Help! dacmagic misery

[Craig M.]

hi all, my system was kandy cdp, moon i3rs, focus 110. i thought the combination of my kandy cdp and the moon amp was brilliant, but i'm switching to a mac mini and dac so i sold the cdp, and in a fit of frustration while trying to sort out an international money transfer, i bought a dacmagic. it sounds rubbish in my system. there is way too much bass, no treble and poor dynamics, switching the phase on it helps but not enough.

so my dilemma is this, is there a dac with a similar presentation to the kandy? i'm wondering if a cyrus dac x sounds lean/bright? or, bearing in mind a recent other mags dac review, which said there wasn't big differences between the dacs they tested, should i change my speakers for something lighter in the bass and keep the dacmagic? although, given how flat the dynamics seem, i'm doubtful new speakers will make it jump into life.

well, i'm hoping someone here can help, cos at the moment i'm gutted.

 

[Anonymous]

What source(s) are you using? Lossless files or MP3? If MP3, what bit rate? And how are you feeding the DAC? Via Airport Express or USB? Co-axial or optical?

 

[Anonymous]

This really surprises me as the comments I've heard were that the DACMagic is a little lighter in the bass compared to the Beresford and MF V-DAC. What sort of budget do you have? The Benchmark DAC is meant to be in a league of it's own and would give a cleaner, sharper, punchier sound.

I remember the Kandy CDP to be quite bright, punchy but pretty weighty in the bass. Maybe you should plunge for the Cyrus CD8SE

 

[Anonymous]

Why not sell the lot and look at the new Dynaudio 110A?

It's an active speaker for the home, and you can use a nice pre/DAC as the source; for instance a Lavry.

Be sure to rip to lossless and make sure no EQ is on.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm surprised you found the DM too bassy. If your OK with spending a bit more give Select Audio a ring and try a Stello Signature, or see if you can find a Bel Canto DAC 3 or Lavry DA-10 on ebay.

 

[Anonymous]

Perhaps the OP should find out whether there is anything he can do to improve the sound of the DACMagic before considering the dumping of same for a CD8SE!

(PS Igglebert - I took the jump into Cyrus and Spendor)

 

[Anonymous]

I second AKL's questions. Before you conclude that DacMagic is rubbish, go through your source with a fine-toothed comb. Since its a Mac, try this:

http://extra.benchmarkmedia.com/wiki/index.php/OS_X_Audio_Playback_-_Setup_Guidehttp://extra.benchmarkmedia.com/wiki/index.php/Mac_-_Audio_Playback

and then this:

http://extra.benchmarkmedia.com/wiki/index.php/ITunes-QuickTime_for_Mac_-_Setup_Guide

 

[Anonymous]

The DacMagic is very good, but has a slight tendency to a rich bass. The 840C, for example, is tighter and more articulate in that respect.

 

[chebby]

My experience exactly with a friend's DacMagic. (He loves the rich bass)

However try one more thing....

Open iTunes... go to 'Window' on the iTunes tool bar along the top of the screen and click on it......click on 'equalizer' on the drop down......this opens a little graphic equalizer panel..... ensure the 'on' tick box is unticked. (turn off equalizer in other words).

It is possible there is some equalizer setting that is affecting the response so turning it off may help.

(I am assuming you are using iTunes as you mentioned you had a Mac.)

 

[Anonymous]

chebby: My experience exactly with a friend's DacMagic.

Not my experience with playing lossless files via DACMagic, when compared to my Audiolab CDP/Amp and a friend's Cyrus CD6SE/Amp. It was actually quite hard to tell the difference in a blind test.

 

[chebby]

AKL:Not my experience with playing lossless files via DACMagic, when compared to my Audiolab CDP/Amp and a friend's Cyrus CD6SE/Amp. It was actually quite hard to tell the difference in a blind test.

Mileage may vary.

My friends system is DacMagic + Primare I30 (both connected together with Chord Crimson XLR balanced connectors) + Focal JM 716 (pre 'V' versions) and fed with iMac 20" (lossless files ripped from his CDs on iTunes) connected with optical cable.

Comparison was with his Rega Apollo CDP. Blind comparison not required as difference was 'night and day' (much overused expression but valid in this case.)

The important thing is that he loves the sound of the DacMagic and is selling (probably sold by now) his Apollo.

 

[John Duncan]

chebby:
My experience exactly with a friend's DacMagic. (He loves the rich bass)

However try one more thing....

Open iTunes... go to 'Window' on the iTunes tool bar along the top of the screen and click on it......click on 'equalizer' on the drop down......this opens a little graphic equalizer panel..... ensure the 'on' tick box is unticked. (turn off equalizer in other words).

It is possible there is some equalizer setting that is affecting the response so turning it off may help.

(I am assuming you are using iTunes as you mentioned you had a Mac.)

Yup, I had 'small speakers' EQ turned on first time I tried it........

