Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro MQA vs Mytek Brooklyn DAC+

[digicidal]

Mr. Marchand can truly customize any crossover point or channel attenuation you need. And everything is based on modules you can put in and out.

I just checked out his site... it definitely looks flexible and I'm glad you like the sound. I'd probably just stick with a Behringer unit or a miniDSP setup so I'd have some DSP capability as well. It does look very pretty with all those tubes lit however - and the ME fits in better with it's retro styling. The little "digital section" really strikes an interesting contrast to the rest of the gear - it's like the meeting of two distinct eras.

 

[Julf]

Mr. Marchand can truly customize any crossover point or channel attenuation you need. And everything is based on modules you can put in and out.

Wouldn't a miniDSP give even more flexibility?

 

[gags11]

I just checked out his site... it definitely looks flexible and I'm glad you like the sound. I'd probably just stick with a Behringer unit or a miniDSP setup so I'd have some DSP capability as well. It does look very pretty with all those tubes lit however - and the ME fits in better with it's retro styling. The little "digital section" really strikes an interesting contrast to the rest of the gear - it's like the meeting of two distinct eras.

Well, with the setup I have, everything is pretty flat. The only EQ I apply, is to lower bass in Roon’s DSP. Not sure how miniDSP can add to my system. I am not that familiar with miniDSP, but my understanding is that it will do all the crossovers in the digital domain, but not sure how it performs as a DAC. Would love to hear the difference at some point, Mytek to ME to Amps vs. miniDSP to amps.

 

[Julf]

Well, with the setup I have, everything is pretty flat. The only EQ I apply, is to lower bass in Roon’s DSP. Not sure how miniDSP can add to my system. I am not that familiar with miniDSP, but my understanding is that it will do all the crossovers in the digital domain, but not sure how it performs as a DAC. Would love to hear the difference at some point, Mytek to ME to Amps vs. miniDSP to amps.

The DAC is unlikely to be the bottleneck.

 

[Spocko]

Well, with the setup I have, everything is pretty flat. The only EQ I apply, is to lower bass in Roon’s DSP. Not sure how miniDSP can add to my system. I am not that familiar with miniDSP, but my understanding is that it will do all the crossovers in the digital domain, but not sure how it performs as a DAC. Would love to hear the difference at some point, Mytek to ME to Amps vs. miniDSP to amps.

Just to clarify about the MiniDSP in case others find this thread: the MiniDSP SHD Studio is all digital domain EQ/Dirac, no DAC, and sends digital signal through 4 channels matrixed/crossed/EQ'd however you want, from 2.0 to 2.2 stereo; for example, channels 1 & 2 digital signal to a DAC/Amp main speaker pair, and channels 3 & 4 to another DAC to subwoofer pair. The MiniDSP SHD (reviewed on this site) has all that plus includes ADC/DAC and can serve as a pre-amp.

 

[Inkey31]

Can anyone point me to the Brooklyn DAC + measurements?

They do not seem to be on their website as well.

I am torn between getting that DAC or the X Sabre. The Brooklyn at least has a headphone out. The X Sabre does not.

 

[Veri]

I am torn between getting that DAC or the X Sabre. The Brooklyn at least has a headphone out. The X Sabre does not.

Have you considered the Okto Stereo DAC? Sabre performance, headphone output. Matrix Audio Element I is also a good contender if you like streamer/bluetooth functionalities.

The Brooklyn looks very average, on paper.

 

[Inkey31]

I went to their site, I was unable to locate a price for it. Where do you buy it?

Also which Matrix Audio Element dac, the M or the X? I found benchmark numbers for the X but not the M. The M looks like a good buy, I would be fine with single ended considering I own 5 other AMPs.

Budget was trying to stay around 2K, but for 2K was hoping to get a headphone amp in it as well. I also wanted MQA because I only use Tidel, I honestly do not know where to get High Res music other then downloading it via torrent (which I advise against). Where do you get high res music? I noticed Flac and Master sound the same to be honest.

I really like the benchmark DAC3, but now it seems out of date and I should wait for a new release. Or even the RME ADI 3 DAC

 

[Veri]

I went to their site, I was unable to locate a price for it. Where do you buy it?

Also which Matrix Audio Element dac, the M or the X? I found benchmark numbers for the X but not the M. The M looks like a good buy, I would be fine with single ended considering I own 5 other AMPs.

