Loaner: Matrix X-Sabre Pro MQA

Here on a limited tour will be the Matrix X-Sabre Pro MQA DAC. Due to the nature of this loaner (we don't own it and will have to return it to Matrix when done), there will be a few ground rules (aside from the regular loaner expectations/rules already set; if you don't know them read here and here.

• Friends or high contributors only.
• CONUS-only. Sorry to all non-CONUS friends, but since the DAC isn't our property I believe it necessary and prudent to reduce risks.

Then usual stuff (no USPS, signature required, insure to $1000). Sign up here.

Marv's impressions thread here.

Tour:

1. @Vtory, TX
2. @JoshMorr, MN
   
3. @porkfriedpork, MA
   
4. @MrTie, PA
5. @Elnrik, CO
6. @Hands, CO
7. @E_Schaaf, CA

As courtesy, please post a small blurb here when you receive/ship the DAC.

 

will jump in and hand off / take from Elnrik since his hut is near by.
plus, provides another data point to tell @Hands the DAC is too bright.

 

I would be interested in this, actually, but am wondering if I could test it later in the tour? I'm having surgery tomorrow on my arm and won't be able to use it much for a while. Would like to test it once it's healed up if possible.

 

Tour finalized. When @purr1n is done with the stuff he needs with the DAC the tour will start.

@Hands is that late enough in the tour for you to recover a bit?

 

Solid chance I can make that work. If not, I’ll pass when the time comes!

 

TL;DR, no, I did not. Unfortunately I have to be the "bad guy" here.

Long answer: The X-Sabre Pro was given to SBAF as a limited loaner free of charge. I made it abundantly clear to Matrix that they cannot expect us to even like the DAC (heck, we might have really hated it), but what they can expect is that the members here would give honest impressions about the sound of the DAC.

Originally, the tour was supposed to be really small (think 3-5 people including Marv and myself). After seeing the number of responses, I did ask Matrix if the tour could be slightly longer than what we originally discussed before the DAC was even sent to me, and luckily they agreed. This however still meant that not everyone who signed up here could hear the DAC. Such is the nature of some loaners.

I knew that this would mean hand-picking members, and believe me this was NOT something I enjoyed doing (I don't necessarily believe in first-come-first-serve in this case; we all have different lives, live in different time zones, etc, and to base selection on something as arbitrary as having the luck to happen to see the loaner thread go up first is something that strikes me as totally HF-worthy). As someone who is still new to this community, this was not an easy task and not one undertaken lightly. I have no intention of making enemies here, but I know I can't please everyone all of the time.

Ultimately someone was going to have to lose out.

 

I'm all ears if people want to do something like this to open spots.

In retrospect, I should have stopped and asked for advice when I was at the "I don't feel good about this" stage while arranging this loaner tour. @brencho I'll keep this in mind the next time I try to arrange anything. I'm still pretty new and I have a lot to learn (please bear with me through this), and I'll improve for next time.

 

I shall withdraw and visit Elnrik directly for a listen.
the more the merrier, pork should be in.

 

Updated.