[ev01ut10ndt]

My thoughts exactly. Dilemma...
 
Well, the person that wasn't that impressed with the mini was impressed with the cube. His discussion is over on the cube's thread. Maybe if someone in Los Angeles is willing to do a comparison...I could justify getting one or the other dac. 

 
Quote:

I wonder what would fit my AKG K271 MK2 better, the mini or the cube? the price is about the same on Ebay ?

 

[grokit]

 
Quote:

Grokit, it looks like you use this for your speakers.  Do you find it convenient?  Nice thing about the Beresford is that one output is always fixed, and one is always variable, so there's no switching back and forth.  I'm not sure I like the idea of having to go into the menus to change it, and if it is on DAC mode by accident it could ruin the speakers.  Seems like that happened to someone here.

Well I used to have it hooked up that way, I had the RCAs going to my desktop headamp and my XLRs going to my JBL Control 2P near field monitors, self-powered like your Mackies. It was great both ways, if you have it in DAC-only mode you just have the volume control on the speakers, in amp mode you have the volume control on the Mini-i as well. The speakers never distorted in either mode, it worked out very well that way.
 
But you don't really have to go through much to switch modes on the Mini-i, just push in on the knob when you power up and make your choice. I have it on a powerstrip with my Bravo now so it's extra convenient as I don't have to reach around to the back of the Mini-i anymore for on/off.
 
Now I have the RCA outs going into a Bose Cinemamate through a Pro-ject switchbox, and the XLRs going to one of the inputs on my WA22, and two less speakers on my desk 

 

[rhythmdevils]

The Mackies don't have a volume control, so it would just be on the mini-i.  I'm just a bit worried about the fact that it's a digital switch, so it's not going to be easy to tell which mode it's in.  If I was up late listening to music with headphones, I'd have to remember to switch to amp mode before turning it on.  If I didn't do this, and I turned the mackies on, it would be really really really loud!  That's just not very good usability.  I mean I'd have to be really paranoid about it, and couldn't ever let someone else use my system.  Probably not the unit for me I guess.
 
...oh and congrats on the WA22!  Nice one.  Who needs speakers when you've got that beast?

 

[grokit]

Thanks! That's weird though, I never heard of powered monitors without independent volume. Anyways it's easy to tell on the Mini-i which mode you are in, the volume display on the front panel is locked in at 0dB when in DAC mode, and you get a minus sign on the display with the volume enabled, unless you are at 0dB of course in which case it won't matter. The choice is "VOL&HP ON", or "VOL&HP OFF" and the range with the volume control enabled is from -90dB to 0dB, with 90 discernible "steps".

 

[Hellenback]

 
Quote:

The Mackies don't have a volume control, so it would just be on the mini-i.  I'm just a bit worried about the fact that it's a digital switch, so it's not going to be easy to tell which mode it's in.  If I was up late listening to music with headphones, I'd have to remember to switch to amp mode before turning it on.  If I didn't do this, and I turned the mackies on, it would be really really really loud!  That's just not very good usability.  I mean I'd have to be really paranoid about it, and couldn't ever let someone else use my system.  Probably not the unit for me I guess.
 
...oh and congrats on the WA22!  Nice one.  Who needs speakers when you've got that beast?

 
When the Matrix Mini is in DAC mode the display always reads 0db (loudest). When it is in amp mode it displays whatever the volume is (in db down to -99). It has a memory, so when you turn  back on the volume fades in gradually until it reaches the pre turn-off setting thus giving you a chance to adjust the volume before it reaches a dangerous level.
 
I think that is very good design/usability

 
Even if it didn't have the built in "fade protection" I've always been in the habit of turning down any amp before turning the unit off (or unplugging headphones) so it will always turn on at a low volume.
 
@grokit
I didn't realize it took me that long to answer! By the time I posted you had pretty much already said most of what I'm saying here.

 

[snip]

Hi,
 
Has anyone had any luck getting hold of coolfungadget lately?
 
I have sent a PM about three weeks ago but have had no reply,
 
I wish to purchase a Mini-i and would prefer going to Coolfungadget direct rather than through eBay.
 
//J

 

[gwikse]

I love this dac. Using it with a set of DT770 80 as well as a pure DAC in my main stereo rig.
 
Currently testing a set of Beyer T1`s through a Audio-gd C2C. In other words; I`m currently unawailable

 
I did one mod on my Mini-i, I replaced the 7812 and 7912 regulators with a set of regulators from NewclassD. This was a major update imo. The sound used to be a bit stressed, but now it`s stressfree hours on end.
 

