CHANGSTAR: Audiophile Headphone Reviews and Early 90s Style BBS

Lobby => Amp and DAC Measurements => Topic started by: Hands on April 11, 2014, 02:25:13 PM

Title: Matrix X-Sabre DAC Measurements
Post by: Hands on April 11, 2014, 02:25:13 PM

(http://www.matrix-digi.com/uploads/allimg/introduction/x-sabre01.jpg)  (http://www.matrix-digi.com/uploads/allimg/introduction/x-sabre07.jpg)
Test Hardware and Setup

-Matrix X-Sabre DAC - Using USB input with a generic USB cable from my dee-eye-why computational desktop.

-DIY Gaming Desktop - i5 2500K locked at 4.5GHz, Biostar TZ77XE3 motherboard, GTX 780, Antec EarthWatts 650W Green PSU, Auzentech Bravura sound card, 4 140mm fans, goofy UV cathode lights in case, Fractal Design Define R4 case...overall, most likely not optimal for audio, but does well enough as an output in tests and represents a real-life scenario for many. Plugged into APC H10 power conditioner. I did run Fidelizer on it for the tests. Used USB 3.0 ports from the mobo, tested for which ones produce best results and use those. Generally does not cause issues.

-Creative X-FI HD USB (SB1240) - Takes line-out signal from DAC to line-in for recording purposes, powered by USB bus, plugged into Surface Pro. Unit is limited to 48/96KHz input/output.

-1st gen Microsoft Surface Pro - Records from SB1240 via USB. Running Fidelizer tweaks. Battery powered. Whizbang touchscreen doodangle for super-cool hi-tek-ultra computing experience. Produces cleaner and generally better results than running the SB1240 from the desktop as well.

Software

RightMark RMAA 6.3.0, ARTA

Misc. Notes

*The X-Sabre's performance is greater than that of the SB1240's ADC in most areas, but there is still some useful info to be gained.*

Creative SB1240 has a slight roll-off in the bass.

I do not guarantee 100% accuracy with these measurements.

Aside from special cases, like NOS DAC experiments or specific measurement requests, these tests/this thread represent the DAC measurements I plan on running from here on out (my "template").

Links

Matrix X-Sabre DAC - http://www.matrix-digi.com/en/products/49/index.html (http://www.matrix-digi.com/en/products/49/index.html)
Creative SB1240 - http://us.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-digital-music-premium-hd (http://us.creative.com/p/sound-blaster/sound-blaster-digital-music-premium-hd)
RightMark Audio Analyzer - http://audio.rightmark.org/index_new.shtml (http://audio.rightmark.org/index_new.shtml)
ARTA: http://www.artalabs.hr/ (http://www.artalabs.hr/)
Title: Matrix X-Sabre - 16/48 RMAA Measurements
Post by: Hands on April 11, 2014, 02:38:17 PM
X-Sabre set to 16/48, ADC set to 24/96 to get a view of what happens outside the 20Hz-20KHz band. Keep in mind the X-Sabre maxes out the SB1240's ADC in most areas (more so in higher resolution tests).

Frequency response (from 40 Hz to 15 kHz), dB   +0.01, -0.08Excellent
Noise level, dB (A)   -97.6Excellent
Dynamic range, dB (A)   97.7Excellent
THD, %   0.0018Excellent
THD + Noise, dB (A)   -89.0Good
IMD + Noise, %   0.0043Excellent
Stereo crosstalk, dB   -96.3Excellent
IMD at 10 kHz, %   0.0064Excellent
General performance    Excellent

RMAA attachments will be in following order:

1. Frequency Response
2. Noise
3. Dynamic Range
4. THD
5. IMD
6. IMD swept
7. Crosstalk
Title: Matrix X-Sabre 24/96 RMAA Measurements
Post by: Hands on April 11, 2014, 02:43:32 PM
24/96 measurements. Mostly maxes out the SB1240.

Frequency response (from 40 Hz to 15 kHz), dB   +0.01, -0.07Excellent
Noise level, dB (A)   -107.6Excellent
Dynamic range, dB (A)   107.4Excellent
THD, %   0.0018Excellent
THD + Noise, dB (A)   -91.9Very Good
IMD + Noise, %   0.0027Excellent
Stereo crosstalk, dB   -99.0Excellent
IMD at 10 kHz, %   0.0047Excellent
General performance   Excellent
Title: Re: Matrix X-Sabre DAC Measurements
Post by: firev1 on April 11, 2014, 03:01:23 PM
Seems like a very textbook DAC in terms of distortion profile. Comparing with the Gungnir results, the X-Sabre test better but the Gungnir has little high order harmonic distortion components compared to the X-Sabre.
Title: Matrix X-Sabre - JTest, Square Wave, -90dB, and Other ARTA Tests
Post by: Hands on April 11, 2014, 03:02:48 PM
Here's a collection of ARTA-based tests. Unless specified otherwise, DAC was set to 16/48. ADC was always at 24/96. Results are attached as follows:

