[technobear]

Dear Sir, the only way to set the filter in X-SABRE Pro is operating on the touch button on the unit, not remote control. so don't worry about your friend who borrow your DAC, he can do it.

It's a classic RTFM problem: https://matrix-digi.com/pdf/X-SABRE_Pro_Manual_EN.pdf

 

[musicday]

I would like to try the Element X DAC in UK .

 

[Cao Wei]

I would like to try the Element X DAC in UK .

Dear musicday, please contact Matrix official partner elite audio in UK , Thank you.

 

[musicday]

Dear musicday, please contact Matrix official partner elite audio in UK , Thank you.

Thank you Cao Wei,

Can you please tell me if the Element X can drive headphones such Hifiman Susvara, HE6 or Abyss planar? The highest output is XLR mode balanced at 1700 mW@ 33 Ohm , right? I was wondering is that's enough.
Also does the player show the singer/song information when playing, from the photos I can see the OLED screen is very small so information displayed is minimal.
Element X comes in black or just silver?

 

[Cao Wei]

we

Thank you Cao Wei,

Can you please tell me if the Element X can drive headphones such Hifiman Susvara, HE6 or Abyss planar? The highest output is XLR mode balanced at 1700 mW@ 33 Ohm , right? I was wondering is that's enough.
Also does the player show the singer/song information when playing, from the photos I can see the OLED screen is very small so information displayed is minimal.
Element X comes in black or just silver?

we have ever tested with hifiman HE1000se and HE6se, that's no problems. we will also demo element X with Sennheiser HD800, SONY MDR-Z1R, hifiman HE1000se and HE6se at CanJam Singapore.
The embeded screen on element X is very small, but the screen of your smarphone is infinit, you can see all the music information including album art and artist images in MA Memote app.

By the way, all the configurations and settings could be set thru the app.

 

[tejanolibre]

Dear Sir, the only way to set the filter in X-SABRE Pro is operating on the touch button on the unit, not remote control. so don't worry about your friend who borrow your DAC, he can do it.

Thank You Very Much for your help and time to respond to my silly question !

Sincerely,

Ramiro

 

[ecapsretliab]

Can any X-Sabre Pro owners help with the following?

I have two amps, one for speakers and the other for headphones. Can I use the single ended and balanced outputs at the same time?

And if so, can the XLR's be wired single ended? As both amps are single ended.

Thanks.

 

[Cao Wei]

Can any X-Sabre Pro owners help with the following?

I have two amps, one for speakers and the other for headphones. Can I use the single ended and balanced outputs at the same time?

And if so, can the XLR's be wired single ended? As both amps are single ended.

Thanks.

Yes and yes .

 

[ChaChaRealSmooth]

I've been fortunate enough to be able to spend time with a X-Sabre Pro MQA unit, and I have to say that I think this is one of the very best DACs in existence.

The short version is that if you want a dynamic, clean, modern sound with tons of slam and attack, the X-Sabre Pro should be on your audition list. The sound is attention-grabbing and is incisive, while presenting a very black background with good resolve of details. The transients and dynamics make it sound very clean and modern. Combined with its full tonality, it's a real winner.

I do not recommend this DAC to those who want relaxed sound that you can relax to (think vintage R2R DACs). The X-Sabre Pro is visceral and commands your attention; not good characteristics if you want to listen while doing work. It will distract you.

That being said, if you're like me and you retreat to your temple of music at the end of the day, or if you like serious listening, I can't recommend the X-Sabre Pro enough. It by far is the best implementation of a ESS Sabre chip I've heard. Well done ESS for improving the design on the Sabre 9038 Pro, and well done Matrix for designing a DAC that takes advantage of the chip.

Also, the chassis is amaze-balls. It's frickin' machined out of a single block of aluminum. Do you all understand how much that costs?

 

[MINORISUKE]

.....
I do not recommend this DAC to those who want relaxed sound that you can relax to (think vintage R2R DACs). The X-Sabre Pro is visceral and commands your attention; not good characteristics if you want to listen while doing work. It will distract you.
.....

