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Thoughts on the Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro DAC?

MatrixAudio

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@MatrixAudio you wouldn't happen to have your own graphs and measurements for the element x you can provide here?
the specs we announced in our official website are actually tested with AP by ourselves, you can compare it with the test result by Aimr in the near future.
@MatrixAudio if I may ask is it possible to bypass the digital filters in firmware, or by sending 8x/16x PCM rates, I kinda like having the ability to tune the filter to my own preferences via software etc.
Maybe not, sorry.
 

Crane

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the specs we announced in our official website are actually tested with AP by ourselves, you can compare it with the test result by Aimr in the near future.

Maybe not, sorry.

Well then definitely will be a great contender when @amirm finishes his tests on it :)
 

Yviena

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Maybe not, sorry.
Ah ok, I read the manual of 9038 sabre chips yesterday it exposes something called OSF bypass that is supposed to be able to disable the FIR, maybe it's something that will arrive in a future firmware update if possible,, and more options can't hurt.

On another note I see that the MQA version is some 300$ more expensive, is there any other changes beside newer XMOS chipset, and MQA support some have reported that the USB input of the MQA version, sounds better than the older one but I doubt that is possible unless the implementation has changed.
 
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Zog

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Ah ok, I read the manual of 9038 sabre chips yesterday it exposes something called OSF bypass that is supposed to be able to disable the FIR, maybe it's something that will arrive in a future firmware update if possible,, and more options can't hurt.

On another note I see that the MQA version is some 300$ more expensive, is there any other changes beside newer XMOS chipset, and MQA support some have reported that the USB input of the MQA version, sounds better than the older one but I doubt that is possible unless the implementation has changed.
On the Wyred4Sound Dac 2V2 that runs a 9038 I could not find any option to disable the filters. Likewise with the Oppo 205 that also runs a 9038.

Incidentally the Wyred4Sound Dac 2V2 does have an option in the driver to fine tune or turn off a function they call the Jitter Eliminator. I experimented with both I2S and USB inputs. In each case it was better with the function enabled. The Matrix Audio X-Sabre has the same function called a Jitter Reducer and I have not experimented with that just yet.
 

JohnYang1997

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Yviena

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You know i wonder if all amps.measure to have flat frequency response but people still find differences, could it have to do with phase handling/impulse response/spectral decay etc, and associated group-delays?

Like shouldn't it be easy to find.if a amp.sounds.different.by capturing.the headphone.playback.on a dummy head or something?

But yeah I'm quite excited for the measurements of the element X.

Super Best Audio Friend. Or "Subjective/Bullshit/Audiophile-Friendly" in my book. ;)
I have seen.a.trend.there where.they ban most of the people who.are skeptical, or criticising them.
 
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JohnYang1997

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You know i wonder if all amps.measure to have flat frequency response but people still find differences, could it have to do with phase handling/impulse response/spectral decay etc, and associated group-delays?

But yeah I'm quite excited for the measurements of the element X.


I hay seen.a.trend.there where.they ban most of the people who.are skeptical, or criticising them.
Yes to some degrees. But if they were put into blind test the chance of they hearing difference will be drastically less.
 

VintageFlanker

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You know i wonder if all amps.measure to have flat frequency response but people still find differences, could it have to do with phase handling/impulse response/spectral decay etc, and associated group-delays?
Many amps don't have a "flat" frequency response with a slight drop at both extremes, bass and/or treble. Anyway, I do think distortion would be the more audible factor in many case, regardless of the FR. Is this audible in double blind test? I don't know.
 
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