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

[Z3120]

Quote:

can someone help me?
I just got my matrix m stage. whenever i change my gain, my left side will always be much louder than the right side.
The sound is only balanced when i use the default gain.
the other 3 gains will result in louder left side.
 
My setup is foobar --> X-fi Forte lineout ---> Matrix M stage --> K701

Quote:

Do you have both sets of dip switch set exactly the same? If they are you might have a bad set of switches.

 
Thank you. I feel dumb :lol
 
Quoting for anyone else who may have had the same troubles.

 

[GamerOne]

Quote:

Either LME49720 (AKA LM4562) or, if you want to spend a bit less, the NE5532.  They are both designed specifically for being used in the way that the Matrix M-Stage uses op-amps, and should provide optimal distortion, frequency response, and soundstage.
The 627 is too fast.
 
 

 
Its leaning more and more towards LME49720HA

 One thing I wonder about it though, is it colder-sounding than OPA2134(which I understand is the stock-op amp)? Cause I don't want to loose any of the warmth I currently get from my M-stage as I feel it has just the right amount of warmth right now

 
Other than that, got any tips of good places to buy a LME49720HA?

 I live in sweden btw.

 

[PelPix]

Quote:

 
Its leaning more and more towards LME49720HA

 One thing I wonder about it though, is it colder-sounding than OPA2134(which I understand is the stock-op amp)? Cause I don't want to loose any of the warmth I currently get from my M-stage as I feel it has just the right amount of warmth right now

 
Other than that, got any tips of good places to buy a LME49720HA?

 I live in sweden btw.

The LM4562 is the LME49720HA (Identical design and components), but it's in a native DIP8 package, so you won't have to solder it to an adapter.
As for the sound, it's closer to what the circuit requires in an op-amp, so I'd say it'd be more neutral all-around, but likely not colder.
 

 

[GamerOne]

Quote:

The LM4562 is the LME49720HA (Identical design and components), but it's in a native DIP8 package, so you won't have to solder it to an adapter.
As for the sound, it's closer to what the circuit requires in an op-amp, so I'd say it'd be more neutral all-around, but likely not colder.
 

Hmm, come to think of it, I do belive that the Essence ST/STX has a LM4562 as stock-op amp in the buffer. I could switch it and test it in the M-stage instead
Also, I have a pair of LME49720NA, how do you think these are compared to OPA2134? Or compared to LM4562/LME49720HA?

 

[PelPix]

Quote:

Hmm, come to think of it, I do belive that the Essence ST/STX has a LM4562 as stock-op amp in the buffer. I could switch it and test it in the M-stage instead
Also, I have a pair of LME49720NA, how do you think these are compared to OPA2134? Or compared to LM4562/LME49720HA?

Sorry, allow me to clear things up
LME49720NA is the DIP8 version of the LME49720HA, and so is the LM4562
The LM4562 is the LME49720NA.  The only difference is the part number printed on the outside.  Why?  National already had marketing tied to the LM4562, so they just listed it twice.
In summary, the all three op-amps are exactly the same.  The only difference is that the LME49720HA is in a different form factor.  The LM4562 in your STX, the two LME49720NAs you own, and the LME49720HA you're looking into buying are identical.

 

[Oderi]

Using my new M-Stage as we speak and everything seems fine so far except for the fact that there's quite a lot of background hiss compared to my uDac 2. My setup at the moment is foobar -> uDac 2 -> RCA to M-Stage -> M50's. Might the hiss be due to the usage of some random old, apparently sub-par quality RCA cables between uDac and M-Stage?
And just to make sure, with my setup I'm only using the dac portion of uDac, right? That's how I've understood it. Forgive me for me ignorance. What would happen if the signal was passed through 2 amps?

 

[ZenErik]

I don't get any hiss with my M-Stage w/ USB DAC + Q701. May possibly be the interconnect cables.

 

[PelPix]

Quote:

Using my new M-Stage as we speak and everything seems fine so far except for the fact that there's quite a lot of background hiss compared to my uDac 2. My setup at the moment is foobar -> uDac 2 -> RCA to M-Stage -> M50's. Might the hiss be due to the usage of some random old, apparently sub-par quality RCA cables between uDac and M-Stage?
And just to make sure, with my setup I'm only using the dac portion of uDac, right? That's how I've understood it. Forgive me for me ignorance. What would happen if the signal was passed through 2 amps?

Make sure your udac's volume is all the way up just in case.  Does changing the volume on the udac change the volume?

 

[chicolom]

Quote:

Using my new M-Stage as we speak and everything seems fine so far except for the fact that there's quite a lot of background hiss compared to my uDac 2. My setup at the moment is foobar -> uDac 2 -> RCA to M-Stage -> M50's. Might the hiss be due to the usage of some random old, apparently sub-par quality RCA cables between uDac and M-Stage?
And just to make sure, with my setup I'm only using the dac portion of uDac, right? That's how I've understood it. Forgive me for me ignorance. What would happen if the signal was passed through 2 amps?

I assume the M-stage doesn't hiss by itself (without the U-Dac plugged in)?  I think the Udac 2 RCA's are line out, if you can adjust the volume on them with the knob then they are pre-out.  You can try switching RCAs.
 
 

 

[Tribbs]

LM4562HA and LME49720HA look like this TO-99 package

Requires adapter http://cimarrontechnology.com/to-99to8-pindipadapterpn020601-1.aspx
 
 
LM4562MA and LME49720MA look like this Surface Mount Technology (SMT) package

Requires adapter http://cimarrontechnology.com/so8to8-pindipadapterpn970601-3.aspx
 
 
LM4562NA and LME49720NA look like this 8-pin Dual In-line Package (DIP)

Plug-and-Play in the Matrix M-Stage
   

 

[PelPix]

You mixed up the MA and NA.
 
Edit:
There you go

 

[Majestyk]

So to get the best LME49720HA sound, which one of these three should I get?
 
(Actual LME49720HA + Adapter)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/180753572913?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2649#ht_500wt_1094
 
(LME49720HA x2 + Adapter)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LME49710HA-X2-Adaptor-/180749622308?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a15845c24#ht_500wt_1180
 
(LM4562)
http://www.ebay.com/itm/National-Semiconductor-LM4562-dual-high-performance-high-fidelity-audio-op-amp-/260898916323?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cbec987e3#ht_674wt_1144
 

 

[PelPix]

Whoops.  Read the wrong name.
Yeah. Buy the LM4562.  It's a drop-in replacement.

 

[Oderi]

Quote:

Make sure your udac's volume is all the way up just in case.  Does changing the volume on the udac change the volume?

It does. That's what I wondering about myself, actually, although I don't really have a clue about how volume control specifically works. Seemed weird a dac only would somehow be in control of the volume.
So it's pre-out? What does that mean in practice? There's also coax out that I'm using for my speakers (that don't work at the moment); is there an adapter or something to divide the coax to L/R to be able to plug M-Stage into that?

 

[HaVoC-28]

Quote:

Either LME49720 (AKA LM4562) or, if you want to spend a bit less, the NE5532.  They are both designed specifically for being used in the way that the Matrix M-Stage uses op-amps, and should provide optimal distortion, frequency response, and soundstage.
The 627 is too fast.
 
 

5532 ? this cheap generic opamp  peraphs even worst than stock OPA2134... OPA627 too fast ? hu ? , peraphs you don't like OPA627 or have a fake one , they are good ones , just overpriced (from right source like farnell or digikey) . And 2* LME49710NA are better than one LME49720/LM4562 . HA version in TO99 package are better .