Brinkmann Nyquist DAC - technical jewel with marvelous sound

Stigmater said:
Good to know, I think I’ll place an order.
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Maybe you read the story, I was actually not in the market for a new DAC. I just wanted to properly evaluate MQA, so in case I would not like it, there would be no second guessing the DAC that was used.

But when it arrived, I fell in love with it. Basically all of it: the sound, the concept, the looks, the tech, the tubes, MQA & Roon. It is a nice toy to obsess a bit about.

As said Linn is great, but I’m sure you’ll love the Nyquist. Please let me know when you get it, would be keen to hear your views.


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Here is my first post on the AudioShark forum. I found it after searching for articles about the Brinkmann Nyquist, which I was considering buying. I was inspired by Kuoppis’ description of his experience, which I can now echo as I ended up buying the Nyquist that I had on loan. I am amazed at the way it presents the music in a natural and effortless way. Some have suggested that it imparts an unnatural warm tinge to the music but that is not correct. If a song is not well recorded you still hear it but it is less objectionable than it would be with a less well-refined DAC. The Nyquist just does everything better and I am enjoying it immensely. My wife said that she heard the difference as soon as she walked into our music room and wholeheartedly gave her approval for its purchase. It’s not an inexpensive upgrade but, because of the interchangeability of it’s digital module I believe that it is the last DAC that we will ever have to buy. Highly recommended.

My main system: iMac (i7) running Roon -> Nyquist—>ARC 40th Anniversary Ref Pre—> Bryston 28B monos—>KEF Blades (2xREL 212SE subs). Also Bryston BDA-3 for audio/video. All cabling is Cardas Clear/Clear Beyond, Shunyata power cords and filters.
 
Aescalpius said:
Here is my first post on the AudioShark forum. I found it after searching for articles about the Brinkmann Nyquist, which I was considering buying. I was inspired by Kuoppis’ description of his experience, which I can now echo as I ended up buying the Nyquist that I had on loan. I am amazed at the way it presents the music in a natural and effortless way. Some have suggested that it imparts an unnatural warm tinge to the music but that is not correct. If a song is not well recorded you still hear it but it is less objectionable than it would be with a less well-refined DAC. The Nyquist just does everything better and I am enjoying it immensely. My wife said that she heard the difference as soon as she walked into our music room and wholeheartedly gave her approval for its purchase. It’s not an inexpensive upgrade but, because of the interchangeability of it’s digital module I believe that it is the last DAC that we will ever have to buy. Highly recommended.

My main system: iMac (i7) running Roon -> Nyquist—>ARC 40th Anniversary Ref Pre—> Bryston 28B monos—>KEF Blades (2xREL 212SE subs). Also Bryston BDA-3 for audio/video. All cabling is Cardas Clear/Clear Beyond, Shunyata power cords and filters.
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Great to have you on the forum Aescalpius and congrats on the great purchase; welcome to the Nyquist club!

Happy to hear the sharing of experiences was helpful in your purchasing decision. As a recommendation, adding an Aurender or better even NAS-based Roon database will give you another notch-up in SQ.


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Kuoppis said:
Great to have you on the forum Aescalpius and congrats on the great purchase; welcome to the Nyquist club!

Happy to hear the sharing of experiences was helpful in your purchasing decision. As a recommendation, adding an Aurender or better even NAS-based Roon database will give you another notch-up in SQ.


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Hi Kuoppis. Thank you! You're absolutely right, the iMac is the weak link at present. The music database is on a Drobo 5N (NAS) but I don't think it has the horsepower to run a Roon Core. The signal from the iMac is also going through about 75' of Cat 6 cable, a network switch and an Apple Airport Extreme before it gets to the Nyquist. I remember using a Mac Mini years ago that I had optimized as much as I could. But, I still wasn't happy so I added a Bryston BDP-1 and it clobbered the Mac Mini. So, I'm sure that I'm giving up some quality by using the iMac. Still the sound at present is absolutely amazing! Better than anything I have heard in any dealer's showroom. Too bad that Bryston isn't building a BDP that will act as a Roon Core. Roon + Tidal has become essential to me in my listening and I can't imagine going backward to an MPD based server.

