DacMagic and rDAC... yet to be convinced.

[plastic penguin]

Sometimes I shudder as to why I'm looking to go this route. Smaller boxes YES, and better SQ? Yes over my current CDP. The flip-side, of course, perhaps I need to ask also: Is there anything wrong with my set-up, or am I unhappy? No. The system I have is perfectly capable of producing a cracking sound.

So why? Couldn't really tell you.

So where does that leave me? Yes I will upgrade at some point. It reminds me of the old adage: If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

 

[Audio_ELF]

Plastic Penguin...

Not sure if it will suit you, and it may have already been mentioned, but if you like the Leema sound they are releasing a stand alone DaC soon which may suit you. £1000 iirc.

Eloise

 

[Anonymous]

Sometimes I shudder as to why I'm looking to go this route. Smaller boxes YES, and better SQ? Yes over my current CDP. The flip-side, of course, perhaps I need to ask also: Is there anything wrong with my set-up, or am I unhappy? No. The system I have is perfectly capable of producing a cracking sound. So why? Couldn't really tell you. So where does that leave me? Yes I will upgrade at some point. It reminds me of the old adage: If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

This is really what I was getting at a few posts ago PP.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Plastic Penguin... Not sure if it will suit you, and it may have already been mentioned, but if you like the Leema sound they are releasing a stand alone DaC soon which may suit you. £1000 iirc. Eloise

More about the Leema DAC here

 

[plastic penguin]

Plastic Penguin... Not sure if it will suit you, and it may have already been mentioned, but if you like the Leema sound they are releasing a stand alone DaC soon which may suit you. £1000 iirc. Eloise

TBH, it would have to be very speacial to make me part company with that amount.

 

[CnoEvil]

Sometimes I shudder as to why I'm looking to go this route. Smaller boxes YES, and better SQ? Yes over my current CDP. The flip-side, of course, perhaps I need to ask also: Is there anything wrong with my set-up, or am I unhappy? No. The system I have is perfectly capable of producing a cracking sound. So why? Couldn't really tell you. So where does that leave me? Yes I will upgrade at some point. It reminds me of the old adage: If it ain't broke, don't try to fix it.

Adages are for wimps! 😛

It's what us poor audiophiles use to (unconvincingly) persuade ourselves to stop spending. How many times have you gone for a quick listen saying "where's the harm in that".

If you "buy and forget", it's not a hobby but the purchase of an appliance; like a hoover or washing machine.....and another avocation will have to be found to satisfy the males' need for obsession.

At least this pastime shouldn't kill you.... though your better half might 🙁

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi-fi is a little like drinking alcohol: If you keep drinking all night (something I don't do BTW)at a weekend blow-out you generally have, the following morning, a nasty headache and a foul taste in your mouth...

The upgrade addiction gets you same way: Improve the amp and the source seems deficient. Change the source and the speakers need upgrading. Once you have you're source and speakers the cables need revising. It sounds wonderful and we're as happy as Larry (sorry Larry) - compare it to the old system and you've gained maybe 10%, 20 or 30% extra in sound quality. I would assume it would leave a nasty taste in my mouth, and a grumpy-looking bank manager.

The moral of tale is knowing when to stop, even if the sonic grass looks greener.

This is why I'm taking my time and upgrade ONLY when essential. Right now isn't. Hangovers, whether drink inspired or sonically, is way off my radar.

 

[matthewpiano]

I have found myself thinking exactly the same as ESP2009 excellent post . I am also fed up with the endless search for the perfect sound. It just isn't there and never will be. Enough is enough, It really is a load of old cobblers. You really don't have to spend much money at all to get an excellent system. Most of the comments on this forum about various bits of equipment are down to individual perception and therefore fairly irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. And yes that includes my past posts. It should be about enjoying music through decent equipment. Yes it is a bit of fun, but it is also expensive to continuously change kit. This is why I have sold off most of my old kit. Purchased a budget setup that sounds lovely. And brought a holiday on the proceeds. The irony is that I have almost gone full circle as regards equipment. It was nice to sit down and listen to 12 songs by Neil Diamond tonight without even worrying about the sound. The end !

I'm in a similar place. I'm completely fed up with the whole thing and I'm in the middle of doing something that I wouldn't have even imagined doing not so long ago. As part of this process I've listened to a favourite album on a very simple little system today and enjoyed it more than I have for a very long time.

