August 2024
Milestones from 35 Years of MUTEC
The renowned Japanese online magazine Phileweb recently published an interview with MUTEC founder and CEO Christian Peters. Join us on a journey through the milestones of our company's history and discover how our technological innovations have enhanced audio quality for professional users and Hi‑Fi enthusiasts worldwide.
MUTEC Interview on Phileweb
MUTEC is a German brand that offers both pro‑audio equipment and Hi‑Fi products. We had the opportunity to interview the founder and CEO, Christian Peters, at High End 2024 in Munich. We asked him to talk about the origins of the brand and the technology to which he has dedicated himself.
MUTEC was founded in 1989. The brand was established while Christian Peters was still a student. At that time, he was studying mechanical engineering as well as precision and electronic device technology at the technical university in Berlin. In its early years, MUTEC focused on professional audio products, such as memory expansion cards and interface cards for samplers and synthesizers. However, sales figures plummeted drastically in the late 1990s when audio production on PCs and Macs became mainstream. So, we decided to take a different path.
.
Around the same time, the digitalisation wave
began to take hold in the recording scene. MUTEC developed clock generators and format converters to improve the sound quality of digital recordings. These products were mainly supplied to TV stations, recording studios, and mastering studios, but also to cinemas.
The turning point came in 2013, when the company launched the MUTEC MC3+, the first model with 1G clock technology, which is still used today. The MC3+ was a huge success, especially with studios, as it could deliver extremely low‑jitter clock signals and re‑clock digital signals.
When a Hi‑Fi audiophile listened to the MC3+, he was surprised to find that it very effectively improved sound quality. I believe this was due to the very low‑noise clock base we had developed. Hi‑Fi audio fans want to enjoy music more intensely, so we thought that perhaps even more customers might like our products
, said Christian Peters.
As the MC3+ was intended for professional use, it only has S/P‑DIF and AES/EBU inputs and outputs. For use in the hi‑fi audio market, the MUTEC MC3+ USB, featuring an additional USB input and other digital audio interfaces, was introduced in 2016.
The MC3+ USB has the same chassis as the MC3+ but includes an additional USB input. This can be re‑clocked and output as PCM. The product was very well received by audiophiles and became a long‑term success, remaining popular to this day.
In 2016, PC audio was a hot topic in Japan, and the competition for high‑spec formats like DSD 11.2 MHz and DXD was heating up. The reporter clearly recalls that the appearance of MUTEC, a company that revolutionized digital playback with its unique clocking technology, was still very fresh on the Japanese market.
The MC3+ and MC3+ USB can be connected to an additional external 10 MHz clock generator; by synchronizing a 10 MHz clock, noise levels can be further reduced. Therefore, in 2017, we developed a 10 MHz clock generator called the MUTEC REF10 to make this possible.
The importance of clock generators in highly specialized digital audio playback gained attention, but many of them were extremely expensive at that time. Under these circumstances, the REF10 was embraced by the market as an attractive product, offering the high precision of a professional clock generator but at a price of less than 400,000 Japanese Yen (approximately 2,300 euros).
In 2020, the MUTEC REF10 SE120 was introduced, which pursued even higher specifications with a phase noise of <-120 dB/c@1 Hz. In the fall of 2023, the MUTEC REF10 NANO followed, a cost‑effective model with half the height of the REF10 and priced at less than 300,000 Yen (approximately 1,700 euros).
The REF10 NANO has received many comments worldwide, such as
, says Christian Peters.I've been waiting for a product like this!
We have already shipped several hundred units globally. By offering three different models of clock generators at varying price points, we believe we've made it possible for people to choose a generator that fits their budget
MUTEC's products are surprisingly cost‑effective when you consider their specifications. When we asked why, he thought for a moment and replied: We are just an engineering company and develop our products from a practical point of view. We focus mainly on technical specifications such as phase noise and spend a lot of money on high‑quality oscillators inside, but we don't have elaborately designed housings or front panels. That's not our goal.
Another point that is important to Mr Peters is that his products should be durable. In the professional sector, equipment cannot be easily replaced and must withstand heavy use for 10 to 20 years.
We make no distinction between professional equipment and consumer products, but what is important to us is the long‑term reliability of our devices. It is crucial that our products are not easily broken and are designed to last not just a few years, but decades. We are very proud of that.
Peters' commitment to producing highly reliable products is also reflected in his insistence on domestic manufacturing in Germany.
Eight years have passed since the introduction of the MC3+ USB, yet it still maintains a timeless appeal. This is due to the high performance that is characteristic of professional equipment. In some situations, it can be a bit challenging to adjust the devices from the front panel. When I brought up this point, he nodded and said, I think I would prefer it to be a bit easier to operate. To be honest, we've received this request from many of our customers, and we are aware of it. We hope to improve this aspect in the future
, he responded positively.
Along with the introduction of the REF10 NANO, the company also launched the Prime‑Select BNC cables. These cables were specifically designed to minimize RF noise, which can have a very negative impact on clock signals. We ensured that external interference does not affect the purity of the signal by triple‑shielding and silver‑plating most of the cables
, he said.
Finally, we asked him about future product development. I can't give you any details yet, but we are planning a very low‑noise DC power supply that will further improve MUTEC's products. A high‑quality power supply is very important for hi‑fi audio. We have succeeded in developing an optimal circuit for this purpose. Look forward to it.
When asked about the sales share of MUTEC products by country, he said that Japan is one of the largest markets for MUTEC products after their home country, Germany. MUTEC's passion for pursuing specifications and producing quality products with rigor and integrity is something that resonates with the Japanese audio market as well. MUTEC may be a relatively small brand, but it certainly makes reliable products and we will continue to keep a close eye on its future developments.