Matrix Audio X-Sabre 3 - For Art Collectors

TIME STAMPS:

Features & Build - 2:15
Testing Methodology - 10:43
Performance & Comparisons - 8:51
Streaming, Bluetooth & Filters - 15:44
Value & Conclusion - 16:48

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Twitter: @NoThemeReviews

When You Walk Into The Room: NA
The Only Thing That Matters: NA
Drum Solo: NA

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[albertorossini]

I totally agree with you about dacs. I have two (RME Adi 2 and xDuoo XD05) for two different systems which I bought only for their features: they have an headphone amp, the RME has a great EQ and the xDuoo is portable with built in battery and BT. The RME costs 2x but sounds the same just because good DACs DON’T SOUND or at least they should not. Yet watching your review right after the last Crinacle video about amps, I can only conclude that the only audio gears worth spending money on are headphones or speakers because they are the only devices that make a clear audible difference. Which was exactly what I thought before starting following audio reviewers on YT during the first long lockdown. They talked about timbre, dynamic, slam, punch and other nonsense about DACs and for a while I was really convinced it was my fault I could not hear anything like that. After some stupid purchases and after discovering your reviews (and a very few others) I realized it’s just marketing or a kind of fanaticism, fortunately in an harmless form, except for my wallet. So thank you for help me to save money and regaining some esteem towards my ears.

[souravms]

Getting more wet is the aim of my life.
Thank you for taking the time and effort to properly test these equipments.

[joseluishernandezseptien]

I wish I didn’t hear the difference between DACs and their combination with amps but… I do! They also make me feel different emotions. After several years of critical listening, I hear the differences but they are minor indeed and not worth the jump in asking price that manufacturers want us to believe it’s worth it.

[miuzig]

Thanks! Please keep up these reviews. I am in a dilemma wanting to upgrade my dac, and have been researching alot. Being a relatively newbie in this hobby, i got pulled to all different types of reviewer opinions, with all the fancy words. But thanks to you doing A/B testing, i finally can find peace and now rather look into functions, features and pricing, than into SQ of a DAC. I am purely a headphone listener and dont own a 50k soundsystem :))
I am sure they make some minor differences in those costly systems, but not for my humble headphones.
But i also believe and can say that besides headphones, amps play a big role in the SQ and signature too, not only the headphones themself..

[theamazingnerd]

Great review as always. Will you be reviewing the Burson at any point? I'd love to hear your impressions on Burson vs the RME for instance.

[Silky_boi]

I’m a fan of Matrix Audio, I have the Element H, I went that route to dedicate a port solely for audio and have had no issues with device disconnecting from power issues since I have 13 usb devices connected.

[johnloughead]

I bought the matrix x sabre 3 and I think it is my best purchase to date and great value for money. Why, because I bought a streamer, a DAC and a preamp in one component thus saving myself from having to buy more separates. No regrets except that I wasted time watching a biased review on this site.

[d_dude_is_here]

Have you ever tried or planned to try and review lampizator DACs ?

[petrpulpytel]

Great great review, thx, new sub hear.. I have two Cambridge streamers/dacs cxn v2 and 851n and I cannot say, there is some difference in SQ...

[nicktan]

$100-$200 days sound the same $3000, days seems redundant and odd. If we say such things we are a troll

[gauravtyagi]

In short:
This is a better DAC in the market for jitter reduction performance results in my experience. Not a value for money streamer. Please read further for details.
Details:
I, on purpose, bought the X-Sabre Pro MQA DAC not the streamer version. Apart from the standard DAC functions it also does jitter reduction. This feature is more appreciated when you connect a high power desktop with a graphic card to this DAC in comparison to a low power notebook. You may ask why would you like connect a "dirty" PC to your audio chain. Answer is upsampling and achieving extremely low latency of your CPU cycle. I use a PC that runs AudioLinux and hosts Roon as library manager and HQPlayer as a playback software. I upsample all input formats to DSD512. Results are far better on X-Sabre PRO MQA than RME ADI-2, Denafrips Pontus, Topping D90 and Chord Hugo 2. Then comes the feature of adding a I2S interface with DDC which percivably enhances depth perception and widens the sound stage.

My current chain is this:
Custom PC -usb-> MA X-Spdif 2 -I2S-> X-Sabre Pro MQA -> speakers/headphone rig.

[alphaniner]

I would love to see you test an R2R ladder DAC - regardless of the brand. I was never really able to hear difference between chip based DACs, until I got the first R2R.

[avro]

Great review, very thorough, I think I'll stick with my ifi hip dac and xduoo TA 10 / TA 10 R, I like to tube roll,

[nicktan]

What do you think with Burson conductor or soloist ?

[Xamy-]

I would not spend this much on a capacitive

[mikewiley]

Very nice review about SQ. I think the largest selling point to this DAC is that it has a built in streamer. Did you try to see if there a difference in SQ via Ethernet to the Sabre? I have found a significant increase in SQ using my Rendu to my M400 so I was wondering about Ethernet direct to the Sabre

[TerraBlacc]

I'm very surprised to see a PA-1 and an IHA-1 in the background, do you have reviews on those? I'd be interested to see your take on those.

[chefsteve]

How do you not get a headache trying to work out what to listen to, when you walk in your audio room ?