 

 

[Hellenback]

 
 
Quote:

I did one mod on my Mini-i, I replaced the 7812 and 7912 regulators with a set of regulators from NewclassD. This was a major update imo. The sound used to be a bit stressed, but now it`s stressfree hours on end.

 
I'm not likely to swap anything as I find the SQ great but I'm curious.....are you speaking of the voltage regulators? What improvements did you hear exactly because "stressed" is not a word word I'd use to describe the sound of the Matrix (and I listen for long periods with HD650 headphones).
 
I'm assuming the LEDs are just for fun?

 

[gwikse]

http://www.newclassd.com/index.php?page=70
 
The regulators have those leds mounted from NewclassD.
 
English is not my strong side I`m afraid.
Use of the word stressed was a bit diffuse.
 
My initial impressions after listening to the Matrix after this mod is that the sounds are more isolated from each other, dynamics are improved, and the bass is a bit more tight (not less bass just more nuanses) wich again makes it easier to distinguish the bass-notes from each other.
 
Now just to say something regarding hifi in general here in Norway. The power grid is extremely bad over here, with variation and noice. So power upgrades usually have great effect.
 
I`m not saying that you should all do this, but imo its worth the effort and the money.

 

[sunneebear]

Hey, could be something to that cause I think Burson has some discrete regulators too.  Still, that's about $40 USD apiece. Really puts into perspective the price/performance factor of the Mini-i.

 

[Hellenback]

Quote:

http://www.newclassd.com/index.php?page=70
 
The regulators have those leds mounted from NewclassD.
 
English is not my strong side I`m afraid.
Use of the word stressed was a bit diffuse.
 
My initial impressions after listening to the Matrix after this mod is that the sounds are more isolated from each other, dynamics are improved, and the bass is a bit more tight (not less bass just more nuanses) wich again makes it easier to distinguish the bass-notes from each other.
 
Now just to say something regarding hifi in general here in Norway. The power grid is extremely bad over here, with variation and noice. So power upgrades usually have great effect.
 
I`m not saying that you should all do this, but imo its worth the effort and the money.

Thanks for your impressions and the link.  As sunneebear said it really puts the price of the Matrix in perspective when replacing two regulators costs 1/4 the price of the unit! I wish I could hear the mod to determine if it is worth the money/effort to my ears. As I get absolutely no (audible) noise with this DAC and the MKVII+ I'll just be grateful for now with what seems a good power supply in Canada.

 

[gwikse]

Great value indeed. I will try to tweak every last bit of music out of this unit. And most of the modifications I`ve seen are reversable.
 
Right now I`m trying to read through this tread for more tweaks. Too bad it`s in french, but thats what we have google translator for

 
http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1054&t=29929355&sid=aec460824d2efd7bbcfaf24ed90bed7a
 
Edit: NewclassD has a 30day money back deal

There are proborably someone closer to you whom can lend you a 2nd unit to do a direct comparison?

 

[sunneebear]

I saw that thread awhile back and it looks like some serious tweaking.

 

[Hellenback]

Quote:

I saw that thread awhile back and it looks like some serious tweaking.

As long as you don't have to look at some of the tweaks

    http://nsa10.casimages.com/img/2009/12/22/091222082024854289.jpg

 

[Ph1lerAudi0]

Quote:

Great value indeed. I will try to tweak every last bit of music out of this unit. And most of the modifications I`ve seen are reversable.
 
Right now I`m trying to read through this tread for more tweaks. Too bad it`s in french, but thats what we have google translator for

 
http://www.homecinema-fr.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1054&t=29929355&sid=aec460824d2efd7bbcfaf24ed90bed7a
 
Edit: NewclassD has a 30day money back deal

There are proborably someone closer to you whom can lend you a 2nd unit to do a direct comparison?

Hello all,
 
1st time poster here. I've had the Matrix mini I for about 2 months now. I enjoy it a great deal. I'm not a headphone user and as such I'm using the mini I as a DAC pre-amp.
Question for you gwikse: when you swapped the regulators, you did not have to solder anything, just swap the chips? Also, how were you able to determine the correct orientation?
 
Also, asking qwikse and all the matrix owners, is the Matrix's power supply smps? I'm a novice with electronics and can not tell.
 
I think I will be doing this mod once I find more info on it.
 
 
Also, to the other posters who are factoring the price of the mod, other than the price comparison with the total cost of the matrix, wouldn't there also be the sonic benefit of how the matrix may compare more favorably to a $1000 or $3000 DAC? 
 
Just wonderings and musings.
 
Thanks