I'm waiting for Antipodes to release their CX music server. From what my dealer tells me and from what I've read about their past products, it should be exceptional. I've exchanged a few emails with their CEO, Mark Jenkins (who was very helpful) and I'm happy that it will do everything that I want it to do. I'm also considering the CX+EX pair, with the EX handling the rendering duties before going to the Nyquist via USB. But, the Nyquist already has an excellent renderer so I'm not sure how much sonic benefit will accrue from adding the EX. I guess I'll just have to try the CX+EX pair to find out.

Another thought would be to wait for the music server that Brinkmann is rumoured to be developing. If it's as good as the Nyquist then it will be a gem. Still, Antipodes has a long track record and a good reputation so it might be safer to go with them. Time will tell.

I'll let the forum know what I come up with.
 
The most important thing is you enjoy your listening experience, everything else is noise.

I hope you have fun with the Nyquist, please post what you conclude regarding the server.


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Nice review, I read many things outlined in this thread as well.

The Nyquist simply is a stellar performer.


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"Nyquist Mk II: Improvements to our Streaming DAC module including an additional regulated supply, broader use of High Voltage Power Supply Technology and other refinements deliver a more detailed and airy presentation while retaining the organic analog sound which has made Nyquist so successful. Upgrades (Price TBA) are accomplished by simply changing DAC modules." - Premier in Munich next week
 
Golum said:
"Nyquist Mk II: Improvements to our Streaming DAC module including an additional regulated supply, broader use of High Voltage Power Supply Technology and other refinements deliver a more detailed and airy presentation while retaining the organic analog sound which has made Nyquist so successful. Upgrades (Price TBA) are accomplished by simply changing DAC modules." - Premier in Munich next week
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This is great news.

From what I hear the new module will increase transparency a bit w/o giving up the analogness. I’m very excited.

This is a clear benefit of the modular approach in the Nyquist: in most cases you have to buy a mk2 version of the entire DAC, sell the old one at a loss and pay full price for the new one. Not with the Brinkmann, you just exchange the module.

I have already ordered the mk2 module, will receive it after High End. Will report back on the sound.

Stay tuned.


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Nice. Roon menu has finally caught up with the current state and is able to identify MQA encoded files in Tidal. Good, long overdue move.

19f0b4bca7b57ffc8cc0cd39a454cf7e.jpg


This most likely also indicates a shift in Tidal operational model: the same file is labeled as FLAC 48 kHz 24 bit and MQA. When played back on my fully MQA capable Nyquist the playback is indicated to be 96K MQA.

Looks like it is just one and the same MQA file, played as 48 kHz 24 bit FLAC with a non-MQA DAC (which is very good btw, as CDs are only 16 bit) and 96 kHz 24 bit when unfolded and decoded in MQA.

c461c288232be6a0c194404554bc921f.jpg



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Hey Kuoppis, I just heard about the Mk II DACC module in the Nyquist today and was going to post about it but I see that I've been beaten to the punch. I also see that you've already ordered the upgraded module. Do you know how much it will cost or was that done on blind faith? My dealer owns a Nyquist himself and is going to Munich so he will be reporting his impressions back to me once he's heard the MK II module. Brinkmann has told him "prepare to be astounded".

On another note, I have ordered the Antipodes CX music server and hope to have delivery by the end of May. I was seriously considering the EX renderer in addition to the the CX but then I realized that, for MQA files, the renderer should be DAC-specific and that the renderer in the Nyquist is already excellent. For these reasons, I am skeptical that the EX would sound better than the Nyquist. My plan is to wait until the CX has settled in and then borrow an EX to do a comparison. Will update as I go.
 
