TC-7520 vs DacMagic

[admin_exported]

I know this topic has been done a few times, but each time it seems to have run into the long grass. I've read through a few threads and the one with grimaldi seem to just stop.

Has someone listened to both the TC-7520 with the opamp upgrade and the DacMagic (unmodified)

Are WHSV planning a comparison review?

Might get one or other next month, as I have a birthday coming up. I know I can buy both and return one, but the opamp upgrade feels like warranty voiding, even if sanctioned somewhat.

thanks

gavin

 

[chebby]

Don't worry about the TC-7520 modification.

Even without the LM4562NA I believe the match between them would be fair. (Except the Beresford is cheaper and gives you a decent quality headphone amp and/or variable output if you need it.)

USB on the Beresford is superb (again, only if you need that) and has it's own seperate clock to the SPDIF/Coax outputs.

(If you are bothered about the opamp swap voiding warranty just telephone or email Beresford to clarify the point. Keep the old opamps if you are worried. They are simple to switch back.)

 

[Anonymous]

thanks Chebby

Now just need to assess the prettiness factor =)

Personally I'm happy with either look

 

[chebby]

I think the Beresford looks slightly less bad and - in it's favour - there is much less of it than the DM.

 

[pete321]

I've just bought a DacMagic, but did consider the much cheaper Beresford. In the end the DacMagic won mainly because I needed the DAC to be able to stand upright.

I plan to get the DacMagic upgraded with Burson OpAmps, I'm not 100% sure, but I think I read or heard somewhere that there's no room for these in the Beresford. With Burson OpAmps and a few new Blackgate capacitors it's reckonied you can turn you're DacMagic into a £1000 equivalent DAC for a total of about £450 (including the price of the DacMagic)!

 

[Anonymous]

zzgavin:
I know this topic has been done a few times, but each time it seems to have run into the long grass. I've read through a few threads and the one with grimaldi seem to just stop.

Has someone listened to both the TC-7520 with the opamp upgrade and the DacMagic (unmodified)

Are WHSV planning a comparison review?

Might get one or other next month, as I have a birthday coming up. I know I can buy both and return one, but the opamp upgrade feels like warranty voiding, even if sanctioned somewhat.

thanks

gavin

I posted a detailed comparison between the TC-7520 and the Dac Magic. To cut a long story short, the differences between the two DACs are marginal if you connect them via its unbalanced (RCA) outputs. However, in comparison the DAC Magic is substantially more dynamic, sound is fuller and more detailed when connected via the balanced outputs.
I would get the TC-7520 if you plan to connect the DAC via unbalanced outputs. It has variable level output so it can be connected directly to a power amp and it's easily modifiable for circa £15 for better sound quality. I would recommend the DAC magic if you can connect via balanced connections.

 

[Anonymous]

Hadn't realised that it is smaller, from the isolated pics, the beresford looks bigger, but of course that is a headphone jack.

DacMagic is 52 x 215 x 191mm

how big is the beresford ?

 

[Gerrardasnails]

debt_collector:zzgavin:
I know this topic has been done a few times, but each time it seems to have run into the long grass. I've read through a few threads and the one with grimaldi seem to just stop.

Has someone listened to both the TC-7520 with the opamp upgrade and the DacMagic (unmodified)

Are WHSV planning a comparison review?

Might get one or other next month, as I have a birthday coming up. I know I can buy both and return one, but the opamp upgrade feels like warranty voiding, even if sanctioned somewhat.

thanks

gavin

I posted a detailed comparison between the TC-7520 and the Dac Magic. To cut a long story short, the differences between the two DACs are marginal if you connect them via its unbalanced (RCA) outputs. However, in comparison the DAC Magic is substantially more dynamic, sound is fuller and more detailed when connected via the balanced outputs.
I would get the TC-7520 if you plan to connect the DAC via unbalanced outputs. It has variable level output so it can be connected directly to a power amp and it's easily modifiable for circa £15 for better sound quality. I would recommend the DAC magic if you can connect via balanced connections.

The balanced outputs and the ability to buy it from a shop on the street sold it for me (on top of the reviews that is).

 

[Anonymous]

debt_collector:Has someone listened to both the TC-7520 with the opamp upgrade and the DacMagic (unmodified)I posted a detailed comparison between the TC-7520 and the Dac Magic. To cut a long story short, the differences between the two DACs are marginal if you connect them via its unbalanced (RCA) outputs. However, in comparison the DAC Magic is substantially more dynamic, sound is fuller and more detailed when connected via the balanced outputs.I would get the TC-7520 if you plan to connect the DAC via unbalanced outputs. It has variable level output so it can be connected directly to a power amp and it's easily modifiable for circa £15 for better sound quality. I would recommend the DAC magic if you can connect via balanced connections.

