I'm saying this as other companies such as MF/cyrus usually price their DAC's sufficiently high (to high?) to not make this an issue whereas many specialist manufacturers of DAC's don't make cdp's to directly compete with their products. Confusing.
Perhaps it's a bit of an experiment to see where the market goes. If the perception remains that a CDP is better then they'll sell lots of those. If people catch on and go for the DAC then they can focus on that bit and develop more products, e.g. better DACs, transports, etc. CA would be ahead of the game then. I wouldn't be surprised if a DAC makes a lot more profit than a CDP.
Plus, if successful, the product is going to appeal to a lot of non-hifi folk who are less likely to fork out large amounts of cash for high quality playback, e.g. computer users. That's quite a market scope when you consider hifi to be your domain.
Plus, if successful, the product is going to appeal to a lot of non-hifi folk who are less likely to fork out large amounts of cash for high quality playback, e.g. computer users. That's quite a market scope when you consider hifi to be your domain.
I think Igglebert is right, this is about market extension, not about selling to the CD buying audience. The brochure is full of playstation and computer examples. I wouldn't be surprised if this was sold outside of richer sounds in the UK. I can see it sitting in John Lewis very happily. "Want to make that computer audio sound better, sir? buy this box of magic tricks"
200 pounds is a lot for computer audio people I feel, especially as it requires an amp and speakers too, but there is a space for it along side those people who have 5.1 tv systems. If it sells well then the volume will bring the price down. I can certainly see quite a few of my iTunes using friends buying one when they come onto the market.ÿ
ÿ
200 pounds is a lot for computer audio people I feel, especially as it requires an amp and speakers too, but there is a space for it along side those people who have 5.1 tv systems. If it sells well then the volume will bring the price down. I can certainly see quite a few of my iTunes using friends buying one when they come onto the market.ÿ
ÿ
zzgavin:
200 pounds is a lot for computer audio people I feel
I think that's changing a bit too as the computer is starting to make it's place in the home more and more prominent. Yes it's a lot to a computer user but the whole sound and IT package is (very slowly) starting to merge.
200 pounds is a lot for computer audio people I feel
I think that's changing a bit too as the computer is starting to make it's place in the home more and more prominent. Yes it's a lot to a computer user but the whole sound and IT package is (very slowly) starting to merge.
Understand all that but it just does'nt make sense to me, hence this thread.
There's only one way to find out and thats putting the thing side by side with the 840.
Still, perhaps the chap from CA might join in and shed light on the situation.
There's only one way to find out and thats putting the thing side by side with the 840.
Still, perhaps the chap from CA might join in and shed light on the situation.
John Duncan
Well-known member
If I was him, I wouldn't. Say it's better than an 840 and he risks damaging his 840 sales, say it's not as good as a 740 and we'll all be like "oh it's not all that then". It'll only ever be pitched as "it is what it is".
The bloke who's getting mine for me (in my invisible 250 quid deal) has a two grand Moon - I'll ask him to stick it on the end of it and tell me which is better before he sends it down to me
In fact, if the builder's are still in, you can all have a go.......
The bloke who's getting mine for me (in my invisible 250 quid deal) has a two grand Moon - I'll ask him to stick it on the end of it and tell me which is better before he sends it down to me
In fact, if the builder's are still in, you can all have a go.......
Say I put a mp3 cd into my dvd player and then hook up to Dacmagic via optical cable. Will the Dacmagic decode MP3?
John Duncan
Well-known member
Provided the DVD player will play mp3s, yeah.
Note that they'd probably need to be 256kbps files or higher for the DACMagic to be worth it though.
Note that they'd probably need to be 256kbps files or higher for the DACMagic to be worth it though.
Gerrardasnails
Well-known member
JohnDuncan:Provided the DVD player will play mp3s, yeah.
Note that they'd probably need to be 256kbps files or higher for the DACMagic to be worth it though.
John, it's not on the "coming soon" list on CA's site anymore - it's now been moved to a product section. Just awaiting it's arrival on the RS site and I'm off to South Croydon!
Note that they'd probably need to be 256kbps files or higher for the DACMagic to be worth it though.
