DacMagic and rDAC... yet to be convinced.

[plastic penguin]

After spending nearly an hour in Richer Sounds today, and I'm still not convinced the budget end DACs are going to be my bag (or Leema's bag, more accurately). I haven't heard any DACs at home, or anywhere for that matter, apart from Gerrard's place.

Yes, the DacMagic did sound sound really good, but after reading a few people's posts and the info the guy at Richer gave, I'm not sold on the budget end of DACs. He said the Magic is more lively than my current CDP and the rDAC, but conceded that it may not be the answer to the Leema's problems.

Message to JD: I asked, also, about the comparison between the Cambridge 650BD and Arcam CD73T and he said: "As far as CD playback goes, it's very close... if you use the Arcam as transport it should improve things..."

Today has thrown up more questions than answers....

Any suggestions are welcome.

 

[Anonymous]

the v dac is good, though i have to say it does have a very slight touch of sibilance that i don't recall being there with just the airport express

itunes and spotify..

 

[crusaderlord]

Still sounds like you are trying to make the Leema fit something it isnt best at. It might just be that the Leema is not the right item and maybe an FMJ or another amp will be better.

 

[plastic penguin]

maxflinn:the v dac is good, though i have to say it does have a very slight touch of sibilance that i don't recall being there with just the airport express

itunes and spotify..

Cheers, Max but I've read that the V-DAC is little more staid in its presentation. Don't know whether that's true ot not...

Would be nice to have some input from Rick and David, as they are always dishing out what's hot and what's rot....

.

 

[chebby]

How about AVI ADM9Ts? (Well, someone had to suggest them.)

 

[Anonymous]

plastic penguin:

maxflinn:the v dac is good, though i have to say it does have a very slight touch of sibilance that i don't recall being there with just the airport express

itunes and spotify..

Cheers, Max but I've read that the V-DAC is little more staid in its presentation. Don't know whether that's true ot not...

Would be nice to have some input from Rick and David, as they are always dishing out what's hot and what's rot....

.
i tell you what pp rick is one nice fella, i spoke with him at length before xmas, and he's since been very helpful in helping me resolve a certain av issue. top man

edit.. i haven't ever spoken with david but im sure he's a nice fella too

 

[Anonymous]

For a man running a pair of MA RS6s, the ADMs might be a bit of a shock.

PP, just aim for a nice and neutral source, perhaps look at the Musical Fidelity M1. Forget about transport differences, I really don't believe you'll hear any difference unless there's something wrong with one of them. The speakers are by far the weakest link when it comes to audible distortions. Unless the DAC producer has gone for a seriously coloured sound, any differences should be fairly minimal.

 

[plastic penguin]

The encouragement from you guys is terrific. The Active route does sound appealing, but I do enjoy "Boys toys" or having boxes. I need a neutral source away from CDPs if possible - only because I've outgrown the house.

Maybe I should look at something in the region of a Cyrus DAC: Can't believe that the AVI 9.1, however good they are, will outgun the Leema with the right source and speakers.

Maybe after 30 years of listening to hi-fi I've gone ga-ga...

 

[John Duncan]

Kind of agree with Ig - I don't think a change in source is even top of the agenda, since you seem unhappy with the rest as it is anyway...

 

[Anonymous]

i reckon a pair of good quality soft dome standemounts would fit the bill pp, dyn dm or excite perhaps? my speakers are just sublime and even though they cost less than my old rx6's they are better in many ways imo...

i'll get my coat

 

[jiggyjoe]

I think you should Dem the Audiolab 8200 cd player. Comes with a DAC as well.!!

 

[Messiah]

plastic penguin:

Can't believe that the AVI 9.1, however good they are, will outgun the Leema with the right source and speakers.

Many also share this view. However, I would recommend a demo if it can be arranged.

Iggleberts system was fairly substantial and has now been replaced. I had a Cyrus/MA system and that is history.

They are great speakers but I am sure that impression comes across from all owners!

 

[plastic penguin]

I love the Leema in the main - I reckon the problem is source: how can a £400 CDP get the best from a £1200 or amp? my tuner came out of the ark - sounds damn good with Kandy LIII etc etc.

The first time I heard the Leema it was connected to a CD192 and my RS6s. Gorgeous. Second time was with Spendor SA-1 and GS10s and my 73T. Really good, easily a match for the Caspian M1, although I did reveal on this forum that the Caspian was a little more straight forward to system match. Boy, was I right...

I think my problem was, and still is, I lived in a sonic 'fools paradise', expecting (assuming almost) that the Leema would slot in and all is well with the world. If only....

