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Matrix Audio X-SABRE 3 DAC/Streamer Official Thread

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enricoclaudio

enricoclaudio

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Lots of bugs for such a expensive device

I agree but looks like this is how things work these days with most electronics. Look at ARCAM, JBL, Emotiva, NAD and others. Almost 2 years after release of the ARCAM based receivers/processors, they still have issues. To me the most important aspect of this is communication and how the company responds to bugs reports and how fast they are able to fix them. BTW, all the bugs reported, while annoying some of them, they do not affect normal playback. From this point, things only can get better. And again, @MatrixAudio has replicated all the bugs and is working on fixing all of them.
 
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enricoclaudio

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My Bluesound Node has had no bugs whatever.

:cool:

I also have a Bluesound NODE, ARCAM ST60 and Matrix Audio mini-i Pro 3 and none of them have had issuesl. The X-SABRE 3 is very new, just released 1 week ago and not many out there yet. But even that @MatrixAudio assured me that my hardware is fine and all the issues I'm experimenting are software related, I still suspect I got a defective unit. An owner posted in another forum that he got his X-SABRE 3 5 days ago and it's performing without any issues. Maybe he is not as picky as I am?
 

MaxBuck

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I also have a Bluesound NODE, ARCAM ST60 and Matrix Audio mini-i Pro 3 and none of them have had issuesl. The X-SABRE 3 is very new, just released 1 week ago and not many out there yet. But even that @MatrixAudio assured me that my hardware is fine and all the issues I'm experimenting are software related, I still suspect I got a defective unit. An owner posted in another forum that he got his X-SABRE 3 5 days ago and it's performing without any issues. Maybe he is not as picky as I am?
Based upon the scorn I've received on other, more "audiophile" oriented sites, it must be that I'm not picky at all. I'm just so happy with my mid-fi/lo-fi system.
 

kfscoll

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From my experience as an Element X and mini-i Pro 3 owner, Matrix is the real deal. When I reported the minor issues I had early on, they always squashed those bugs in subsequent firmware releases. Expect those releases to come fast and furious for a short while after the product is first released.

Don’t worry - they’ll get you sorted out ASAP.
 
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enricoclaudio

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From my experience as an Element X and mini-i Pro 3 owner, Matrix is the real deal. When I reported the minor issues I had early on, they always squashed those bugs in subsequent firmware releases. Expect those releases to come fast and furious for a short while after the product is first released.

Don’t worry - they’ll get you sorted out ASAP.

Well, yesterday while chatting with APOS Audio representative and looking at all the evidence I have had reported, he thought it was convenient to process a RMA for a replacement unit. I thought this was going to take a few days but in fact, just 15 mins later after our conversation, APOS Audio emailed me the return shipping label and yesterday afternoon I sent the X-SABRE 3 back to them for an exhange. A new X-SABRE 3 is on the way. Hopefully, by the time the replacement unit arrives, a beta version would be available and I would be able to check if the bugs reported have been fixed.
 
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enricoclaudio

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@MatrixAudio just let me know that they released a new firmware addressing most of the bugs I have reported. Please, go into settings/firmware in your X-SABRE 3, download and install the new firmware and report back with your findings. My replacement X-SABRE 3 should be on the way by tomorrow so I will check the new firmware as soon I get the new X-SABRE 3 delivered.
 
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enricoclaudio

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Finally after a few weeks, got today the X-SABRE 3 replacement. Immediately updated the firmware to V1.0.1 Build044 and all the bugs concerning Roon, MQA and DSD playback have been fixed. Here is my list of bugs reported to @MatrixAudio:

1. Auto Sleep function from Roon works most of the time but not always.
R: FIXED with Build44

2. TIDAL Connect have a gap between songs of 4 secs when skipping tracks. It takes 4 secs for any song to start playing. Meaning there is no gapless playback
R: NOT FIXED. Bluesound devices had this same issue for months and got fixed back in June with the latest firmware.

