• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required as is 20 years of participation in forums (not all true). There are daily reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

Matrix Element X2 Streamer Review

Rate this streamer:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 14 5.2%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 80 30.0%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 129 48.3%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 44 16.5%

  • Total voters
    267

subframe

Active Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2023
Messages
117
Likes
170
Those amp specs seems weird. 230W in 2-channel but 850W in mono? Is that a typo I wonder.
 

enricoclaudio

Major Contributor
Audio Company
Forum Donor
Joined
Jan 7, 2021
Messages
1,059
Likes
1,946
Location
Houston, TX - USA
Those amp specs seems weird. 230W in 2-channel but 850W in mono? Is that a typo I wonder.

It's not a typo:

Screenshot 2023-03-27 at 8.54.02 AM.png


 

Tangband

Major Contributor
Joined
Sep 3, 2019
Messages
2,606
Likes
2,464
Location
Sweden
Why does this product cost 5 times more than the Eversolo streamer ?
 

staticV3

Master Contributor
Joined
Aug 29, 2019
Messages
5,174
Likes
8,025
Why does this product cost 5 times more than the Eversolo streamer ?
-less known brand
-fewer input types
-no built-in headphone amp
-no trigger in/out
-more noise on analog outputs
 

xrqp

Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2022
Messages
30
Likes
2
These are stereo components so it’s logical that the HDMI eARC input only handles and process what it can reproduce which is stereo.
Do we agree that makes the HDMI very unimportant. A very teeny tiny positive.
 

tk21

New Member
Joined
Jan 8, 2022
Messages
2
Likes
1
Do we agree that makes the HDMI very unimportant. A very teeny tiny positive.
I don't quite agree. For me, HDMI eARC might be worth a couple hundred dollars, if that were the net cost to upgrade from my Element X to the X2.

I don't own an AVR and am not too interested in surround sound. Watching movies with HiFi stereo sound is ok. For that, an HDMI eARC connection would be better than Toslink, not so much for SQ as for the improved command and control functionality.

However, to me, the price jump from the Element X (~$3K new in 2020) to the X2 (~$4.5K in 2023) is too much just for that feature. The improved remote control might be worth another couple hundred bucks, along with the touchscreen (for the album info display, not so much for the "touch" controls.)
 
Last edited:

Snoopy

Major Contributor
Joined
Jul 19, 2021
Messages
1,483
Likes
1,039
Do we agree that makes the HDMI very unimportant. A very teeny tiny positive.

Why ? I imagine plenty people are fine with Stereo setups because they use their loudspeakers mainly for music and netflix where stereo is absolutely fine.

I like movies and TV shows but 2.1 is fine for me. Wouldn't even have the space for a proper 5.1 or more setup.
 

EJ3

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 10, 2019
Messages
1,922
Likes
1,453
Location
James Island, SC
Why ? I imagine plenty people are fine with Stereo setups because they use their loudspeakers mainly for music and netflix where stereo is absolutely fine.

I like movies and TV shows but 2.1 is fine for me. Wouldn't even have the space for a proper 5.1 or more setup.
The only thing that I am doing different than you is 2.2 (instead of 2.1) For stereo & DVD, 4K etc. I don't stream. It's either one of the 36 channels I get over the air or FM (75 mile radius [but it's 1/a radius because about 180 degrees of it is Atlantic Ocean]). Or the silver discs in whatever format.
 

Shultzee

New Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2023
Messages
2
Likes
0
Anyone that has a ELEMENT X2 pure streamer can explain the three settings, High, Ultra, Flac? I understand Flac but can't find info anywhere on the other two. You would think Ultra is the highest but it's the middle setting. The performance of the X2 pure dac is pretty amazing. I just spent two years with a Rockne Wavedream and I don't feel I am missing a thing.
 

Doodski

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
19,349
Likes
19,102
Location
Canada
Rockne Wavedream
As nice looking and as esoteric as the Wavedream is if a DAC is doing it's job properly it will have no sound of it's own. So in todays DACs there are now DAC(s) that are priced at less than $100 and they output transparent sound that is uncolored and exceeds the human hearing abilities.
rwd_top.jpg
 

Shultzee

New Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2023
Messages
2
Likes
0
I am not going down that road. Just trying to get an answer to above question. I have owned a Pagoda, Bifrost, Cutest, Yggdrasil, Wavedream and now X2 pure. None of them have sounded the same to me but I digress.
 

Doodski

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Dec 9, 2019
Messages
19,349
Likes
19,102
Location
Canada
I am not going down that road. Just trying to get an answer to above question. I have owned a Pagoda, Bifrost, Cutest, Yggdrasil, Wavedream and now X2 pure. None of them have sounded the same to me but I digress.
You drop names like they mean something here and lend credibility to your commentary and then don't want to go there. DACs are a solved problem and have been for years. Searching for a DAC to color your sound is not scientific and not true to electronics theory. I ask if you at least level matched them when you compared them or if you listen for weeks and then claim sound coloration is occurring in a DAC?
 
Top Bottom