Okto Stereo: (includes a head-amp)
https://www.oktoresearch.com/dac8stereo.htm
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...d-measurements-of-okto-dac8-8ch-dac-amp.7064/
Matrix Element i: (includes a head-amp)
https://www.matrix-digi.com/en/products/417.html
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...atrix-audio-element-i-usb-dac-streamer.10360/

The RME ADI-2 was just updated with a new DAC chip. It won't be updated to a '3' any time soon, could take years.
None of these support MQA, though... I personally don't like or use MQA myself so can't help you there.

 

[Inkey31]

There is no audible difference between a SIND at 113 or 120, correct?

At least to the human ear?

Thank you very much for the links and the help, I really appreciate it.

 

[Spocko]

There is no audible difference between a SIND at 113 or 120, correct?
At least to the human ear?
Thank you very much for the links and the help, I really appreciate it.

Your headphone/speaker signal distortions would have more of an effect on sound quality than any audible differences indicated by those numbers.

 

[Julf]

There is no audible difference between a SIND at 113 or 120, correct?

At least to the human ear?

Indeed. Imagine the loudest your system can go is 110 dB SPL or so. -113 would be -3 dB SPL.

 

[Inkey31]

Gotcha no difference in audio performance in DAC's between their 1000 dac to their 3000 dac, just features.

 

[Inkey31]

Your headphone/speaker signal distortions would have more of an effect on sound quality than any audible differences indicated by those numbers.

You mean the distortion from the headphone itself, whatever the headphone distortion is?

 

[Spocko]

You mean the distortion from the headphone itself, whatever the headphone distortion is?

Yep, the driver, cross-over, box/container, etc. all of that will add/distort the signal received from the DAC/amplifier so you are never truly hearing 100% of the signal. By the time the sound actually reaches your ears? Your room acoustics and noise floor have just distorted the signal even more so.

 

[Inkey31]

Does anyone know how the Benchmark DAC3's headphone amp out preforms?

 

[Inkey31]

Okto Stereo: (includes a head-amp)
https://www.oktoresearch.com/dac8stereo.htm
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...d-measurements-of-okto-dac8-8ch-dac-amp.7064/
Matrix Element i: (includes a head-amp)
https://www.matrix-digi.com/en/products/417.html
https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...atrix-audio-element-i-usb-dac-streamer.10360/

The RME ADI-2 was just updated with a new DAC chip. It won't be updated to a '3' any time soon, could take years.
None of these support MQA, though... I personally don't like or use MQA myself so can't help you there.

Any difference between the M and the I from Matrix you are aware of? Looks like one uses internal power supply and the other does not.

So the Matrix I could be subjected to switching noise?

Also, I signed up on Patron to support the website. Thank you guys for all your help.

 

[gags11]

Can anyone point me to the Brooklyn DAC + measurements?

They do not seem to be on their website as well.

I am torn between getting that DAC or the X Sabre. The Brooklyn at least has a headphone out. The X Sabre does not.

I don’t think there is a Brooklyn DAC+ measurement here or from any reputable reviewers. The original Brooklyn DAC did not measure that well, but a lot of the negatives supposedly have been addressed in the newer DAC+. Also the way the original Brooklyn DAC was measured may have contributed to the results.

Anyway, the most important advantage of the Brooklyn DAC+ over the Matrix are the features. Phono stage, headphone amp, amount of voltage output to name a few.

I personally could not hear any difference between these DACs, so the Mytek was a no brainer for me.

 

[Inkey31]

I don’t think there is a Brooklyn DAC+ measurement here or from any reputable reviewers. The original Brooklyn DAC did not measure that well, but a lot of the negatives supposedly have been addressed in the newer DAC+. Also the way the original Brooklyn DAC was measured may have contributed to the results.

Anyway, the most important advantage of the Brooklyn DAC+ over the Matrix are the features. Phono stage, headphone amp, amount of voltage output to name a few.

I personally could not hear any difference between these DACs, so the Mytek was a no brainer for me.

You haven’t had any issued with the Mytex? Does MQA work ok?

Really no difference? Thats cool, tells me that the Brooklyn is clean then.

Hows the headphone out? Have you compared it to any other AMPs?

 

[gags11]

You haven’t had any issued with the Mytex? Does MQA work ok?

Really no difference? Thats cool, tells me that the Brooklyn is clean then.

Hows the headphone out? Have you compared it to any other AMPs?

I do not know the Mytek DAC+ SINAD. However, I could not hear a difference in my dirty objective blind test between the Mytek DAC+ and the Matrix.
I have not tried the headphone Amp, but the phono stage is a huge plus, and it sounds great!