CAMBRIDGE AUDIO DACMAGIC

[admin_exported]

hello im new to this fourm.so heres a quick question.i have a cambridge audio cd player a azur 640.its about 5 years old and im considering buying a cambridge dac magic.but my azur has twin Twin Wolfson dac,s in it.the same as the dac magic.would i notice a differance if i run the cd player Through It.thanks for the help in advance.

 

[professorhat]

This is a pretty specific question and I think you'll be lucky to get an answer - but don't think that means no one cares, it just means no one has any experience of comparing the two bits of kit!

If I were you, I'd visit your local Richer Sounds, explain your conundrum and ask them if you can loan a DacMagic unit for a week or so (obviously you'd need to pay for it, but get some guarantee you could bring it back for a refund after that time). This would then give you ample time to run a comparison yourself and see if the DacMagic was worth the upgrade.

 

[John Duncan]

I've owned both, but some time apart. I'd say keep your money, unless you want to use the DM to stream from a hard drive-based system.

EDIT - ...or have an amp that can take advantage of the DACMagic's balanced outputs?

 

[professorhat]

See, I just knew if I posted he'd be lucky to get an answer someone would come along with more knowledge and make me look silly

 

[Anonymous]

I have both in my system at the moment and I can say that there is a difference (to my ears). However its not a 'night and day' difference. The decision to buy the Dacmagic will rest on how YOU find it. Is the difference worth the outlay??? I will reiterate JD's comments about more connections.

 

[Peter Larsen]

Ohh yes, you will. I have had the exact same setup, and the DacMagic lifted the sound immensly. I use it with the DAC set to linear.

Use a good quality coaxial between the two and a good quality analog interconnect between the dac and your amp and your flying.

 

[ESP2009]

I cannot comment on the earlier piece of kit, but the DACMagic is certainly doing a splendid job of handling the USB output from my computer. I use Spotify quite a lot now and the results through my hifi are excellent. Certainly worth a try before you buy if you're heading down that route too.

A word of warning though - it can change the synergy of the set-up sufficiently that you may need to revisit your interconnects and speaker cables. Well, it happened to me anyway.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Peter Larsen:
Ohh yes, you will. I have had the exact same setup, and the DacMagic lifted the sound immensly. I use it with the DAC set to linear.

Use a good quality coaxial between the two and a good quality analog interconnect between the dac and your amp and your flying.

Why haven't you got the 640C in your listed kit Peter?

 

[Peter Larsen]

Gerrardasnails:Peter Larsen:
Ohh yes, you will. I have had the exact same setup, and the DacMagic lifted the sound immensly. I use it with the DAC set to linear.

Use a good quality coaxial between the two and a good quality analog interconnect between the dac and your amp and your flying.

Why haven't you got the 640C in your listed kit Peter?

Hence the: "I have had the exact same setup" line 🙂

 

[Anonymous]

thanks for the help im useing a arcam a75 amp and im happy with the sound i have but always looking for a bit of a upgrade with out blowing the budget .i am thinking of running my laptop through the dac so ill go to richersounds and have a listen.

 

[Anonymous]

Regaurding a dacmagic, i got one to solve the problems of getting decent sound from my pc, for music listening.

I have only just set it up...

Ive got cd player connected by a Imp audio silver knight executor digital interconnect....

Dacmagic to amp via a qed silver spiral interconnect...

Not had a fiddle with it yet, sounds ok but not mind blowing. Sure it will be the best setup for the pc.

A lot of people rave on about them to improve their cd players sound, but i fear that the dac within my cd player, may still be better than the dacmagic...

Will end up for pc only i think, still good bit of kit...

 

[smuggs]

dave i think they said in richersounds it sould match £600 CD player so if yours is close or more costly you might be best to stick to the cd player. I have been reading that it may be picky with cables

 

[Anonymous]

Its a good bit of kit, it does not sound as detailed as normal connection straight from cdplayer to amp..

Didnt buy it for cd player sound, was just trying it.

Really happy with my cd player...

 

[Anonymous]

best component bought yet..

 

[Anonymous]

just switched back to original cdplayer to amp via qed silver spiral...

another digital spare cable to join the cable graveyard in my house !

oh well...