John, it's not on the "coming soon" list on CA's site anymore - it's now been moved to a product section. Just awaiting it's arrival on the RS site and I'm off to South Croydon!
John Duncan
Well-known member
Can someone remind what the fuss is about the Dacmagic again? Apart from upsampling and being £200? I know the V1 was pretty good and well respected.....should I just read page one of this thread instead maybe....?!
John Duncan
Well-known member
Or the other 17 I've started about how excited I am about it.
Well it's been well reviewed (best of a tro of sub-£200 DACs), and I'm expecting it to turn my computer-based audio into a source on a par with a very good CD player.
Or at least it had better.
Well it's been well reviewed (best of a tro of sub-£200 DACs), and I'm expecting it to turn my computer-based audio into a source on a par with a very good CD player.
Or at least it had better.
Gerrardasnails
Well-known member
JohnDuncan:Or the other 17 I've started about how excited I am about it.
Well it's been well reviewed (best of a tro of sub-£200 DACs), and I'm expecting it to turn my computer-based audio into a source on a par with a very good CD player.
Or at least it had better.
I've bought a USB adapter to connect my mobile phone to the DAC. I am ripping cds to wav using EAC. My phone only has 8gb memory but I'm going to keep a file of wavs on my pc and just change my mobile's store around from time to time. I got a new Sky HD box today which has optical and coaxial so I will have that going through it to (for radio). And then I'm just waiting on my BD player to arrive which will be connected also and be used as cd transport. I will not be buying anything for a long time after this!
Well it's been well reviewed (best of a tro of sub-£200 DACs), and I'm expecting it to turn my computer-based audio into a source on a par with a very good CD player.
Or at least it had better.
I've bought a USB adapter to connect my mobile phone to the DAC. I am ripping cds to wav using EAC. My phone only has 8gb memory but I'm going to keep a file of wavs on my pc and just change my mobile's store around from time to time. I got a new Sky HD box today which has optical and coaxial so I will have that going through it to (for radio). And then I'm just waiting on my BD player to arrive which will be connected also and be used as cd transport. I will not be buying anything for a long time after this!
When I first saw this thread I thought 'but the DacMagic is ancient, of course the 840 will sound better'. Reading through though I realize this could be quite lovely, especially given the price.
I'd like to think I created some of the impetus behind it's design when I went to Richers 18 months or so ago and asked the manager if he knew when CA would get around to implementing USB on the 840 CD player.
Now, I hope our man from CA is still reading this. When will the DAC Magic have a nice volume pot and remote. Oh, and and analogue line in for those 'legacy devices'. While I'm at it, add a few more digital ins too. An affordable digital switching preamp would be cool.
How about V2 next year please.
Damn, and I only got my Beresford a couple of months ago too.
I'd like to think I created some of the impetus behind it's design when I went to Richers 18 months or so ago and asked the manager if he knew when CA would get around to implementing USB on the 840 CD player.
Now, I hope our man from CA is still reading this. When will the DAC Magic have a nice volume pot and remote. Oh, and and analogue line in for those 'legacy devices'. While I'm at it, add a few more digital ins too. An affordable digital switching preamp would be cool.
How about V2 next year please.
Damn, and I only got my Beresford a couple of months ago too.
John Duncan
Well-known member
Just pre-ordered one here in Canada
I was getting a 840c as a DAC for my computer, but it's almost outside my reach with my student budget. After I read about the DacMagic, I'm so excited. It has everything I want: USB input, upsampling(although 24/384 like 740c/840c should be better I suppose), balanced output which is really important to me and nicely priced!
I can't wait until the end of this month to pair it with my Sennheiser HD650
BTW, what kind of XLR output does DacMagic has?? Female of male? because I've seen picture of 840c which shows it has female XLRs while picture of 840c on official site show male XLRs
I was getting a 840c as a DAC for my computer, but it's almost outside my reach with my student budget. After I read about the DacMagic, I'm so excited. It has everything I want: USB input, upsampling(although 24/384 like 740c/840c should be better I suppose), balanced output which is really important to me and nicely priced!
