I love it. I got it used along with a mint DS DAC with the bridge. Both together under $5500. Sold the bridge and got back 450. So very happy with that purchase. I put them on and was amazed at how clean the sound is. Hard to explain on good recordings how the noise floor is so low and you just feel everything. Of course bad recordings I go whats wrong… until I realize its not the system.
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Yes, I’m thinking of upgrading mine to Purple from Orange, hopefully will get a fuller, beefier sound.
I will eventually put a Beeswax or Purple in the Farads, but I just changed the PS Audio AC-12 power cord on the Farad powering the Matrix to a $1,500 Acoustic Zen Gargantua II and wouldn’t you believe it, the sound is even richer and more real. The power cord powering the Farad matters also.
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I’ve been a big fan of the Matrix X-SPDIF2, going all the way with Farad Super3, and even more recently adding an AQ Dragon 48 HDMI which sounded great.
BUT
I did some comparisons today. I run my ethernet through an etherREGEN. Original setup was etherREGEN B port to Roon Nucleus+ > SonicArt Blue Lightning USB > Matrix (Farad 7V) > AQ Dragon 48 HDMI > DSD.
I then changed this to plug the etherREGEN B port to the Bridge II on the DSD instead. It wasn’t as good … UNTIL … I pulled the USB out of the Roon Nucleus+ (on advice from Alex Crespi, owner of UpTone Audio on the audiophilestyle.com forum). Damn it. That has bested my entire Matrix set up. Now my wife (who is presently unaware of the new setup) is singing along to the music, commenting how lovely it is, and not asking me to turn the volume down.
I was not expecting this, but that is what my ears are telling me.
I had my N100H running directly to Aqua DAC. After reading about another member with the same streamer using a Lanrover, I did a comparison with the Matrix.
I’m glad I did. I’m running USB from streamer to Matrix and at the moment- coax to Dac. It made a noticeable difference. Detail is excellent but I have been fighting sound stage since moving and everything being re-positioned etc. The stage this morning was excellent. As if main speakers were off and image came from just above the amp (center) with a few instruments just a bit left and right. (only listening to guitar pieces this morning) I am running a Carbon USB so ordered a Carbon AES/EBU to match. My Coax is just a AQ Forest so looking to match/improve in the cable dept.
Some good ideas on this forum sometimes. !
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Pasting my post which is in the Matrix X-SPDIF2 forum:
I’ve been a big fan of the Matrix X-SPDIF2, going all the way with Farad Super3, and even more recently adding an AQ Dragon 48 HDMI which sounded great.
BUT
I did some comparisons today. I run my ethernet through an etherREGEN. Original setup was etherREGEN B port to Roon Nucleus+ > SonicArt Blue Lightning USB > Matrix (Farad 7V) > AQ Dragon 48 HDMI > DSD.
I then changed this to plug the etherREGEN B port to the Bridge II on the DSD instead. It wasn’t as good … UNTIL … I pulled the USB out of the Roon Nucleus+ (on advice from Alex Crespi, owner of UpTone Audio on the audiophilestyle.com forum). Damn it. That has bested my entire Matrix set up. Now my wife (who is presently unaware of the new setup) is singing along to the music, commenting how lovely it is, and not asking me to turn the volume down.
I was not expecting this, but that is what my ears are telling me.
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I am a Bridge II Ethernet card fan. (But I have never used a USB cable in the signal chain to move my bits from a computer to my DSD DAC.)
Enjoy.
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Especially if you add an audiophile switch and use EMI absorption on Bridge’s chips.
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Yes, as mentioned, my findings were a surprise to me. I had posted on audiophilestyle.com that the Matrix set up was easily superior to the Bridge II set up - then I was advised to pull out the USB. What a difference that made!! That turned the tables completely, and I ate my words.
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I have nothing against the bridge but mine is long gone and replace by the jkrichards power card! The bridge II was good but no match for the Auralic IMO.
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I would bet running Ethernet to EtherRegen to UltraRendu then USB to matrix Dragon to DS could best that BridgeII.
I am not familiar of sonic art blue USB but love my Inakustik Referenz USB.
