Fidelity Imports
Matrix Audio MS-1c Music Streamer DAC | TweekGeek
Matrix Audio MS-1c
The MS-1c sits at the entry point of Matrix Audio's M Series — below the MS-1 flagship in the hierarchy, but built with the same design philosophy and carrying several of the same engineering decisions. It is a streamer and DAC in one chassis, intended for those who want a single high-quality source component rather than a separate transport and converter. It does not include the MS-1's analogue inputs, phono stage, or preamp output. What it does include is the flagship AKM chipset, Lundahl transformer coupling in the output stage, and dual femtosecond clocks.
For someone building from a source rather than around existing components, the MS-1c is a very complete starting point.
The DAC & Clock Architecture
The MS-1c uses AKM's AK4191 modulator paired with the AK4499EX DAC chip — the VELVETSOUND flagship combination, the same chipset at the heart of the ND-1. Dynamic range is rated at 125dB, SNR on the XLR output at 126dB A-weighted. These are strong numbers for an integrated device at this level.
The clock architecture is a notable upgrade over the NT-1's single femtosecond oscillator. The MS-1c uses two custom femtosecond clocks — one as the reference for 44.1kHz-based sample rates, one for 48kHz-based rates. A high-speed FPGA handles frequency division and jitter reduction between the clocks and the conversion circuit. The two-clock approach eliminates the sample rate conversion artefacts that a single-clock system introduces when switching between 44.1kHz and 48kHz families, and it produces lower phase noise at each rate. The practical effect is better perceived detail and what Matrix describe as improved airiness and texture — descriptions that are imprecise but point at something real in the time domain performance.
Lundahl Transformer Output
Like the ND-1, the MS-1c uses Swedish Lundahl precision transformers for signal coupling in the analogue output stage. The transformer character — warmer, smoother, with the harmonic density that transformer coupling tends to produce — is baked into the output stage here rather than being a switchable option as it is in the ND-1. THD+N is 0.02% at 1kHz on both XLR and RCA outputs, which reflects the transformer's tonal signature rather than a limitation of the conversion. If you know you prefer the transformer sound, the MS-1c gives you it without the op-amp alternative. If you want to choose between them, the ND-1 is the right product.
XLR output is 4.5Vrms with 100-step digital volume attenuation. RCA is 2.25Vrms, same control. Both outputs can drive a power amplifier or active speakers directly, removing the need for a separate preamp in that configuration.
Digital Outputs & Transport Capability
The MS-1c is not just a streamer-DAC — it can also function as a high-quality transport feeding an external DAC. Optical, coaxial, and AES/EBU outputs cover the standard S/PDIF formats; IIS-LVDS reaches PCM 768kHz and DSD 24.58MHz for DACs that support it. The USB DAC output, with its 5V/1A low-noise dedicated supply, handles whatever the connected DAC can accept up to PCM 768kHz and DSD 24.58MHz. That output capability makes the MS-1c a credible upgrade path — it will work with a better external DAC if and when that becomes the priority, without requiring a transport change.
Networking
The MS-1c adds Wi-Fi 6 to the connectivity options — the MS-1 and NT-1 are wired-only. Gigabit Ethernet remains the preferred connection for high-resolution PCM and DSD playback, but Wi-Fi 6 is a genuine option for systems where running a cable to the rack is not practical. The SFP slot of the MS-1 and NT-1 is not present on the MS-1c.
Streaming & Software
The MS-1c is Roon Ready and also supports Audirvāna and NAA — the latter two are notable additions not present on the NT-1. Apple Music is natively integrated alongside TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, DLNA/UPnP, HIGHRESAUDIO, vTuner, and Radio Paradise. Dropbox can be mounted as a music source alongside NAS and internal SSD. The MA Remote App handles all control from iOS, iPadOS, and Android.
CD ripping and playback is supported via external USB CD drive — the same one-touch rip-to-storage workflow as the NT-1.
Power Supply & Construction
The power supply separates digital and analogue sections with independent supplies. The analogue stage runs from a dedicated linear supply with multiple LDO regulators. This is a less elaborate arrangement than the dual square-copper-wire transformers and Mundorf capacitors of the MS-1, which reflects the price difference — but the separation principle and the linear regulation for the analogue output stage are the same approach. The NVMe SSD slot on the underside has its own ultra-low-noise independent supply, the same design as the NT-1.
