The **Dac Magic** from **Cambridge Audio** is a digital-to-analog converter that aims to bring out the best audio quality from your digital devices. This device takes the digital audio signal from your source and converts it into an analog signal that can be amplified and played through speakers or headphones. One of the key features of the Dac Magic is its ability to upsample audio to a higher resolution. This means that even if your source audio is of lower quality, the Dac Magic can enhance it to sound better. This is particularly useful for music lovers who want to get the best possible sound quality from their digital music collection. The Dac Magic also offers a variety of connection options, including USB, coaxial, and optical inputs.
The Dac Magic also offers a variety of connection options, including USB, coaxial, and optical inputs. This allows you to connect a wide range of devices, such as computers, CD players, or game consoles, to the Dac Magic for improved audio performance. It also has both RCA and balanced XLR outputs, ensuring compatibility with various audio systems.
Digital Processor Reviews
In 1989, Cambridge Audio, then run by Stan Curtiswho is still active in hi-fi introduced their DAC 1. At about the same time, within a few weeks of each other, Arcam introduced their Delta Black Box and Musical Fidelity their Digilog. I forget who was first among the three. Arcam, I think. But the DAC race was on, led by the British. (There was even a DAC called the Dacula.) US companies got into the DAC race, tooat higher prices, of course.
At the time, there were almost no high-end CD players. Many audiophiles chose Philips/Magnavox models that had been modified by boutique kludgemeisters. It turned out that lavishing four or five hours of labor on a $149 frog to turn it into a $499 prince was not a sustainable business model. Once outboard DACs and upmarket CD players became available, modified players largely disappeared.
Today, Cambridge Audio is based in London, and their stuff is made in China at factories owned or controlled by Cambridge Audio, which in turn is part of The Audio Partnership, controlled by Julian Richer, who got richer than Croesus with Richer Sounds, said to be the UK's single most successful audio retailer in terms of revenue per square foot. Andmy goodnesshe did it by offering value. I visited the design headquarters of Cambridge Audio in London several years ago and met their technical director, Matthew Bramble, who used to work for another well-known British hi-fi manufacturer; now Bramble is a thorn in their side.
That Bramble likes to ramble is proven by the 105-page instruction manual for the Cambridge Audio DacMagic. In fairness, this is because the manual is in three languages (but why not Russian?). It's filled with things you don't need to know and that probably interest only John Atkinson. I bet the manual scares away some customers; it shouldn't. Operation of the DacMagic is as intuitive and straightforward as can be.
Ergonomically, this little bugger is brilliant: 8.6" (215mm) high by 2" (52mm) wide by 7.6" (191mm) deep when you place it on end on its rubbery bed. It weighs just 2.65 lbs (1.2kg). Squeeze it in next to your Slim Devices Squeezebox. Or your Sony PlayStation 3. One reason it takes up so little space is that it comes with a humongous wall-wart power supply so big it could conceivably fall out of a loose socket.
IKEA carries some nice, small power strips, and there are other accessories for dealing with awkward wall warts. I'd beware of power strips and conditioners, however, which, in my experience, are as likely to screw up as enhance the sound. I can imagine some British entrepreneurs offering alternative power supplies for the DacMagic. There's an On/Off switch, but the DacMagic sounds much better when left powered up most of the time. (Do turn it and the rest of your hi-fi off when you leave for a weekend or a vacation, and when electrical storms are forecast.)
The DacMagic has a suggested selling price of $449. That allows Audio Advisor to sell it for $399 and "save" you $50. When you consider that, 20 years ago, one of the first DACs, the Musical Fidelity Digilog, sold for $995, this is a fantastic bargain. (I calculated that I could save more than $16,500 by buying every product in a recent Audio Advisor catalog. Hallelujah! I'm rich!)
The DacMagic features the Adaptive Time Filtering (ATF) process, which Cambridge licenses from Anagram Technologies of Switzerland. ATF is built around a 32-bit Texas Instruments digital signal processor that "upsamples" the signal fed to it. Upsampling creates additional digital data points out of thin air. They're not real, of courseexcept that they are. (I love to razz JA about this upsampling business.) The DacMagic upsamples to 24 bits/192kHz any incoming sample rate at 16 or 24 bits of resolution and from 32 to 96kHz.
The D/A chips are the same Wolfson WMB8740 24-bit DACs used in Cambridge Audio's Azur 740C and 840C CD players. Two per channel operate in dual-differential mode for maximum noise reduction. You can run the DacMagic from its balanced XLR analog outputs into a balanced preamp and power amp for maximum noise cancellation. There's also a pair of RCA outs, for unbalanced types like me.
The DacMagic also features a phase-inversion button. It would be great to have this accessible from the remote control. But waitthere is no remote. Oh, well. A child might be trained and pressed into service. Two digital inputs allow a choice of connection via S/PDIF coaxial or TosLink optical. And there's a USB input for use with a computer or a networked music source.
The rear panel of the DacMagic is almost as crowded as my shaving shelf. It also includes S/PDIF coaxial and TosLink optical digital outputs for connecting to a digital recording device; these do nothing to the incoming digital signal, but simply pass it through.