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@Vmax
It goes to show how many variables there are! Everyone’s set up is different. I’m going to keep the Dragon 48 HDMI, as I’m sure I’ll find a use for it. I was somewhat tempted to get an Inakustik Referenz USB cable, but I’m still getting over the shock of how good the etherREGEN to Bridge II sounds (only after removing the USB from my Nucleus+). Do you have the Bridge II? Perhaps you could do the experiment in your super-system and report back?
Has anyone here tried adding an Uptone USB Regen to the Matrix? It seems to be an almost ridiculous suggestion as it makes for so many linkages with their own power supplies! My wife thinks I am a bit ridiculous with my audio system but she also does appreciate the sound.
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@paul172 - please elaborate on your set up. I’ve not heard of the jkrichards power card. Which Auralic device do you have?
@Philip_Gan Regrettably I don’t have a Bridge to place into the DS. I do have an ultraRendu which I used to hook USB directly to the DS before the matrix. The Roon Nucleus + USB out can be noisy. The systems Small Green Computer assembles and curates rely on sonore devices between the streamer and DAC to address those. Or there best server has Sonore msgic built in. Both serhan and AAngen claim their Bridge was on par with matrix chain. Al got his Dragon after he had stopped using the DS.
It is all about what we like. It all matters in the Digital chain. Every AC and DC cord , Digital interconnects, LPS, and where one installed RF and EMI absorber and whether each piece is vibration isolated. Hopefully the DS Mk II takes out those variables or they will matter less.
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[Warning: Somewhat lengthy/rambling post to follow.]
FWIW, I have an acquired (non-experiential) bias against USB being in the signal chain (at least in the first leg or two of the chain).
Early on, I read a lot about the power and “grunge” issues associated with USB and all of the work-arounds required to get “USB-audio” up to snuff as compared to other digital transmission options. That was enough to sour me on giving it a go for my serious rig/critical listening. (Disclaimer: Since I have never actually employed USB as the initial/primary signal carrier, my opinion has limited credibility.)
That said, I have no doubt one can get superior performance out of a USB-based system but all of the Matrix’s (USB converters), expensive/niche USB cables, power supplies, and such that apparently have to be added to the signal path to get there leads me to believe that it might make sense to have a digital signal path based on some other primary/initial means of transmitting the 1s and 0s.
Personally, I defaulted to Ethernet early on and have put together my best sounding digital system to date. Full disclosure: Albeit with the addition (over time) of galvanic isolation of the signal path, relatively expensive Ethernet cables at key junctures and a sprinkling of upgraded power supplies (I have several iFi Audio iPower power supplies serving my TP-Link media converters and Ethernet switches.)
All that is to say, it has been my experience that getting the 1s and 0s to the PSA DSD Sr. DAC from my iMac and Router via Ethernet, care of the Bridge II Ethernet card can lead to very musical and, in some instances I am sure, superior results to that of a USB-centric system.
I do wonder whether getting my signal to the second I2S input somehow might not be “better” than the Bridge though. I’ll have to ponder coming up with a way to give that a try that does not involve the use of a USB cable. (Did I mention I am prejudiced when it comes to USB as a means of transmitting music 1s and 0s? 
)
Thanks all for indulging my screed.
Cheers.
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@Philip_Gan This podcast has an engineer from a well known streamer server company talking about what matters in digital and how to expand your system. Not necessarily his companies equipment. The main thing he stresses is listening.
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My digital streaming setup consists of a ROON Nucleus core. My streaming transport is the Auralic G2. I Have a wireworld starlight platinum 8 USB out of the Auralic into a Matrix Spdif 2 AQ Dragon HDMI out to my Directstream DAC. My Directstream has the Edcor mods, the @jkrichards powerboard w/external power supply and 3M 7050hf RF blocking inside the Directstream. I have not considered using a USB regen. My Auralic G2 is connected wirelessly. I did have the EtherREGEN on my Nucleus and it did not improve the performance on my system. The Auralic and Matrix device are both benefit from galvanic isolation. The sound is extremely satisfying IMO.
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Thanks @paul172 - impressive kit and upgrades! I’m keeping the Dragon 48 as I’ll swap set ups in the coming weeks to see where the dust settles, and to keep I2S options in future.
Regards,
Phil
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I have the matrix on an Sbooster also!
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Thanks @Vmax - I’ll look at that on the weekend. I agree with listening!! What amazing instruments our ears and brains are…
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