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Matrix Audio X-SABRE 3 DAC/Streamer Official Thread

Docmoggy

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Did you check the Volume is up? The X-SABRE 3 comes with Variable volume settings from factory so make sure the volume is all the way up.

Also make sure the "Input" is properly selected.
Yes you’re right, has to be R+XLR
 

Docmoggy

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It should work both ways, fixed and variable. I run my X-SABRE 3 through a pre amp and I have mine set on Variable Out.
Yes I have that setting too, but does not work with my Topping Pre 90 set at XLR out. Seems it has this R+XLR setting and that works. There isn’t a bypass function with the X3?
 
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enricoclaudio

enricoclaudio

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Yes I have that setting too, but does not work with my Topping Pre 90 set at XLR out. Seems it has this R+XLR setting and that works. There isn’t a bypass function with the X3?
R+XLR on the Pre 90 means the Pre 90 outputs from RCA and XLR. The Pre 90 should output from XLR if XLR only is selected.
 

Docmoggy

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R+XLR on the Pre 90 means the Pre 90 outputs from RCA and XLR. The Pre 90 should output from XLR if XLR only is selected.
Hi - if I just select the XLR in/out I get a very very weak output from my speakers I have to turn the pre amp to almost 12db to get loud enough sound. That can’t be right? Puzzling me. Seems happy with XLR+R. Just as an update and, I have no idea what I did, but with the line out set at fixed- the topping inputs/outputs set at XLR only seem to suddenly work!
 
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enricoclaudio

enricoclaudio

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Hi - if I just select the XLR in/out I get a very very weak output from my speakers I have to turn the pre amp to almost 12db to get loud enough sound. That can’t be right? Puzzling me. Seems happy with XLR+R.

What about if you bypass the Pre 90?
 

Docmoggy

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The Sabre X3 at $3000 is excellent value for money. I’m not going to pretend to be a professional reviewer, but one of my test comparison is Donald Fagen the Nightfly. I can now hear a lot more separation and the voice layering. Caveats - MQA and not blind testing. However, I’m very impressed and content!

Couple of observations - the glass top overhangs the rear by about 5mm and this can interfere slightly with a non standard high shielded power cord input socket. The lcd screen is tiny and I can’t see the volume level. Not really a big deal, but they could enlarge the volume to fill the screen to help visualization. I’m not sure if people are expecting an improvement after a burn in period?
 
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enricoclaudio

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Not sure how electronics can benefit from "burn in"? Mine sounds the same since day 1. Also, to my ears, there is not difference in sound between my MA mini-i Pro 3 and X-SABRE 3. In terms of performance, the X-SABRE 3 is superior to the mini-i Pro 3 but I really can't tell them apart.
 

Docmoggy

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Not sure how electronics can benefit from "burn in"? Mine sounds the same since day 1. Also, to my ears, there is not difference in sound between my MA mini-i Pro 3 and X-SABRE 3. In terms of performance, the X-SABRE 3 is superior to the mini-i Pro 3 but I really can't tell them apart.
Was just conjecture. Speaker people go for a few hundred hours running in, which; I think makes a bit of sense, hi end speaker cables etc and some source devices which I don’t.

If there was any improvement then my ears wouldn’t be able to detect; being so old. I’m having to readjust my speaker position because the staging changed. The sound projection is a lot more detailed. Much more.

I guess the same chip is in both MA devices?
 

applebees

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Got mine delivered this afternoon. First impression is it looks like my … cheese cutting board ..lol.. The screen is tiny, the menu and control layout is not very user friendly, it took me a while to figure out which button to press next.
It sounds beautiful on my system, but always has distorted sound about 0.5 second at beginning of each song when playing an album (I play music via dlna render, music stored on Synology NAS). It could be a new bug since mine has latest firmware. @MatrixAudio could you confirm?
 
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enricoclaudio

enricoclaudio

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Got mine delivered this afternoon. First impression is it looks like my … cheese cutting board ..lol.. The screen is tiny, the menu and control layout is not very user friendly, it took me a while to figure out which button to press next.
It sounds beautiful on my system, but always has distorted sound about 0.5 second at beginning of each song when playing an album (I play music via dlna render, music stored on Synology NAS). It could be a new bug since mine has latest firmware. @MatrixAudio could you confirm?

