[raddle]

   
I think the issue is more that descriptive terms are completely objective.
 
I personally like the X-Sabre's presentation no matter how it's described because I feel it doesn't add or subtract anything significant to / from the sound. That means I can then tweak the sound with tubes etc. if I want to. A previous DAC I used was a bit warm which made it hard to come back to the middle if I wanted to. It's easy to add warmth, but hard to take it away.

Just a comment: if we are talking about acoustic music, in which there is a live reference to gauge the accuracy of the recording, sometimes warmth is more accurate. A good violin timbre is very warm to my ears. Or a Steinway piano. To me, tube equipment is generally more accurate to live music rather than "colored" or having a euphonic distortion. But hey, that's my ears.

 

[Loquah]

  Just a comment: if we are talking about acoustic music, in which there is a live reference to gauge the accuracy of the recording, sometimes warmth is more accurate. A good violin timbre is very warm to my ears. Or a Steinway piano. To me, tube equipment is generally more accurate to live music rather than "colored" or having a euphonic distortion. But hey, that's my ears.

 
Good point. Rarely do acoustic instruments have glaring high-end and sibilance which can be the result of super analytical / dry components at each part of a signal path.
 
That said, warmth can still go too far which is why I love the X-Sabre as the first step in my sound chain. It allows the amps and tubes to bring the smooth and natural sound of real music.

 

[raddle]

   
Good point. Rarely do acoustic instruments have glaring high-end and sibilance which can be the result of super analytical / dry components at each part of a signal path.
 
That said, warmth can still go too far which is why I love the X-Sabre as the first step in my sound chain. It allows the amps and tubes to bring the smooth and natural sound of real music.

Yes, I like my X-Sabre and Little Dot combination. I'm still hunting for things, maybe I'll find something I like better eventually.

 

[Gibalok]

Well guys, less of all I want my next messgae sounds like a provocation, but
 
I invested to my H-Fi system some $2.3k :
 
1) X-Sabre (1.1k)
2) WW Ultraviolet USB ($70-80)
3) DH Labs pro studio silver 1.5m ($400) (From X-Sabre to Cambridge Audio Azur 640A v2) 
4) Oyaide Tunami power cord ($400) with Oyaido hi-end connectors
5) Cambridge Audio Azur 640A v2 Oyaide FS 2.6 power cord ($400)
6) Monitor Audio RS6 speakers + Qed Revalation 2x2m acoustic wire ($300) with Qed Banana connectors (70$)
 
and finally the sound I hear from my Monitor Audio RS6 speakers is the same like it is from Dr.Dac2 with 70$ Inakustik cable and generic USB (PC -> Dr.Dac2 -> Cambridge Audio). 
 
The way i compared is switching output way in Foobar and swithcing Amp input channel.
 
I understand that using X-sabre allows me to play >192kbps formats including DSD and SACD but im not sure all thoese upgrades worth the money i paid.
 
I still believe that with X-Sabre and that set of good cables enforcing me to upgrade CA Azur 640A v2 and MA RS6 speakers to some more advanced system.
 
But anyway.. I dont hear the difference of Dr.Dac2 + Inakustik Premium 3m wire (total 400$) vs X-Sabre + Oyaide powercord + DH Labs Pro studio (overall ~2000$).

 

[Loquah]

I would definitely suggest investing in a better amp (and maybe speakers) before judging. A DAC is still only as good as the components reproducing its signal.

 

[Maxvla]

The X-Sabre made the most difference in my system when I added it in place of the Gungnir. I can even enjoy listening with a lowly M-Stage until my GS-X comes. The main reason is because of the X-Sabre. Changing from BHA-1 to GS-X isn't even close to the level of difference between the Gungnir and X-Sabre, IMO.

 

[Loquah]

The X-Sabre made the most difference in my system when I added it in place of the Gungnir. I can even enjoy listening with a lowly M-Stage until my GS-X comes. The main reason is because of the X-Sabre. Changing from BHA-1 to GS-X isn't even close to the level of difference between the Gungnir and X-Sabre, IMO.

 
That was my experience too. Not questioning the previous poster's experiences with his / her specific setup, but the X-Sabre completely transformed my system with any of my amps. It actually brought the Bottlehead Crack to a performance level that nearly matches the more expensive Bottlehead S.E.X.

 

[project86]

I'd say the weak link in that chain is the speakers. RS6 is not terrible by any means, but imho you've got a really high resolution system at this point, and the RS6 isn't cutting it. They offer a nice, well rounded sound that focuses more on being full range than maximum detail retrieval. I'd say even a really good pair of monitors such as the Salk WOW1 would be able to show the differences more clearly, despite being more limited on the low frequencies. 
 
I always prefer to allocate more money to the speakers than anything else. In this case, I would have spent more on speakers and less on cables. The Cambridge integrated is pretty good and is not the weakest link at this point. 

 

[Gibalok]

  I'd say the weak link in that chain is the speakers. RS6 is not terrible by any means, but imho you've got a really high resolution system at this point, and the RS6 isn't cutting it. They offer a nice, well rounded sound that focuses more on being full range than maximum detail retrieval. I'd say even a really good pair of monitors such as the Salk WOW1 would be able to show the differences more clearly, despite being more limited on the low frequencies. 
 
I always prefer to allocate more money to the speakers than anything else. In this case, I would have spent more on speakers and less on cables. The Cambridge integrated is pretty good and is not the weakest link at this point. 

Could you recmmend some mainstream fullsize (flor) speakers from, I guess, KEF, Dynaudio, Elac,  Dali, T+A. etc. This are what I can hear and try here in Moscow. Refered Salk WOW1 is a kind of exotic here. 

 

[mcullinan]

What about a pair of LS50s. Heard these at the NY Show and they are the bomb... 
http://www.kef.com/html/us/showroom/flagship_hi-fi_series/LS50/overview/
Detail retrieval should be excellent.
You might need a sub? Maybe you have 1.

 

[Gibalok]

  What about a pair of LS50s. Heard these at the NY Show and they are the bomb... 
http://www.kef.com/html/us/showroom/flagship_hi-fi_series/LS50/overview/
Detail retrieval should be excellent.
You might need a sub? Maybe you have 1.

Yes I have one, MA RWS12 pretty good for the money i paid for used one ($400). Let me check Kef. 

 

[project86]

I second the LS50 recommendation. Those things are spectacular!

 

[maserati2303]

I wonder how matrix comparing to the yulong da8?

 

[project86]

  I wonder how matrix comparing to the yulong da8?

 
I compared them in the original post. 

 

[maserati2303]

Sorry.