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Matrix Mini-i Balanced DAC+HP amp - Page 9

post #121 of 1018
2/20/10 at 6:17am
Quote:
Originally Posted by soulrider4ever View Post
I'm thinking of buying this DAC or the MF V-DAC, can anyone comment on differences?
Same question here...
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post #122 of 1018
2/20/10 at 8:56pm
yea, im pulling the trigger on this tomorrow. although it would be nice to have some more feedback on it before i do so.
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post #123 of 1018
2/20/10 at 9:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by bastogne View Post
yea, im pulling the trigger on this tomorrow. although it would be nice to have some more feedback on it before i do so.
You have nine pages of feedback b...lol

Matrix is a nice total package. Great headphone out, inputs, outputs galore, great service from Jeffrey (coolfungadget)...oh and great sound...

I exchanged PMs with soulrider4ever, in reference to V-DAC and Matrix. Love em' both, but for the versatility and smooth sound the Matrix produces, Matrix FTW...

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post #124 of 1018
2/21/10 at 12:30am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by HeatFan12 View Post
Matrix is a nice total package. Great headphone out, inputs, outputs galore, great service from Jeffrey (coolfungadget)...oh and great sound...


Well said, I have fun with other stuff but there's something about the Matrix I keep coming back to.
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post #125 of 1018
2/21/10 at 7:01am
Matrix Mini-i are in stock now:Welcome to Audiophilechina
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post #126 of 1018
2/21/10 at 4:13pm
Well, I pulled the trigger on one, and I'm also going to order the M2Tech Hiface USB to S/PDIF converter, and a Belden BNC>BNC cable from BJC... will probably be a few weeks, but I'll post my impressions then. I'll comapre to emu 0404usb and nuforce udac.
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post #127 of 1018
2/23/10 at 2:20am
Can someone tell me how this pairs up against the PICO AMP/DAC? The headphone out is my prime concern.
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post #128 of 1018
2/23/10 at 3:36am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by demo1 View Post
Can someone tell me how this pairs up against the PICO AMP/DAC? The headphone out is my prime concern.
I have never heard the Pico but just keep in mind that these two items are in two different classes.

Pico is Hi-end name brand. Portable amp/USB DAC. Expensive.

Matrix is virgin brand from China. Desk top DAC with 4 input and balanced output. Bang for your buck.

If you are asking about just the headphone out, then all I can say is that it sounds warm and smooth like a tube more than SS. I peeked inside and the headphone amp is nothing special. Doesn't look at all impressive, more like a after thought. It's sound though is unique.
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post #129 of 1018
2/24/10 at 9:05am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sunneebear View Post
t's sound though is unique.
Smoooth as buttah!
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post #130 of 1018
2/25/10 at 6:57pm
Just got it, only been a couple hours listening, but holy #@$% this thing makes the udac and emu sound like pieces of poop in comparison, I haven't even got this going balanced cables yet either... will need to do a nice review for this thing for sure...
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post #131 of 1018
2/25/10 at 7:21pm
Damn. There are too many DACs/AMPs to choose from. I heard the Beresford TC-7520 is one of the best combos you can get for this price range. Does anyone know how it stacks up against the Matrix Mini? I heard the Matrix is quite weak in terms of its HP amp.
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post #132 of 1018
2/26/10 at 5:10am
Quote:
Originally Posted by demo1 View Post
Damn. There are too many DACs/AMPs to choose from. I heard the Beresford TC-7520 is one of the best combos you can get for this price range. Does anyone know how it stacks up against the Matrix Mini? I heard the Matrix is quite weak in terms of its HP amp.
The Matrix is second to hardly anything SQ-wise (edit; in it's class; never heard the Beresford), but power-wise they drive my HD600 adequately but may have trouble with the HD650s, which need a little more gain/impedance/voltage/current/whatever. So I think that may be about the cutoff as to what spec headphone the Matrix can properly drive, if that makes any sense at all
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post #133 of 1018
2/26/10 at 6:47am
The Matrix mini looks like it is a damn good DAC for the price. Are there any noticably better DAC (don't need hp amp built in) when you get into the $300-$400 range? I think I may upgrade my Zero to a better DAC once I get some money. Either that or get a new graphics card for my comp or some more headphones to compare just for fun. I want balanced becausein the future I plan on buying a balanced SS amp ($400 or so as well) that I will use with other cans, not my Grado's. Needs to be 220v-240v. Might just go the DAC_I>MKVII+ if that is the best value for money setup.
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post #134 of 1018
2/27/10 at 3:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by stang View Post
Might just go the DAC_I>MKVII+ if that is the best value for money setup.
I haven't seen a better combo, and I remember reading in a thread that the DAC_1 has reportedly comparable SQ to the Matrix. I am looking at the same thing, except I need the extra oomph of the original VII over the VII+ version because of my HE-5s, as they are quite current-hungry
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post #135 of 1018
2/27/10 at 3:29am
WHy not just get the EF-5? I'd like to own the MKVII+ because it will be better suited with the cans I like: Grado and Ultrasone. Never tried Sennheiser AKG nor Denon, as for the kind of music I listen to (metal) AKG would be terrible. Sennheiser HD600 wouldn't do too bad I don't think, so I would love to try them some day. As for the Denon's, it is really a Denon vs Ultrasone thing here. I am going to a meet on March 20 and a memberis bringing his Denon D5000, so that should be fun to compare to my ALO-780 I really do want to get into other genre's, but it needs to be fast paced, not slow. That would vastly expand the types of headphone I would get, but that tie has not come yet I got my Grado's for most of my metal collection and my ALO-780 for some other metal like Metallica where the extra bass can make the song sound very, very nice. I also sometimes crave that extra soundstage.

When I put on te Ultrasones after hearing the Grado's, there is so much more detail, bass and soundstage, mking the Grado's sound quite poor in comparison. I hope Jumbos for my HF-2 and a new DAC will improve upon the soundstage I have and improve in details. Looking at the DAC_I a lot. People say it is more detailed and colder than the Matrix. The matrix has a warm, sightly less detailed sound to it. I am leaning toward the LD DAC_I, but I wonder if it is a noticable upgrade from my Zero.
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