1. 24/48 JTest - Here, the X-Sabre basically meets the limitations of the SB1240. Jitter is not a concern on this DAC, even from a gaming rig's motherboard and with a generic USB cable.
2. 1KHz square wave, -3dB - This shows us the X-Sabre is using a standard linear phase filter with a typical amount of pre and post-ringing.
3. 1KHz sine wave at -90dB, 16/48, undithered - Results look good, or about as good as the SB1240 will show.
4. Above, but 24/48 - Looks good again.
5. 19KHz sine wave at both 0dB and -3dB, undithered
6. 13Khz and 14KHz sine waves at both 0dB and -3dB, undithered
Title: Re: Matrix X-Sabre DAC Measurements
Post by: Hands on April 11, 2014, 03:13:55 PM
Quote from: firev1 on April 11, 2014, 03:01:23 PM
Seems like a very textbook DAC in terms of distortion profile. Comparing with the Gungnir results, the X-Sabre test better but the Gungnir has little high order harmonic distortion components compared to the X-Sabre.

Indeed, it ticks all the normally expected objective boxes for DACs. It serves as a good benchmark to see how capable the SB1240 truly is as an ADC, haha. I wouldn't put too much stock in my Gungnir measurements, since I had issues getting them right. Those Gungnir tests were also what prompted me to start using the SB1240 with the Surface Pro, and the SP does tend to show very slightly different harmonic characteristics than, say, the Razer Edge tablet I have or my desktop (if the desktop did produce noisy results for some DACs). But the SP gives better absolute numerical readouts in RMAA than anything else I have. Really too close to matter either way between the two tablets, but the SP is easier to work with given the built-in stand and type cover I have. But, even after all that, it could just be slight measurement variation/within margin of error.

BTW, posted X-Sabre specs on Matrix's site:

RCA Output Level：       2.2Vrms at 0dBFS
XLR Output Level：       6.8Vrms at 0dBFS (XLR：1=GND,2=hot,3=cold)
Frequency Response：  20Hz-20kHz +/-0.1dB
SNR：                          124dB 0dBFS Unweighted
                                   127dB 0dBFS A-weighted
THD+N：                      0.0003% @1kHz 0dBFS
                                   0.0003% @1kHz -1dBFS
                                   0.0003% @1kHz -3dBFS
Channel Separation：    -145dB @20Hz
                                   -143dB @1kHz
                                   -136dB @20kHz
Title: Re: Matrix X-Sabre DAC Measurements
Post by: firev1 on April 11, 2014, 03:58:01 PM
The Gungnir test is okayish if you know which data to throw out(the distortion profile is the same as the Audio-GD NFB2).

Would love to see more ESS9018 dacs measured going forward(like the Buffalo 2) just to see the different implementations and how they relate with subjective experience.
Title: Re: Matrix X-Sabre DAC Measurements
Post by: Hands on April 11, 2014, 04:25:41 PM
Yeah, it's just iffy when comparing. I'll post the Mini-I measurements probably tonight or tomorrow, and those should be great to compare with these.

I would like to hear a Sabre DAC with a short minimum phase filter, like the new Ayre QB-9.
Title: Re: Matrix X-Sabre DAC Measurements
Post by: Hawaiiancerveza on April 24, 2014, 06:38:12 PM
Matrix X-Sabre DAC - http://www.matrix-digi.com/en/products/49/index.html

This redirects here for some reason...
http://www.metrum-acoustics.nl/Hex_English.html


Title: Re: Matrix X-Sabre DAC Measurements
Post by: Hands on April 25, 2014, 06:54:33 AM
LOL, thanks for pointing that out! Very weird. I'll fix it now.
Title: Re: Matrix X-Sabre DAC Measurements
Post by: Hawaiiancerveza on April 25, 2014, 12:58:51 PM
No problem.  =)
Quote from: hans030390 on April 25, 2014, 06:54:33 AM
LOL, thanks for pointing that out! Very weird. I'll fix it now.
Title: Re: Matrix X-Sabre DAC Measurements
Post by: BleaK on May 05, 2014, 11:23:16 PM
Thank you for doing these!   :)
Title: Re: Matrix X-Sabre DAC Measurements
Post by: Hands on May 06, 2014, 04:51:25 AM
No problem! Just keep in mind nice DACs will max out the capabilities of what my ADC can measure, but it does well enough to still show us a decent amount about its characteristics. The X-Sabre is objectively excellent in most regards, though one may wish for different digital filtering or not be crazy about how sabre chips tend to sound.