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

[Xymordos]

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There is many more OPA627 fakes than LM4562/LME49720 Fakes 

. And yes LM4562 is much more brighter than OPA627 wich is laid back and a bit dark (it improves with class A byasing) . A bit more difficult to pick details with OPA627 but they are here ^^. (Tryed OPA627 BP from farnell , LM4562 and it's single couter part LME49710.) but ended prefering moon all over this .

Quite the contrary, with OPA627SM and OPA637SM my ears bled from the harsh and bright highs, with sharp dry vocals. LME49710HA was more moist with the voice, and although the soundstage was closer, it sounded more natural
 

 

[TooManyCrabs]

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The Audinst has a considerably better daac in it, so unless you want the dac "just in case" it's a waste. The Audinst is a DAC first kind of product, with a decent amp built in, I'd rate it as just a bit below the HRT StreamerII as a dac, that's only my opinion of course

 


 

Thanks a lot!

 

[Chris J]

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Someone posted earlier that the class A biasing made a difference in heat?  Meaning less or more with the mod, mines modded, you can always touch it, and it rarely gets turned off, anyone have opinions, I'm going to try the the LM4562, the 627 is nothing special, but better than the 2134 IMO

No, the Class A mod makes very, very little difference in the heat thrown off by the M.   If you leave the M on all the time you will shorten the life span of the M. The electrolytic capacitors take the most beating in that hot enclosure.  You can't listen to it 24 hours a day.
 
Just my opinion, but I was not knocked out by the OPA627 Class A or non-Class A either.  I'm an LM4562 fan.
No flames fellas, just my opinion on the OPA627.
 
And I agree: "The Search Never Ends"!
 

 

[the search never ends]

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No, the Class A mod makes very, very little difference in the heat thrown off by the M.   If you leave the M on all the time you will shorten the life span of the M. The electrolytic capacitors take the most beating in that hot enclosure.  You can't listen to it 24 hours a day.
 
Just my opinion, but I was not knocked out by the OPA627 Class A or non-Class A either.  I'm an LM4562 fan.
No flames fellas, just my opinion on the OPA627.
 
And I agree: "The Search Never Ends"!
 

Lol, welll, I've pretty much managed to stop buying cans and iem's, and for the most part opamp rolling. If only I could quit buying amp/dac's now. I hope after I get the Burson, or the RSA HR2, I can stop!!!!  I gave up the ampop rolling a bit, but I know better opamps exist, not sure how the 627 got so popular.
Maybe if the M stage dies, I'll be cured, but it is such a great amp in it's price range!!!!  As chris said, nothing against the 627 series, just not for me.
 

 

[CantScareMe]

I've ordered a couple of opamps from uk farnell.
 
As my matrix came with cfg's class a mod already installed, i guess that whatever opamp i put in it, it would be automatically class a biased. Is this correct?
 
How about if i don't like the class a bias thing, and want to revert the entire thing to stock. Can i just take off the class a adapter or is it soldered on??
 
Sorry about these questions- but i can't find the answers even after searching on this thread.

 

[putente]

Well, I'm also looking to buy some LM4562NA opamps for my Matrix Cube, but I can't seem to find them a reasonable price. I mean, the price of the opamps itself is good, but then the shipping cost are crazy for something so small. It's like, $5 ou 6$ for the opamps and the $20 for shipping... 

 

[Chris J]

Quote:

I've ordered a couple of opamps from uk farnell.
 
As my matrix came with cfg's class a mod already installed, i guess that whatever opamp i put in it, it would be automatically class a biased. Is this correct?
 
How about if i don't like the class a bias thing, and want to revert the entire thing to stock. Can i just take off the class a adapter or is it soldered on??
 
Sorry about these questions- but i can't find the answers even after searching on this thread.

The only thing converted to Clas A is the OPA627.
You can put in another OPA627 or any other Op Amp and it will NOT have the mod.   So it is very easy to return it to stock if you have an OPA2134.
The Class A mod is the two little resistors on the Op Amp assembly.

 
 

 

[Chris J]

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Well, I'm also looking to buy some LM4562NA opamps for my Matrix Cube, but I can't seem to find them a reasonable price. I mean, the price of the opamps itself is good, but then the shipping cost are crazy for something so small. It's like, $5 ou 6$ for the opamps and the $20 for shipping... 

Well, I shouldn't say this, but if you can convince National Semiconductor that you are a company or a legitimate business, you can get them to send you free samples of the LM4562NA.
There is a free sample program on the National Semiconductor web site.
 

 

[CantScareMe]

chris j- you've been a massive help. I get it now (pretty much).

Fast and precise answers.

I've ordered a few as i needed the order to exceed £20 for farnell to accept an order. I'll try them out in the next few days- but i wont be fiddling with resistors, so no class a mods for me.

 

[Chris J]

Quote:

chris j- you've been a massive help. I get it now (pretty much).
Fast and precise answers.
I've ordered a few as i needed the order to exceed £20 for farnell to accept an order. I'll try them out in the next few days- but i wont be fiddling with resistors, so no class a mods for me.

 
Thank you!
 
Here's a thought:
How about some of you Head Fi-ers buying an LM4562 or two off Mr. CantScareMe?
 

 

[CantScareMe]

I bought 2/3 LM4562NA's and a few others I can't quite remember of the top of my head. Just searched this thread to see often recommended ones.

Farnell do eu shipping so i guess if you could get them from me, you could get them from them directly- they'll be quicker obviously.

I just wanted to tame the d7k's treble a bit as atm it's pretty fatiguing. So hopefully one of these opamps- the LM4562NA- i expect, does the trick!

 

[imported_Alex_T]

I just noticed Tam is selling LM4562NA.

Spoiler: Link%20to%20Tam's

http://tamaudio.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=39_46&product_id=86

 
How many pieces of LM4562NA do I need to purchase?
Just plug and play right?

 

[HaVoC-28]

 
Quote:

I just noticed Tam is selling LM4562NA.

Spoiler: Link%20to%20Tam's

http://tamaudio.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=39_46&product_id=86

 
How many pieces of LM4562NA do I need to purchase?
Just plug and play right?

Only one is needed for M-stage 

 

[Fearless1]

Quote:

I just noticed Tam is selling LM4562NA.

Spoiler: Link%20to%20Tam's

http://tamaudio.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=39_46&product_id=86

 
How many pieces of LM4562NA do I need to purchase?
Just plug and play right?

I ordered a couple of OPAs from Tam just to try them......that was March 9th, and nothing as of yet. Just a heads up.
 

 

[2000impreza]

Quote:

I just noticed Tam is selling LM4562NA.

Spoiler: Link%20to%20Tam's

http://tamaudio.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&path=39_46&product_id=86

 
How many pieces of LM4562NA do I need to purchase?
Just plug and play right?

Tam is charging a nice premium for that op-amp. You can get the same op-amp from digi-key for $3. http://parts.digikey.com/1/parts/457905-ic-opamp-audio-ster-ab-8dip-lm4562na-nopb.html