Matrix Audio Mini-i Pro 3 Review (Streamer & DAC)

[MatrixAudio]

I just want to share my recent experience for the record. I primarily use Roon, but I noticed a couple of weeks ago that for some reason AirPlay had stopped working - the Mini-i Pro 3 simply stopped appearing on the AirPlay list. I posted the issue on the Matrix Audio forum, and "Chief Fun Officer" Cao Wei (the owner?) responded promptly. Via WhatsApp and TeamViewer we had a remote session where he entered some code to the unit and that resolved the issue. It took about 30 minutes, and I'm impressed by that level of support from a small company. I still really like the Mini-i!

Hi MaadScience,
I'm not owner of Matrix Audio, I'm just a member of Matrix Team. Thanks for your words on our services.
Best regards.

Wei

 

[MatrixAudio]

Hey @MatrixAudio,

I've been using the Mini-i Pro 3 for the last seven months now. So far: very happy with it, overall. Still, there is a lot of room for improvements I expected to come with some firmware updates (to date, the last one is from... May). Two major expectations:

- You really do need to introduce some volume acceleration. This is the biggest downside of this unit to me. Volume adjustment is waaaay too slow, for whatever preamp or headamp usages. Could this be done by firmware, or are we talking about unsolvable hardware limitation?

- Some feature that has been requested on Matrix Digi forum: there is only two brightness levels for the (great) screen. I think many are looking for a third one that would dim the screen completely.

Cheers.

At the moment you can accelerate the volume using Roon. I understand that it could be done differently in the unit.
I don’t feel the urge for a different brightness level, but it could be useful.
Minor annoyances anyway.
My biggest complaint is the terrible wifi reception.
I had to use powerlan where any other device nearby functions perfectly.

Hi Vintage Flanker,
Thanks for your suggestions, we will consider these requests seriously.
Thank you!

Has anybody experienced problems with the Toslink input when connecting devices like a TV or a CD player?

Are you meant than your unit cannot lock the coax or optical signal from your TV or CD player?
Any detailed information?

 

[xaviescacs]

Are you meant than your unit cannot lock the coax or optical signal from your TV or CD player?
Any detailed information?

Sorry, I didn't provide enough information. I don't own the unit, I'm just considering it and since there seems to be devices that don't accept Toslink from some devices I just was asking if someone had some experience on it, since my intention is to connect it to TV via Toslink. Thanks for answering and sorry for the confusion.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Hi Vintage Flanker,
Thanks for your suggestions, we will consider these requests seriously.
Thank you!

Thanks for your reply, @MatrixAudio

Still, do you confirm that there would be no hardware limitation to introduce volume acceleration with the knob/remote? As @capitanharlock pointed, there is already some kind of volume acceleration working through Roon Ready.

 

[catalogguy]

Sorry, I didn't provide enough information. I don't own the unit, I'm just considering it and since there seems to be devices that don't accept Toslink from some devices I just was asking if someone had some experience on it, since my intention is to connect it to TV via Toslink. Thanks for answering and sorry for the confusion.

I use the toslink with a TV. Works great.

 

[MatrixAudio]

Sorry, I didn't provide enough information. I don't own the unit, I'm just considering it and since there seems to be devices that don't accept Toslink from some devices I just was asking if someone had some experience on it, since my intention is to connect it to TV via Toslink. Thanks for answering and sorry for the confusion.

OK, got it.
The coaxial and toslink transfers S/PDIF signal, almost all of the audio devices which includs a coaxial or optical ports use this standard.
So, yes, Matrix products work with TV or set-top boxes over coaxial and toslink connections.

 

[MatrixAudio]

Thanks for your reply, @MatrixAudio

Still, do you confirm that there would be no hardware limitation to introduce volume acceleration with the knob/remote? As @capitanharlock pointed, there is already some kind of volume acceleration working through Roon Ready.

Yes, therotically there is no hardware limitation to add a volume acceleration with the knob.

