About the Matrix Audio ND-1 DAC


I’ve been looking to upgrade my Denafrips Pontus ll for a while now and I just watched a review of the Matrix Audio ND-1 DAC on the Pursuit Perfect Sound YouTube channel and Terry seemed to like it and it’s AKM chips. I don’t need another preamp. I don’t need another streamer. I don’t need another headphone amplifier.  I just want a better ( to my ears ) DAC and this one looks interesting to me.

Does anyone here have any experience with the ND-1?
 

Thanks in advance.

curiousjim

@audphile1 

I definitely agree, I’m not interested in making a lateral move.  As of right now, I only have two definite maybes on my list, the Denafrips Venus 15th and the Mearson DAC 1 MK2. The reason I started this thread is that the ND-1 looked interesting and might not be a sideways move.

Boy it would be so much easier if I had more Hifi shops within 200 miles of me.

@trivema 

I have given thought to adding a reclocker and I might do that at some point, but for now, I’m going to look getting a better DAC. The Pontus ll, is great, but something is still hurting my ears in the upper midrange @65-75dbs.  Over the years , I have changed everything else, so that’s why I’m hunting for a different DAC.

Thanks.

One of my two area stores is now an Audio Advice.  They say that they can get anything, but other than adding SVS, I didn’t see anything new in the store.  I guess time will tell.

🤞🏻🤞🏻

@curiousjim , as I think you know, i am a big fan of the Aero DAC, especially with good NOS tubes, especially the TungSol black glass round plates. I have just recently moved on to the Mojo Mystique Z “Q”, but, in line with what @audphile1 said above, that’s a 3x price jump. I think the Aero is a great R2R DAC in (and above) its price bracket.

(I will be selling my <6 month old Aero; if you are interested let me know and I’ll set up a listing page on here and on USAM.)