I just wonder if CA have shot themselves in the leg with this one. I don't know if it is up there in quality with the 840c but it seems technically as advanced for a fraction of the price ... your views ...
Cambridge Audio Dacmagic
- Thread starter drummerman
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Gerrardasnails
Well-known member
drummerman:I just wonder if CA have shot themselves in the leg with this one. I don't know if it is up there in quality with the 840Av2 but it seems technically as advanced for a fraction of the price ... your views ...
The 840A v2 is an amp, do you mean the 840C? From what I've read of the spec, the DacMagic is more on par with the 740C - which is still great as it's a well thought of £500 cd player. I will be buying a DM as soon as it comes out.
The 840A v2 is an amp, do you mean the 840C? From what I've read of the spec, the DacMagic is more on par with the 740C - which is still great as it's a well thought of £500 cd player. I will be buying a DM as soon as it comes out.
Indeed it was the 840C I war referring to, just edited it, thanks gerrardasnails.
This is probably a very shrude and calculated move by the company. They will probably shift many more of the new dacs than they have done with their more upmarket players.
This is probably a very shrude and calculated move by the company. They will probably shift many more of the new dacs than they have done with their more upmarket players.
its not quite the 740 either, although im not sure that anyones going to notice.
the 840 uses both upsampling chip and dac chips from analog devices
the 740 uses the anologue devices upsampling chip aswell, but the dac's are... i forget. wolfson iirc
both of them, according to the C.A site, are not 192khz, but 384khz.
The dacmagic uses the same dac's as the 740, but gets its upsampling done from a 192khz texas instruments chip.
How will this 192 chip compair with the 384 one though? Were used to just 44khz so the leap to 192 is great, but will we really notice doubling it again. Point of deminishing returns? I think the components used after the dac are going to be of greater concern. All 3 units had the swiss? influeance that the other units in the range dont get. The dacmagic has a set of 3 filters to play about with though, and im not sure that the players do. It also majors in jitter.
I think the dacmagic will be 740ish, with a bit of leaway.
the 840 uses both upsampling chip and dac chips from analog devices
the 740 uses the anologue devices upsampling chip aswell, but the dac's are... i forget. wolfson iirc
both of them, according to the C.A site, are not 192khz, but 384khz.
The dacmagic uses the same dac's as the 740, but gets its upsampling done from a 192khz texas instruments chip.
How will this 192 chip compair with the 384 one though? Were used to just 44khz so the leap to 192 is great, but will we really notice doubling it again. Point of deminishing returns? I think the components used after the dac are going to be of greater concern. All 3 units had the swiss? influeance that the other units in the range dont get. The dacmagic has a set of 3 filters to play about with though, and im not sure that the players do. It also majors in jitter.
I think the dacmagic will be 740ish, with a bit of leaway.
John Duncan
Well-known member
JohnDuncan:Well I'm getting one to play 24/192 files from my computer, which should kick CD butt..........
im going to buy one too. Im just waiting to hear what you think first
Ive never had to wait for something to hit the shops before. Frankly, its bothering me!
Sorry... I dont even know what a flac file is. sounds like an optional extra for a combat jacket. Long as its no more than 24 bits of info at 192khz then it should be fine though. Ofcource if you give it info at over 192khz its going to miss bits.
tbh, for all i know, we could be looking at a texas instruments clock speed, which is stereo. Compaired to anolog devices adding them like some duel core sellers do. Ive not looked up the chips at all, its all info off the C.A data sheets online.
im going to buy one too. Im just waiting to hear what you think first
Ive never had to wait for something to hit the shops before. Frankly, its bothering me!
Sorry... I dont even know what a flac file is. sounds like an optional extra for a combat jacket. Long as its no more than 24 bits of info at 192khz then it should be fine though. Ofcource if you give it info at over 192khz its going to miss bits.
tbh, for all i know, we could be looking at a texas instruments clock speed, which is stereo. Compaired to anolog devices adding them like some duel core sellers do. Ive not looked up the chips at all, its all info off the C.A data sheets online.
John Duncan
Well-known member
Well some Respected Audio Engineers© on here will tell you that DAC boards all sound the same and it's the implementation surrounding them that matter, which suggests that the DACMAgic could be better than an 840, or worse than a 340, so we shall see. I think it's the potential it opens up for computer audio that excites me, as opposed to any improvement over a given CD player (though obv can compare the two).
JohnDuncan:Well some Respected Audio Engineers© on here will tell you that DAC boards all sound the same and it's the implementation surrounding them that matter, which suggests that the DACMAgic could be better than an 840, or worse than a 340, so we shall see. I think it's the potential it opens up for computer audio that excites me, as opposed to any improvement over a given CD player (though obv can compare the two).
Indeed, for that money you give life to the TV, DVD player and computer source. Bloody bargain if it sounds as good as it should. I'm having one...
Indeed, for that money you give life to the TV, DVD player and computer source. Bloody bargain if it sounds as good as it should. I'm having one...
John Duncan
Well-known member
drummerman:
Indeed it was the 840C I war referring to, just edited it, thanks gerrardasnails.
This is probably a very shrude and calculated move by the company. They will probably shift many more of the new dacs than they have done with their more upmarket players.
D'you know what, I'm not so sure - I think it's a niche product that even we on here are only starting to see the potential of.
