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

[citraian]

@MatrixAudio , should the first X-SABRE Pro (non-MQA) measure the same?
Is there any difference between them besides the new USB interface and MQA support?

 

[SIY]

apx has a new model of apx555

AFAIK, he isn't using the latest B series. So indeed, this DAC is running at or close to the 555's measurement capability, and definitely exceeding that of the 525 I use. It might be interesting to incorporate data from the 555 in loopback as part of the graphs when the performance gets this good.

 

[suttondesign]

A quick question for @MatrixAudio: Can you please confirm that Power Holdings Inc. storefront on Amazon.com is your official vendor? Thank you.

Hey, NO! I'm an authorized dealer too (www.nice-cans.com)! Matrix is establishing their dealer network in the US, and some of us are pretty new.

 

[MatrixAudio]

@MatrixAudio , should the first X-SABRE Pro (non-MQA) measure the same?
Is there any difference between them besides the new USB interface and MQA support?

Hi citraian
The measurements would almost the same.
Besides the different USB interface chip, the firmware of XMOS is totally different as well.
Thank you.

 

[777]

Number one - Matrix Element, Number two - Sabaj D5, Number three - Okto DAC8, Number four - Matrix X Sabre Pro MQA

 

[Veri]

Number one - Matrix Element, Number two - Sabaj D5, Number three - Okto DAC8, Number four - Matrix X Sabre Pro MQA

Okto is number one in this specific measurement I would say, no? -140dB, divide by six thats 23.3 bits of resolution. Thinking about that rationally, all four devices show measurements far exceeding the human audible threshold lol. I would not worry.

 

[BostonJack]

Aestheticaly I am not too impressed. There is still nothng to beat Dieter Rams' audio designs for Braun, decades ago.

Hahaha,
Saw a couple of those in a Design exhibit at MOMA, New York city late this winter.
really beautiful treatment of simple elements: text, aluminum sheets, switches.
It would be really cool to emulate Rams' design sense on any DIY project (if you have the chops).

 

[Rene]

Hi Amir,

Which filter was used for the two-tone measurement; certainly not the default or any of the MQA filters.

And what was the sample rate used? The Total Dac appears to have been done at 48kHz.

Thanks,
Rene'



Since some of you are in love with intermodulation tests of all sorts, here is the test of 19 and 20 kHz tones:

View attachment 32221

For grins, I left in there the TotalDAC d1-six dac measurements in red. You rather have your soup with a bunch of flies in it or bug-free?


Here is the response of the different reconstruction filters with #2 being the default:

View attachment 32224

I would probably go with filter 3.

 

[AndrewDavis]

Would connecting this to a $99 headphone amp be overkill?

 

[777]

Okto is number one in this specific measurement I would say, no? -140dB, divide by six thats 23.3 bits of resolution. Thinking about that rationally, all four devices show measurements far exceeding the human audible threshold lol. I would not worry.

No -140dB but start from -20dB, so, we have -120dB in reality.

 

[seaninbrisbane]

I too am interested in this compared with RME ADI2 DAC. The RME has that clever combination of digital and analogue attenuation (great preamp) - does this?

 

[direstraitsfan98]

Would connecting this to a $99 headphone amp be overkill?

By my logic, I think so. Very few amps even have a noise floor that equals this dac. So, if the measurements are any indication, the dac will almost certainly be outperforming your amp. Or rather, you’d be bottlenecking your dac. But from my personal research, it seems like -114db noisefloor is the absolute limit of human hearing. All this being said, I don’t think there’s anything wrong purchasing this dac. It has many input options, including aes digital and USB. It’s solid, well made. And the performance is state of the art.

Anyway. What $99 amp are you using? I use a very inexpensive amp myself, I wrote a little bit about it Here.

I haven’t made up my mind just yet but I am probably going to replace my Schiit Dungnir multibit with the Matrix. God Bless Amir for measuring so many dacs.

 

[suttondesign]

A quick question for @MatrixAudio: Can you please confirm that Power Holdings Inc. storefront on Amazon.com is your official vendor? Thank you.

My understanding is that Power Holdings is transitioning to a role as distributor instead of dealer like me, but I could be wrong, and I encourage Power Holdings to chime in and clarify this.

 

[AndrewDavis]

By my logic, I think so. Very few amps even have a noise floor that equals this dac. So, if the measurements are any indication, the dac will almost certainly be outperforming your amp. Or rather, you’d be bottlenecking your dac. But from my personal research, it seems like -114db noisefloor is the absolute limit of human hearing. All this being said, I don’t think there’s anything wrong purchasing this dac. It has many input options, including aes digital and USB. It’s solid, well made. And the performance is state of the art.

Anyway. What $99 amp are you using? I use a very inexpensive amp myself, I wrote a little bit about it Here.

I haven’t made up my mind just yet but I am probably going to replace my Schiit Dungnir multibit with the Matrix. God Bless Amir for measuring so many dacs.

The JDS Atom, but I was being partly facetious (thank you for taking me seriously). It is a really interesting subject, though. If an amp is "provably audibly transparent", but the DAC is even more transparent, is there really a bottleneck?

 

[Silvera]

This would make a very nice pair with the HPA4 ...if you have deep pockets.

 

[DeepSpace57]

Number one - Matrix Element, Number two - Sabaj D5, Number three - Okto DAC8, Number four - Matrix X Sabre Pro MQA

$2999 VS $375 VS $1100 VS $1999, LOL!

 

[HLee]

I'm wondering if preamp is required for this dac which has 18dB gain control.
Some people insist that preamp makes better sound.

 

[amirm]

I'm wondering if preamp is required for this dac which has 18dB gain control.
Some people insist that preamp makes better sound.

If you don't need any other analog inputs, I would go directly to the power amp with it.

 

[AnalogDE]

Is this worth $1600+ more than my Sabaj D5?

 

[AndrovichIV]

Would connecting this to a $99 headphone amp be overkill?

yes.