The Pure i-20 dock sells for $99 in the U.S. A Cambridge Audio DacMagic runs $429. The Pure i-20 extracts a digital signal from the iPod line out jack on the bottom of the iPod. It has an internal 24 bit/196 kHz DAC. Also will put out a coaxial or optical digital signal to an outboard DAC.
I did an A/B comparison between the Pure i-20 and a Cambridge Audio DacMagic today. The Pure i-20 was being fed Apple lossless files from a 160 GB iPod Classic. The DacMagic was being fed the same exact files via iTunes streamed wirelessly to an airport express using the optical digital out. Compared many passages of my favorite list of high fidelity recordings. Amazingly, the volume between the two sources matched exactly (to my ears anyway). The amp was a Matrix m-stage running a GD-Audio OPA-SUN opamp. Headphones were AKG K702s. The Matrix has two inputs and a front Source 1 & 2 switch. So, I could switch sources on the fly.
Bottom-line: I could hear no difference between the $99 i-20 using its internal 24/196 DAC and the $429 DacMagic DAC. IMO, the Pure i-20 is a killer deal.
I did an A/B comparison between the Pure i-20 and a Cambridge Audio DacMagic today. The Pure i-20 was being fed Apple lossless files from a 160 GB iPod Classic. The DacMagic was being fed the same exact files via iTunes streamed wirelessly to an airport express using the optical digital out. Compared many passages of my favorite list of high fidelity recordings. Amazingly, the volume between the two sources matched exactly (to my ears anyway). The amp was a Matrix m-stage running a GD-Audio OPA-SUN opamp. Headphones were AKG K702s. The Matrix has two inputs and a front Source 1 & 2 switch. So, I could switch sources on the fly.
Bottom-line: I could hear no difference between the $99 i-20 using its internal 24/196 DAC and the $429 DacMagic DAC. IMO, the Pure i-20 is a killer deal.
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