Matrix Audio X-SABRE Pro MQA: Best Audio DAC in the World?

[Triumph_900]

Hello all.
I have a question about MQA on the X-Sabre Pro Mqa. Can I get the full Mqa decoding from a streamer through Coax or it's just through USB?

 

[Bamyasi]

Hello all.
I have a question about MQA on the X-Sabre Pro Mqa. Can I get the full Mqa decoding from a streamer through Coax or it's just through USB?

USB only.

 

[Triumph_900]

USB only.

Thank You Bamyasi.

 

[monkey4054]

Has anyone compared the X-SABRE Pro the RME ADI-2 DAC fs (4490 version)? I'm currently using the RME, but I only really use it as a DAC and don't mess with any of the features except the bass and treble EQ dials. Wondering if I should sell it and buy the X-SABRE as my standalone DAC?

 

[Veri]

Has anyone compared the X-SABRE Pro the RME ADI-2 DAC fs (4490 version)? I'm currently using the RME, but I only really use it as a DAC and don't mess with any of the features except the bass and treble EQ dials. Wondering if I should sell it and buy the X-SABRE as my standalone DAC?

Isn't the X-Sabre around the same price range? If you use the ADI-2 as a DAC only, then yes for sure there are cheaper capable units that can serve as a DAC.

 

[sangbro]

Very basic technical (maybe a bit stupid) questions about this model and dac in general,

1) If I have pre-amp, then is there any way I don’t use Matrix X’s pre-amp?
Or should every signal go through your pre-amp anyway?
(So Your Pre-amp -> my Pre-amp?)

2) I plan to play songs from iPad with the app Flacbox. (Aiff files)
Without any subscription service, can I just use my airplay2?

Thank you for helping an old fool.

 

[30 Ounce]

Very basic technical (maybe a bit stupid) questions about this model and dac in general,

1) If I have pre-amp, then is there any way I don’t use Matrix X’s pre-amp?
Or should every signal go through your pre-amp anyway?
(So Your Pre-amp -> my Pre-amp?)

2) I plan to play songs from iPad with the app Flacbox. (Aiff files)
Without any subscription service, can I just use my airplay2?

Thank you for helping an old fool.

X-SABRE PRO MQA has a digital volume control that can be defeated. I never cared for digital volume controls so I have mine defeated and it goes directly to my preamp.

You should be able to use your iPad as described but I think AirPlay has some serious limitations. You would be limited to cd sampling rate of 44.1 and at that point the X-SABRE PRO MQA is overkill.

 

[Veri]

You should be able to use your iPad as described but I think AirPlay has some serious limitations. You would be limited to cd sampling rate of 44.1 and at that point the X-SABRE PRO MQA is overkill.

If you'd say 16-bit 44kHz I'd say you have a point, but there's nothing inherently wrong with 44k sampling...

 

[30 Ounce]

If you'd say 16-bit 44kHz I'd say you have a point, but there's nothing inherently wrong with 44k sampling...

AirPlay 2 says it’s limited to cd quality so I think that would be 16 bit 44.1 kHz.

 

[sangbro]

X-SABRE PRO MQA has a digital volume control that can be defeated. I never cared for digital volume controls so I have mine defeated and it goes directly to my preamp.

You should be able to use your iPad as described but I think AirPlay has some serious limitations. You would be limited to cd sampling rate of 44.1 and at that point the X-SABRE PRO MQA is overkill.

Thank you

So, by turn off (all the way to mute = defeat?) the volume of Matrix, I can bypass Matrix’s pre-amp feature.

One more very basic question, for example, when I connect Laptop(MacBook) to Matrix, how do I know the song is becoming analogue by Matrix’s DAC, not laptop’s DAC? Can I bypass the first source’s DAC completely (like Laptop) and only use Matrix’s DAC?

oh, about the source, I used to listen to music with LPs and Cds. So, I thought that my best sources are 16 bit / 44.1 khz.
I do not have better music sources.

