Questions about DacMagic

[admin_exported]

I'm thinking of buying a DacMagic to go between my laptop and my Lars & Ivan BK21 system but before I take the plunge I wondered if anyone could help me out with some questions I have about it?

1. How do I connect it to my BK21 and the laptop? Currently the BK21 is connected to the laptop by it's supplied cable which goes from the 3.5mm headphone socket on the laptop (also marked SPDIF) and then into a 3.5mm socket in the back of the BK21's amplifier. The DACMagic I know will connect to my laptop via a USB or the 3.5mm headphone/SPDIF socket and has 2 RCA outputs on the back of it - do I need to buy a '2RCA to 3.5mm jack' lead in order to connect it to the BK21?

2. Which is the better connection for the laptop - USB or the 3.5mm headphone/SPDIF socket? Or doesn't it make any difference?

3. Is Richer Sounds the only retailer for the DacMagic?

4. Will I really notice much (i.e., £230s worth) of difference in the sound from this desktop set-up?!

Cheers!

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry, I can only answer one of your questions:

Jarnesque:

3. Is Richer Sounds the only retailer for the DacMagic?

Yes!

 

[John Duncan]

Jarnesque:4. Will I really notice much (i.e., £230s worth) of difference in the sound from this desktop set-up?!

No!

You'd be better off buying 230 quid's worth of amp and speakers, frankly. Or at least spend 30 quid on a USB sound card to get the audio away from your noisy laptop...

 

[Anonymous]

The cambridge audio 540a is clearing for 80 quid, http://www.richersounds.com/showclearanceproduct/CAMB-AZUR540A-SIL/Cambridge+Audio+Azur+540A+Silver.html, was 200 and there are similarly cheap speaker deals to be had too, eg http://www.richersounds.com/showclearanceproduct/WHAR-9.1-CHE/Wharfedale+91+Cherry.html

Get that and a thirty quid usb audio card as JD suggests and that would be a better spend of 230

you'd need some speaker cables too and some stands at some point