my quick take on Matrix mini-i dac

Category: Digital

I wanted to post a quick review of the Matrix Mini-i Dac and get the word out on this amazing dac. Ok this is my first outboard dac and I am really blown away by the performance of this unit that sells for $375 from Pacific Valve. I have no affiliation with them or any other vendor.

My main source for cd playback is Tosh 9200 or a Oppo 983, with my preference overall being the Tosh even though it is around 6 or 7 years old (stereophile class a fwiw back in the day). I’ve been researching the digital forums on dacs and have been curious about the slew of new offerings in the market. At this point I am using the tosh and oppo as transports feeding the dac. No music on a hardrive (yet).

I was about to order a MF V-dac to get started down this road and then the Matrix popped on agon so I grabbed it after reading some good stuff at head-fi. So it arrived and got it wired up to feed my MF A3cr preamp out to Quad 12L active monitors with an mfw-15 subwoofer. ….. then a BIG SMILE came over my face as I listened.

Wow, no question more of everything was coming through…. First off had to dial back the sub a touch, STRONG bass. Detail is improved, as is body and drive of the music. Soundstage is what I always look for and the width is the same, but the depth and air around each instrument is better. Highs are sweet and all the feeling, force is much more ALIVE. I can’t seem to hear anything over hyped or downside at this point. The musical presence in the room is amazing (not sure if that is the best way to described it) it just sounds more LIVE. I guess that may be the increase in dynamics and the transient edges of the notes that are apparent. Every disc I play is improved

Also, I listen a lot while I am in other rooms of the house such as kitchen or office. I still can hear the improvement so I would not describe it as subtle.

The sound of DRUMS of all types are amazing, the drums are in my room!
So now I will start ordering some other dacs to try, I am very impressed and amazed at this one, ah but you know the vice,,, need to try more. Still want to try a v-dac, ps DL3 and others under $500.

Music: Pat Barber, J Johnson/on and on, Clapton/reptile, Brubeck/Time out, S McLachlan/afterglow,

Other dac suggestions are welcome.

System: Oppo 983 > Matrix mini-I dac> MF A3cr preamp> Quad 12L active (w diffractionbegone pads) av123 MFW-15 sub, porter ports, PS audio duet, audio art interconnect, iron lung jelly fish PCords, red dragon digital IC