I disagree 100% to this comment.
Mine is the non-MQA version with X-SPDIF 2. mode: synchronous, jitter reducer: off, DSD output from X-SPDIF 2: default (= DoP through)
fuse changed to Furutech PADIS (the blue one)
external DC7.5V lienar PSU to X-SPDIF 2
USB isolator (Intona/JCAT/Singxer SIP-1)

Perhaps the PC music player you are using might degrade the sound.
If you use a Windows PC with 4.47 driver, try to edit
C:\Program Files\Matrix Audio\Matrix Audio Driver\W10_x64\Matrix_AudioCplApp.xml
in Notepad. change <PageOptions> <Visibility> from "Hidden" to "Visible" and overwrite the file, restart the CplApp, choose the tab "Options" and set Streaming "Always On."

 

[LoryWiv]

I've been fortunate enough to be able to spend time with a X-Sabre Pro MQA unit, and I have to say that I think this is one of the very best DACs in existence.

The short version is that if you want a dynamic, clean, modern sound with tons of slam and attack, the X-Sabre Pro should be on your audition list. The sound is attention-grabbing and is incisive, while presenting a very black background with good resolve of details. The transients and dynamics make it sound very clean and modern. Combined with its full tonality, it's a real winner.

I do not recommend this DAC to those who want relaxed sound that you can relax to (think vintage R2R DACs). The X-Sabre Pro is visceral and commands your attention; not good characteristics if you want to listen while doing work. It will distract you.

That being said, if you're like me and you retreat to your temple of music at the end of the day, or if you like serious listening, I can't recommend the X-Sabre Pro enough. It by far is the best implementation of a ESS Sabre chip I've heard. Well done ESS for improving the design on the Sabre 9038 Pro, and well done Matrix for designing a DAC that takes advantage of the chip.

Also, the chassis is amaze-balls. It's frickin' machined out of a single block of aluminum. Do you all understand how much that costs?

I have the non-MQA version and agree with your impressions overall, but would add that amping with my iCan Pro in tube mode adds a euphonic quality to the presentation. Still clean and full of detail, wouldn't call it "relaxed" but I certainly can think, work and read while still appreciating the incisive musicality this setup produces through my ZMF Auteur.

 

[ChaChaRealSmooth]

I disagree 100% to this comment.
Mine is the non-MQA version with X-SPDIF 2. mode: synchronous, jitter reducer: off, DSD output from X-SPDIF 2: default (= DoP through)
fuse changed to Furutech PADIS (the blue one)
external DC7.5V lienar PSU to X-SPDIF 2
USB isolator (Intona/JCAT/Singxer SIP-1)

Perhaps the PC music player you are using might degrade the sound.
If you use a Windows PC with 4.47 driver, try to edit
C:\Program Files\Matrix Audio\Matrix Audio Driver\W10_x64\Matrix_AudioCplApp.xml
in Notepad. change <PageOptions> <Visibility> from "Hidden" to "Visible" and overwrite the file, restart the CplApp, choose the tab "Options" and set Streaming "Always On."

Disclosure of settings I used:

• Filter: Mode 3 (fast rolloff linear phase)
• Dither: On
• Jitter: Off
• Async

The sync setting was worse on my system. I listen out of desktop with USB (I'm stuck with only USB 3.1 ports. The sound isn't "bad," but definitely not great). The SPDIF output is about equivalent to USB here, but I think is marginally worse (again, system dependent). I tried a Wyrd in the chain out of curiosity, but honestly the XMOS XU216 USB implementation on the X-Sabre Pro MQA is done extremely well. Adding the Wyrd only offered a slightly different sound (not necessarily better).

And to be frank, I wasn't criticizing the X-Sabre Pro MQA at all. I quite like it and think it belongs firmly within the upper echelons of the best DACs I've ever heard (granted, my experience is limited and may not include DAC Z from Y company).

