall of Fame Member
Registered: 11/22/02
Posts: 2009
Loc: New York City
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It is hard to understand the philosophy behind naming two different products (old and new) by the same name - Rosetta ... Quite confusing I would say
That did not stop them working on the electronics and improving the sonics beyond the AD8000SE.
Personally, as I have stated before, they certainly achieved the latter, but the naming IMHO, does seem to cause confusion.
_________________________
Yorik
Stone In A Pond
"Man will occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of the time he will pick himself up and continue on."
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#433695 - 11/20/03 08:56 PM
Re: Apogee Rosetta vs. Mytek stereo AD - direct AB!
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Astrain
Senior Member
Registered: 01/05/01
Posts: 69
Loc: hermosillo,,MEXICO
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Does anyone know if apogee plans to release soon a 2 channel version of the Rosetta 800?? it would be very nice to have that kind of quallity for the same price of the actual rosetta.
has anyone compared the Mytek converters to the Apogee Special Editions? I just sold my Rosetta 48 to upgrade to a better converter and this two are the ones that Im considering.
Thanks.
_________________________
Sennheiser 416 - ShureKSM32 - Millennia HV-3 - Mytek A/D - DIGI002 Rack - Benchmark DAC-1 - Mackie HR824
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#433696 - 11/21/03 05:14 PM
Re: Apogee Rosetta vs. Mytek stereo AD - direct AB!
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ISedlacek
Senior Member
Registered: 12/07/01
Posts: 165
Loc: CZECH REPUBLIC
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ROsetta 800 2 ch would be great. But here is the reply from APogee:
"There has been talk of doing a two channel version of the Rosetta 800.
Currently it has not been decided if and when this will happen as we have a
great deal coming in the next year that is already in development."
I only wonder who will now be buying PSX-100, which is 2 channels AD DA, supposedly lower sound quality than Rosetta 800, which costs the same ...
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