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

[Hoofbyte]

Hello everyone!
 
So six days ago i became a happy owner of a Matrix M-stage, bought it from TamAudio.
 
When i turn it on today and plug my headphones in i get a loud hum in both channels, it was fine last night.
I remember reading in this forum that the bottom screw might need some tighteing so i undid it a few times and tightened it back but the problem still remains.
 
So i opened it up to see if i could locate the problem, and the thing that i find disturbing is that the righthand capacitor is bulging.. A quick google later and im quite certain the capacitor is my problem.
 
 
http://i50.tinypic.com/wvr8qp.jpg
 
what do u think?

 

[GaToMaLaCo]

Don´t use the amp anymore (could be harmful) and RMA the M-Stage ASAP! 

 

[hifimanrookie]

Quote:

Don´t use the amp anymore (could be harmful) and RMA the M-Stage ASAP! 

yeah i agree..dont mess with it..best action would be contacting tamaudio with ur problem and ask whats best action..but why did u open it anyway...? it can void ur warranty!

in my eyes u certainly have a faulty model! best way is contacting tamaudio as i just said.and ask for a RMA...and let it shipped back for a repair or exchange for another...good luck with it.

 

[GaToMaLaCo]

Quote:

Quote:

Don´t use the amp anymore (could be harmful) and RMA the M-Stage ASAP! 

yeah i agree..dont mess with it..best action would be contacting tamaudio with ur problem and ask whats best action..but why did u open it anyway...? it can void ur warranty!

in my eyes u certainly have a faulty model! best way is contacting tamaudio as i just said.and ask for a RMA...and let it shipped back for a repair or exchange for another...good luck with it.

 
No chance to void warranty because Tamaudio sells opamps that need to be installed by opening the top cover. 
 
 
Please post more pictures if you can. 

 

[hifimanrookie]

No chance to void warranty because Tamaudio sells opamps that need to be installed by opening the top cover. 


Please post more pictures if you can. 

I know he does..i bought one..BUT..i remember to order a tuning part for my car at the dealer..and they said allthough they sell it and its topquality..its still my own risk if i install it myself and it breaks down......i know a couple of guys who think are smart and with their mods destroyed couple of nice amps...so if the Opamp upgrade goes bad u still have warranty?thats weird! Oh well..as long u didnt mess up the screws they cant see its opened anyway..so u must have warranty..good luck.

 

[Hoofbyte]

I am well aware that i might have void my warranty by opening it up to look at it. When i buy something from China i know warranty is not guaranteed.
 
I have sent a mail to Tam to hear what he says.
 
I only have my mobile phone as camera so pics will be ****ty, anything in particular i should take pics of?
 
 
Quote:

 
No chance to void warranty because Tamaudio sells opamps that need to be installed by opening the top cover. 
 
 
Please post more pictures if you can. 

 

[George_63]

Got my LM4562 order from Canada today. The original OPA2134 had been substituted by OPA2227,which I ''borrowed'' from my JDSLabs Cmoy ,as it sounded better. Reading all those praising comments on LM4562 made me quite impatient to finding out how it sounds compared to the 2227.My test has just finished and I've decided that OPA2227 is a keeper....It wasn't an easy task as they both sounded almost identical.I merely verified Chris J's words saying that opamp switching doesn't give spectacular results.True,as the differences were more subtle than the ones between 2134 and 2227.What came as a surprise though was the fact that 2227 presented a better bass than 4562.Some might disagree with this but that's the impession I was left with.The 2227 showed a slightly increased bass ,not much but enough to make it sound better outlined and articulated.They both sound open and detailed with 4562 being a little bit more neutral.The mids of 2227 are a bit warmer, closer to my taste and and that also helped my decision.I know that hearing is subjective and not everyone in this forum owns the same setup (mine is XONAR STX>MATRIX>AKG K701) but it seems that OPA2227 suits mine better than LM4562 which is a great opamp indeed.I'm writing these words just to let you know that OPA2227 is worth trying with the Matrix.
Next step is to try the A-class biasing with 3.9K and 3.3K resistors, as soon as I get my e-bay order of DIP-8 sockets and after that probably an OPA627 A-Class try out.

