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Matrix Mini-i Balanced DAC+HP amp - Page 5

post #61 of 1018
10/23/09 at 5:05am
Thank you very much, sunneebear!

Did I understand you right, that you can't turn the headphone amp off and only use the preamp?

best regards,
bearmann
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post #62 of 1018
10/23/09 at 6:29am
Thread Starter 
Yes that is correct. The cleanest signal is straight DAC, no headphone amp, no pre-amp.
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post #63 of 1018
10/23/09 at 7:36am
Hmmm... that'd be a serious design flaw because you'd have to turn of your monitors/boxes to listen with your phones and vice versa. That's bad.
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post #64 of 1018
10/23/09 at 9:22am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by bearmann View Post
Hmmm... that'd be a serious design flaw because you'd have to turn of your monitors/boxes to listen with your phones and vice versa. That's bad.
I don't quite understand what you mean buy that.


Actually I think that the Matrix is mainly a balanced DAC with the added feature of having a headphone amp. It is marketed as such. Though the headphone amp is not it's strong suit, it just so happens that it sounds pretty damn good. It was never said to be a pre-amp. I just found out that it works very well as one.

I bought the Matrix for being a balance DAC with the intention of getting a balance amp like the Beta 22 some time in the future. I would use the Matrix with my Rudistor NX-03 and other amps in the mean time. Even before buying I had the impression that the headphone amp of the Matrix was just a added extra, a after thought. As it turned out, I ended up liking the headphone out so much that I sold my Rudi and other amps to fund future purchases.
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post #65 of 1018
10/23/09 at 1:13pm
Wait a minute. I never said it'd be a bad DAC nor did I say the Matrix mini-i would be a bad headphone amp - I never heard the device for myself.
What I meant is that: Imagine that you have your monitors and a headphone both plugged into the Matrix mini-i and you want to listen to some music through your monitors AND you want to adjust the volume with the Matrix mini-i but you DON'T want to have music on your headphones. Well, as you made clear, you can't do this with the Matrix mini-i.
Unfortunately this is a feature I (!) need. And for me (!) it's sad that the Matrix mini-i can't do this. That's all...

best regards.
bearmann
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post #66 of 1018
10/23/09 at 5:13pm
Thread Starter 
I do not mean any offense at all. Just restating my early comments that this cheap little product's features and sound suites me, my taste for sound.
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post #67 of 1018
10/26/09 at 6:42pm
In meantime I take for test NorthStar DAC 192 and maybe next DAC shopping will me move into far future. But I have to spend much more time on listening this Italian masterpiece.
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post #68 of 1018
11/25/09 at 6:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sunneebear View Post
I do not mean any offense at all. Just restating my early comments that this cheap little product's features and sound suites me, my taste for sound.
I also order one today from a Ebayer.
Hope to receive it shortly.

Matrix mini-i 24/192 Balanced DAC + Headphone Amp W/USB - eBay (item 280428649228 end time Dec-24-09 09:11:33 PST)
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post #69 of 1018
11/25/09 at 8:54am
Thread Starter 
It's on board headphone out isn't suppose to be anything special but it will surprise you.
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post #70 of 1018
11/25/09 at 9:08am
Quote:
Originally Posted by bearmann View Post
Hmmm... that'd be a serious design flaw because you'd have to turn of your monitors/boxes to listen with your phones and vice versa. That's bad.
You'll need separate volume for the main outputs, and second volume for the hps. You can try the NI Kontrol 1.
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post #71 of 1018
11/26/09 at 3:44pm
Do they sell a similar product that doesn't come with balanced outs?
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post #72 of 1018
11/26/09 at 9:58pm
Thread Starter 
It does have RCA outputs or are you talking about a less expensive model?
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post #73 of 1018
11/27/09 at 12:20am
A less expensive one, you know with less features but as good quality etc.
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post #74 of 1018
11/27/09 at 9:39am
Thread Starter 
I just saw this in the Nuforce newsletter. It's called the uDAC. Looks nice but I have no idea if it lives up to the specs.

Nuforce.com | Icon Mobile
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post #75 of 1018
11/27/09 at 11:51am
Quote:
Originally Posted by sunneebear View Post
I just saw this in the Nuforce newsletter. It's called the uDAC. Looks nice but I have no idea if it lives up to the specs.

Nuforce.com | Icon Mobile
Larry did a review on that already in the Source forum.
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