Very nice rig! I bet you could get those temps even lower if you liquid cooled! 
It’s liquid cooled
I have one of these inside
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Nice!! Tanks and pumps were a messy business. That’s a nice self-contained unit!
The new firmware update from Matrix Audio integrates HIGHRESAUDIO Streaming service for element 2 Series and X-SABRE 3 plus bug fixes and some changes:
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I just ordered a Matrix Element i2 from the Roon Store. I’ve been using a mini-i Pro 3 for over a year. I’m looking forward to trying it out.
You are going to love it. BTW, these ship directly from Matrix Audio in China. At least my i2 purchased from the Roon Store was shipped directly from Matrix Audio.
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The Element i2 arrived in 5 days from China. Not too shabby. The outer box took a bit of a beating but the inner box was unscathed.
I swapped the mini-i Pro 3 for the Element i2 in my desktop setup with minimal fuss. The only difference was that the USB input on the i2 needs a USB B connector where the mini-i uses a USB C.
First impressions are very positive. The screen on the i2 is much nicer and it’s a touch screen to boot. Getting the unit on my wi-fi was much easier. The mini-i is was a bit of a nightmare entering the wi-fi password using the multi-function volume knob. The touch keyboard on the i2 made this task pretty much painless.
Roon recognized the i2 immediately and so far streaming is flawless. My Mac Mini detected the USB within seconds (once I got the right cable hooked connected).
Overall, it seems to be a very worthwhile upgrade from the mini-i. I’ll report back with sonic impressions after I give it some time.
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New Matrix Audio element S Streamer just released. No info yet in Matrix Audio website but the MA app was updated yesterday to support the new element S Streamer and also it’s already available for pre order at APOS Audio. It is basically an element i2 without headphone amp and no DAC, only digital outs. Looks like the competition for the Lumin U2 mini.
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Roon Store sells i2 for $1580, and this S Streamer is priced at $1500 without headphone amp and DAC. I wonder what it is based on, if not i2.
I already have M2 for my main system, and I am looking for a streamer for my bedroom. The S is interesting, although may be overkill for a secondary system. Will see.
The i2 is the one I have in my bedroom system and it works great in there. An X-SABRE 3 is in my desk system which is where I listen to music the most. I think the i2 would be a best choice for a secondary system because it’s a one box solution. With the element S you may need an additional component, like a DAC.
I just had a nice telephone chat with the MA company in Xi’an China, and the gentleman knows their products inside out. He said the S is based on the X-SPDIF and will be officially released in a matter of weeks, or sooner.
I have PS Audio Stellar DAC and power amp for my bedroom. If I were to go with the S, I could connect via I2S. I had eyed on Holo Red as Roon bridge, but it’s a deal breaker without wireless.
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I have an element I2 and I’m noticing a faint tick or glitch when switching to a new track. It’s almost like the first fraction of a second is being lost. Has anyone else experienced this? It’s most noticeable on headphones. I’m running the latest version of the Matrix firmware and Roon.
New Matrix Audio element S Streamer added to the element family:
https://www.matrix-digi.com/product/90/element_S
$1499 MSRP. This is clearly Matrix Audio competition for the Lumin U2 mini.
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Can you go straight from the DAC to your power amplifier and use Roon for volume control?
I have a tick/glitch issue with my I2 and got around to recording a sample of it. This is playing back the first few seconds of “Rikki Don’t Lose That Number” by Steely Dan. I start playing and restart the track after 5 seconds. At the beginning of the track, just as the music comes in, you can hear a faint tick. I’m using Roon and playing a FLAC that I ripped myself. I compared this to the exact same track playing back over a mini-i Pro 3. As you can hear, no tick. You can ignore the mouse clicks.
The degree of the tick in the I2 varies. Sometimes it’s not noticeable. Sometimes it’s very disruptive. Has anybody else noticed this or is able to reproduce it?
I am going to put my ignorance on full display, so please be kind.
Right now I am using a Nucleus as my core, connected to a MA X-SPDIF 3 to convert usb to IS2 and then out to an Audio GD R8 MK2 dac’s I2S input.
Do any of these MA products shown here function as a Roon core?
Would I be able to replace the Nucleus with the MA Element M2 as the core, and use my laptop (or whatever) as the remote ? Would this work or would I need to use my laptop as the core ?
No they are Roon endpoints
If you already have Nucleus then you are good to go and don’t need to change anything.
If you do not have a Nucleus then you could use your laptop as a core and remote if it meets the minimum specs