 

[Chris J]

Got my LM4562 order from Canada today. The original OPA2134 had been substituted by OPA2227,which I ''borrowed'' from my JDSLabs Cmoy ,as it sounded better. Reading all those praising comments on LM4562 made me quite impatient to finding out how it sounds compared to the 2227.My test has just finished and I've decided that OPA2227 is a keeper....It wasn't an easy task as they both sounded almost identical.I merely verified Chris J's words saying that opamp switching doesn't give spectacular results.True,as the differences were more subtle than the ones between 2134 and 2227.What came as a surprise though was the fact that 2227 presented a better bass than 4562.Some might disagree with this but that's the impession I was left with.The 2227 showed a slightly increased bass ,not much but enough to make it sound better outlined and articulated.They both sound open and detailed with 4562 being a little bit more neutral.The mids of 2227 are a bit warmer, closer to my taste and and that also helped my decision.I know that hearing is subjective and not everyone in this forum owns the same setup (mine is XONAR STX>MATRIX>AKG K701) but it seems that OPA2227 suits mine better than LM4562 which is a great opamp indeed.I'm writing these words just to let you know that OPA2227 is worth trying with the Matrix.
Next step is to try the A-class biasing with 3.9K and 3.3K resistors, as soon as I get my e-bay order of DIP-8 sockets and after that probably an OPA627 A-Class try out.

Oh you bugger!
Now I gotta try the OPA2227! LOL!

Hey George, thanks for the comments!

 

[George_63]

Oh you bugger!
Now I gotta try the OPA2227! LOL!
Hey George, thanks for the comments!

The OPA2227P which is the DIP-8 version costs about $7-8 on e-bay.If you have AKGs you won't regret spending the money.

 

[Chris J]

The OPA2227P which is the DIP-8 version costs about $7-8 on e-bay.If you have AKGs you won't regret spending the money.

Hey, thanks for the tip!
I know it doesn't make much difference, but for $7-8 I gotta try one!

 

[putente]

Quote:

The OPA2227P which is the DIP-8 version costs about $7-8 on e-bay.

 
 
Can those opamp eBay sellers from China be trusted? I mean, the opamps they sell are original?

 

[Chris J]

Can those opamp eBay sellers from China be trusted? I mean, the opamps they sell are original?

Hmmmm, maybe I'll try Newark or Future Electronics!

 

[putente]

Quote:

Hmmmm, maybe I'll try Newark or Future Electronics!

 
 
Well, I'm also after a pair of OP2227PA, and I found them on eBay from a seller in China very cheap. Maybe too cheap...

 

[George_63]

Always buy from trusted-awarded sellers so that even if the products are not genuine,returns or refunds are 100% guaranteed.The truth is that PayPal never let me down in this matter and I got all my money back whenever I opened a case.It takes sometime but compensation is guaranteed.Chris is right in suggesting other sellers like Newark since e-bay has generally higher prices in opamps.The British e-bay for example sells OPA2227 for 12-19 pounds or $18-30 which is too expensive IMO.
Check this: http://www.newark.com/jsp/search/browse.jsp;jsessionid=FK5LTJV53RWZ4CXDUZ1G2WQ?N=422&Ntk=gensearch&Ntt=opa2227p&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&exposeLevel2Refinement=true&suggestions=false&ref=globalsearch&_requestid=367141


For a review of OPA2227 aboard the Cmoy read the opamp rolling section of this article: http://www.headfonia.com/60-pack-of-awesome-jdslabs-cmoy/

 

[hifimanrookie]

Always buy from trusted-awarded sellers so that even if the products are not genuine,returns or refunds are 100% guaranteed.The truth is that PayPal never let me down in this matter and I got all my money back whenever I opened a case.It takes sometime but compensation is guaranteed.Chris is right in suggesting other sellers like Newark since e-bay has generally higher prices in opamps.The British e-bay for example sells OPA2227 for 12-19 pounds or $18-30 which is too expensive IMO.
Check this: http://www.newark.com/jsp/search/browse.jsp;jsessionid=FK5LTJV53RWZ4CXDUZ1G2WQ?N=422&Ntk=gensearch&Ntt=opa2227p&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&exposeLevel2Refinement=true&suggestions=false&ref=globalsearch&_requestid=367141
For a review of OPA2227 aboard the Cmoy read the opamp rolling section of this article: http://www.headfonia.com/60-pack-of-awesome-jdslabs-cmoy/[/quote

The one one I trust and dealt with concerning opamps627 is tamaudio..fast and reliable..on ebay there are some people who sell fake 627..soubdquality is terrible...so if u wanna play safe..use reputable sellers..and tamaudio is also the core seller or matrix mstage...