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Matrix M-Stage HPA-3U+ DAC/Amp

Matrix M-Stage HPA-3U+ DAC/Amp

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Product Description
An upgraded version of the original Matrix M-Stage HPA-3U, the HPA-3U+ headphone amplifier boasts a built-in USB DAC and a single-ended headphone output. It’s equipped with an XMOS U-series asynchronous USB chip and a Cirrus Logic CS4398 D/A chip, and supports a 24-bit/192kHz sample rate, plus DSD 2.8 MHz and 5.6 MHz Read More

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fl1ngsl1ng
107
Jul 28, 2018
No one buys because there are other, cheaper & better alternatives
rslatara
287
Jul 26, 2018
I just got the 2C version and it's as loud as my NFB.11. It has a nice solid build and sound is good so I imagine this is a level up. I will also be sure to upgrade to a Burson opamp.
It's of debateable merit, but still if a DAC goes up to 96k or 192k, shouldn't the audio path likewise not stop at 20hz-20khz. But rather extend out to 30 or 40k? Otherwise why bother with higher samplerates? Whether you are able to hear that high varies from person to person. When I was younger I certainly could hear past 20k. However this is not the real reason to go for higher sample rates and audio pathway with a transfer function extending out past 20k. Even if you cannot hear that high, you will hear the lowpass filter's effects kicking in well before it's specced corner frequency. If you design for 30khz corner frequency than you are well out of the way. And the golden ears guys like George Martin will hear the difference.
actually, due to the Nyquist theorem, in the best case scenario a device with 192kHz samplerate can only playback up to 96kHz. You effectively need the sample rate to be twice the highest frequency you wish to produce. The higher samplerates such as 96k and 192k are frequently utilized not to garner ultrahigh frequency information, but rather to move the corner frequency of the antialiasing filter, and the aliasing artifacts themselves out of the range of human hearing. This is not because you actually hear the filter. But it can induce phase smear in the top end which may sound brittle and harsh. I actually own equipment with 192k samplerate, and 50k bandwidth. Even with my crappy hearing I can hear a benefit. Mostly a very clear treble with a distinct edge on details, without sounding liek a treble knob has been cranked up.
CalaverasgrandeYour Nyquist assertion is accurate, I didn't mean to be vague. By "at that level" I meant greater than the general threshold of human hearing at 20kHz. I've had gear claiming 40khz and don't really notice much on the top end. The only consistent benefit among properly sourced hi-res I've been able to discern is a clearer fundamental, slightly better transients and a greater sense of the recording space (close mic, live, small venue, etc..). Again things probably not worth it to most folks, I will argue CD quality beats lossy compression until I die however.
jersey_boy
197
Jun 20, 2017
price wise this is comparable to an NFB-11, also high power amp. how does this compare to the NFB? looks like the NFB has a better dac?
qu11355
169
Jun 19, 2017
This vs the M9XX from Grace?
trybeingarun
137
Jun 19, 2017
qu11355M9XX appears to have a slightly weak amp while this has a weak dac. I don't own M9xx myself. Why not get a separate class-A amp and a good dac?
trybeingarun
137
Jun 18, 2017
I have been using this unit for around 6 months with K7xx and Hd6xx. While the amp section is great, the dac itself is a terrible performer. It has no attack and has poor dynamics and details. When I feed it dsd signal (through Audirvana) the dac performs even worse. Now I have a Aune X1s (occassionally Fiio X5ii) feeding signal to this unit and this combo is pretty good. However if I wanted just a pure class A amp, I could have gone with Nuforce HA-200 (in fact I've ordered it too).
rslatara
287
Jul 26, 2018
trybeingarunHave you tried a burson opamp?
trybeingarun
137
Jul 27, 2018
rslataraNo, I sold the amp ultimately and am into hybrids and tubes now.
trybeingarun
137
Nov 24, 2016
Can anyone who received the product purchased in the recent drop give their initial impression?
ArthurM
2684
Nov 16, 2016
All of the orders have been shipped and are now on the way to you! Once tracking is available, you will receive a confirmation email with tracking information. Please allow 24-48 hours for this information to update in the courier’s system.
If you have any questions, please visit our Help Center (http://massdrop.com/helpcenter).
We're also on Instagram! We'd love to see photos of the drops you've received. Give us a follow @Massdrop and tag your pictures #massdrop. https://instagram.com/massdrop
ArthurM
2684
Nov 10, 2016
Bulk shipment received! Our warehouse team confirmed that the group's order arrived earlier and now they're working hard to break everything down into the individual packages for shipment to each of you. We will monitor their progress closely and update the group once all packages are sent out.
Expect another update from us on 11/16 or sooner if something comes up.
If you have any questions, please visit our Help Center (https://massdrop.com/helpcenter).
Mist
11
Nov 7, 2016
How much was it?
trybeingarun
137
Nov 9, 2016
Mist$325 + shipping
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