Aescalpius said:
Hey Kuoppis, I just heard about the Mk II DACC module in the Nyquist today and was going to post about it but I see that I've been beaten to the punch. I also see that you've already ordered the upgraded module. Do you know how much it will cost or was that done on blind faith? My dealer owns a Nyquist himself and is going to Munich so he will be reporting his impressions back to me once he's heard the MK II module. Brinkmann has told him "prepare to be astounded".

On another note, I have ordered the Antipodes CX music server and hope to have delivery by the end of May. I was seriously considering the EX renderer in addition to the the CX but then I realized that, for MQA files, the renderer should be DAC-specific and that the renderer in the Nyquist is already excellent. For these reasons, I am skeptical that the EX would sound better than the Nyquist. My plan is to wait until the CX has settled in and then borrow an EX to do a comparison. Will update as I go.
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As I have been living with the Nyquist for half a year now, I am very much convinced of its qualities. Hence I did not feel the need to hear the module before ordering it. Based on what I have been told the mk2 module will improve detail retrieval w/o sacrificing existing qualities of the DAC.

This Brinkmann product is a very good example of how I wish more audio companies would think: there is no problem whatsoever in putting money into hi-end products - if they last. But doling out a small fortune for a product, only to find it outdated in 2-3 years and w/o an upgrade path, that is simply not sustainable. And then people wonder why hi-end companies regularly go out of business, like so many again this year. So short-sighted.

Regarding your other point, I don’t know the Antipodes product, but do agree that the EX renderer would have to be quite amazing to reach Nyquist level. I’m looking forward to your findings.


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Guys, as good as renderers are, they are Linux and I am convinced that at this point in time, a PROPER Windows server (especially 2 pc setup, 1 for Roon and 1 for HQP) with all the tweaks to the SYSTEM architecture will beat any Linux renderer solution. Yes, I know this is a hard truth to swallow, but its my story and I am sticking to it. LoL
 
wisnon said:
Guys, as good as renderers are, they are Linux and I am convinced that at this point in time, a PROPER Windows server (especially 2 pc setup, 1 for Roon and 1 for HQP) with all the tweaks to the SYSTEM architecture will beat any Linux renderer solution. Yes, I know this is a hard truth to swallow, but its my story and I am sticking to it. LoL
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I disagree 100% on Windows over Linux.
 
still-one said:
I disagree 100% on Windows over Linux.
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LoL

That is your right!!!

However, I know a VERY advanced techy guy who said the same and the stage was test for him to match the Win server 2016 sound with every Linux trick in the book...and he failed miserably and had to admit defeat.
 
Kuoppis said:
As I have been living with the Nyquist for half a year now, I am very much convinced of its qualities. Hence I did not feel the need to hear the module before ordering it. Based on what I have been told the mk2 module will improve detail retrieval w/o sacrificing existing qualities of the DAC.

This Brinkmann product is a very good example of how I wish more audio companies would think: there is no problem whatsoever in putting money into hi-end products - if they last. But doling out a small fortune for a product, only to find it outdated in 2-3 years and w/o an upgrade path, that is simply not sustainable. And then people wonder why hi-end companies regularly go out of business, like so many again this year. So short-sighted.

Regarding your other point, I don’t know the Antipodes product, but do agree that the EX renderer would have to be quite amazing to reach Nyquist level. I’m looking forward to your findings.

Hey Kuoppis;
I agree that the Brinkmann design philosophy is an excellent paradigm for how more audio companies should operate. Although some do offer upgrade paths, that usually involves sending one's unit back to the manufacturer, with the attendant loss of use for that period of time. The Brinkmann implementation is brilliant.

I admire your faith in their product. I almost always try to audition any piece of gear beforehand so that I can weigh the cost/benefit ratio before taking the plunge. Having said that, I did order the Antipodes without hearing it so that was a leap of faith on my part. My relationship with my dealer is longstanding and I expect that if I hated it then they would look after me. I don't expect to be disappointed though. I will let you know my thoughts after I've had a chance to evaluate it.

