I would like to mention to potential buyers of X-SABRE3 that please take a look at this post before making the final decision.
The Element X has headphone amp. Element X is in line for an update and that’s why I went with the X-SABRE 3 over the Element X. The X-SABRE 3 is just gorgeous. Photos don’t do justice on how beautiful this thing looks. What about sound do you think they're equal? Th Element X can be had used...
www.head-fi.org
A few users (and all X-SABRE 3 users I know of) have complained about a whirring/humming sound coming from the unit. It's not a big issue and will not affect the music listening experience (only audible when ears are a few inches away from the unit, which no one would do in normal situations). But for people pursuing perfection in a $3000 unit, it might be a concern.
I recorded a short sound clip, but not sure how to upload it...