I own this combi and it's fantastic!

Quote: There is a lot of soldering job to do the upgrade... All the wires (input/output), bridges between the digital board and the analog moduls, the power socket, resistors etc. It's not that difficult but fiddly and you need a good soldering iron. Just shoot the pictures of every step...

Total crap?? The M7 is very honest!! I mean, you like the HD800 (as I do)? then the M7 is on the same level - very neutral. But the source has to be very good as well. For me the M7 is a killer... at least in the 10 000 $ range (I had any DACs with Wolfson, Sabre chips etc.. a Lampizator DAC was...

Actually you don't need a side-by-side comparaison of both (Ref7.1 M7) machines. The improvments of the M7 are big and hearable from the first second. The M7 sounds better on the whole line: imaging/soundstaging, naturality, resolution, highs, mids, bass is more precise. I made an upgrade by...

Hi Sotiris, The Matrix Mini-i circuit looks something like this: DAC-->OPA 2134(for I/V)-->OPA275(for Output Buffer)-->XLR

Why should the mini-i have not not enough power to drive your AKGs? The matrix has no problems to drive my AKG K141 or my Grado PS1000 (32Ohm) or Ultimate Ears Triple.Fi 10 or Sennheiser HD650 and HD800 (300Ohm)   regards, radik