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Craig M.:
hi all, my system was kandy cdp, moon i3rs, focus 110. i thought the combination of my kandy cdp and the moon amp was brilliant, but i'm switching to a mac mini and dac so i sold the cdp, and in a fit of frustration while trying to sort out an international money transfer, i bought a dacmagic. it sounds rubbish in my system. there is way too much bass, no treble and poor dynamics, switching the phase on it helps but not enough.

so my dilemma is this, is there a dac with a similar presentation to the kandy? i'm wondering if a cyrus dac x sounds lean/bright? or, bearing in mind a recent other mags dac review, which said there wasn't big differences between the dacs they tested, should i change my speakers for something lighter in the bass and keep the dacmagic? although, given how flat the dynamics seem, i'm doubtful new speakers will make it jump into life.

well, i'm hoping someone here can help, cos at the moment i'm gutted.

I would do as Chebby has said. I can't believe that this set up sounds anything but very good. You are using lossless files?

 

[nads]

just thinking out of the box for a moment the CDP has digital outs? run the CDP through the DAC and see what difference you can hear.

If it is the same "problem" (oh do use the same cables DAC to amp as CDP to amp) then yes you dont like that DAC. if it sounds fine then it is the files/mac min.

and I would say that my set up with DAC is not bass heavy and has plenty of dynamics and treble.

 

[John Duncan]

He sold the CDP.....

 

[chebby]

nads:just thinking out of the box for a moment the CDP has digital outs? run the CDP through the DAC and see what difference you can hear.
If it is the same "problem" (oh do use the same cables DAC to amp as CDP to amp) then yes you dont like that DAC. if it sounds fine then it is the files/mac min.

and I would say that my set up with DAC is not bass heavy and has plenty of dynamics and treble.

It is academic.

My friend loved the extra bass and richness so much that he is selling the Apollo. He is happy. It is not my place to re-configure his system/cabling etc. to try and make it sound how I would like it.

 

[Craig M.]

thanks for the replies so far guys, i'm using lossless files, optical out and itunes. the eq is off, however when i try to check the audio midi settings, unlike the image on benchmarks site, i have all the settings on the input side and on the output it says "output not supported"? i cant change or check the settings, as there aren't any!

 

[Anonymous]

Is the "input" bit not a drop-down menu that can be changed to "output"?

 

[Anonymous]

I have had a dacmagic for a couple of weeks now and still little undecided about it but for the opposite reasons to you. I find the bass ok but it's a little to bright and up front compared to my old Arcam CD player

 

[JoelSim]

Craig M.:

hi all, my system was kandy cdp, moon i3rs, focus 110. i thought the combination of my kandy cdp and the moon amp was brilliant, but i'm switching to a mac mini and dac so i sold the cdp, and in a fit of frustration while trying to sort out an international money transfer, i bought a dacmagic. it sounds rubbish in my system. there is way too much bass, no treble and poor dynamics, switching the phase on it helps but not enough.

so my dilemma is this, is there a dac with a similar presentation to the kandy? i'm wondering if a cyrus dac x sounds lean/bright? or, bearing in mind a recent other mags dac review, which said there wasn't big differences between the dacs they tested, should i change my speakers for something lighter in the bass and keep the dacmagic? although, given how flat the dynamics seem, i'm doubtful new speakers will make it jump into life.

well, i'm hoping someone here can help, cos at the moment i'm gutted.

Why of why oh why!!!!!!!!

I'm amazed at people changing something they love for the 'convenience' of being able to spend ages downloading tunes and using a computer. Put a CD on and then an hour or so later you may have to get up to change it. Not difficult, and all part of listening to music

The DACMagic brigade obviously have no idea of how good a well recorded CD can sound in the right system. It's just buying something blind and jumping on the lack-of-quality bandwagon.

 

[Anonymous]

JoelSim,

Nonsense.

The DacMagic brigade can hear a well-recorded CD. Simply rip losslessly and replay through the DAC Magic!

 

[Anonymous]

Roll up! Roll up! Jump on board the lack-of-quality bandwagon!

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="JoelSim

The DACMagic brigade obviously have no idea of how good a well recorded CD can sound in the right system. It's just buying something blind and jumping on the lack-of-quality bandwagon. [ /quote]

Steady on JoelSim, making general statements like that could make you sound a tad like a biggot, which I am sure you are not.

 

[JoelSim]

From the reviews

Against

Not cheap

And it's only £200!

That says it all really, so how can it possibly compare to a 5 star rated CD player costing £1,000 or more?

 

[JoelSim]

From the reviews

Against

Not cheap

And it's only £200!

That says it all really, so how can it possibly compare to a 5 star rated CD player costing £1,000 or more?

I can understand those with loads of PC based music getting one to make their tunes sound better, but not to replace a system which the user is obviously very happy with. That's downgrading in my book.