Support for Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) DAC

General Discussion
1

Hi,

I am considering upgrading my DAC and this one comes up as a good candidate. However, it uses XMOS XU216 chip for its USB interface, instead of XU208 in my Topping DX3Pro. I am not interested so much in the MQA playback support but PCM via USB is important. Any experience with connecting Matrix Audio X-Sabre Pro (MQA) under DietPi, anyone? Note, this is their newer model, the older one has no MQA in the name and uses XU208. That one does work but it has been discontinued by Matrix Audio recently.

Thanks,
bamyasi

2

bamyasi
Which SBC are you considering this on? Essential is that this SBC + Debian support this DAC, either via build-in drivers or via external driver/kernel module/dtoverlay.

3

MichaIng
Thanks for reply. This is USBridge network transport from www.Allo.com. It consists of Sparky SBC with USB audio interface on a separate reclocker HAT (its USB port connects to SBC’s USB port-1). According to Matrix Audio engineers, they had no problems connecting X-Sabre Pro to Ubuntu 18.04 (amd64) PC via USB. I assume that means Debian should also work. Sparky SBC however can be another story.

4

bamyasi
On Ubuntu it works OOTB, so no driver/kernel module/overlay needs to be installed/compiled? But yeah of course this can be significantly different on any ARM (compared to x86).

From what I found one can only be sure by testing the individual DAC on the individual SBC. About XMOS of course the kernel has support, but couldn’t find something about if XU216 required any kernel update/version that is not yet present on Sparky SBC kernel 3.10.38.

Drivers for this specific DAC are available for Windows only, couldn’t find some sources to build from on Linux, if even required.

I think best to assure it works is to ask on the Allo support forum: https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/forum/113-dac-support/

5

I think best to assure it works is to ask on the Allo support forum: > https://audiophilestyle.com/forums/forum/113-dac-support/

I just did but not holding my breath for any response. There are likely not that many people out there trying to connect a top end expensive DAC to a $130 DYI network streamer…

6

Yeah probably, however best one can do for now. We can hope that Allo at least has some deeper knowledge about how such things generally work on Linux/Debian, what to check e.g. for XU216 support and such. Also they know their custom kernel and where to check for modules/drivers that might work OOTB.