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Matrix X-Sabre - DSD for us cheapskates..?
Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2014 8:32 pm
by Claus
Any thoughts on the X-Sabre?
After all the talk about DSD (now that 24/192 is no longer enough!) I came across this DAC on the Danish forum. It seems to be very popular on Headfi.org forum, and is getting great reviews all over the place.
It's going for around 850 euro plus shipping and duty depending on where you get it.
http://www.matrix-digi.com/en/products/49/index.html
Or would it be better to save up for the HUGO?
Re: Matrix X-Sabre - DSD for us cheapskates..?
Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2014 8:34 pm
by tony
Maybe your dac provider might rise to the challenge?
Re: Matrix X-Sabre - DSD for us cheapskates..?
Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2014 8:44 pm
by markof
Don't know the X-Sabre but am interested in this one, IFI iDSD Micro- just out:
Details at:
http://ifi-audio.com/portfolio-view/micro-idsd/
I'm really enjoying it's younger brother, the nano.
Plays just about everything and is battery powered too.
Mark.
Re: Matrix X-Sabre - DSD for us cheapskates..?
Posted: Sat Jul 26, 2014 11:50 pm
by tony
How does it compare Mark to your JKDAC32? Is it in the same ball park or better?
Re: Matrix X-Sabre - DSD for us cheapskates..?
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 11:08 am
by Claus
Wow that ifi looks cool as well. Pretty much set on the Hugo in terms of value and build quality. It also adds portability, which might come in handy. Must see if I can get a listen to Ken's..
Re: Matrix X-Sabre - DSD for us cheapskates..?
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 12:49 pm
by Ivor
Claus wrote:Wow that ifi looks cool as well. Pretty much set on the Hugo in terms of value and build quality. It also adds portability, which might come in handy. Must see if I can get a listen to Ken's..
The guys in The Listening Suite do the iFi stuff.
Re: Matrix X-Sabre - DSD for us cheapskates..?
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 1:01 pm
by markof
Ivor wrote:Claus wrote:Wow that ifi looks cool as well. Pretty much set on the Hugo in terms of value and build quality. It also adds portability, which might come in handy. Must see if I can get a listen to Ken's..
The guys in The Listening Suite do the iFi stuff.
Unfortunately, The Listening Suite had stopped selling iFi products when I spoke to them about 6 months ago.
A UK distributor - Select Audio - covers Eire now and the owner, Stephen Riddick, is a good guy to deal with but it's just not the same as having a local outlet.
Mark.
Re: Matrix X-Sabre - DSD for us cheapskates..?
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 1:10 pm
by Ivor
markof wrote:Ivor wrote:Claus wrote:Wow that ifi looks cool as well. Pretty much set on the Hugo in terms of value and build quality. It also adds portability, which might come in handy. Must see if I can get a listen to Ken's..
The guys in The Listening Suite do the iFi stuff.
Unfortunately, The Listening Suite had stopped selling iFi products when I spoke to them about 6 months ago.
A UK distributor - Select Audio - covers Eire now and the owner, Stephen Riddick, is a good guy to deal with but it's just not the same as having a local outlet.
Mark.
That's a pity alright.
Re: Matrix X-Sabre - DSD for us cheapskates..?
Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2014 1:20 pm
by Claus
Yeah that's a shame as for once product could be demoed before making the jump...
Re: Matrix X-Sabre - DSD for us cheapskates..?
Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2014 8:16 pm
by Fran
I'm not convinced at all by DSD. First of all there's the complete lack of material - re-releasing a classic album in DSD ain't gonna make it sound better. Think of how comparatively few 24/192 albums there are for instance. Then there's the size issue - I downloaded a test track from 2L before Christmas - and 15 min classical track that was 9Gb!
And none of that would make eg Sketches of Spain sound any better I think....
Fran