 

[xaviescacs]

OK, got it.
The coaxial and toslink transfers S/PDIF signal, almost all of the audio devices which includs a coaxial or optical ports use this standard.
So, yes, Matrix products work with TV or set-top boxes over coaxial and toslink connections.

Thanks for your kind and detailed answer. I'm aware of this SPDIF thing, this is ASR I asked just to know owner's experience since I've read some issues with Toslink in other devices.

 

[Snoopy]

Did someone here pair the mini I 3 pro with Dan Clark headphones? I'm looking especially for reviews with the aeon 2 noire using the 4.4mm connection.

I did read the mini I 3pro has roughly 1900mW balanced into 32 ohm.

My singxer SA1 has 6480mW.

The topping A90 even has 7600mW


I'm using my Singxer in high gain with the aeon 2 noire at roughly 3-4pm position . So I'm a bit concerned that the mini I 3 pro would be underpowered

 

[enricoclaudio]

Did someone here pair the mini I 3 pro with Dan Clark headphones? I'm looking especially for reviews with the aeon 2 noire using the 4.4mm connection.

I did read the mini I 3pro has roughly 1900mW balanced into 32 ohm.

My singxer SA1 has 6480mW.

The topping A90 even has 7600mW


I'm using my Singxer in high gain with the aeon 2 noire at roughly 3-4pm position . So I'm a bit concerned that the mini I 3 pro would be underpowered

The mini-i Pro 3 drive my Noires just fine. However, I mostly use my DCA Noires with my MA X-SABRE 3 + Topping A90 combo.

 

[Snoopy]

The mini-i Pro 3 drive my Noires just fine. However, I mostly use my DCA Noires with my MA X-SABRE 3 + Topping A90 combo.

"Just fine" means there are no issues at all and you have some headroom left or you are pretty much full volume?

 

[enricoclaudio]

"Just fine" means there are no issues at all and you have some headroom left or you are pretty much full volume?

I will check later today as soon I’m back home and take a photo of the volume level where I feel it plays confortable with the Noires.

 

[enricoclaudio]

OK so I checked and at +10dB the Noire's start to feel uncomfortable, meaning too loud for me. Take in count that I have Volume Leveling ON in Roon + Headroom Management ON set at -3dB. The balanced out volume goes up to +24dB in the mini-i Pro 3. So still I have +14dB headroom.

 

[Snoopy]

OK so I checked and at +10dB the Noire's start to feel uncomfortable, meaning too loud for me. Take in count that I have Volume Leveling ON in Roon + Headroom Management ON set at -3dB. The balanced out volume goes up to +24dB in the mini-i Pro 3. So still I have +14dB headroom.

View attachment 173436

So more demanding headphones would probably require a external amp.

I'm wondering how good the internal clock in the DAC is.

 

[enricoclaudio]

The MA mini-i Pro 3 uses the same Clock as my $3000 MA X-SABRE 3. Both use the Crystek CCHD-950.

 

[Snoopy]

The MA mini-i Pro 3 uses the same Clock as my $3000 MA X-SABRE 3. Both use the Crystek .

I wish that would mean something to me. But I have no idea how important the clock is, what a good one is..

The Gustard x16 for example has a AS 318B clock. The Gustard U18 DDC has a AS338 clock

 

[capitanharlock]

I guess all those clocks are pretty up to their task.
Definitely.

 

[Snoopy]

I guess all those clocks are pretty up to their task.
Definitely.

Yeah I think so too. But some reviews make it sound like a digital to digital converter with a good clock is a massive upgrade.

So maybe that's the case

 

[MaxBuck]

Yeah I think so too. But some reviews make it sound like a digital to digital converter with a good clock is a massive upgrade.

So maybe that's the case

Maybe pigs can fly.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Mini-i Pro 3 reviewed in Hi-Fi News this month. The first occasion to have a look at the full board :

Surprisingly, it got a raving review. Most likely a very common thing, but not that usual from the subjectivist press when talking about good measuring Chinese products.