Always knew it would be work-in-progress.... never realised the challenge.

 

[Anonymous]

The ADMs are better than any passive kit I've heard under £10k. I don't intend to be provocative because everyone has to find their comfort zone with their audio kit, but I can't see a single good reason to spend any amount of cash on passive separates with the ADMs being available on the market. They make separates kit look plain silly in the price scales.

Right, I'm going to a party. Peace all.

 

[plastic penguin]

Do believe I've found my musical niche with the Leema, it needs some tweaking to achieve a near-perfect system.

 

[Craig M.]

plastic penguin:

The first time I heard the Leema it was connected to a CD192 and my RS6s. Gorgeous.

there you go, solved it for you.

 

[jiggyjoe]

 

[plastic penguin]

Craig M.:plastic penguin:

The first time I heard the Leema it was connected to a CD192 and my RS6s. Gorgeous.

there you go, solved it for you.

Nice thought - a little on the old side. Don't know whether your bidding for goodie or a baddie...

 

[Craig M.]

plastic penguin:Craig M.:plastic penguin:

The first time I heard the Leema it was connected to a CD192 and my RS6s. Gorgeous.

there you go, solved it for you.

Nice thought - a little on the old side. Don't know whether your bidding for goodie or a baddie...

ooops, thought this was your synergy thread - still, might be a good
move given you think your current cdp doesn't quite fit - the 192 isn't
that old is it? kandy cdp might brighten it up, too. anyway, back on topic...

my opinion is that if you plan on upgrading your speakers eventually, you should aim higher then the dacmagic.

"Don't know whether your bidding for goodie or a baddie... "

i don't get it...

 

[plastic penguin]

Craig M.:plastic penguin:Craig M.:plastic penguin:

The first time I heard the Leema it was connected to a CD192 and my RS6s. Gorgeous.

there you go, solved it for you.

Nice thought - a little on the old side. Don't know whether your bidding for goodie or a baddie...

ooops, thought this was your synergy thread - still, might be a good move given you think your current cdp doesn't quite fit - the 192 isn't that old is it? kandy cdp might brighten it up, too. anyway, back on topic...

my opinion is that if you plan on upgrading your speakers eventually, you should aim higher then the dacmagic.

"Don't know whether your bidding for goodie or a baddie... "

i don't get it...

You hear a number of horror stories about buying from "so-called" reputable dealers on auction sites. I didn't mean that CD192 was old old, if you catch my drift. The DIVA range of two channel stuff hasn't been made for about three years. Any 192 you pick up has got to have at least three years of use under its belt.

It's a good short term solution, but I'm looking long-term.

 

[the record spot]

Three years use on a CD player in my view means it's just into its stride. Well built gear like that - at the cost it was - should be looking at a decade of trouble free use. Minimum.

EDIT: the other slight concern here is there's a tiny little hint of Matthewpiano's problems creeping through here, albeit, less widespread in your case PP! Finding the sound you're happy with is an issue though and takes time, but I had something similar with the Marantz KI I use just now. Took me a little while to find an amp that partnered the Missions and CDP well enough to round the sound out, but take it forward too. When I did, it was job done, but getting there meant going through about five amps off Ebay. I'd stick with the Leema though, but not to the point of this whole thing driving you to distraction!

 

[ID.]

plastic penguin:it needs some tweaking to achieve a near-perfect system.

Sounds like a long journey. So once you've got the source and speakers sorted, then you can move onto interconnects, speaker cables, isolators, stands, power cables

but It'll all be worth it in the end. Hopefully it can be shortened b knowing what th sound you want is. There could be a lot of wasted time and money if this journey also involves you working out what sound it is you want.

 

[Richard Allen]

PP.

I've read every single thread you've come up with regarding your system and ( sorry to be negative) you've done nothing but struggle to achieve the sound you want. Maybe ( arrows of death now being fired at me ) it's time to dump the Leema and start again.

 

[the record spot]

Worth the walk I think Richard. Had I given up ahead of landing the Sansui, I'd be sitting with a sub-par sound. I'd have stuck with the Mission 733i and not the 752s...you get the gist. It'd be a nice enough sound, but not next level stuff. I'd lose the speakers, forget the DACMagic and find a pair that will make the biggest impact on PP's sound. Changing the source in a digital system isn't the way forward here I suspect.

 

[Helmut80]

Richard Allen:
PP.

I've read every single thread you've come up with regarding your system and ( sorry to be negative) you've done nothing but struggle to achieve the sound you want. Maybe ( arrows of death now being fired at me ) it's time to dump the Leema and start again.

OH NO HE DIDN'T?!!!!