3. When playing Tidal Connect, once pause then play again there will be a short fade in occur.
R: FIXED with Build44

4. Playing MQA, when pausing a MQA song, then replay, the song starts for about 1 sec, then stops then starts again with a fade in. All MQA songs start with a fade in, no matter if there is no change in sampling rate.
R: FIXED with Build44

5. If X-SABRE 3 is on Standby and start playing a song from Roon, will get “Failed to open the Audio Device” error message on Roon. Pressing play twice makes the error message go away.
R: FIXED with Build44

6. When playing with Roon DSD files at 2.8 or 11.2, no matter the sampling rate, if pause the song, as soon I press play again, there is a loud POP coming out of the speakers.
R: FIXED with Build44

7.- PCM (FLAC) songs get cut by about 100ms to 250ms at the beginning of the song. This only happens with some songs, not all of them and mostly with songs from Qobuz.
R: FIXED with Build44

Good job @MatrixAudio Team for such a fast response. Now we need @amirm getting one of these for him to measure it ;)

On my part, the Matrix Audio X-SABRE 3 deserves without any questions the Golfer Pink Panther but because the one I have is the Soccer Pink Panther, then it's what it gets from me :D

IMG_8338.jpg
 

1point21gigawatts

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Hoping someone that has some experience updating the firmware can give me some advice.
I've been using my Sabre-3 for three weeks or so, today I decided I would update the firmware. I was/am on build 42, and wanted to resolve the bugs outlined here.

The first question is, how long should I expect the download to take?
Mine has been stuck on what appears to be zero progress after an hour an a bit.

The second question is, if it is interupted, by either accident or purposefully, do I risk 'bricking' the DAC?

Update: The download can be exited at anytime, this is by no means a function that is reflashing the firmware. It will download and then prompt to install the new build making it safe.
 
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enricoclaudio

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Hoping someone that has some experience updating the firmware can give me some advice.
I've been using my Sabre-3 for three weeks or so, today I decided I would update the firmware. I was/am on build 42, and wanted to resolve the bugs outlined here.

The first question is, how long should I expect the download to take?
Mine has been stuck on what appears to be zero progress after an hour an a bit.

The second question is, if it is interupted, by either accident or purposefully, do I risk 'bricking' the DAC?

Update: The download can be exited at anytime, this is by no means a function that is reflashing the firmware. It will download and then prompt to install the new build making it safe.

That is correct. The firmware update is done in two stages: Stage 1 is download, which in mine takes about 1 min or so. Stage 2, the X-SABRE 3 will ask to press > to start the firmware update installation. Before Stage 2, the firmware update can be interrupted without any problems. It's during Stage 2 that the firmware update can't be interrupted. Stage 2 takes about 4 to 5 mins.
 

MatrixAudio

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Hoping someone that has some experience updating the firmware can give me some advice.
I've been using my Sabre-3 for three weeks or so, today I decided I would update the firmware. I was/am on build 42, and wanted to resolve the bugs outlined here.

The first question is, how long should I expect the download to take?
Mine has been stuck on what appears to be zero progress after an hour an a bit.

The second question is, if it is interupted, by either accident or purposefully, do I risk 'bricking' the DAC?

Update: The download can be exited at anytime, this is by no means a function that is reflashing the firmware. It will download and then prompt to install the new build making it safe.

It's not a problem to interupt the downloading process.
If it stucked at the downloading interface, you can quit it by the touch key and re-enter the download interface.
It seemed a connection issue, can you visit Matrix official website in the same network?
matrix-digi.com
 
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Arnas

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Finally after a few weeks, got today the X-SABRE 3 replacement. Immediately updated the firmware to V1.0.1 Build044 and all the bugs concerning Roon, MQA and DSD playback have been fixed. Here is my list of bugs reported to @MatrixAudio:

1. Auto Sleep function from Roon works most of the time but not always.
R: FIXED with Build44

2. TIDAL Connect have a gap between songs of 4 secs when skipping tracks. It takes 4 secs for any song to start playing. Meaning there is no gapless playback
R: NOT FIXED. Bluesound devices had this same issue for months and got fixed back in June with the latest firmware.

