The Matrix Mini-I is one of the most versatile and feature-rich units we have come across: it can be used as a Digital-to-Analogue converter (DAC)/headphone amplifier, straight DAC, preamp with digital volume control and as a digital pass-through. No matter what particular setup you need, the Mini-I will always fit the bill.

Winning the Headphonista Oustanding Design 2010 award is no mean feat, but with the Mini-I it’s easy to see why. The brushed aluminium exterior, fashioned in typically minimalist style with clean lines and a monochrome display, means it will look great in any setup.

With USB, BNC, optical and digital coaxial inputs, the Mini-I can be used with almost all sources be it your Mac, computer, CD player or TV.

A single pair of phono (L/R RCA) and balanced (XLR) connectors provide the outputs. There is also a coaxial digital pass-through which supports AC-3 and DTS formats.

A useful feature that displays the current active input, sample rate, volume level and track time information.

The Matrix Mini-I is equipped with two Analog Devices 1955 D/A chips. The AD1955 is a time-proven design and is used in the DACs of many high-end and respected brands.

The Mini-I supports up to 24-bit and 192KHz through its S/PDIF and BNC inputs. The maximum sample rate supported via USB is 24-bit/48 KHz.

While we think should be a standard inclusion with all DACs, it seems that the Mini-I is one of the very few to include a fully-featured remote control, at least at its price point. It features on/off control, input selection, volume control and a mute button.

Apart from being able to used as a DAC with fixed line out, where the signal is taken straight from the D/A chip, the Mini-I can also be used as a preamp with variable line out, so you can connect it to a power amplifier and use the Mini-I to change volume.

It might be quite easy to write off the headphone amplifier of the Matrix Mini-I given the low cost of the unit. We wouldn’t be so quick to, however, as Matrix have spent much time extracting the greatest performance from the headphone amplifier section within the budget constraints. Using the well regarded TPA6120, the Mini-I can drive headphones up to 300ohm impedance with surprising ease, though it is no match for a dedicated headphone amplifier of the same price, however.

The unit utilises a 220-240v power supply, perfect for UK and European mains power.

All our items are covered by our comprehensive 1 year UK warranty which guarantees you peace of mind. In the unlikely event that the product becomes faulty, we will collect free of charge, and our technicians will repair the product. If this is not possible, we will replace it at no extra cost. If after one year the item develops a fault, you may covered with the manufacturers own warranty. You can either contact them directly or send an email to us; we will help you to the best of our ability to get the problem resolved.

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