Matrix Element X2 Streamer Review

[EJ3]

Hopefully companies will start to look at ways to differentiate their products more at some point with a few of these features. And if I may be so bold… tone controls and variable loudness. I know many will use EQ from the source such as Roon, but once you start adding other sources it has to be in the hardware.

If the tone controls operate like the ones in my APT/Holman preamps (see AMIR test of one of mine on this site), I might not need outside EQ.
But a processor loop (which these have) solves the issue of adding outside processing to anything that goes through the preamp. My system uses a pair of these preamps.

 

[Jimbob54]

Hopefully companies will start to look at ways to differentiate their products more at some point with a few of these features. And if I may be so bold… tone controls and variable loudness. I know many will use EQ from the source such as Roon, but once you start adding other sources it has to be in the hardware.

Exactly. And a device with streaming service integration AND a proper headphone socket has to be viewed as primarily a self contained system.

 

[uwotm8]

Woted for "Not terrible" due to insane price (it's a good product but definitely not a legendary brand to pay some extra $)

 

[EJ3]

I also own Topping and I love my A90D but comparing Topping with Matrix Audio is not even fair for Topping. You get a problem with your Matrix Audio device, and you can deal directly with @MatrixAudio, they will walk the extra mile to fix your issue, even build a custom firmware for you. I haven't hear of any other company doing this.

A main one of 2 main reasons that I don't and won't (at this point) own Topping.
The issues (involving longer term use and partial to full failures) as reported here and elsewhere, is the secondary primary reason.

 

[jhaider]

You're right it is not flawless, however for the "all-in-one" class product like this one, it might be one of the best if not the best this website has measured, in all price brackets.

How is this dumb thing an all in one?

Where’s the bass management?

Where are the EQs for pre and headphone outs?

If you want low-noise and distortion with your low fidelity, I guess it’s all in one. If you want high fidelity it’s a none in one, or at best competition for Wiim as a streaming source box.

A pity that PEQ in Roon does not apply to the HDMI Arc and other inputs in such a unit.

Yet again showing why a source is a very stupid place in the signal chain to put system calibration tools.

 

[Jim Shaw]

I agree that it is priced too high. Even if I had the money. If I had the money & it was $2500 it would strongly have my attention. If it was $3300 without the flaws, it would strongly have my attention.
It bothers me that they have already done better (yes, with a different feature set, but even so...). So they should already be able to get to the performance without to much extra research.
And while the feature set evolved (the price should also evolve: SOME for that) but the performance (that they already knew how to do [unless they got rid of employees that had done it {which would be their own fault}]).
It SHOULDN'T have cost much more to do that level of performance again (+ a few new features).
But the performance devolved and the added analog COULD have been better.
I will say that I think that what devolved MORE THAN OFFSETS the new use cases it has.
While still being very good in the grand scheme of what it does...

Value is a personal and individual thing. Some folks must drink from crystal, others, paper cups. Even if the liquid is identical. And everything in between.

Some folks prefer form over function; McIntosh anyone? Others will gleefully use an Aiyima and spend the rest on meatloaf or concert tickets. Vive la différence. Others here will greedily fret over where the money goes. Too many are locked in a do-loop seeking the lowest price. Most will simply seek an outstanding value in price vs. performance by their standards. The fool's errand is chasing perfection.

C'est la vie.

 

[Kevinfc]

Nice unit, poor value.

 

[enricoclaudio]

First and foremost, the New element 2 series and the X-SABRE3 streamers are Roon Ready devices designed and marketed for Roon users. However, Matrix Audio added some other functionalities, like TIDAL Connect, Spotify Connect, Qobuz, DLNA, HDMI ARC, etc.. so non Roon users can also use them but if you are not a Roon user, you should be looking somewhere else, period. These streamers have not build in EQ basically because if you are Roon user, you already have unlimited PEQs and other filters in Roon. Matrix Audio competition is not Topping, SMSL or any of the others commonly recommended here at ASR. Matrix Audio competitors are all high end, like LUMIX, HiFi Rose, NAD, Auralic, Bel Canto, Esoteric, Krell, and many others. When you compare Matrix Audio with those high end companies, you will see that Matrix Audio devices are even cheap for all that they do.

You want to do a fair comparison and look what other high end streamers cost? Check at this link:

Roon Ready Partners - Compatible Audio Equipment & Manufacturers

Roon works with 1,000+ audio devices from 200+ brands including JBL, KEF, McIntosh, Naim, Cambridge Audio, Denon & more. Find compatible gear.

roon.app

 

[VintageFlanker]

I'm convinced that Topping or someone else can do something similar at 1/10 the price.

Well, you're very, very wrong, then...

 

[dtaylo1066]

Keanu said, "Yeah, a bit pricey, but it pretty much kicks ass, adroitly dodges the bullets most other DAC/streamers fall prey to, and has a plethora of features. It brings ones and zeros to life in three dimensional space. What's not to dig about that?"

 

[Robbo99999]

Is it me, or is the distortion result with volume control done within the DAC itself looking way better than the usual graphs where it's reduced digitally - we're getting better performance here by reducing volume within the DAC rather than reducing the volume digitally before the DAC?

I'm not sure how it would compare to the following graph for instance, I think the following graph is showing more volume attenuation though (but not tried to work it out), so the above good looking performance might be because it's not being attenuated as much as the example below?

