Matrix Audio Element i USB DAC & Streamer Review

[MatrixAudio]

Does it mean that neither the USB connection not the LAN or any of the other inputs handles this bitrate?

32Bit only can be handled by IIS input. Other inputs cannot handle sampling rates higher than 24Bit.
The DAC does not upsample any files.
When the element X (or P, M, i) works as ROON Ready endpoint in ROON system, the playback and volume can be controled by ROON control apps of course..

 

[FallenCow]

Any opinions on how this compares to an RME ADI-2 DAC, including the headphone amp? Network streaming features on this would be much more useful for me than the filters on the RME.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Any opinions on how this compares to an RME ADI-2 DAC, including the headphone amp?

Hum. Opinions seem pointless since you have all the datas here to compare both.

Network streaming features on this would be much more useful for me than the filters on the RME.

Or just ad a Chromecast Audio (optical) back at the ADI-2 DAC.

 

[FallenCow]

Hum. Opinions seem pointless since you have all the datas here to compare both.

Or just ad a Chromecast Audio (optical) back at the ADI-2 DAC.

Chromecast Audio was my first thought since I already have the RME ADI-2. Kicking myself for not picking up a few when they were available. Second hand units are going for $60 now.

 

[shaluboy]

Please excuse my google translation in English.
I received element i a few days ago and bought a topping d10 later. Currently, I use a USB to connect topping d10 and use its optical output to connect to element i, so there is no physical electrical connection between element i and the computer. The current sound is very good, it should be the best sound after I started to build the sound system. As for why the element i is not physically connected to the computer, as far as I know, even if the DAC does not use the 5V of the computer, the common mode noise of the ground wire will still affect the DAC. It is done by a Taiwanese Measurement results (in Chinese), interested netizens can refer to:
http://records2ear.blogspot.com/2018/08/uf12.html

 

[Veri]

Please excuse my google translation in English.
I received element i a few days ago and bought a topping d10 later. Currently, I use a USB to connect topping d10 and use its optical output to connect to element i, so there is no physical electrical connection between element i and the computer. The current sound is very good, it should be the best sound after I started to build the sound system.

Good set-up mate Enjoy.

 

[bigjacko]

Please excuse my google translation in English.
I received element i a few days ago and bought a topping d10 later. Currently, I use a USB to connect topping d10 and use its optical output to connect to element i, so there is no physical electrical connection between element i and the computer. The current sound is very good, it should be the best sound after I started to build the sound system. As for why the element i is not physically connected to the computer, as far as I know, even if the DAC does not use the 5V of the computer, the common mode noise of the ground wire will still affect the DAC. It is done by a Taiwanese Measurement results (in Chinese), interested netizens can refer to:
http://records2ear.blogspot.com/2018/08/uf12.html

I had a look on your link, I only see measurements of noise, not measurements of noise rejected. Does element i use usb to provide power or only for data? If only for data does the noise affect performance? I guess for the product tested by amirm the measurement is already in usb connection and shows good result. Wonder is there any significant gain using usb power cleaner or something like that, specially for the cost 5000 NTD (around 166 USD).

 

[shaluboy]

I had a look on your link, I only see measurements of noise, not measurements of noise rejected. Does element i use usb to provide power or only for data? If only for data does the noise affect performance? I guess for the product tested by amirm the measurement is already in usb connection and shows good result. Wonder is there any significant gain using usb power cleaner or something like that, specially for the cost 5000 NTD (around 166 USD).

Sorry my English is not good enough so I can't translate everything in the link, see if someone can translate it. The filtering of commond mode noise is mentioned in this paragraph:
前面不是有個1.6V嗎？怎麼不見了？
如果那1.6V雜訊同時出現在這5V與ground上呢？因為電壓是二個點的相對值，你就看不見那雜訊，所以稱之為common mode noise，用電容濾不掉，得用common mode choke；
當你的DAC的ground接通這USB的地線，也就會有個1.6V雜訊出現在DAC的ground；好比某人不停的跳上跳下，你和他握手，你也會被帶著上下抖動！雖然你的DAC沒用到USB那5V電源，你的DAC的電源（ground）照樣被污染了！

In addition, I wrote an email to ask matrix audio. They replied that although element i does not use a USB 5V power supply (my actual test is also true), but the ground of the USB input and the ground of the computer are in common. Use the isolator (If it can completely isolate the ground wire of the USB ). The device can isolate the interference from the computer power.
The contents of the letter are as follows:

Re: Re: 您好，想請問Matrix X-SABRE Pro MQA的USB輸入介面是否吃電腦的5

您好，

Elemen i的USB接口不从前端设备取电，但是他们的地线是共地的。
据我们了解，USB2.0 HighSpeed协议 480Mbps的速度没有办法实现地线完全隔离的。
你给出的这个链接我们无法打开，如果这是一个电源过滤类的产品，那么它对Element i是无用的，因为该设备不从前端获取电源。
如果它是真正能实现地线完全隔离的，那么它将会隔离来自于电脑开关电源的一些干扰。

供您参考。

谢谢！

 

[bigjacko]

Sorry my English is not good enough so I can't translate everything in the link, see if someone can translate it. The filtering of commond mode noise is mentioned in this paragraph:
前面不是有個1.6V嗎？怎麼不見了？
如果那1.6V雜訊同時出現在這5V與ground上呢？因為電壓是二個點的相對值，你就看不見那雜訊，所以稱之為common mode noise，用電容濾不掉，得用common mode choke；
當你的DAC的ground接通這USB的地線，也就會有個1.6V雜訊出現在DAC的ground；好比某人不停的跳上跳下，你和他握手，你也會被帶著上下抖動！雖然你的DAC沒用到USB那5V電源，你的DAC的電源（ground）照樣被污染了！

