Latest Headphones Earpads Updates

Review: Matrix Audio Mini-i 4 – Feeling Connected

Posted on by Anonymous User

Section DAC, section streamer, and section preamp, the Mini-i 4 targets to do all of it.

Backside Line

The Matrix Audio mini-i 4 is a smart software. Certain, the loss of Bluetooth or WIFI might be a dealbreaker for some customers, relying at the distinctive realities of their very own setup. However for the ones whose setups higher fit its capability, comparable to my very own, the mini-i 4 is a wonderful do-it-all software. My greatest gripe is its issue dealing with a big native track assortment. The loss of an incorporated bodily far off is forgivable because of the great MA app.

What We Like 😍
  • Transparent, uncolored sound
  • Balanced and SE outputs
  • Many inputs – preamp capability
  • Intuitive and completely featured telephone app
  • Lots of options
What We Do not Like 🤢
  • Massive native track collections are sluggish to navigate
  • No wi-fi connections – no Bluetooth, no WiFi
  • No {hardware} far off incorporated
  • Small display
  • No virtual output way no exterior DAC improve
In This Article

In This Article

Check out as I may to struggle it, enjoying offline track is inexorably changing into a factor of the previous. Don’t get me improper, I’m unabashedly a vinyl addict, however streaming products and services are beginning to supplant my massive virtual track assortment.

I to find myself valuing fancy DACs as a lot for his or her connection choices (Bluetooth, AirPlay, and many others.) as for his or her skill to decode in the neighborhood saved community information.

It’s temporarily changing into the age of combo virtual streamers/DACs.

I’ve attempted to construct this kind of software to various ranges of luck. Pi streamers, each with display and headless, have all the time supplied a excellent, however no longer moderately best, enjoy. Setup demanding situations, clunky interfaces, and restricted improve appear to be a common Achilles heel.

I simply need a unmarried software that does all of it. Without problems. And to sound wonderful. Is that an excessive amount of to invite?

Certain, if cash isn’t any object, the Naim Solidarity Atom HE exists and is an excellent software. Complete prevent. However can I’ve all of it with out mortgaging my space?

Input the Matrix Audio mini-i 4. On paper, it sort of feels to be virtually precisely what I’m in search of. Relatively priced, nice app, colour display, gigabit ethernet, USB garage participant, TIDAL and Spotify improve, Roon in a position, and AirPlay succesful.

However wait, no Bluetooth or WIFI?

There’s a Professional model that incorporates an interior headphone amplifier and WIFI for approximately a 50% value building up.

Is the mini-i 4 precisely what I’m in search of, or is it merely a new compromise?

The front is plain other than that beautiful display.
The entrance is obvious instead of that lovely show.

Unboxing and First Impact

Watch: Matrix Audio Mini i-4 Streamer DAC (Unboxing + First Impact) #shorts

Corporate Review

Matrix Digital Generation Co., LTD was once based in 2006 in Xi’an, , when 3 classmates graduated from college and constructed their first (of their phrases) “respectable high quality” DAC. The usage of their technical wisdom, they developed from DAC designs to community streaming units in 2018.

“All of our merchandise no longer simplest have very good audio efficiency, but in addition incorporate nice designs that may combine into the house atmosphere. Solidarity is the objective of our steady efforts.” – Matrix Audio

Technical Specs

  • Shape: Desktop, DAC, streamer
  • DAC Chipset: ES9039Q2M
  • Processor: Cortex-A55 2.0GHz quad-core
  • Virtual Inputs: Coax, Optical, HDMI ARC, USB-b, USB-c
  • Analog Inputs: RCA (2.1VRMS Max)
  • Analog Outputs: XLR (4.4VRMS), RCA (2.2 VRMS)
  • Community: LAN (10/100/1000 Mbps)
  • Weight (g): 1.3kg
  • Dimension (mm): 224mm x 186mm x 53mm (WxDxH)
A double box keeps the things inside nice and safe.
A double field helps to keep the issues inside of great and protected.

Packaging

The mini-i 4 is available in a undeniable outer cardboard field containing the product field and an influence wire. I suppose that is so they are able to simply alternate what energy wire is incorporated relying at the location of the sale and native necessities.

Within the field

  • Matrix Audio mini-i 4
  • Energy cable
  • Fast get started information
  • Guaranty card
The top and front are aluminum, but the sides and bottom are plastic.
The highest and entrance are aluminum, however the facets and backside are plastic.

Design

The mini-i 4 is smaller than I anticipated. That’s as it bears an uncanny resemblance to the SONCOZ SGA1 headphone amplifier that sits on my writing table. Obviously, they percentage DNA from an OEM enclosure producer.

Then again, the mini-i 4 doesn’t use the similar chassis because the SGA1. It’s a lot smaller in all dimensions and has black plastic facets somewhat than aluminum. Then again, the brilliant and colourful 3.5” LCD touchscreen within the middle is a a ways growth over the SGA1’s monochrome virtual show.

You like buttons? Well, that's it.
You prefer buttons? Smartly, that’s it.

Flanking the display are invisible capacitive buttons to regulate quantity output (proper facet) and converting inputs (left facet). A unmarried bodily button is at the best close to the entrance left nook for muting and sleep/wake, despite the fact that this positioning does restrict stacking the rest on best of the unit. The opposite nook has an illuminated MA emblem.

Even if the entrance panel is certainly very graceful with out bodily controls, I all the time choose twisting and pushing bodily units.
Small size doesn't mean a lack of connection options.
Small measurement doesn’t imply a loss of connection choices.

