Cambridge Audio DacMagic Owners Thread

stoutblock said:
Spending time ripping music to a computer without having a good DAC to play it with is like taking the time to sit down and enjoy a good read on the John and then finding you have no toilet paper.

Just takes all the joy out of it...

:smoke:
Click to expand...

THANKS FOR THAT THOUGHT!

Seriously now, I just picked up a used DM and have it installed via usb between my IMAC and a Musical Fidelity X-Can /Cardas Cabled Senn HD600. Really noticing more detail and smoothness, acoustic bass has a much better vibe or more feeling to it. I am really enjoying this and it is gonna be hard to take off the phones but I have had two cups of coffee.....
 
This is probably a no-brainer, but I thought I'd get some other opinions. I would like to get either a Dacmagic or a 640c V2. I'm currently using a Sony MEGA Storage CDP that has a digital optical out. Currently the CDP is going straight to my preamp.

Could I expect the same sound quality using the Sony CDP as a transport for the Dacmagic as I would using the 640c by itself?

I'm leaning towards the Dacmagic because of the versatility I would gain, but if there would be significantly better sound quality with the 640c I'd go that route.

Many thanks.
 
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Oh, that Sony mega changer...
I bought one ~2004 and it's schizoid tendencies eventually led me to ripping my entire collection and going with a Squeezebox.
I'd wager that the 640c would hands down give much better playback with CDs. even with an extra DAC taking the Sony's digital out.
That behemoth just pissed me off to no end.

Sorry to rant, but you gave me flashbacks. :D
 
von.ah said:
Sorry to rant, but you gave me flashbacks. :D
Click to expand...

Sorry about the flashback :smoke:. It is a big friggin' beast. I made the mistake of picking it up and tipping it when was loaded with CDs. That was a mess to clean out.

I have a basic lazy nature and I like being able to load a bunch of CDs and letting them play. I'm hoping to be corrected here and I'sure this will roll some eyes, but isn't a digital signal a digital signal and the DAC does the bulk of the work. But I digress and don't want to highjack the thread.
 
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bugs762 said:
I have a basic lazy nature and I like being able to load a bunch of CDs and letting them play. I'm hoping to be corrected here and I'sure this will roll some eyes, but isn't a digital signal a digital signal and the DAC does the bulk of the work. But I digress and don't want to highjack the thread.
Click to expand...
Then get the DM or other DAC so you have flexibility. When you get time rip all of your CD's to a hard drive and eliminate the player altogether. Run the files from your hard drive through the DAC into your amp. :thmbsp:
 
I went ahead and odered a unit. I didn't get the extended warrenty, but this site says they will stand by the manufatures warranty. :banana:
 
bugs762 said:
I went ahead and odered a unit. I didn't get the extended warrenty, but this site says they will stand by the manufatures warranty. :banana:
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Cool. Let us know what you think of it after you have a few hours on it.

Has anyone seen anyone doing modifications to the DM?
 
bugs762 said:
Digital Craze just called and said I'd have the DACMagic in about a week. :thmbsp:
Click to expand...

Well they said a week. I just got my tracking number and it won't arrive until the 27th. I'd think long and hard about using this company again (Mods, if I can say that?).
 
Aaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrgh, the DacMagic showed up three days early and I can only get in 30 minutes of listening time before I go out of town for the weekend. However, my first impression is of the lack of sound between notes when there isn't supposed to be any sound, very quiet.

Do you guys still think that these units break in over time?

I was wondering if I could do an A B comparison by running the regular RCA cables from the back of my CD player to one of the extra input channels on my preamp and then switch back and fourth between the DacMagic and the CDP onboard DAC to hear the difference?
 
yes to all

bugs762 said:
Aaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrgh, the DacMagic showed up three days early and I can only get in 30 minutes of listening time before I go out of town for the weekend. However, my first impression is of the lack of sound between notes when there isn't supposed to be any sound, very quiet.

Do you guys still think that these units break in over time?

I was wondering if I could do an A B comparison by running the regular RCA cables from the back of my CD player to one of the extra input channels on my preamp and then switch back and fourth between the DacMagic and the CDP onboard DAC to hear the difference?
Click to expand...

1. DM is very quiet as compared to the DAC in all of the CDPs I have compared it to. Also noticed that the DM has a more 'coherent' sound, not sure if that is the correct word. When I switch from the CDP to the DM the sound seems to quit coming directly from the speakers and seems for form a uniform/unified soundstage about three feet in front of the speakers.

2. I got mine used so I am not 100% sure but it is the general consensus.

3. Yes, although I believe the DM has a higher output because is sounds noticeably louder when I do this type of comparison.
 
bugs762 said:
Do you guys still think that these units break in over time?

I was wondering if I could do an A B comparison by running the regular RCA cables from the back of my CD player to one of the extra input channels on my preamp and then switch back and fourth between the DacMagic and the CDP onboard DAC to hear the difference?
Click to expand...
Yes. I've done the same A B comparison with my DM and my Denon DVD-2900. I preferred the DM and only use the Denon for SACD and DVD-A playback.
 
What about a transport for this that does not have a built in DAC? Why pay for a internal DAC if you don't want to use it?

Also does anyone have this and the Music Hall DAC 25.2?
 
As far as the DM with my CDP I'm a little disapointed. I can not hear a difference between the on board CDP DAC and playing the CDP through the DM.

Now... on the other hand playing music off of the hard drive using the USB to the DM is an eyeopener and blows away both the CDP DAC and the CDP running through the DM. I've been dumping music to my hard drive all night and listening to it, a real pleasure.

I would think the sound quality from the CDP running through the DM would be the same as sound coming from the hardrive through the DM. I've tried both toss (sp) link connections on the DM and they sound the same to me. Anybody think I have a deffective unit???

Bugs
 
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bugs762 said:
As far as the DM with my CDP I'm a little disapointed. I can not hear a difference between the on board CDP DAC and playing the CDP through the DM.

Now... on the other hand playing music off of the hard drive using the USB to the DM is an eyeopener and blows away both the CDP DAC and the CDP running through the DM. I've been dumping music to my hard drive all night and listening to it, a real pleasure.

I would think the sound quality from the CDP running through the DM would be the same as sound coming from the hardrive through the DM. I've tried both toss (sp) link connections on the DM and they sound the same to me. Anybody think I have a deffective unit???

Bugs
Click to expand...
Your second paragraph doesn't make much sense. Your using the optical out from your Sony CDP into the DM? Have you tried the other optical input just to make sure there are no issues there? If the music from your hd to DM sounds better than your CDP I would expect your CDP to DM would also sound better. :scratch2:
 
Yeah, I made a mess out of this post last night and tried to staighten in up this morning, not surprising that it still doesn't make sence.

I tried both optical inputs on the DM and there was not a difference in the sound quality. CDP to the DM (via optical) to the preamp (via RCA cables) sounds the same to me as CDP to the preamp via RCA cables.

However, when I play music off my laptop using the USB out to the DM the sound is sounds much better.

My thought is that the laptop (USB connection) to the DM should sound about the same as the CDP to the DM (via optical cable).
 
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