In addition, I wrote an email to ask matrix audio. They replied that although element i does not use a USB 5V power supply (my actual test is also true), but the ground of the USB input and the ground of the computer are in common. Use the isolator (If it can completely isolate the ground wire of the USB ). The device can isolate the interference from the computer power.
The contents of the letter are as follows:
View attachment 46877
Re: Re: 您好，想請問Matrix X-SABRE Pro MQA的USB輸入介面是否吃電腦的5

您好，

Elemen i的USB接口不从前端设备取电，但是他们的地线是共地的。
据我们了解，USB2.0 HighSpeed协议 480Mbps的速度没有办法实现地线完全隔离的。
你给出的这个链接我们无法打开，如果这是一个电源过滤类的产品，那么它对Element i是无用的，因为该设备不从前端获取电源。
如果它是真正能实现地线完全隔离的，那么它将会隔离来自于电脑开关电源的一些干扰。

供您参考。

谢谢！

喔 最後兩張圖是已經用濾波器的圖阿 那兩張圖沒有說一開始不知道 第一到四張說的是甚麼？第一張是訊號 有460mV 最後一張經過濾波器為什麼剩下18mV?　看不帶懂這些圖想多了解一下

 

[JEntwistle]

Sorry for the late reply. Ethernet port is the answer. If he uses hardware USB connection, then he needs to go to Audio devices and select Wasapi for Matrix, give it a name and then later on select it as an output device. In this case it is just being used as any DAC. As you said, the point of roon compatibility is to use network streaming with it.

Amir, in your Mark Levinson review you mentioned that you are going to replace it in your main system with this Element I. I think there have been some threads talking about potential streaming compatibility issues (can't seem to locate what I saw). Can you report back on your experience and if Roon integration is working well? Thanks.

 

[Jim Gandy]

Awaiting report from Amir on Roon compatible connection success with Matrix. Would like to purchase but holding off due to concerns with Roon connection.

 

[rooster.jorge]

Amir, in your Mark Levinson review you mentioned that you are going to replace it in your main system with this Element I. I think there have been some threads talking about potential streaming compatibility issues (can't seem to locate what I saw). Can you report back on your experience and if Roon integration is working well? Thanks.

Would you mind pointing me towards such reports? I didn’t know there were reports on streaming compatibility issues.
Roon is basically my main source of music. It would be a deal breaker if there were issues

 

[AngloApulian]

Does anyone know if the Element i also supports MQA like the rest of the Element series?

I couldn’t find anything on their product page which confirms this.

 

[rooster.jorge]

Does anyone know if the Element i also supports MQA like the rest of the Element series?

I couldn’t find anything on their product page which confirms this.

@MatrixAudio is an active participant in this forum. I contacted them through mail. They confirmed that they have no intention of adding (it does not support MQA out of the box) MQA support to element i.

 

[AngloApulian]

@MatrixAudio is an active participant in this forum. I contacted them through mail. They confirmed that they have no intention of adding (it does not support MQA out of the box) MQA support to element i.

Thanks for the quick response. That’s a bit of a shame as it would’ve otherwise been perfect as an entry level unit for the price.

 

[JEntwistle]

Would you mind pointing me towards such reports? I didn’t know there were reports on streaming compatibility issues.
Roon is basically my main source of music. It would be a deal breaker if there were issues

I would go to this post and then read in that thread. I seems that Roon has been implemented by Matrix but not officially certified by Roon, so it is not clear if there issues with stability with Roon.

As a feature of element i, it supports ROON Ready, element i works as an endpoint of a ROON core. But it has not passed ROON Ready certification.
Currently it can works fine with ROON core, actually exists bugs. But we can fix them in the near future.

 

[JEntwistle]

@MatrixAudio is an active participant in this forum. I contacted them through mail. They confirmed that they have no intention of adding (it does not support MQA out of the box) MQA support to element i.

Thanks for the quick response. That’s a bit of a shame as it would’ve otherwise been perfect as an entry level unit for the price.

I thought MQA required additional or specific hardware, so if the DAC has not been designed for it from the outset, it can't be updated later with firmware or software.

I also think there may be a licensing fee the manufacturer has to pay?

In sum, it's not easy or sometimes possible to just update an earlier design for MQA.

Someone please correct me if this is wrong.

 

[BDWoody]

In sum, it's not easy or sometimes possible to just update an earlier design for MQA.

I understand this to be true as well.

For some, it is more of a stand against useless, needless, more harm than good 'technology' that will in no way improve anything for anyone but the promoters of MQA.

Before you rule out non MQA DAC's, I'd just encourage learning more about it.

It's a non issue in terms of anything but a little light coming on to make you feel good. Won't improve the sound. There are other threads where the battle wages...

 

[MatrixAudio]

I thought MQA required additional or specific hardware, so if the DAC has not been designed for it from the outset, it can't be updated later with firmware or software.

I also think there may be a licensing fee the manufacturer has to pay?

In sum, it's not easy or sometimes possible to just update an earlier design for MQA.

Someone please correct me if this is wrong.

we decided not add MQA ability to this products. MQA full decoder involves coresponding hardwares and firmwares, as well as royalties.
element i cannot support MQA decode by firmware update.
Thank you!

 

[RichB]

@MatrixAudio ,

I ordered an Element i from your online store. What is the expected shipping time to the east coast USA?

It does not have a trigger, but in the past I have been able to trigger my Benchmark AHB2 using a home-made USB to trigger cable. Will your USB inputs power on with the unit?

I plan on using it as a Roon endpoint, hard wired. What does "actually exists bugs" mean for Roon?

- Rich