The again panel is easily endowed with virtual inputs: gigabit ethernet port, USB-c for exterior garage drives, USB-b, coax, optical, and (relatively strangely) HDMI ARC. Including some pre-amp versatility is the inclusion of a unmarried analog RCA enter. Analog outputs are each RCA and XLR.

Reasonably unexpected is the loss of Bluetooth or WIFI improve.

There could also be no virtual output to improve an exterior DAC.

It's a clean, attractive design.
It’s a blank, horny design.

MA Far flung app

Until you wish to have to buy the bodily far off one at a time, it’s all however vital to make use of the MA Far flung app. Thankfully, the app is beautiful nice.

There is not any far off regulate incorporated within the field.

All setting changes and firmware updates are completed using through the app.
All environment adjustments and firmware updates are finished the usage of the app.

If a firmware replace is to be had, it is going to be the very first thing you spot when opening the app. A few mins and a couple of button presses later, you’re going to have the newest tool model put in at the mini-i 4.

The far off app is intelligently and cleanly laid out and moderately intuitive to make use of. Whilst the featureless entrance panel of the software is particularly missing in controls, the app is filled filled with choices.

The app simply differentiates in the neighborhood saved information from streaming alternatives and helps to keep resources (Library, Streaming, Web Radio, My favorites, and Discovery), choices, and lines logically arranged.

It might be simple to get misplaced in the entire capability of this kind of software if the consumer interface wasn’t extremely subtle, and I’m glad to file that I haven’t any primary problems navigating throughout the app.

The app is fully featured and easy to use.
The app is absolutely featured and simple to make use of.

All isn’t solely best, on the other hand. The highest menu in Library incorporates Footage and Movies headings, however deciding on both possibility will get the mistake message that simplest audio information are supported for playback.

My very huge native track assortment takes an unacceptably very long time to show, making navigation a chore. The usage of Plex to navigate on my telephone and enjoying again by means of AirPlay to the mini-i4 is a FAR awesome enjoy than the integrated track participant.

Connecting the web with an ethernet cable signifies that the mini-i 4 is seamlessly noticed by way of streaming platforms, and Spotify works flawlessly.

The clock is up to date robotically when the web is attached.
While not overly generous in size, the screen is clear and legible.
Whilst no longer overly beneficiant in measurement, the display is apparent and legible.

mini-i 4 Sound

I concurrently have the mini-i 4 hooked up to the SONCOZ SGA1 headphone amplifier by means of the XLR balanced output and to a Marantz 2245 stereo amplifier by means of the RCA output to check each headphone and full-sized stereo utilization.

It’s difficult to explain the sound of a supply software when it does what it will have to.

The mini-i 4 sounds impartial and clear. It doesn’t unduly colour the sound, and it provides outstanding sonic efficiency, befitting its value level and my expectancies. Not anything seems missing, so I’ve little concrete to let you know with out waxing obscurely poetic.

The ESS Sabre ES9039Q2M chipset has a name for transparent and crisp playback, however a lot of its efficiency is dependent upon implementation within the circuit design. No longer all units sharing the similar DAC chip sound sonically equivalent, so no longer all ESS chips sound vivid and medical – as has a tendency to be fashionable opinion.

I will be able to to find no fault intimately supply or readability, and I charge the whole sound of the mini-i 4 as very good. I select up no harshness or fatiguing brightness.

Going from side to side, there appears to be, possibly, some slight variations within the sound between streaming (both Spotify or Apple Song by means of AirPlay) vs playback of the similar music in the neighborhood the usage of the interior DAC. Then again, I will be able to’t inform if that is because of the supply report, connection approach, or interior processing.

Regardless, any method I play a report at the mini-i 4, it sounds terrific.

It kind of reminds me of an upside down turtle.
It strikes a chord in my memory of an upside-down turtle.

The place to Purchase

New or old, the mini-i 4 will blend seamlessly into your home audio system.
New or outdated, the mini-i 4 will mix seamlessly into your house audio gadget.

Conclusion

The Matrix Audio mini-i 4 is a smart software. Certain, the loss of Bluetooth or WIFI might be a dealbreaker for some customers, relying at the distinctive realities of their very own setup. However for the ones whose setups higher fit its capability, comparable to my very own, the mini-i 4 is a wonderful do-it-all software.

I’d be way more put out if I wasn’t an Apple AirPlay consumer.

My greatest gripe is its issue dealing with a big native track assortment. Updating takes a ways too lengthy, and navigation is a painful chore. However the usage of AirPlay and apps like Plex or the Roon improve skirts this downside, and it’s simple to forget about the integrated track participant.

The loss of an incorporated bodily far off is forgivable, as any such absolutely featured software is in reality depending on a well-realized consumer interface – one this is delivered within the MA app.

I really like having a DAC, streamer, and show all built-in right into a unmarried software. I’ve sufficient piles of separates to comprehend a cleaner, more practical setup. For the ones headphone lovers who need to take this one step additional, the Professional headphone amp model needs to be a tempting improve.

The mini-i 4 is poised to be the cornerstone of your house audio setup. Attach it to a speaker amp or powered audio system, in addition to a headphone amp. Plug in a turntable, recreation console, or CD participant, and grasp your telephone. For minimum table area, you get a large number of terrific-sounding capability.

Publishing request and DMCA complains contact - here or here.
Allow 48h for review and removal.