3. When playing Tidal Connect, once pause then play again there will be a short fade in occur.
R: FIXED with Build44

4. Playing MQA, when pausing a MQA song, then replay, the song starts for about 1 sec, then stops then starts again with a fade in. All MQA songs start with a fade in, no matter if there is no change in sampling rate.
R: FIXED with Build44

5. If X-SABRE 3 is on Standby and start playing a song from Roon, will get “Failed to open the Audio Device” error message on Roon. Pressing play twice makes the error message go away.
R: FIXED with Build44

6. When playing with Roon DSD files at 2.8 or 11.2, no matter the sampling rate, if pause the song, as soon I press play again, there is a loud POP coming out of the speakers.
R: FIXED with Build44

7.- PCM (FLAC) songs get cut by about 100ms to 250ms at the beginning of the song. This only happens with some songs, not all of them and mostly with songs from Qobuz.
R: FIXED with Build44

Good job @MatrixAudio Team for such a fast response. Now we need @amirm getting one of these for him to measure it ;)

On my part, the Matrix Audio X-SABRE 3 deserves without any questions the Golfer Pink Panther but because the one I have is the Soccer Pink Panther, then it's what it gets from me :D

View attachment 155930
GODDAMN! What a sexy looking dac! This one enhance any room when it comes to looks for sure.
On my wishlist for sure.
 

Docmoggy

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Has MA sent one of these DACs to ASR to test? Would love to know if it compares favorably to others in the product portfolio.
 

Arnas

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Hello MatrixAudio, Is that scratch proof glass? Would be heartbreaking to accidentally destroy this glass or scratch it.
 
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enricoclaudio

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Hello MatrixAudio, Is that scratch proof glass? Would be heartbreaking to accidentally destroy this glass or scratch it.

It's tempered glass. Not sure if it's scratch resistant, though. .....And don't ask me to try LOL.
 

1point21gigawatts

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@enricoclaudio @MatrixAudio
Thanks for the info, appreciate it. It is indeed an issue with my wifi connection, just general interference.
I was always planning on running a CAT6 to the DAC from my router to ensure a solid gateway to my NAS. This will resolve that.

The DAC is fantastic really, incredibly well made. It's main use for me is in an old repurposed HMV Stereogram - I've upgraded all the components, and so now have an old world entertaining unit that performs exeptionally well with todays media. It doubles up as the speaker system for my TV unit.
 

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Hi to the community. My 1st post here in the forum. :)

@MatrixAudio

Any recommendation on which input brings the highest SQ for Roon? Currently my configuration looks like this:

WLan Repeater -> LAN Cable -> SOtM SMS-200 Ultra Neo -> USB Cable -> DAC

Now there are the following opportunities:

  • stay with the components and use the USB input
  • omit the SOtM and use the LAN Cable to the X-Sabre 3
  • omit the SOtM and the Repeater and use the build in WLAN

Any help on the question would be great.

Best regards,
Oliver
 
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enricoclaudio

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@dvb-projekt , welcome to ASR Forum.

The X-SABRE 3 is a complete Streamer/DAC/Roon Ready end point so option 2 is the best option and the one I use with all my Roon end points, including my X-SABRE 3. It makes no sense to have the X-SABRE 3 plugged into a SOtM as it would be a redundant connection and it won't improve the SQ at all. USB input is OK only if you need to use the X-SABRE 3 as a DAC with your computer for other uses different than Roon. My X-SABRE 3 is literally under my 27" iMac and I don't even have a USB cable connected to it coming from my iMac as for that I have a RME Fireface UCX II audio interface. The less cables you run into the X-SABRE 3, the highest the chance you get to avoid any unwanted noises, specially those coming from computers USB ports.

Regarding WLAN, avoid it if possible as it is the most unreliable connection with Roon.

IMG_8535.jpeg
 
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dvb-projekt

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@dvb-projekt , welcome to ASR Forum.

The X-SABRE 3 is a complete Streamer/DAC/Roon Ready end point so option 2 is the best option and the one I use with all my Roon end points, including my X-SABRE 3. It makes no sense to have the X-SABRE 3 plugged into a SOtM as it would be a redundant connection and it won't improve the SQ at all. USB input is OK only if you need to use the X-SABRE 3 as a DAC with your computer for other uses different than Roon. My X-SABRE 3 is literally under my 27" iMac and I don't even have a USB cable connected to it coming from my iMac as for that I have a RME Fireface UCX II audio interface. The less cables you run into the X-SABRE 3, the highest the chance you get to avoid any unwanted noises, specially those coming from computers USB ports.

Regarding WLAN, avoid it if possible as it is the most unreliable connection with Roon.
Unfortunately i must use WLAN anyway, because my Roon Server ist in the 2nd floor.
Thats the reason why ask also for option 3.
 
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