I can't wait until the end of this month to pair it with my Sennheiser HD650
BTW, what kind of XLR output does DacMagic has?? Female of male? because I've seen picture of 840c which shows it has female XLRs while picture of 840c on official site show male XLRs
RE: Now, I hope our man from CA is still reading this. When will the DAC Magic have a nice volume pot and remote. Oh, and and analogue line in for those 'legacy devices'. While I'm at it, add a few more digital ins too. An affordable digital switching preamp would be cool.
Great idea! Makes a lot of sense. But don't go banking on next year as we have a very full roadmap already planned out for '09. Best you eBay out that DAC you already have and treat yourself to a DACmagic now.
Great idea! Makes a lot of sense. But don't go banking on next year as we have a very full roadmap already planned out for '09. Best you eBay out that DAC you already have and treat yourself to a DACmagic now.
I am extremely tempted by a DACmagic and am so close to buying one that I can almost smell it!
But...
would someone (preferably the CA CEO) tell me how many watts of power the transformer consumes when the DACmagic is not switched on? I'm not keen on leaving stuff on standby, and the DACmagic relies on a transformer being on all the time. Of course, this information is not on the website.
EDIT: I would also like to know whether or not the USB part of it supports Linux. I know that Linux does support some USB DACs but don't know if the drivers are universal and will work with any DAC.
But...
would someone (preferably the CA CEO) tell me how many watts of power the transformer consumes when the DACmagic is not switched on? I'm not keen on leaving stuff on standby, and the DACmagic relies on a transformer being on all the time. Of course, this information is not on the website.
EDIT: I would also like to know whether or not the USB part of it supports Linux. I know that Linux does support some USB DACs but don't know if the drivers are universal and will work with any DAC.
RE 840C The male XLRs on our official site are correct. The incorrect dealer photo is being corrected.
Well, I've given into temptation and ordered one, so it had better be good, penguin-friendly and not too power-hungry, Mr. Cambridge Audio!
According to the man from CA, USB connectivity is based on a CM chipset (don't know which one) and not the more widely used burr-brown PCM family (e.g. pcm2704/5). I didn't find anything conclusive in the ALSA docs, so it looks like this is going to be suck and see as to whether the ALSA snd-usb-audio module detects the device or not.
Please post if it works in Linux or not, as I'm considering buying this DAC.
Please post if it works in Linux or not, as I'm considering buying this DAC.
a.g.:Well, I've given into temptation and ordered one, so it had better be good, penguin-friendly and not too power-hungry, Mr. Cambridge Audio!
Its a fine DAC with good connectivity/versatility. The filter options are subtle but worthwile. Add it to a Denon 685 and it slightly broadens the soundstage at slight cost to punch and focus, the usual upsampling 'side effects' when done to a budget and no criticism for the price. Handy thing for multi media connections. I got another thread going so perhaps will write a bit more about it.
I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Looks good too.
Its a fine DAC with good connectivity/versatility. The filter options are subtle but worthwile. Add it to a Denon 685 and it slightly broadens the soundstage at slight cost to punch and focus, the usual upsampling 'side effects' when done to a budget and no criticism for the price. Handy thing for multi media connections. I got another thread going so perhaps will write a bit more about it.
I'm sure you'll enjoy it. Looks good too.
BrightSpark:
According to the man from CA, USB connectivity is based on a CM chipset (don't know which one) and not the more widely used burr-brown PCM family (e.g. pcm2704/5). I didn't find anything conclusive in the ALSA docs, so it looks like this is going to be suck and see as to whether the ALSA snd-usb-audio module detects the device or not.
Please post if it works in Linux or not, as I'm considering buying this DAC.
Yes, I'll let you know. Even if it doesn't then it'll still get a lot of use, and I'm sure that before long the Linux kernel will be updated with suitable drivers.
According to the man from CA, USB connectivity is based on a CM chipset (don't know which one) and not the more widely used burr-brown PCM family (e.g. pcm2704/5). I didn't find anything conclusive in the ALSA docs, so it looks like this is going to be suck and see as to whether the ALSA snd-usb-audio module detects the device or not.
Please post if it works in Linux or not, as I'm considering buying this DAC.
Yes, I'll let you know. Even if it doesn't then it'll still get a lot of use, and I'm sure that before long the Linux kernel will be updated with suitable drivers.
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