Sytek MPX4A vs. Sytek MPX4Aii

Jeff White · Post by **Jeff White** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 8:28 am

Question - What's the difference between them???

I have a Sytek MPX4A (BB 3&4) and I am looking towards picking up another stock unit (no BB) to replace my Digimax LT. I'm just curious as to the difference between the two versions.

Thanks!!!

Jeff

cgarges · Post by **cgarges** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 11:01 am

The color of the buttons?

Chris Garges
Charlotte, NC

Jeff White · Post by **Jeff White** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:21 pm

That's kind of the conclusion that I came to. I have an MPX-4A and the buttons are black. Hmmm...

I am wondering if the pots are different, or there is more gain in the newer version.

Russian Recording · Post by **Russian Recording** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 12:28 pm

the ii has "detented" pots. It is also a slightly different circuit which completely eliminates DC offset. Also, the chips are in sockets so they are easier to replace... I think the older version has surface mounted chips. I could be wrong about that. I read this somewhere, maybe on his site, i can't remember. I have the original versions (not the ii) and they sound great. I know that the ones at Electrical are also the original version, and they also sound just fine.

mike

Jeff White · Post by **Jeff White** » Thu Nov 16, 2006 1:58 pm

Russian Recording wrote:the ii has "detented" pots. It is also a slightly different circuit which completely eliminates DC offset. Also, the chips are in sockets so they are easier to replace... I think the older version has surface mounted chips. I could be wrong about that. I read this somewhere, maybe on his site, i can't remember. I have the original versions (not the ii) and they sound great. I know that the ones at Electrical are also the original version, and they also sound just fine.

mike

Thanks Mike. Yeah, I love my MPX4A. I just want to be sure that I have 4 to 6 matched channels when I pick up a second one. I have the BB on Channels 3 & 4 on mine, and I like both flavors. Not sure which way I'm going to lean yet, but I am going to eBay the Digimax LT in the next week or so to fund another Sytek. I've been snatching up external in-line pads for the Sytek and I am happy with the results.

Thanks for the information.

Jeff

Jeff White · Post by **Jeff White** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 3:17 pm

From Mike at Sytek:
...

Hi Jeff

The MPX-4Aii have two little "ii" on lower front panel under the MPX-4A logo. Also the MPX-4Aii was introduced in year 2000 and usually have the serial number over 1000. All the MPX-4A have the serial number as N9-999 will be year 1999-sn999

The MPX-4Aii is 3rd generation unit and much better unit, auto Dc servo, higher gain, lower noise, able to install several types of IC's like the new Burr Browns, input protection, bigger power supply, etc....

Sincerely

Mike Stoica
...

So there you have it. Pure facts. And since I have serial number in the high 800s, it seems that mine is definitely a version #1 MPX4A.

By the way, there is a Sytek for dirt cheap with a bad channel here (I'm not affiliated):

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... &rd=1&rd=1

The guy clarified to me that he is not sure that it's a bad op-amp. I wonder how much Mike would charge to repair it in house? I was seriously considering buying it but I need to sell some stuff (Digimax LT) first to justify it, and I'm not sure if I want to go with another Sytek or build a Hamptone JFET yet.

UPDATE...

Ok, I'm back home after a weekend away from my Sytek. Even though my serial number is below 1000, my unit has the two little "ii" at the bottom right corner under the MPX4A. So I guess that I have the newer model that Mike praises as being better than the original. Great.

Sorry about the half-dozen or so posts that it took for me to get to the bottom of this!!!

jeff

??????? · Post by **???????** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 4:00 pm

Just out of curiosity, how much do you want for the digimax? I probably can't afford it as I just sprung for an A12 complete kit from SCA, and with those "the first cut is the deepest" as you have to pay for both the chassis and power supply...

emrr · Post by **emrr** » Mon Nov 27, 2006 4:53 am

I have the first version, and it has more PSU related noise in the 3rd and 4th channels. So much so in the 4th that you could not do voiceover work with something like an SM7. I sent my first one back thinking there was a problem. I understand the later versions dealt with some of this PSU noise, but I've not heard one to compare. Noise is not a problem with anything requiring lower gain.

shane.vusahm · Post by **shane.vusahm** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 10:19 am

THREAD NECROMANCY

Can anyone confirm that the MPX-4A is much longer than the MPX-4Aii? I want to downsize to a shallow rack, but I don't think my first gen Sytek would fit. It's way longer than my other pres...

Producer/Engineer · Post by **Producer/Engineer** » Thu Apr 14, 2011 3:50 pm

shane.vusahm wrote:THREAD NECROMANCY

Can anyone confirm that the MPX-4A is much longer than the MPX-4Aii? I want to downsize to a shallow rack, but I don't think my first gen Sytek would fit. It's way longer than my other pres...

Call Mike at Sytek and ask... (847) 345-6971

shane.vusahm · Post by **shane.vusahm** » Tue Apr 19, 2011 10:08 pm

Apparently they're both 10" deep.

Jeff White · Post by **Jeff White** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 12:01 pm

MPX-4Aii is definitely deep as hell.

Jeff

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Sytek MPX4A vs. Sytek MPX4Aii

Sytek MPX4A vs. Sytek MPX4Aii

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