Time and money aren't infinite and the more time I spend getting stressed about whether the sound is perfect or not, the less chance I am getting to enjoy the music and (just as important) do other things.

 

[Cypher]

Why is it so difficult to enjoy music ? Currently I have a NAD C326BEE/monitor audio BX2/arcam rdac system and I'm enjoying the hell out of it.

Are there better systems out there ? Definitely. But I just don't care

 

[sortof]

While this thread is meandering around I keep wondering whether the rDAC would be a sensible upgrade to replace my DacMagic? Is the rDAC sound less prone towards brightness than the DacMagic?

 

[WishTree]

After reading so much of forums / reviews, my comprehension on DACs are

DACMAGIC, Beresford - VFM for budget there are better out there with a little more stretch

rDAC - Good but bass muddy

MF M1 DAC - Nice but little bright, not so musical

Rega DAC - There seems to be a shrine constructed some where for this DAC but not many people seem to have it

Benchmark DAC - Too good but too audiophile. Too detailed but clinical at the same time

Music Hall DAC - Good tube but not clean

Emotiva - Too cheap and sounds too good on paper to be true. If Emotiva has cracked the code then why do we pay so much for other DACs?!

PS Audio DL III - This is the only DAC in my list which is still not subjected to criticism

So, where do we go from here? All DAC have ifs. I am thinking of trying out DL III, as we speak. But when tomorrow comes, it might be a different story!

 

[Cypher]

In my system (nad c326 / MA BX2) which I use with the rdac the bass isn't muddy at all. It's sounding very tight and articulate.

 

[Anonymous]

Hello everybody!

I have the same setup as Cypher: nad c326 and ma bx2. And looking for DAC too =)

As for now, I use EMU 0404 PCI soundcard as source. Given that I am quite a newbie to the whole Hi-Fi stage (I've got my system since Mar 21), it sounds well. May be too harsh at high frequencies. To speak the truth, listening to Avantasia - The Metal Opera is painful, but calmer music is very enjoyable.

I consider buying Arcam rDac since I've got no CD Player and I'm not going to use my WDTV Gen2 player as main music source. Anyway, rDac's powerful USB input is exactly what I need. And may be WDTV's optical output is not so bad after all.

So how do you guys think, will the difference between rDac and my 0404 be audible and worth spending money? Or may be I should go for CA DacMagic? It's USB is weak as I get reading reviews.

 

[the record spot]

If you're specifically interested in the USB capability, you could have a look at the Emotiva XPA-1 DAC as it's USB upsamples to 24/192 which most others don't (16-bit in the majority of cases). £349 from Item Audio and you can get a demo unit to trial at home, so that's definitely worth considering.

 

[Anonymous]

hi i have marantz cd 6003 / marantz pm 6003 amp/ mission mx3 speakers with quad evo x speaker wire and chord crimsonplus leeds,, its sounds great but my hifi dealer said a arcam dac will make my cd player other music sound better..... so is it worth getting the £3oo arcam dac for my hifi? am confused.com if dac worth buying for cd player will it upgrade sound? thanks tezz

 

[plastic penguin]

hi i have marantz cd 6003 / marantz pm 6003 amp/ mission mx3 speakers with quad evo x speaker wire and chord crimsonplus leeds,, its sounds great but my hifi dealer said a arcam dac will make my cd player other music sound better..... so is it worth getting the £3oo arcam dac for my hifi? am confused.com if dac worth buying for cd player will it upgrade sound? thanks tezz

A total conundrum: I've received so many mixed messages about DACs from known dealers mainly. The only advice i can give regards this is to demo a couple of brands within your budget. For the moment I've shelved the idea. Too busy with other issues.

 

[Cypher]

Two interesting new DAC's (out soon) ;

Teac UD-H01

Onkyo DAC-1000

At the moment I use the Music Streamer II which is great for the money but these two look promising.

 

[crusaderlord]

After reading so much of forums / reviews, my comprehension on DACs are

DACMAGIC, Beresford - VFM for budget there are better out there with a little more stretch

rDAC - Good but bass muddy

MF M1 DAC - Nice but little bright, not so musical

Rega DAC - There seems to be a shrine constructed some where for this DAC but not many people seem to have it

Benchmark DAC - Too good but too audiophile. Too detailed but clinical at the same time

Music Hall DAC - Good tube but not clean

Emotiva - Too cheap and sounds too good on paper to be true. If Emotiva has cracked the code then why do we pay so much for other DACs?!

