Thanks for posting your results!!
Looks like they don’t really make monster toslink cables anymore.
Ordered a ‘Monster Fiber Optic 250dfo Advanced Performance Audio Cable - 1M’ from frys electronics for $20…so now i have three toslink cables coming my way…hoping at least one works.
Is there an advantage to using the iFi 5V power supply over not having any power supply at all connected to the Matrix?
Only cost. A real LPS is most advantageous getting away from switch mode PS or the USB supply.
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I can say that I felt there was a small improvement using a 5v ifi power supply as opposed to powered from USB from my laptop at the time
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If you want a substantial improvement to the Matrix, try adding a Sbooster with the Ultra MKII. I just try pulling my Sbooster and Ultra MKII out from my system, and it is night and day difference. The sound just collapsed. I put back the Sbooster and UltraMKII and the music is back with the full soundstage and excitement restored.
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I fully agree with this statement.
(Although I have heard there are even better options)
I have 2 Teddy Pardo 7v/2A LPS units. One to power the Matrix SPDIF 2 and the other to power ultraRendu.
I have tried the UpTone LPS-1 and LPS-2, the Sbooster, and the iFi. None of these sound better than the Teddy Pardo units.
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That is one of the units people say is better. I didn’t know it was nicely priced.
In my experience, Matrix actually reduced layerings of the soundstage (different instruments’ images more fused together), not necessary the depth of the soundstage. Maybe a good LPS alleviated some of that. Note: I only tried iFi 5V, yet to try a better one.
I found that there was an enormous difference between bus power, iFi 5V, and my current Uptone LPS 1.2. I think if my LPS took a dirt dive, I’d pull the Matrix out of the lineup until I got a replacement.
In my system instrument separation was one of the biggest improvements I noticed. I have always used a LPS tho.
I’d be curious about how the Teddy Pardo would sound versus the UpTone LPS.
I have a Teddy on order, but it’s taking sooooo long to ship out. It has been “processing” for, like, over a week.
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Please report back after you receive it.
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The Teddy Pardo is due in on Monday.
That’s a lifetime in stereo days.
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I am most interested in what you find. But if you are anything like me you will change three things at once nullifying any chance to learn which did what. 
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That is not what I experienced even with no LPS used. The Matrix SPDIF 2 improved instrument and voice separation in all three planes but not in an artificial way. This suggests to me that the Matrix SPDIF 2 and the I2S interface of the DirectStream is providing a cleaner signal to the rest of the DAC hardware resulting in a more true to what was recorded result.
Adding the Teddy Pardo LPS made the separation even better.
What’s the conector diameter for the Teddy Pardo order?
Apology. I realized that I was comparing Matrix with USBe which I talked about in a different topic, see the link below. You are right. SQ is definitely better with Matrix than without.
Oh Man, I always promise myself that I’m not going to do that and then I get so caught up in the moment that I forget all about it! 
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