Still I’m interested in Matrix X Sabre Pro, because 1) I want to experience the best DAC, 2) a bit of future proof - I only listen to classical music/some jazz. Tidal doesn’t really have MQA files for me yet. Still all of them are are FLAC (16bit/44).
I do not want to use any kind of subscription yet but just rip my cds(aiff/wav) and want to play by airplay2 - as far as I know there should be no loss.

 

[30 Ounce]

Thank you

So, by turn off (all the way to mute = defeat?) the volume of Matrix, I can bypass Matrix’s pre-amp feature.

One more very basic question, for example, when I connect Laptop(MacBook) to Matrix, how do I know the song is becoming analogue by Matrix’s DAC, not laptop’s DAC? Can I bypass the first source’s DAC completely (like Laptop) and only use Matrix’s DAC?

oh, about the source, I used to listen to music with LPs and Cds. So, I thought that my best sources are 16 bit / 44.1 khz.
I do not have better music sources.

Still I’m interested in Matrix X Sabre Pro, because 1) I want to experience the best DAC, 2) a bit of future proof - I only listen to classical music/some jazz. Tidal doesn’t really have MQA files for me yet. Still all of them are are FLAC (16bit/44).
I do not want to use any kind of subscription yet but just rip my cds(aiff/wav) and want to play by airplay2 - as far as I know there should be no loss.

In the settings menu you can choose to use as a DAC and it will output full volume or use as a DAC/preamp which it will offer volume control.
When you connect to your Mac through USB it will recognize it and send digital signal to the DAC. In Tidal you may need to go into settings and choose X-SABRE PRO MQA. On my Mac mini Tidal will sometimes switch to “system controlled” which means your Mac is controlling the digital stream. You want Tidal to connect directly and control your DAC for best audio.

 

[sangbro]

If I only want to use as DAC, then do I need to choose ”to use as a DAC”, NOT “use as a DAC/Preamp”.

Or Should I choose “to use as a DAC/Preamp -> then put the volume to mute“

Which is a correct way? When you mention “it will output full volume”, it sounds like Matrix X Sabre Pro uses its PreAmp function.
(That I do not want.)

Thank you for the tip regarding Tidal. Something like you point out is exactly what I want to learn. I guess so many people using “system controlled” without knowing, and just think they use “X-Sabre Pro” instead of their computer.

Personally, I think I will use iPad (via AirPlay2) for a while, but once I decide to try subscription service (when it’s good for classical music), I plan to get a mac mini too.

 

[30 Ounce]

If I only want to use as DAC, then do I need to choose ”to use as a DAC”, NOT “use as a DAC/Preamp”.

Or Should I choose “to use as a DAC/Preamp -> then put the volume to mute“

Which is a correct way? When you mention “it will output full volume”, it sounds like Matrix X Sabre Pro uses its PreAmp function.
(That I do not want.)

Thank you for the tip regarding Tidal. Something like you point out is exactly what I want to learn. I guess so many people using “system controlled” without knowing, and just think they use “X-Sabre Pro” instead of their computer.

Personally, I think I will use iPad (via AirPlay2) for a while, but once I decide to try subscription service (when it’s good for classical music), I plan to get a mac mini too.

Choose DAC. If I remember correctly it comes set to use as a DAC/Pre so you will want to change that to DAC in the settings menu.
If you have it set to DAC/Pre and turn the volume down to mute it will simply mute the output.
Output of full volume is what you want in DAC mode to maximize signal to noise ratio, dynamic range and gives the highest resolution. This allows you to control the volume with your preamp.

 

[Novak]

If I only want to use as DAC, then do I need to choose ”to use as a DAC”, NOT “use as a DAC/Preamp”.

Or Should I choose “to use as a DAC/Preamp -> then put the volume to mute“

Which is a correct way? When you mention “it will output full volume”, it sounds like Matrix X Sabre Pro uses its PreAmp function.
(That I do not want.)

