DACmagic to DACmagic plus, worthwhile upgrade???

[atkins4725]

Thinking about replacing my current DACmagic to the new DACmagic plus. Would this be a worth while upgrade or a waste.

I currently use my 650bd as a source which then goes through the DACmagic --->650a--->b&w 683. The DACMAGIC also gets used for stuff like sky music channels and music stored on my mac.

Cant demo the DACmagic plus due to my local richer sound not having a demo room and the shop floor not really ideal.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Clare Newsome]

It's something we plan to cover in forthcoming Dacmagic Plus review.... Only testing will tell!

 

[atkins4725]

Thanks for the reply Clare. Do you have rough dates for when we can expect the review???

 

[crang]

Hi

See my setup in sig. I personally wouldn't bother as i have no need for a headphone amp or per amp, I don't find dacmagic to bright at all however it is mooted that the new one cures this supposed problem? Richer offer 30 day money back so you can compare side by side so cant lose really.Good luck!

 

[Anonymous]

Thinking about replacing my current DACmagic to the new DACmagic plus. Would this be a worth while upgrade or a waste.

Depends on your reason for doing so. If for sound quality, I very much doubt it as the DacMagic is already exceedingly neutral. But the 'plus' does add volume control and a headphone amp.

If you're looking for features, the Matrix Quattro may be a better alternative. Basically a Benchmark clone for less. Google it... I'm very tempted myself.

 

[atkins4725]

[/quote]

Depends on your reason for doing so. If for sound quality, I very much doubt it as the DacMagic is already exceedingly neutral. But the 'plus' does add volume control and a headphone amp.

It's purely to increase sound quality from numerous sources. I'll call up richer sounds and ask about the 30 day money back. I wasn't aware they offered this???

 

[Overdose]

No harm in trying. I too am looking at the Quattro DAC.

It seems to offer more than anything else anywhere near its price.

 

[Anonymous]

I took the plunge and upgraded to the DM Plus (from the Azur DM). The difference in sound is tremendous - rich,vivid and effortless -absolutely amazing. The main issues I had with the original DM was its lack of depth, it seemed to have a fairly loose stereo image and quite a shallow and narrow soundstage - all mentioned points have been blown away entirely with the new unit. I have only every had 2 DACs, the Stello DA 100 and the original Azur DM and it wiped the floor with both....easily. The volume control can be bypassed or used for actives/phones.

Anyway I'm sure you can get the unit for 7 days no questions refund but worth checking.

My 2 Cents.

 

[atkins4725]

Thanks for ur input. I'm gunna head down tomorrow and get me a new DAC :-D

 

[wbarr]

I took the plunge and upgraded to the DM Plus (from the Azur DM). The difference in sound is tremendous - rich,vivid and effortless -absolutely amazing. The main issues I had with the original DM was its lack of depth, it seemed to have a fairly loose stereo image and quite a shallow and narrow soundstage - all mentioned points have been blown away entirely with the new unit. I have only every had 2 DACs, the Stello DA 100 and the original Azur DM and it wiped the floor with both....easily. The volume control can be bypassed or used for actives/phones.

Anyway I'm sure you can get the unit for 7 days no questions refund but worth checking.

My 2 Cents.

Just to add, my intial impression agrees with this. Also took the plunge and decided to upgrade from the 'vanilla' DacMagic to the Plus, safe in the knowledge that if it was a mistake, my local RS would be helpful re: returns. Have been running it in since purchase on Friday, and am sure I can discern an audible improvement over the original DM, as described in the quote. Sounds seems a little warmer or sweeter - more organic, with a wider soundstage. Have yet to really test the headphone amp - a friend is going to help me demo it with a pair of AKG 702s. I'm in the market for some Senn 650s, and want to make sure this element of the DAC is up to snuff. So far, so good. 🙂

Just one or two cosmetic niggles. The supplied power supply is horrifically lightweight, particularly in comparison with the original DM supply. It looks like something that might power a toy car! Clearly works, though. Also, the supplied rubber foot has shrunk since the original DM. This is for allowing vertical placement of the unit. It is now about 1/3 the length of the unit, and it means that the DAC is supported at a 'jaunty' angle, rather than sitting flat in the rubber foot as of old. Happily, the dimensions of the DM Plus casing are identical to the original DM, so I think I will be swapping the rubber foot over.

