New Matrix Audio X-Server info (and a bit about the X-Sabre 2 as well)
Dec 8, 2016 at 8:32 PM Post #46 of 140
Hi Greggo, please let us know your opinion after a few spins. Congratulations on your decision!

Thanks! Well, I am assuming it will be mid to late January before I actually get the DAC, but whenever it does arrive I will leave it on and break it in for a few days and then report back a day or two after that. 
 
Dec 9, 2016 at 3:33 PM Post #47 of 140
  Well I couldn't wait so I pulled the trigger on the pre-order. Now I wait to see if my confidence in this decision grows or if it plunges into the ground :)
 
I haven't heard nearly enough DACs, so just going by what I have read across many forums and how I interpret comments and consider the person behind the opinions, I feel like I understand the difference between the Gumby and the Yggy (and I have heard the Yggy), and have a sense for how the Chord Mojo and Hugo sound. I am hoping the X-Sabre Pro has a personality closer to the Mojo and resolution closer to the Yggy. I know those are all DACs with a very different technical approach from the more conventional ESS based X-Sabre Pro, but there are traits I kind of like from the better ESS DACs I have heard a few generations ago so I am kind of hoping for some of the best of both worlds here with the latest and greatest from ESS and a best case engineering effort from the folks at Matrix Audio.

 
Have you listened to the original X-Sabre?
 
I have the Holo Audio Spring & Yggdrasil currently with the X-Sabre, but do wish to buy the X-Sabre Pro for it's sheer size convenience. 
 
The original used 1 chip? I've noticed the newer one's suppose to have 4? I also noticed it takes i2S in which is a pretty good feature for those with DDC's.
 
Dec 10, 2016 at 6:10 PM Post #49 of 140
   
Have you listened to the original X-Sabre?
 
I have the Holo Audio Spring & Yggdrasil currently with the X-Sabre, but do wish to buy the X-Sabre Pro for it's sheer size convenience. 
 
The original used 1 chip? I've noticed the newer one's suppose to have 4? I also noticed it takes i2S in which is a pretty good feature for those with DDC's.

 
I never heard the original, just read some reviews and followed threads on the X-Sabre. It was out of my budget range at the time but from everyone's description of the sound I thought it would be something that I would like very much.
 
Size was a factor for me as well. My amp is 12 inches wide and the X-Sabre Pro is about the same width (or "length" in the specs) so I like the idea of how they would go together aesthetically as well as sonically.
 
Dec 11, 2016 at 12:00 PM Post #50 of 140
   
 
The original used 1 chip? I've noticed the newer one's suppose to have 4? I also noticed it takes i2S in which is a pretty good feature for those with DDC's.

 
 
The original used the ES9018 chip while the Pro uses ES9038. Both chips were the top offering for their generation, and both have 8 channels on board. This is in contrast with most DAC chips which are stereo aka 2-channel designs.
 
Many (but certainly not all) devices using the ES9018 would configure 4 channels worth for each side of the stereo output. This is sometimes referred to as "4 DACs per channel" which is technically true, though both sets of "4 DACs" actually exist on a single ES9018 chip. 
 
Dec 14, 2016 at 1:28 AM Post #53 of 140
X-Sabre Pro in the house now. Unfortunately it came during a hectic week and I haven't had time to even connect it. I have it sitting on the rack and it's beautiful though, very similar to the X-Server prototype but with a more polished looking coat on it. I guess that's what the X-Server will end up looking like as well. when it really launches. 
 
I just realized there is an LVDS I2S input, didn't notice that before for whatever reason. That means it should work with my Singxer SU-1. Should make for a good test of the Matrix onboard USB solution. 
 
Dec 14, 2016 at 2:40 AM Post #54 of 140
  X-Sabre Pro in the house now. Unfortunately it came during a hectic week and I haven't had time to even connect it. I have it sitting on the rack and it's beautiful though, very similar to the X-Server prototype but with a more polished looking coat on it. I guess that's what the X-Server will end up looking like as well. when it really launches. 
 
I just realized there is an LVDS I2S input, didn't notice that before for whatever reason. That means it should work with my Singxer SU-1. Should make for a good test of the Matrix onboard USB solution. 

 
I too noticed that. Looks like they follow the PS Audio standard.
 
Dec 14, 2016 at 4:15 AM Post #55 of 140
   
I too noticed that. Looks like they follow the PS Audio standard.

 
 
That means on adjustments to the DIP switches on the Singxer, right?
 
I'm interested to see (hear) if it makes a significant difference by having the SU-1 in the mix. Typically it does, but not always. When there's a big difference it makes me always want to have the SU-1 in play, but then a DSD128 album shows up that I want to hear, and that won't work with coaxial or BNC out. So this could be handy.
 

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