Isolation is handled by the MA-DAMPER STD — the standard version of the Audio Bastion-developed damper system, using silicone damping internally. The MS-1 uses the more elaborate MA-DAMPER PRO five-material system. The chassis is CNC-machined aluminium, 430mm wide at the same footprint as the MS-1, 315mm deep rather than 353mm, and 6.5kg — considerably lighter than the MS-1's 14.6kg, which reflects the simpler power supply topology.
Where It Fits
The MS-1c occupies the space between the NT-1 transport and the MS-1 integrated flagship. Against the NT-1 it adds a built-in DAC with Lundahl output, analogue outputs, Wi-Fi 6, Apple Music, Audirvāna and NAA support, and the dual-clock architecture. Against the MS-1 it gives up the phono stage, analogue inputs, the reed relay volume control, the heavier power supply, the SFP port, and the dual-mono chipset layout.
If you are streaming — digital sources only, no vinyl — and want a single component that handles conversion as well as transport, the MS-1c makes that case cleanly. If vinyl or analogue inputs matter, the MS-1 is the only Matrix product that covers them. If you want the best separate transport and the freedom to change the DAC independently, the NT-1 is the right path.
Press Recognition
The MS-1c is a recent release. We will update this page as reviews are published. The M Series has attracted serious critical attention since launch, and the MS-1c brings M Series hardware to a broader price point — expect coverage to build. In the meantime, we have heard it and can speak to its performance directly.
Specifications
- Type: Music streamer and DAC
- DAC chipset: AKM AK4191 (modulator) + AKM AK4499EX
- Dynamic range: Up to 125dB
- Clock: Dual femtosecond clocks (44.1kHz family / 48kHz family); FPGA jitter reduction
- Output stage: Lundahl precision transformer-coupled
- Optical / Coaxial / AES/EBU output: PCM 16–24 bit / 44.1kHz–192kHz; DSD 2.82MHz, 3.07MHz (DoP)
- IIS-LVDS output: PCM 16–32 bit / 44.1kHz–768kHz; DSD 2.82MHz–24.58MHz
- USB DAC output: Up to PCM 32 bit / 768kHz and DSD 24.58MHz; 5V/1A low-noise supply
- XLR analog output: 4.5Vrms (adjustable 0–4.5Vrms); SNR >126dB; THD+N <0.02% @ 1kHz; crosstalk >-130dB; output impedance 20Ω; -3dB @ 83kHz
- RCA analog output: 2.25Vrms (adjustable 0–2.25Vrms); SNR >123dB; THD+N <0.02% @ 1kHz; crosstalk >-130dB; output impedance 20Ω; -3dB @ 83kHz
- Volume control: 100-step digital attenuation
- Network: Gigabit Ethernet (10/100/1000 Mbps); Wi-Fi 6 (2.4GHz / 5GHz)
- USB: USB 3.0 (5V/1A); FAT, FAT32, exFAT, NTFS support
- Storage: M.2 2280/2242/2230 NVMe PCIe SSD slot (PCIe 3.0/4.0/5.0; 3.3V/3A max)
- Roon Ready: Yes
- Also supports: Audirvāna, NAA, Apple Music, TIDAL Connect, Qobuz Connect, Spotify Connect, AirPlay 2, DLNA/UPnP, HIGHRESAUDIO, vTuner, Radio Paradise, Dropbox
- Local formats: MP3, WMA, WAV, AIF, AIFC, AIFF, AAC, FLAC, OGG, APE, ALAC, M4A, DSF, DFF, CUE, ISO
- CD ripping: Yes, via external USB CD drive
- NAS: Mounting and SMB serving supported
- Trigger input: DC 6–12V, under 10mA
- Trigger output: DC 12V / 50mA
- Power supply: Separate digital and analogue supplies; dedicated linear supply for analogue stage; multiple LDOs; independent SSD supply
- Isolation: MA-DAMPER STD (Audio Bastion, silicone damping)
- Power consumption: Under 5W standby / under 50W maximum
- AC input: 100–120V or 220–240V, 50/60Hz (factory fixed)
- Dimensions: 430mm W x 315mm D x 96mm H
- Weight: 6.5kg
- Manufactured: China