If you keep reading the instruction manual, your eyes, if they don't glaze over, will come to a long discussion of the three different analog filter modes: Linear Phase, Minimum Phase, and Steep. I wonder how many potential users will be scared away by Bramblearia. Actually, selecting the filters is simple: just tap the Phase button quickly (if you hold it down, the DacMagic reverses phase). Front-panel LEDs indicate the filter type selected.
You may want to stick with Linear Phase as your default. The technical advantage here is no phase shift within the audioband, and a sharp rolloff at about half the sampling frequency. Minimum Phase does almost the same thing and sounds, to me, virtually identical.
An interesting alternative is the Steep filter, which is like Linear Phase but with a steeper rolloff above 20kHz. Steep is said to attenuate aliasing at 22kHz by 80dB. But there's no free lunch; Steep adds a small amount of passband ripple. So pick your poison: aliasing or passband ripple. Already your eyes have glazed over, and you don't even own the thing.
I tried switching between Linear Phase and Steep, playing one movement of a symphony straight through using each. (I had no child handy to act as remote control, and Marina was off watching one of her Russian prime-time serials.) Linear Phase gave a lighter, airier, more transparent sound, with extended highs and better-defined bass. Steep attenuated the highs in comparison, taming the top end of some more aggressive recordings, but bass definition and overall clarity suffered. The sound was more blended, slightly congestedsomething I noticed more with symphonic recordings than with string quartets. As for Minimum Phase, I didn't hear it do anything that Linear Phase didn't do.
Other than that, I've so far avoided the subject of how the DacMagic sounded. In a word, it sounded gloriousfar better than you have any right to expect for 400 bucks. Especially in Linear Phase, I heard well-defined bass, exquisitely extended highs, and a natural midrange. The soundstage was admirably wide, and soloists and their instruments were precisely positioned. What more do you want?
Well, you might ask for an even wider, deeper soundstage and more gut-wrenching bass. It's possible that power-supply limitations kick in here, but for $400, who's complaining? And you might wish that if Cambridge (or someone) does offer an optional kick-ass power supply, it doesn't have to hang from a wall socket. And a remote control would be nice.
If you're looking for the romance of tubes, that's not on offer here. Try the DacMagic with a tubed line stage. I thought that Musical Fidelity's X-10D V3 tube buffer might work wonders. After all, Bramble used to ramble at MF. I have one of these. I put the X-10D V3 between the DacMagic and the LFD NCSE integrated amplifier. I got tube warmth in spades, but with more than a slight loss of transparency, which shows how resolving the DacMagic is.
You probably own an older, sturdier CD player that will do jim-dandy as a transport with the DacMagic. I used a Marantz CD63 SE that's almost 15 years old. Digital cable was Analysis Plus Oval (which I recommended last October).
If you have a really great CD playersuch as Cambridge Audio's own 740C or 840C or Cary Audio's CDP 1you're probably looking at a sideways change in sound, at best. Enjoy what you have. Meanwhile, I'm keeping the Cambridge Audio DacMagic.
Cambridge's next-gen DacMagic 200M uses dual high-performance DAC chips to deliver all-star sound quality.
Moreover, the Dac Magic features a headphone output, which is especially beneficial for those who enjoy listening to music privately. The headphone output is designed to drive even high-impedance headphones, delivering a clear and powerful audio experience. Lastly, the Dac Magic is built with high-quality components and offers a sturdy construction, ensuring durability and longevity. It has received positive reviews for its audio performance, particularly its ability to improve the sound quality of digital audio. Overall, the Dac Magic from Cambridge Audio is a versatile and high-performance digital-to-analog converter. It enhances the sound quality of your digital audio sources, offers various connectivity options, and provides a powerful headphone output. Whether you are an audiophile or a casual listener, the Dac Magic is a worthwhile investment for improving your audio experience..
Reviews for "The Impact of the Dac Magic on Your Hi-Fi Setup"
1. Karen - 2 stars
I was really disappointed with the Dac magic cambridge audio. The sound quality was just not up to par. It had a dull and flat sound, with no depth or clarity. I tried adjusting the settings, but nothing seemed to improve the sound. I also found the device to be quite finicky and unreliable. It would often disconnect from my audio source without any warning. Overall, it was not worth the money and I do not recommend it.
2. Mike - 1 star
I regret purchasing the Dac magic cambridge audio. The device constantly had issues with connectivity. It would frequently drop the audio signal or have a lot of interference, making it impossible to enjoy my music. Additionally, the build quality was subpar. The buttons felt cheap and flimsy, and the device itself had a plastic feel to it. The sound quality was also disappointing, lacking the crispness and detail that I was expecting. I ended up returning it and getting a different brand.
3. Sarah - 2 stars
I had high hopes for the Dac magic cambridge audio based on the positive reviews I read online, but it fell short of my expectations. The sound quality was decent, but nothing extraordinary. I found it to be a bit underwhelming considering its price. The device itself felt bulky and cumbersome, making it inconvenient to carry around. Additionally, the setup process was quite complicated and time-consuming. Overall, I was not impressed with the Dac magic cambridge audio and would not purchase it again.