Coming back to the Mk II DAC module in the Brinkmann. ESS have just announced a new DAC chip that incorporates MQA rendering right on the chip. It's too new to have been put in the Mk II DAC module so I wonder if it might be worthwhile for me to wait for the Mk III DAC module? I know, that's a completely rhetorical question. They have reportedly been working on the Mk II module for 2 years so it will likely be another 2 years before we see another upgrade.

I will most likely get a Mk II module on loan and audition it myself. If the price is right then I'll likely be buying it. You'll probably get yours soon so I will look forward to your impressions.
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Aescalpius said:
Hey Kuoppis;
I agree that the Brinkmann design philosophy is an excellent paradigm for how more audio companies should operate. Although some do offer upgrade paths, that usually involves sending one's unit back to the manufacturer, with the attendant loss of use for that period of time. The Brinkmann implementation is brilliant.

I admire your faith in their product. I almost always try to audition any piece of gear beforehand so that I can weigh the cost/benefit ratio before taking the plunge. Having said that, I did order the Antipodes without hearing it so that was a leap of faith on my part. My relationship with my dealer is longstanding and I expect that if I hated it then they would look after me. I don't expect to be disappointed though. I will let you know my thoughts after I've had a chance to evaluate it.

Coming back to the Mk II DAC module in the Brinkmann. ESS have just announced a new DAC chip that incorporates MQA rendering right on the chip. It's too new to have been put in the Mk II DAC module so I wonder if it might be worthwhile for me to wait for the Mk III DAC module? I know, that's a completely rhetorical question. They have reportedly been working on the Mk II module for 2 years so it will likely be another 2 years before we see another upgrade.

I will most likely get a Mk II module on loan and audition it myself. If the price is right then I'll likely be buying it. You'll probably get yours soon so I will look forward to your impressions.
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Hi Aescalpius, I don’t personally think the DAC chip in the Nyquist will change any time soon. Reason being is how the chip is used in the product.

In the Nyquist the ESS Sabre chip is only doing the very basic A/D conversion, nothing more. Most of its advanced features have been switched off. All the sound related processing is being done in the custom Brinkmann sound processing portion of the DAC. The benefit of this particular chipset is the number of DACs per channel, which allow minimizing of any digital harshness. That’s also why the DAC does not sound like an ESS DAC.

My confidence is based on knowledge about how meticulous the R&D process at Brinkmann is. There is an anecdote about the two key developers testing the mk2 DAC module and getting different sound results from two different units. An investigation showed that the difference was caused by one supplier having mixed some screws in a batch delivered to them. As a result one screw attaching the DAC board to the chassis in one of those two DACs had a slightly different metallurgical consistence. They heard the difference.

And what I already heard in Munich was very promising, I’m looking forward to my Nyquist mk2 DAC module.


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Hi Kuoppis, good point, I do remember reading about the design and implementation of the ESS Sabre DAC chip in the Nyquist, thanks for reminding me. I also now recall the story of the screws, I’m pretty sure their ears are better than mine ;-)

As an anecdotal aside regarding good ears; I spent a year selling high end audio in the mid-80s and I found that it was the men who did the shopping most of the time and then brought their wives/girlfriends in for the final approval. Usually, the women heard the sonic differences more easily than the men. My wife picks up on things very quickly, although she lacks the “audiophile vernacular” to describe what she hears. She instantly knew the Nyquist was significantly better, as soon as she walked into the music room. It took zero convincing to get her to agree to the purchase, even though she knew the cost. I’m happy that my wife shares my love of music, it makes this hobby much easier to pursue :-)

I think that your faith in Brinkmann is well founded. I”m looking forward to hearing the MkII module when it becomes available. Any idea how much it’s going to cost?

You are at the Munich show? Lucky you! Did they do an A/B comparison of the Mk I and Mk II modules or was it just the Nyquist with the Mk II module on demonstration? I suspect the latter, most companies would want to put their best sonic foot forward at such venues.
 
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