I'm curious as to how you believe the X-Sabre Pro is relaxing. I surmise that the things in your chain may soften the sound a bit (this is more or less what I found adding the Wyrd did to the system), but we all hear things differently and since I don't know what your system is like...

I have the non-MQA version and agree with your impressions overall, but would add that amping with my iCan Pro in tube mode adds a euphonic quality to the presentation. Still clean and full of detail, wouldn't call it "relaxed" but I certainly can think, work and read while still appreciating the incisive musicality this setup produces through my ZMF Auteur.

I won't pretend that a part of it is probably the way I go when I listen. I am one of those "retreat to my holy temple of sound" types, so I don't usually work while listening to music; I get pretty easily distracted if I do this and will not get any work done.

I think the cleanliness of the X-Sabre Pro's presentation will mean that it will pair well with many amps. Only warning is that the output is a bit hotter than, say, a Gungnir MB's, so care should be taken to ensure that you won't make your amp explode. That being said, I find the X-Sabre Pro MQA extremely neutral and well-extended in both extremes.

 

[omniweltall]

Disclosure of settings I used:

• Filter: Mode 3 (fast rolloff linear phase)
• Dither: On
• Jitter: Off
• Async

The sync setting was worse on my system. I listen out of desktop with USB (I'm stuck with only USB 3.1 ports. The sound isn't "bad," but definitely not great). The SPDIF output is about equivalent to USB here, but I think is marginally worse (again, system dependent). I tried a Wyrd in the chain out of curiosity, but honestly the XMOS XU216 USB implementation on the X-Sabre Pro MQA is done extremely well. Adding the Wyrd only offered a slightly different sound (not necessarily better).

And to be frank, I wasn't criticizing the X-Sabre Pro MQA at all. I quite like it and think it belongs firmly within the upper echelons of the best DACs I've ever heard (granted, my experience is limited and may not include DAC Z from Y company).

I'm curious as to how you believe the X-Sabre Pro is relaxing. I surmise that the things in your chain may soften the sound a bit (this is more or less what I found adding the Wyrd did to the system), but we all hear things differently and since I don't know what your system is like...



I won't pretend that a part of it is probably the way I go when I listen. I am one of those "retreat to my holy temple of sound" types, so I don't usually work while listening to music; I get pretty easily distracted if I do this and will not get any work done.

I think the cleanliness of the X-Sabre Pro's presentation will mean that it will pair well with many amps. Only warning is that the output is a bit hotter than, say, a Gungnir MB's, so care should be taken to ensure that you won't make your amp explode. That being said, I find the X-Sabre Pro MQA extremely neutral and well-extended in both extremes.

Thanks foe the detailed impressions, mate. Very useful as comparison.

 

[MINORISUKE]

.....
The sync setting was worse on my system.
.....

This can happen. As I was using the X-Sabre Pro USB input without X-SPDIF 2, there was a subtle difference between async and sync, none of which was bad but anything special.
A drastic improvement came when I connected X-SPDIF 2.
The ES9038PRO chip gives its maximum sound quality when the 128fs synchronous mode is used.
Although Matrix Audio China HQ says that a stand-alone use of X-Sabre Pro in sync mode sets the chip to this mode, I do not feel any benefit.

Try to connect X-SPDIF 2 with an HDMI cable and set the dip switch No.3 ON. This will lose the playback of MQA even if the paired DAC is the MQA version.
No other USB-DDCs with HDMI LVDS I2S/DSD output should be used, such as Singxer SU-1, Gustard U16, etc., as X-SPDIF 2 is the only DDC that can output 128fs MCLK.

As far as I know, the DACs with ES9038PRO capable of setting the 128fs synchronous mode are:
X-Sabre Pro / X-Sabre Pro MQA
Soulnote D-1 / D-1N / D-2
AIT Labo (Japan)
Sforzato DSP series (as a network player)

 

[musicday]

Any more impressions of the Element X please.