dac magic supply

[carter]

any one no a good upgrade supply i can use for the dac magic i think its 12v dc but i read some place it was 12v ac

 

[lonely boy]

It looks like 12v AC (has the AC symbol) according to this pic -

http://www.cambridge-audio.us/assets/documents/DAC_Magic_rear.jpg

Edit: Though, don't take my word for it!

 

[PJPro]

Not sure where you are looking but I'd be amazed if it takes AC if it uses an external PSU. Usually, the job of the PSU is to transform the voltage and convert the supply into DC.

 

[chebby]

Certainly looks like AC from this view....

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/assets/documents/DAC_Magic_rear.jpg

The DacMagic contains a toroidal transformer which would not make sense if it were a DC device.

[Edit that] No toroidal core in evidence from the interior. CA just imply there is one by heading their DacMagic support blurb with a picture of a toroidal core....

http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/support_products.php?PID=320&Title=Support

Here is the inside....

Presumably someone qualified can tell from this......
http://img380.imageshack.us/img380/6193/dacmagic1sy6.jpg

 

[nads]

Mmm the PSU says AC-AC power supply. and the manual says AC 12V 1.5A power Adaptor.

 

[idc]

It also states on the back of the DAC 'Use supplied PSU only' on the picture supplied by Chebby

 

[PJPro]

Well I'm prepared to be amazed....but I can't see a transformer in the picture provided by Chebby. I'm also struggling to get my head round why you would use a transformer on 12v AC? Simply to transform it to DC?

 

[nads]

bigger image

click it

 

[Johnno2]

The external transformer converts the mains AC to 12v AC, there will be diodes and smoothing capacitors inside the dacmagic to transform th AC to DC I would have thought

 

[idc]

nads:

These units seem to go under various names. My Dell laptop and MF Xcan amp both call them 12 v adaptors, where as the Bose refers to it as a switching supply. They are all basically power supply units or PSUs (as the back of the DACMagic refers to it) and it allows the manufacturer to supply the same product to various countries by varying the PSU depending on the local supply and plug type. There is also an argument that keeping the PSU away from the main unit has sonic advantages.

Again I would suggest with the DACMagic varying the PSU is specifically warned against, the same message is not on the back of any other product I have seen with a PSU.

 

[carter]

so it is 12v ac i would have to look for then if i wanted to upgrade.

its not that im unhappy with the sound its just ive upgraded all my iec and fig 8 leads and i found an upgrade for tivoli radio(12vdc) and that got me thinking(i heard russ andrews was gonna bring one out but that was months ago now)

 

[Anonymous]

You could try this. It did good with my beresford.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=48517

 

[Anonymous]

Don't think this Maplin alternative will work - it's AC-DC, not AC-AC.