Thank you for the tip regarding Tidal. Something like you point out is exactly what I want to learn. I guess so many people using “system controlled” without knowing, and just think they use “X-Sabre Pro” instead of their computer.

Personally, I think I will use iPad (via AirPlay2) for a while, but once I decide to try subscription service (when it’s good for classical music), I plan to get a mac mini too.

you can do both, but if you keep volume control ON, you set it to maximum, hence 0dB for same results.

 

[Harmonie]

Not sure if you misunderstand the 0db meaning:
0db is the loudest volume and also the best specs on the Dac.
So you set it to pure Dac mode which is also the equivalent of 0db or loudest volume.
The preamp will actually turn the volume down, I doubt that it will make it louder (but may do as it's surely an active preamp).

However, you can also connect the Dac into a power-amp directly without using any preamp.
Many of us operate likewise here.

 

[SwissBear]

Hi,

I noticed that there were two blends of measurements for this DAC, one made my amirm in August 2019 and one made by WolfX700 in November 2019.

Both sets of measurements are very close one from the other. Only one measurement seems rather different about multi-tone intermodulation.
This is the measurement of amirm:

and this is the one ot WolfX700:

My question is: Is there a difference in methodology which can explain such difference or is it just a difference of sampling ?
Thanks

 

[Veri]

Hi,

I noticed that there were two blends of measurements for this DAC, one made my amirm in August 2019 and one made by WolfX700 in November 2019.

Both sets of measurements are very close one from the other. Only one measurement seems rather different about multi-tone intermodulation.
This is the measurement of amirm:
View attachment 105161

and this is the one ot WolfX700:

View attachment 105163

My question is: Is there a difference in methodology which can explain such difference or is it just a difference of sampling ?
Thanks

Amir's is MQA ver., Wolf's is X-Sabre Pro (non MQA). They were released some time apart, these versions.

 

[Stereolab42]

I own this DAC and am confused about the +18db optional boost you can enable for PRE mode. At first I thought if you enabled it, +18db would just be added automatically, but instead what it does is it lets you click the volume above 0db. OK, fine. But then I noticed in the manual that the output level is documented to max out at 4.5v balanced in both DAC and PRE mode. So does this mean the +18db feature CANNOT be used to otherwise exceed the 4.5v limit, implying that clipping will occur if you go above 0db on a full-scale signal? In that case, isn't "pre-amp" a misleading name for this feature? It doesn't amplify anything, it just unlocks digital volume above 0db.

 

[Noob]

I own this DAC and am confused about the +18db optional boost you can enable for PRE mode. At first I thought if you enabled it, +18db would just be added automatically, but instead what it does is it lets you click the volume above 0db. OK, fine. But then I noticed in the manual that the output level is documented to max out at 4.5v balanced in both DAC and PRE mode. So does this mean the +18db feature CANNOT be used to otherwise exceed the 4.5v limit, implying that clipping will occur if you go above 0db on a full-scale signal? In that case, isn't "pre-amp" a misleading name for this feature? It doesn't amplify anything, it just unlocks digital volume above 0db.

In preamp mode 0dB is still 4.5vrms. Going above 0dB is going above 4.5vrms.

You can also very easily check this by running it briefly at line level and then switching to preamp mode and listening for a difference in the volume you can get. That's the best way to be sure. 18dB is a lot, and would be a very obvious difference in volume in a simple test. I recommend playing your song quietly during the test to protect your gear.

 

[restorer-john]

Nobody is ever going to need 18dB above 4.5VRMS for a line signal.

That would be 35.7V RMS, and the preamp/DAC would need rails in excess of +/-50V internally, something not seen since 1970s preamplifiers, and even then, very rarely.

D/A converter output buffers run rails around +/-12V to maybe +/-15V, perhaps a tiny bit higher, so you may be able to swing 28Vpp max. Typically, you'd be seeing an upper figure of about 7-10VRMS, which would be ~+4-7dB over nominal "0"dB being your 4.5V.