My general thoughts on this product - it's too expensive, way too expensive, so I didn't mark it highly, other than that it's good mainly.

 

[staticV3]

@amirm your Power sweeps still don't match your Voltage sweeps.
THD+N vs Power at 300Ω shows the Amp clipping at 17.3V [ sqrt(.994*300) ]:

while THD+N vs Voltage at 300Ω has it clipping at 15.7V:

 

[nyxnyxnyx]

How is this dumb thing an all in one?

Where’s the bass management?

Where are the EQs for pre and headphone outs?

If you want low-noise and distortion with your low fidelity, I guess it’s all in one. If you want high fidelity it’s a none in one, or at best competition for Wiim as a streaming source box.



Yet again showing why a source is a very stupid place in the signal chain to put system calibration tools.

it streams music, has its own DAC and a great headphone amplifier section, it can also be used as a preamp, although like you say the quality is not top-notch. You still tell me this device is not a one-stop-shop? The closest thing I can remember that offers a complete solution is RME-ADI, it has EQ settings but still lack streaming option.

There are certain device classes that were measured here but are not truly up to our "SOTA" status, but they are still the top products of their own class so rightfully they earned a recommendation, just like this one.

I think the sentiment of most comments here show the disappointment of price more than the quality of this product. I'm willing to guess you guys wouldn't been so disappointed if thing was like 10 times cheaper.

p/s: I agree with the last part. I myself don't know what is the main attraction of a "streaming device" in a signal chain, while it's easier to use a laptop or ipad or whatever.

 

[mdsimon2]

Is it me, or is the distortion result with volume control done within the DAC itself looking way better than the usual graphs where it's reduced digitally - we're getting better performance here by reducing volume within the DAC rather than reducing the volume digitally before the DAC?

I'm not sure how it would compare to the following graph for instance, I think the following graph is showing more volume attenuation though (but not tried to work it out), so the above good looking performance might be because it's not being attenuated as much as the example below?

My general thoughts on this product - it's too expensive, way too expensive, so I didn't mark it highly, other than that it's good mainly.

This has a hybrid analog/digital volume control -> https://hifigo.com/blogs/news/matri...l-analog-volume-controls-under-the-same-shell.

The low end of that graph is about 10 dB than you would expect based on digital volume control alone.

Michael

 

[BR52]

This has a hybrid analog/digital volume control -> https://hifigo.com/blogs/news/matri...l-analog-volume-controls-under-the-same-shell.

The low end of that graph is about 10 dB than you would expect based on digital volume control alone.

Michael

Maybe similar to RME

 

[Billy Budapest]

Really?

Based on eyeing the graphs, yes—the noise floor is down to almost -160dB in places. I am talking about the DAC portion of the device.

 

[staticV3]

Based on eyeing the graphs, yes—the noise floor is down to almost -160dB in places. I am talking about the DAC portion of the device.

The X2's DAC has 4dB more noise than the D90SE (20% as expensive) and 2.5dB more noise than the E70 (8% as expensive)

 

[BR52]

Based on eyeing the graphs, yes—the noise floor is down to almost -160dB in places. I am talking about the DAC portion of the device.

I see here only 107 dB

I was puzzled by rather high level of attenuation. I have let the company know and they are investigating. This impacts wideband THD+N measurements as it doesn't get rid of the extra "images" of the fundamental tone as well as it should be:

 

[jhaider]

These streamers have not build in EQ basically because if you are Roon user, you already have unlimited PEQs and other filters in Roon.

Stupid as it may be to have one “moderately useful” input and a bunch of “low fidelity” inputs, where’s the bass management and room correction?

Besides, at this price (or a fifth the price!) one should at minimum expect bass management and either a third party (e.g. Dirac Live Bass Control with an undisclosed roadmap to ART) or proprietary (ARC, RoomPerfect, etc) SOTA room correction software. That most “high end” companies unfortunately persist in shoving low-fi dross onto the market is neither here nor there. (Though you cited NAD and I believe they at least offer manual bass management and rudimentary (base Dirac) room correction.)

Brand loyalty may sell boxes but it does not push fidelity forward.

 

[enricoclaudio]

Stupid as it may be to have one “moderately useful” input and a bunch of “low fidelity” inputs, where’s the bass management and room correction?

Besides, at this price (or a fifth the price!) one should at minimum expect bass management and either a third party (e.g. Dirac Live Bass Control with an undisclosed roadmap to ART) or proprietary (ARC, RoomPerfect, etc) SOTA room correction software. That most “high end” companies unfortunately persist in shoving low-fi dross onto the market is neither here nor there. (Though you cited NAD and I believe they at least offer manual bass management and rudimentary (base Dirac) room correction.)

Brand loyalty may sell boxes but it does not push fidelity forward.

Again, and sorry if I sound mean or repetitive, but if you are NOT a Roon user, you have nothing to look at this device. This is a Roon Ready device intended to be used with Roon, period. For non Roon users, there are much more attractive, cheaper and better alternatives. These new streamers from Matrix Audio are so Roon focused that currently, out of hundreds Roon Ready streamers, they are the only one for sale at The Roon Store.

Streamers

store.roonlabs.com

Regarding EQ and speakers setup-management, you have all those options included in Roon DSP already.