Thanks debt_collector, I'd forgotten about your reviews. for the forseeable future I'll be unbalanced, so it is a tc-7520 I think =)

 

[chebby]

zzgavin:Hadn't realised that it is smaller, from the isolated pics, the beresford looks bigger, but of course that is a headphone jack.
DacMagic is 52 x 215 x 191mm

how big is the beresford ?

My very quick and rough measurement of the Beresford gives 245 x 112 x 42mm (height of 42mm incudes feet)

Multiply it all out and the volumes of the boxes are...

DacMagic 2135 cubic centimetres and Beresford 1152 cubic centimetres. So the DM is almost twice as bulky.

(All approximate)

 

[pete321]

chebby:zzgavin:Hadn't realised that it is smaller, from the isolated pics, the beresford looks bigger, but of course that is a headphone jack.

DacMagic is 52 x 215 x 191mm

how big is the beresford ?

My very quick and rough measurement of the Beresford gives 245 x 112 x 42mm (height of 42mm incudes feet)

Multiply it all out and the volumes of the boxes are...

DacMagic 2135 cubic centimetres and Beresford 1152 cubic centimetres. So the DM is almost twice as bulky.

(All approximate)

That's probably why the Burson OpAmps won't fit in the Beresford. I guess it depends how far you want to be able to upgrade. The Bursons are reckoned to be some of the best OpAmps you can get and make a substancial difference to the DacMagic's quality.

 

[chebby]

pete321:That's probably why the Burson OpAmps won't fit in the Beresford. I guess it depends how far you want to be able to upgrade. The Bursons are reckoned to be some of the best OpAmps you can get and make a substancial difference to the DacMagic's quality.

My LM4562NA opamps cost £8.49 (for two) + postage and took 5 minutes to swap over.

Not sure how it compares with a £200+ conversion on the DacMagic but is that what the OP wants to know? (I think he wanted a like-for-like comparison of two similarly priced DACs.)

 

[pete321]

Yes, the like for like comparison is they're very similar, so get the Beresford if you don't want to upgrade it to a significantly higher level. If he wants to upgrade, then get the DacMagic which can take the £90 Burson OpAmps. Obviously it's better to know this so you can make an informed judgement.

 

[Anonymous]

pete321 thanks for the info, I know that the ebay seller who packages up the opamp replacements for the 7520 makes them in a lower profile package so that they fit.

Not sure I'd go down the dacmagic and burson route, but good to know.

Thanks for the measurements comparison Chebby et al.

 

[Anonymous]

pete321:

I've just bought a DacMagic, but did consider the much cheaper Beresford. In the end the DacMagic won mainly because I needed the DAC to be able to stand upright.

I plan to get the DacMagic upgraded with Burson OpAmps, I'm not 100% sure, but I think I read or heard somewhere that there's no room for these in the Beresford. With Burson OpAmps and a few new Blackgate capacitors it's reckonied you can turn you're DacMagic into a £1000 equivalent DAC for a total of about £450 (including the price of the DacMagic)!

The end stage OpAmp wont make it sound better i think.

Its does not convert correctly from digital, in that way you dont correct the problem in sound.

The dacmagic has a flat stereo image, its sounds narrow but its very undistorted.

I have now a CI VDA2 converter and its sounds stereo and full and rich, undistorted and clear.

That converter is also better than the Mission DAC5.

Dont waste money on something that is in the beginning bad sounding.

In my opinion the dacmagic whas close to a mono sound, no depth, no natural sound.

It lacks the the realism in sound that will sugests the instrument is there to grap, to see.

Its a total FAILED, ERROR device.

Fot that money spend its a waste, you will mutch more happy with the CI VDA2 for 700 euro's

 

[Anonymous]

zzgavin:
pete321 thanks for the info, I know that the ebay seller who packages up the opamp replacements for the 7520 makes them in a lower profile package so that they fit.

Not sure I'd go down the dacmagic and burson route, but good to know.

Thanks for the measurements comparison Chebby et al.

I got the replacement op amps for the 7520 from Mark Grant cables. They fitted right in with no problem and were not modified in any way afaik.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I might be misremembering. I saw that Mark Grant sells the bare chips too, which reminds me, must order an HDMI/DVI adaptor from him