Beware Mytek Audio (UPDATE - Issue resolved)

Hi. This is my first time ever criticizing an audio company. It is well deserved. I spent 20K buying an Empire Streamer from Mytek Audio. It came with a Roon server built in. I had done business with them in the past and thought the owner Michal was honest and made a good streaming product. I thought the Empire Streamer would be the best addition to my room which at them time included a pair of Von Von Schweikert Audio Ultra VR55 Active's (which are the best speakers I have ever heard) and an ATI power amp and several Perlisten Subs. The Empire would sit in the middle. It is a beautiful looking unit. The unit arrived 3 years ago and there was a ground loop hum in the unit. This was incredible to me at this price point!! The headphone output could not be used due to this hum. I have Hifiman Headphones I could not use. I called Mytek and spoke with Michal who with all his charm convinced me that soon they would be releasing a new version of the Empire with new BETTER software and upgraded dac chips and I should just wait and he will swap them out once the new unit is available. It has been three years. We speak every 2-4 months for the last 3 years and with all his charm he convinces me to continue waiting, the new unit is almost done, they are working out issues and for a small company that takes time, and to please not complain publicly. Now for the last month he refuses to respond at all. Texts and phone calls go unanswered. I have lost my investment.

1. What can I do legally at this point? Has anyone been down this road? I have been a loyal hobbyist for three decades and I have never been treated like this by an audio company.

2. BEWARE Mytek Audio!

3. Where else should I post this story to help others avoid my deep disappointment and financial loss.

Thanks, Keith Cloward

mytek said:

My name Michal and I'm responsible for this from the Mytek side. I became aware of this post as someone pointed this to me and we are working to address and clarify this. The initial assessment of alleged lack of communication is that as Keith wrote, we were regularly communicating. It was via my private cellphone txt which was changed few weeks ago to a new one, (because of my extensive international travels recently). It did not occurr to me to notify Keith of my cellphone nr change and similarly it did not occur to Keith to try calling or text our US support cellphone line which is fully operational and posted on the website and meant for all business contacts with Mytek. Nor to email support@mytek.audio (or other email) was tried before posting this "beware" posting here. I was not aware he was trying to contact me. I have reached out to client who is in California and hope to be in touch soon and I will follow up. The story sounds dramatic and obviously Keith became tired of waiting, I apologize for his experience. Unfortunately there were underlying business reasons for all this rather than ill intentions on our part. I may explain these circumstances later if this remains revelant. I will follow up once we can talk with client. In meantime we will continue stand by and supporting over 10,000 units of Mytek DACs (including Brooklyn Bridge, Stereophile product of the year 2019) on the market as we help maintain them with clients every day. It just happens the serviced/satisfied clients (which is the majority) usually do not post about their experiences publicly. We want to accommodate everyone, and will work to improve the responsivess in the future. Michal @ Mytek NY

Click to expand...

Mytek Audio did reach out to me via text message. I have not responded yet but I did want everyone to know that the phone number I had been using to communicate with the owner of Mytek was changed without my knowledge. I waited about 6 weeks before I posted here and texted him that I was doing so. My intention was never to complain outloud but my patience has worn thin. My phone said the texts were "delivered". It was not until I posted here that I got a response. I stand by my original post. Every word is accurate and It is my understanding now that Mytek needs more time before the new streamer Dac will be completed and he conveyed in his most recent text to me today that repairing the wiring ground hum in my original Empire unit would have been very difficult. So basically I have a unit with connectivity issues that I complained about for years and a ground hum that renders the headphone output useless and after three years there is *STILL* no resolution. My only intention is to warn others of what I have been through.

The issue ahs bee resolved to my full satisfaction. I also would be glad to do business with them again.

Maybe the thread title to change to Mytek Issue Resolved.
The issue is fully resolved.

Lee said:

Maybe the thread title to change to Mytek Issue Resolved.

Click to expand...

The issue is resovled and the thread has been updated.

The issue has been resolved in full! Thank you all. See the comment below on how the issue was resolved and I am very satisfied. Thaks

mytek said:

My name Michal and I'm responsible for this from the Mytek side. I became aware of this post as someone pointed this to me and we are working to address and clarify this. The initial assessment of alleged lack of communication is that as Keith wrote, we were regularly communicating. It was via my private cellphone txt which was changed few weeks ago to a new one, (because of my extensive international travels recently). It did not occurr to me to notify Keith of my cellphone nr change and similarly it did not occur to Keith to try calling or text our US support cellphone line which is fully operational and posted on the website and meant for all business contacts with Mytek. Nor to email support@mytek.audio (or other email) was tried before posting this "beware" posting here. I was not aware he was trying to contact me. I have reached out to client who is in California and hope to be in touch soon and I will follow up. The story sounds dramatic and obviously Keith became tired of waiting, I apologize for his experience. Unfortunately there were underlying business reasons for all this rather than ill intentions on our part. I may explain these circumstances later if this remains revelant. I will follow up once we can talk with client. In meantime we will continue stand by and supporting over 10,000 units of Mytek DACs (including Brooklyn Bridge, Stereophile product of the year 2019) on the market as we help maintain them with clients every day. It just happens the serviced/satisfied clients (which is the majority) usually do not post about their experiences publicly. We want to accommodate everyone, and will work to improve the responsivess in the future. Michal @ Mytek NY

Click to expand...

Michal has contacted me and has made a generous workaround and the issue has been resolved fully. Thank you!