Natural next step would be a properly-done rehash of the 640h as well, as a Squeezebox alternative. I'd be in there.
Indeed it was the 840C I war referring to, just edited it, thanks gerrardasnails.
This is probably a very shrude and calculated move by the company. They will probably shift many more of the new dacs than they have done with their more upmarket players.
D'you know what, I'm not so sure - I think it's a niche product that even we on here are only starting to see the potential of.
Natural next step would be a properly-done rehash of the 640h as well, as a Squeezebox alternative. I'd be in there.
John Duncan
Well-known member
igglebert:JohnDuncan:Well some Respected Audio Engineers© on here will tell you that DAC boards all sound the same and it's the implementation surrounding them that matter, which suggests that the DACMAgic could be better than an 840, or worse than a 340, so we shall see. I think it's the potential it opens up for computer audio that excites me, as opposed to any improvement over a given CD player (though obv can compare the two).
Indeed, for that money you give life to the TV, DVD player and computer source. Bloody bargain if it sounds as good as it should. I'm having one...
Won't improve your X-Ray though, at a guess. My prime use will be the Airport Express.
Indeed, for that money you give life to the TV, DVD player and computer source. Bloody bargain if it sounds as good as it should. I'm having one...
Won't improve your X-Ray though, at a guess. My prime use will be the Airport Express.
JohnDuncan:igglebert:JohnDuncan:Well some Respected Audio Engineers© on here will tell you that DAC boards all sound the same and it's the implementation surrounding them that matter, which suggests that the DACMAgic could be better than an 840, or worse than a 340, so we shall see. I think it's the potential it opens up for computer audio that excites me, as opposed to any improvement over a given CD player (though obv can compare the two).
Indeed, for that money you give life to the TV, DVD player and computer source. Bloody bargain if it sounds as good as it should. I'm having one...
Won't improve your X-Ray though, at a guess. My prime use will be the Airport Express.
Yeah, I wouldn't expect (hope) it to. I'm really keen to start playing with digital, lossless files as my source but have doubts. I think a 200 quid DAC is a great place to start as it'll benefit the TV (my digital radio source) and the DVD player (2 channel movies only).
...or am I just hopelessly addicted to new boxes...
Indeed, for that money you give life to the TV, DVD player and computer source. Bloody bargain if it sounds as good as it should. I'm having one...
Won't improve your X-Ray though, at a guess. My prime use will be the Airport Express.
Yeah, I wouldn't expect (hope) it to. I'm really keen to start playing with digital, lossless files as my source but have doubts. I think a 200 quid DAC is a great place to start as it'll benefit the TV (my digital radio source) and the DVD player (2 channel movies only).
...or am I just hopelessly addicted to new boxes...
John Duncan
Well-known member
So........when are they due out. Checked the CA site and all it says is 'Coming Soon'. Any inside info?
John Duncan
Well-known member
John Duncan
Well-known member
You'll be glad to hear that we're flying over a batch of DACMAGICs early next week so they should be in Richer Sounds shops during the following week (w/c 6th Oct) once they've gone through Richer's central distribution system. Sorry for the slight delay.
James Johnson-Flint, CEO, Cambridge Audio
James Johnson-Flint, CEO, Cambridge Audio
Gerrardasnails
Well-known member
Cambridge Audio CEO:
You'll be glad to hear that we're flying over a batch of DACMAGICs early next week so they should be in Richer Sounds shops during the following week (w/c 6th Oct) once they've gone through Richer's central distribution system. Sorry for the slight delay.
James Johnson-Flint, CEO, Cambridge Audio
Hallelujah!!! I've got three other things arriving next week! I'm going to be hard pushed to pull this off.
You'll be glad to hear that we're flying over a batch of DACMAGICs early next week so they should be in Richer Sounds shops during the following week (w/c 6th Oct) once they've gone through Richer's central distribution system. Sorry for the slight delay.
James Johnson-Flint, CEO, Cambridge Audio
Hallelujah!!! I've got three other things arriving next week! I'm going to be hard pushed to pull this off.
Cambridge Audio CEO:
You'll be glad to hear that we're flying over a batch of DACMAGICs early next week so they should be in Richer Sounds shops during the following week (w/c 6th Oct) once they've gone through Richer's central distribution system. Sorry for the slight delay.
James Johnson-Flint, CEO, Cambridge Audio
Wow! Looks like CA are fairly excited about this DAC as well!
You'll be glad to hear that we're flying over a batch of DACMAGICs early next week so they should be in Richer Sounds shops during the following week (w/c 6th Oct) once they've gone through Richer's central distribution system. Sorry for the slight delay.
James Johnson-Flint, CEO, Cambridge Audio
Wow! Looks like CA are fairly excited about this DAC as well!
Yes. Seen the review....but it's too near my Beresford to make it a viable upgrade. I'm considering the Stello...... Won't say any more. I got into trouble last time!
yay, I'll give the city branch a call tomorrow and book one,
thanks for being so open about the availability of this product
ÿ
thanks for being so open about the availability of this product
ÿ
Valid lesson I've learned ... don't buy version 1 of a new product. Wait a few months and any gremlins should be engineered out. Even more poignant if a product has been rushed out on to the market though I'm not saying that's necesserely the case here.
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