PS Audio DL III - This is the only DAC in my list which is still not subjected to criticism

So, where do we go from here? All DAC have ifs. I am thinking of trying out DL III, as we speak. But when tomorrow comes, it might be a different story!

Best to try a few and make a choice - i have heard so far the CA Dacmagic, MF V-Dac, Arcam rDac, MF M1 Dac, Rega Dac (i have owned 3 of these over time).

I also rang 3 dealers and 2 said the PS Audio is older and in their opinion is no longer better than the newcomers such as MF M1 and Rega despite its much higher price.

My choice eventually was the MF M1 Dac - whilst i would agree it may be slightly clearer than the rDac it replaced, it is certainly not less musical - it is very musical indeed and does run my Arcam CD37 very close.

My own personal summary would be the V-Dac and Dacmagic is well improved upon by the Arcam, MF M1, and Rega - all the latter 3 are great and go up by c£100 each in cost. Is the Rega better than the MF - i didnt think so but it does have more inputs which if i had required may have been worth the extra, but all the extra filter choices for me were not worth extra outlay. Finally i also really liked the rDac and if USB is a key source requirement then its worth a look - it also has a good wireless option using Kleer too. Some of the choice may be down to the use you need it for and the number and type of inputs.

Finally the quality of these Dac's are so good that for my ears i cant see me needing to spend over £500 on one to get an amazing sound.

 

[jerry klinger]

Is the Rega better than the MF - i didnt think so ....Finally the quality of these Dac's are so good that for my ears i cant see me needing to spend over £500 on one to get an amazing sound.

(2 quotes in one there!) Does that mean you actually preferred the MF to the Rega? I've been listening to the Rega for a day or so - haven't yet tried the MF. What's surprised me about the Rega is how much of a serious hifi product it sounds and feels - a lot of the sound of the Isis CD player in fact, and that costs £6000! Of course it's quite not that good but the general sound is the same, mid and treble detailing and weight of sound overall. It's really a steal at £495.

 

[jerry klinger]

'More about the Leema DAC here'

I quite like the idea of a Leema streamer, if only for the rhyming.

 

[jerry klinger]

hi i have marantz cd 6003 / marantz pm 6003 amp/ mission mx3 speakers with quad evo x speaker wire and chord crimsonplus leeds,, its sounds great but my hifi dealer said a arcam dac will make my cd player other music sound better..... so is it worth getting the £3oo arcam dac for my hifi? am confused.com if dac worth buying for cd player will it upgrade sound? thanks tezz

I wouldn't buy a DAC just to upgrade the CD6003 - which sounds great on its own. There is however a company on ebay which will radically upgrade this player for little cost.... the Rega DAC will add to this player but really shines on the USB input.

 

[crusaderlord]

Does that mean you actually preferred the MF to the Rega?

No i cant say i preferred the MF M1 sound over the Rega - i had the option to buy the MF M1 at £365 new or the Rega at £500. I didnt need the extra inputs of the Rega and i didnt hear much if any difference between the various different filters it offers. I thought they were both excellent sounding, but i cant say i thought one was hugely better than the other. So i went for value and build - i also liked the normal mains lead input to the MF. The Rega Dac justifies its extra price but the MF M1 dac is also a great item to own too - take your pick.

 

[jerry klinger]

I'd be mainly interested to know how they sound off the USB input.
By the way I've noticed some difference between the Rega filters but wouldn't like to describe it!

 

[Anonymous]

hi thxs for that,, yea will pop down sevoaks when gotcash ,, there said could lend it first hear it with my hifi,,, most time its cd i play got 360, pc etc thinking iphone,, but upgrades cd sound? cool if not waste of money i look other things add my hifi,, thanks again tezz

 

[the record spot]

Currently wondering why the Emotiva is "too cheap" yet at £349, it's a tad pricier than the DacMagic that's been raved over, and about £50 cheaper than the equally raved over M1 from Musical Fidelity. Yet, anyone can get a hold of this to try out at home and demo for themselves...fantastic product I think and a neat design too.