Mine has no issues playing music stored in my Synology NAS after updating the firmware to build 0.44. Make sure you really have the latest firmware installed. If you need a bigger screen and have Roon, just build a RoPieee Display to show the metadata. It works wonderfully with the X-SABRE 3.

IMG_8743.jpeg



IMG_8744.jpeg
 

applebees

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How to get the version number displayed? I tried to upgrade firmware on the Setting menu and it said “No update available”, so I assumed it has latest firmware, but not sure what’s the version number.
 

applebees

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Ah… found the version number, it’s V1.01 build044. So it’s the same firmware as your.
 

QuantumKat

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Was going to pull the trigger on this but there seem to be so many bugs. Have these been fixed? Any update on perceptions of measurements?

Further still, what are the main advantages of this model over the older X-Sabre Pro MQA? Is the sound any better on the new one? More inputs? What's the pro vs. con on this new one versus the older, cheaper one?

Thanks!
 
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enricoclaudio

enricoclaudio

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Was going to pull the trigger on this but there seem to be so many bugs. Have these been fixed? Any update on perceptions of measurements?

Further still, what are the main advantages of this model over the older X-Sabre Pro MQA? Is the sound any better on the new one? More inputs? What's the pro vs. con on this new one versus the older, cheaper one?

Thanks!

99% of bugs reported initially were fixed with the latest firmware update. I use mine with Roon for about 8 hours a day without a single glitch.
 

QuantumKat

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99% of bugs reported initially were fixed with the latest firmware update. I use mine with Roon for about 8 hours a day without a single glitch.
Nice!

Do you think there's a huge advantage for this new version over the older one that's like $1k cheaper? Is it the Roon integration that sets the new one apart?
 
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enricoclaudio

enricoclaudio

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Nice!

Do you think there's a huge advantage for this new version over the older one that's like $1k cheaper? Is it the Roon integration that sets the new one apart?

In terms of performance, both the X-SABRE 3 and X-SABRE Pro MQA should be almost identical. The main differences are that the X-SABRE 3 is now a Streamer, meaning it has Ethernet and WiFi so it offers integration with Spotify Connect, TIDAL connect, DLNA and it's Roon Ready. To me, those differences are worthy of the price difference and even more. I can't get tired of saying that to get the same performance and functions, you have to look at the Lumin X1 which is a $15000 device.
 

QuantumKat

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In terms of performance, both the X-SABRE 3 and X-SABRE Pro MQA should be almost identical. The main differences are that the X-SABRE 3 is now a Streamer, meaning it has Ethernet and WiFi so it offers integration with Spotify Connect, TIDAL connect, DLNA and it's Roon Ready. To me, those differences are worthy of the price difference and even more. I can't get tired of saying that to get the same performance and functions, you have to look at the Lumin X1 which is a $15000 device.
Well sir, you are selling it. My Roon never finishes adding all my files and is constantly crashing... I'm hoping to figure that out. It'd be nice to be able to use Roon (even though I can't use it with my seedbox for some reason). That's got me using Plex a lot. Is there any support for Plex?

Last question: I'm planning on pairing this with a tube amp like the Feliks Euforia. Any experience with that combination? Sabre + Tube Amp? I'm primarily a headphone guy.
 
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enricoclaudio

enricoclaudio

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Well sir, you are selling it. My Roon never finishes adding all my files and is constantly crashing... I'm hoping to figure that out. It'd be nice to be able to use Roon (even though I can't use it with my seedbox for some reason). That's got me using Plex a lot. Is there any support for Plex?

Last question: I'm planning on pairing this with a tube amp like the Feliks Euforia. Any experience with that combination? Sabre + Tube Amp? I'm primarily a headphone guy.

I have a NUC 10i7FNHN running Roon ROCK as Roon Core and it works without any glitch with all my 6 Roon Ready end points. I have no experience with PLEX, sorry. I have my X-SABRE 3 unbalanced outs going to a Drawmer CMC3 monitor controller and from there to my Dynaudio active monitors. Then from X-SABRE 3 balanced outs (XLR) to a Topping A90 headphone amp. Both systems sound great.
 
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