 

[Anonymous]

I purchased the new DACmagic plus from Richer sound in Bloomsbury on 30th Nov 2011 and the salesman told me I was the first person to purchase it in the UK. I connected it to my ipod classic 120gb via a Cambridge audio digital ipod dock and listened to the output via a Senheisser 650HD headphone. I can only describe the experience as reaching audio Nirvana. The sound is astonishingly detailed with excellent stereo seperation. There is a depth and clarity to the sound which is very satisfying and very hard for even the most expensive speakers to emulate. My main reason for purchasing it was that the new version has a headphone jack. I was impressed by its ability to drive a high impedence headphone such as 650HD to its full potential. Having said this, if you own the original DACmagic and do not listen to its output via a headphone (an additional amplifier would be required) then you will not incur much benefit if you upgrade. I must also point out that the quality of the sound I experienced is not entirely due to the DACmagic plus. All my CDs have been ripped using the lossless WAV format and the Senheisser 650 is one of the very best audiophile referance quality headphone available on the market. Also my digital ipod dock bypasses the ipod's bog standard audio circuits and directly accesses its raw digital data.

Having said this I do have one or two issue with DACmagic plus. The owner's manual is horrendous with unnecessary technical detail which will intimidate a technically illiterate consumer. Luckily, I have an electronics background and could follow the technical details (only just). I do not see the point of giving the user a chioce of different low pass filters since in terms of psychoacoustics the difference is negligible.

 

[Anonymous]

I purchased the new DACmagic plus from Richer sound in Bloomsbury on 30th Nov 2011 and the salesman told me I was the first person to purchase it in the UK. I connected it to my ipod classic 120gb via a Cambridge audio digital ipod dock and listened to the output via a Senheisser 650HD headphone. I can only describe the experience as reaching audio Nirvana. The sound is astonishingly detailed with excellent stereo seperation. There is a depth and clarity to the sound which is very satisfying and very hard for even the most expensive speakers to emulate. My main reason for purchasing it was that the new version has a headphone jack. I was impressed by its ability to drive a high impedence headphone such as 650HD to its full potential. Having said this, if you own the original DACmagic and do not listen to its output via a headphone (an additional amplifier would be required) then you will not incur much benefit if you upgrade. I must also point out that the quality of the sound I experienced is not entirely due to the DACmagic plus. All my CDs have been ripped using the lossless WAV format and the Senheisser 650 is one of the very best audiophile referance quality headphone available on the market. Also my digital ipod dock bypasses the ipod's bog standard audio circuits and directly accesses its raw digital data.

Having said this I do have one or two issue with DACmagic plus. The owner's manual is horrendous with unnecessary technical detail which will intimidate a technically illiterate consumer. Luckily, I have an electronics background and could follow the technical details (only just). I do not see the point of giving the user a chioce of different low pass filters since in terms of psychoacoustics the difference is negligible.

 

[Anonymous]

Its gone very quiet...anyone tried streaming from pc with the optional receiver?

 

[acalex]

No harm in trying. I too am looking at the Quattro DAC.

It seems to offer more than anything else anywhere near its price.

Did you try it in the end?!?

 

[acalex]

I took the plunge and upgraded to the DM Plus (from the Azur DM). The difference in sound is tremendous - rich,vivid and effortless -absolutely amazing. The main issues I had with the original DM was its lack of depth, it seemed to have a fairly loose stereo image and quite a shallow and narrow soundstage - all mentioned points have been blown away entirely with the new unit. I have only every had 2 DACs, the Stello DA 100 and the original Azur DM and it wiped the floor with both....easily. The volume control can be bypassed or used for actives/phones.

Anyway I'm sure you can get the unit for 7 days no questions refund but worth checking.

My 2 Cents.

Thanks for the review. I would be curios to see if anyone had the opportunity to compare the Plus with the MDAC...