Matrix X-Sabre DAC review and impression thread

[glassmonkey]

 
DSD is pretty cool! freakin clean sounding!! it does sound much more alive and much more spacious!! sucks there isnt much in that format though...
although I still find that an extremely good recording in regular format can still sound alive and very detailed ... i find its all about how the producer recorded the source..
 
DSD is just the cherry on top for extreme details and headroom!
 
anyone know where I could find new music in DSD? anything in r&b or house music?  or maybe something with acoustic guitar?

I had the same experience with DSD when heard it native in a shop on the AK240 compared to PCM of the same tracks. DSD is magic. I used the samples from Ayre. For the PCM samples I had to right click them to download them. The website tries to play them for me.
 
If you are looking for more DSD tracks, here is some stuff to get you started:
 
Sonore DSD Database
 
Sonore also has some highly rated DACs. Blue Coast records gets lots of recommendations, but I'll wait to get some stuff until I have a good DAC.
 
Happy listening

 

[18inch]

thx for the link !
 
I still think its a bit overrated for normal listening and not that worth it though, probably why there isnt much available
 
I have an Ultrasone Demo CD from 2007 that came with the Proline750. And the recording is pretty insane quality! and thats only a CD, never heard a CD this clean in my life and still find it pretty stunning! you could play that cd through any speakers/headphone and it will sound good (you get the idea).
 
even this youtube clip from lindsey stirling (almost anything from her sounds pretty awsome quality wise) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ozVmO5LHJ2k&list=UUyC_4jvPzLiSkJkLIkA7B8g , has a pretty awsome audio in 720p...
 
not saying DSD isnt good, it is better and does have much much more potential, but just not THAT crazy of a leap as of now ... maybe because there isnt enough material in that format ...
 
Although, i think DSD should be more geared for movies! that would be pretty insane!
 
bottom line, imo :
actual recording > file format

 

[Maxvla]

DSD is not better, just different. DSD shoves noise up into the ultrasonic range, but then that noise has to be filtered out or you will burn up your speakers or headphones. The quality and implementation of this filter is critical. DSD isn't a cure all and it is remarkably difficult to work with in the studio, hence why there is practically no native DSD recording being done.

 

[musicus]

It is the quality of recording that matters much more than the actual format and well recorded music can sound fantastic even in 16/44 PCM (i.e. CD). Hi rez PCM (24/48 and better) and of course DSD let those with good setups squeeze the last say 10% out of that well recorded music. These formats however are most relevant to acoustic music, no point to bother with rock, pop, electronic. The best source of DSD for me is my own collection of SACDs, most of them being Pentatone, Deutsche Grammophon and Harmonia Mundi. I extract the DSD files using an old PlayStation 3. These SACDs are relatively cheap to buy compared to downloads of the same recordings (that typically have been down sampled and converted into smaller size files).

 

[shultzee]

Oh  Boston, and ELO  

 

[Shini44]

   
I don't know - I haven't tried it, but I know a lot of people like various Wireworld models. Having done some blind USB comparisons, I can say for certain that different cables do bring different characteristics to the sound so perhaps demoing a different cable could help to at least rule out that possibility.

i was thinking about getting different usb cables but feels like not worth it


anyone else went for usb cables with the x-sabre?

 

[shultzee]

I use audioquest forest usb cable and it does a good job.

 

[sedest]

I swapped an old stock printer grade USB cable for a more robust Supra 0.7m. Besides the facts of a much better looking and secure mechanical fitting, I sincerely cannot tell a diference for sound quality. It might be my ears or system, who knows...

 

[Loquah]

In my experience some of the expensive USB cables sound no different to generic ones and some may sound worse!!

Recently a friend and I compared about 4 different USB cables. I don't remember his brands, but my Chord SilverPlus and one of his were a clear upgrade (but different from each other) while the others were no better or worse (harsher) than a stock cable.

Moral of the story is probably try before you buy.

 

[gevorg]

USB cable has four wires: two for data, one for ground, and one for +5V power. Most of the time the improvements (if any) come from better power wire, but some DACs like X-Sabre do not even use it on their USB board/section. For a $0 tweak, you can experiment by lifting the ground and 5V wires (the outermost pins on USB Type-A connector). This way, you're just using the cable for the two data lines. If you think somehow the data lines can be improved by an audiophile cable, try something like Schiit Wyrd first (it will re-clock the data lines). On a desktop PC, you can try a dedicated PCI USB card, which is even cheaper than Wyrd. These tweaks have a better chance of improving your audio, rather than some "audiophile" grade USB cable. Still, in the end, none of these changes might make any audible differences.

 

[shultzee]

USB cable has four wires: two for data, one for ground, and one for +5V power. Most of the time the improvements (if any) come from better power wire, but some DACs like X-Sabre do not even use it on their USB board/section. For a $0 tweak, you can experiment by lifting the ground and 5V wires (the outermost pins on USB Type-A connector). This way, you're just using the cable for the two data lines. If you think somehow the data lines can be improved by an audiophile cable, try something like Schiit Wyrd first (it will re-clock the data lines). On a desktop PC, you can try a dedicated PCI USB card, which is even cheaper than Wyrd. These tweaks have a better chance of improving your audio, rather than some "audiophile" grade USB cable. Still, in the end, none of these changes might make any audible differences.

Good info,  thanks.

 

[BleaK]

Got the Schiit Wyrd in today and set it up to try it with my Matrix x-sabre. And it won't connect with the x-sabre while I use a usb cable without ground/power lines. The X-sabre works directly in the PC with only signal USB cable, any idea why it won't work with the wyrd?
Just tested it with my 5m printer cable, now it works. Still no idea why it won't work with the 5V cut. Others have been using the 5V cut usb cable from Wyrd to DAC.
And the X-sabre clearly works with signal only. I am very confused right now
 
PC -> Normal USB cable -> Wyrd -> Normal USB cable -> X-Sabre. Working as intented.
PC -> Normal USB cable -> Wyrd -> 5V cut USB cable -> X-Sabre. Not working.
PC -> 5V cut USB cable -> X-Sabre. Working.
 
Any ideas?

 

[Shini44]

does the X-Sabre even need a USB cleaner? i think these product help other med-fi or lower kind of DAC, were you will notice a change in the sound and get a cleaner signal
 
i used to have iUSB and it made my DacPortLX super clean and nice, but when i used it with my 800$ DAC it made the sound worse with bad things and didnt make it do its job, because many high end DACs got their own USB cleaner or something, don't know how does it work, but bottom like they don't need it and sometimes it will make thing worse.

 

[BleaK]

Well, for future reference the X-sabre needs the ground and/or 5V line for the digital "handshake" with a hub of some sorts.
 
Quote:

  does the X-Sabre even need a USB cleaner? i think these product help other med-fi or lower kind of DAC, were you will notice a change in the sound and get a cleaner signal
 
i used to have iUSB and it made my DacPortLX super clean and nice, but when i used it with my 800$ DAC it made the sound worse with bad things and didnt make it do its job, because many high end DACs got their own USB cleaner or something, don't know how does it work, but bottom like they don't need it and sometimes it will make thing worse.

 
Was just testing it and my first impression is that it seems like a nice upgrade, at least for me and my faulty laptop. May be bias, but I'm keeping it. YMMV.

 

[Shini44]

   
Was just testing it and my first impression is that it seems like a nice upgrade, at least for me and my faulty laptop. May be bias, but I'm keeping it. YMMV.

tell us more about the changes, i don't mind buying something will make the sound cleaner etc, or smoother >=)  

although its super right now, but you know head-fiers will always buy anything for 0.5 subtle changes XD