The Matrix Audio MS-1 Pre arrives at an interesting intersection in the modern audio chain. It is not merely a DAC with a volume knob bolted on, nor is it a streamer with an afterthought analog stage. It is a network streamer, DAC, and preamplifier conceived as a single signal path, intended to sit at the center of a system and feed a power amplifier directly. For the experienced listener who has grown tired of stacking boxes and the jungle of interconnects that comes with them, this consolidation is the entire point.
What kind of component is the MS-1 Pre?
The MS-1 Pre is a network streamer, DAC, and preamplifier in one chassis. That means it can pull music from your network or streaming services, convert the digital data to analog, apply level control in the analog domain, and drive a power amplifier without any additional preamp in the chain. The advantage of this integration is a shorter, more controlled signal path. Every time you add a box, you add another set of output stages, another set of cables, and another set of connectors, each of which introduces its own contribution to noise and distortion. By handling streaming, conversion, and preamplification internally, the MS-1 Pre keeps the sensitive low level signal inside one grounded, shielded environment for as long as possible before it leaves for the amplifier.
Digital Conversion and Clocking
Which DAC does the MS-1 Pre use?
The MS-1 Pre is built around a flagship ESS ES9038PRO configuration. The ES9038PRO is ESS Technology's top tier converter chip, an eight channel part that is typically run with all channels summed per side to lower the noise floor and improve dynamic range. The chip uses a delta sigma architecture with ESS's HyperStream modulator and a proprietary jitter reduction stage. In practical terms, the ES9038PRO gives designers an extremely low noise floor to work with, but the audible result depends heavily on the analog output stage, the power supply, and the clocking that surround it. The chip is a starting point, not a finished sound.
What file formats and resolutions can it decode?
The MS-1 Pre handles PCM up to 32 bit high rate, native DSD, and MQA. The 32 bit PCM support means the converter can accept the full word length of any studio master you are likely to encounter, with headroom to spare for any digital processing that occurs upstream. Native DSD playback means the single bit DSD stream is handled directly rather than being converted to PCM first, which preserves the format's original character. MQA support allows the unit to unfold and render MQA encoded files, relevant primarily for TIDAL subscribers with MQA content in their libraries.
How does the clocking system work?
The MS-1 Pre uses a high precision femtosecond master clock and also provides an external clock input. The master clock is the timing reference that tells the DAC exactly when to convert each sample. Timing errors, known as jitter, smear the conversion process and manifest as a subtle loss of focus and low level detail. A femtosecond class clock keeps that timing uncertainty extraordinarily small. Just as important for the enthusiast is the external clock input, which lets you feed the MS-1 Pre from a separate reference clock if you are building a system around a shared master clock. This is an unusual level of provision at this tier and signals that the unit is meant to be a serious source in a resolving system.
Streaming and Network Connectivity
What network connections are available?
The MS-1 Pre offers Ethernet, SFP fiber, and Wi-Fi. Ethernet is the wired workhorse and the connection most listeners will use for reliability. The inclusion of an SFP fiber cage is the standout here. Fiber carries the network signal as light rather than electrical current, which breaks the electrical ground path between your network gear and the streamer. That galvanic isolation can meaningfully reduce the noise that switches, routers, and other network equipment inject into an audio system. Wi-Fi rounds out the options for installations where running a cable is impractical, though a wired or fiber connection is generally preferable for a source of this caliber.
Which streaming services and protocols are supported?
The MS-1 Pre is Roon Ready and supports TIDAL, Qobuz, Spotify, DLNA, and AirPlay. Roon Ready certification means the unit integrates as a native endpoint in a Roon environment, with Roon handling the interface, metadata, and multiroom coordination while the MS-1 Pre serves as the audio device. TIDAL and Qobuz connect directly for high resolution streaming, Spotify covers the mainstream catalog, DLNA lets the unit play from network attached storage and media servers on your local network, and AirPlay provides quick casting from Apple devices. This spread covers essentially every common playback route a modern listener uses.
How do you control the MS-1 Pre?
The MS-1 Pre is controlled through the MA control app. The app is your window into source selection, streaming service navigation, volume, and configuration. For a device that consolidates so many functions, a well organized control app is what ties the experience together, since it becomes the primary interface rather than the front panel. Roon users can also drive playback from within Roon, using the app mainly for setup and level control.
Digital Inputs
What digital inputs does the MS-1 Pre accept?
