Matrix M-Stage amp review: simple, cheap, and excellent. - Page 7

Interesting. I've been avoiding this thing due to moral qualms but I do think it'll be more of a different design if I can roll in my own opamps.

I've been meaning to try different opamps, but considering that I've never messed with them before, does anyone have any recommendations?

Heck, I don't even know where to buy them from. Where do you folks get your opamps?

You can get them on ebay, but there are a lot of fakes. Look for the opamp thread .

I just got a bunch of LT1028 which are supposed to be very nice to try in my NG98. If you go the opamp rolling route for the M-Stage, please report back - I am seriously considering buying one myself

I highly recommend a pair of ADA4627-1BRZ on a 2x1 adapter.
ADA4627-1ARZ for same sound with some warmth - stupendous opamps, then there's also AD797 (mono opamp), a nice bassy opamp. Any of these will give the amp a nice boost in refinement, much better than OPA2134 I see in the pics. AD744AH (another mono opamp) synergizes with my ipod for a somewhat more natural sound, so you might get the same result but it depends largely on your source.
Wouldn't mind getting y'all's opamp rolling impressions in the Opamp thread as well.

The 'default' opamp in my M-stage is now OPA2107.
It sounds significantly better to me than OPA2134. The presentation is smoother and more extended, both in terms of frequency response (esp. bass) and spatially (esp. depth of soundstage)

LM4562 works very good as well, it is more transparent than 2134. The reason I don't like it much is a slight shift towards the dry and cool side.

I have on order AD797 and ADA4627, but it will take a while till they get here.

lol I haven't read the opamp thread yet, but it seems to me the AD797 solves every single problem of audio reproduction out there. But if the new Matrix mini-i does opamp rolling I might get that instead.

Either AD797 or LT1028A . Alternatively, you could also just get the Burson HA160 (if leeperry is to be believed )

Well the new mini-i is still a few months away and its not clear whether it will do opamp rolling yet...

Yep, I've heard the Burson. Great amp, and the housing is amazing. Deciding on an amp is really a headache, there's so many great designs, not possible to sample them all... Funny, I always tell the noobs just get something and don't sweat it but it's so hard when it's your own decision. But the m-stage is cheap enough to get when I feel like it for some opamp rolling fun.

I now what you mean - I'm trying to decide between saving money (first want to try modding the NG98 with LT1028C I just got), a HD600 or an M-Stage (or possibly Dynalo) now

Sorry to hijack this thread. I just recently acquired this amp and am loving it. I finally decided to take the plunge and will plan to get my first DAC. Can anyone recommendation one that goes nicely with M-Stage and HD650? My budget is below ~$350 and USB isn't important to me. The cheaper the better but don't want to sacrifice SQ Thanks!

$350? just in the range of the Matrix Mini-i. Very versatile and works great with headphone amps and speaker amps.

I got some op amps from HiFlight, a member on this form. I do not believe that he is a retailer, so his selection is limited. I was very satisfied. Send him a PM, explain your situation, and see what he suggest.

Great job. Thanks

It seems the Audio-GD FUN and the Mini-i are popular DAC+Amp. I wonder which of the two DAC work better with the M-Stage? If there's a better DAC out there <$400, please suggest. Thanks!

My M-Stage has just arrived. It is indeed a simple, inexpensive and good amplifier and it's well-built to boot. If I hadn't just invested heavily in tubes (and moving house) I'd keep it as an all-rounder and alternate for HD800s, which it drives convincingly.

best,

o