The MS-1 Pre provides USB-B, optical, coaxial, and I2S via HDMI. The USB-B input is the asynchronous computer audio port, ideal for connecting a PC or Mac and typically the input that unlocks the highest sample rates and DSD support. Optical and coaxial are the traditional S/PDIF inputs, well suited to televisions, disc players, and older digital sources. The I2S via HDMI input is the notable one for enthusiasts. I2S carries the clock and data on separate lines rather than embedding the clock within the data stream as S/PDIF does, which can reduce jitter when paired with a compatible transport. Delivering that I2S signal over an HDMI connector is a common industry approach, though pinouts vary, so pairing it with a matching Matrix Audio transport is the safest way to guarantee compatibility.
Analog Inputs
Can the MS-1 Pre accept analog sources?
Yes, the MS-1 Pre includes balanced XLR and single ended RCA line inputs, plus an MM/MC phono input. This is what separates the MS-1 Pre from a pure digital streamer. The balanced XLR and single ended RCA line inputs let you connect analog sources such as a tape deck, a tuner, or the output of another component directly into the preamplifier stage. Because the volume control is analog, these signals are handled in the analog domain rather than being digitized, which preserves their native character.
What does the built in phono stage support?
The MS-1 Pre's phono input handles both moving magnet and moving coil cartridges. Moving magnet cartridges produce a relatively high output and are the more common type, while moving coil cartridges produce a much lower output and require higher gain and careful loading. By providing both MM and MC options, the phono stage lets a vinyl enthusiast connect a turntable directly without a separate outboard phono preamp. Integrating the phono stage inside the same chassis keeps that famously low level signal from making an extra journey down a set of interconnects before it is amplified to line level.
Preamplifier Stage and Analog Outputs
How does the preamplifier stage work?
The MS-1 Pre uses an analog volume control feeding a power amplifier. This is a deliberate design choice with real consequences. Many DAC based preamps attenuate the signal in the digital domain, which can discard bits and reduce resolution at lower listening levels. An analog volume control instead adjusts the signal after conversion, so the DAC always operates at its full output and the level is set without throwing away digital resolution. The stage is designed to drive a power amplifier directly, meaning it can present a strong, low impedance output capable of controlling the input of your amp across the full volume range.
What are the analog outputs?
The MS-1 Pre offers variable balanced XLR and single ended RCA preamp outputs, plus a fixed 5Vrms XLR line output. The variable XLR and RCA preamp outputs are the ones you connect to your power amplifier, with the level tracking the volume control so the MS-1 Pre acts as the system's preamp. The balanced XLR outputs are generally preferable for longer runs and for rejecting common mode noise, while the RCA outputs suit shorter connections and single ended amplifiers. The fixed 5Vrms XLR line output is a separate, constant level output that ignores the volume setting. It is meant for feeding another device that has its own volume control, such as an integrated amplifier, an active subwoofer chain, or a recording device, without the MS-1 Pre's attenuation in the path.
Interpreting the Design and What to Expect
What does the ES9038PRO configuration suggest about performance?
A properly implemented ES9038PRO configuration points toward a very low noise floor and high dynamic range. The chip itself is capable of exceptional measured performance, and when it is summed per channel and clocked with a femtosecond master reference, the theoretical result is a converter that resolves fine detail against a black background. The practical takeaway for a listener is that the digital source is unlikely to be the limiting factor in the system. What you hear will be shaped more by the analog output stage, the preamplifier gain structure, and the amplifier and speakers downstream.
Why does the analog volume control matter for real world listening?
The analog volume control matters most at the lower end of the volume range, where digital attenuation schemes lose the most resolution. Because the MS-1 Pre keeps the DAC running at full scale and attenuates in analog, it should maintain consistent detail and dynamics whether you listen at background levels or near reference levels. For anyone who does critical late night listening at low volumes, this is a meaningful design decision rather than a marketing bullet.
Who is the MS-1 Pre actually for?
The MS-1 Pre is for the enthusiast who wants to collapse a streamer, DAC, and preamplifier into one high performance box while retaining real flexibility. The presence of both analog line and phono inputs, the I2S via HDMI and full digital input set, the external clock input, and the SFP fiber network option all point to a component designed for a considered, resolving system rather than a casual setup. Paired with a capable power amplifier, it can serve as the complete front end of a system, leaving only the amplifier and speakers to complete the chain.