Cambridge Audio DacMagic -- $400, balanced.

[giantsteps]

I've just done some further research on this and it appears that the DacMagic and the Azur 740C CD player both use the exact same DAC's: Dual Wolfson WM8740 24-bit.

The Digital filters do appear to be different however:

The DacMagic has: Texas Instruments TMS 320VC5501 DSP upsampling to 24bit 192kHz

The Azur 740C has: ADSP-BF532 32-bit DSP Performing ATF upsampling to 24-bit 384kHz

So it would appear that the digital filter in the 740C is much better as it is capable of upsampling to 384kHz as compared to the DacMagic which upsamples to only 192kHz.

So it does seem that I would be better off taking the digital optical signal from my PC and then inputting that to my Azur 740C CD player where the signal would then be upsampled to 384kHz and then taking the signal from my 740C's RCA Analog outputs and sending that to my Azur 640R's RCA analog inputs.

Does that sound correct?

Paul

[Dusty Chalk]

Maybe, it's worth trying. I doubt you'll hear a difference, meself.

[giantsteps]

I recently took the digital audio out from my PC and went into the Azur 740C's digital input using that as an DAC and then outputting the signal from the 740C to my Azur 640R receiver and the results were indeed impressive to say the least. I can definately hear an substantial difference using this method of interfacing the audio from my PC to the Azur DAC's versus taking the digital audio out from my PC and going directing into the Azur 640R receiver.

The 384kHz upsampling provided by the Azur 740C versus the DacMagic's 192kHz upsampling is vastly superior and I confirmed all of this with Cambridge Audio directly.

Thanks to all of those who responded to my querry.

Paul

[Dusty Chalk]

So you tried all three?

[giantsteps]

All three? Do you mean the way I currently have it hookd up, PC to Azur 740C, and the old way I had it hooked up, PC to Azur 640R, and third using the DacMagic?

If so then the answer is the first two methods. I never bought or tried the DacMagic, there was no point as the DAC in the Azur 740C is superior to the one found in the DacMagic unit as confirmed by my email exchanges with Cambridge Audio.

Paul

[grawk]

I think vastly superior might be overstating things, but hey, more power to you.

[The Monkey]

I've heard the DacMagic at a couple of meets. A less than optimal listening environment each time. Regardless, I thought it sucked.

[Cankin]

I've heard the DacMagic at a couple of meets. A less than optimal listening environment each time. Regardless, I thought it sucked.

Hope I'd have as much chance to try as many DACses as you, but I had DacMagic before and I honestly think it is as good as Pico DAC.

Parasound 1100 is the best DAC I've owned up to now

[The Monkey]

Hope I'd have as much chance to try as many DACses as you, but I had DacMagic before and I honestly think it is as good as Pico DAC.

Parasound 1100 is the best DAC I've owned up to now

I agree that the 1100 is a great DAC. I liked the Pico a lot better than the DacMagic, but I listened to the Pico under much better listening conditions. Hell, it's all a matter of taste; I just thought it sounded kind of hot and shouty. But it looks like we might share similar tastes, so I'll check out the DacMagic again if I see it at a meet.

[giantsteps]

I actually said that "the DAC in the Azur 740C is superior to the one found in the DacMagic unit as confirmed by my email exchanges with Cambridge Audio."

I did not say vastly superior...

It is, nonetheless, superior and this can easily be proven by comparing the specs of the Azur 740C and the DacMagic and also from the mouth of the horse itself, Cambridge Audio.

[skullguise]

I've heard the DACMagic twice (once at a dealer's, and once at a friend's who had borrowed one to try). Never captured me at all.....

I also had about a 3 hour listening session at another dealer, to the 840c player. Liked it some, but also thought it had a harshness in the upper mids that was too annoying & distracting. The same dealer had a Primare CD player (forgot model, but around $2300 list price IIRC) that was significantly better than the 840c. I thought the 840c may have been newer, maybe needed some burn in. But dealer said it was several months old, and had plenty of hours on it. He did say afterwards that I wasn't the only one who mentioned that brashness.

Just another couple cents...

[n_maher]

I did not say vastly superior...

The 384kHz upsampling provided by the Azur 740C versus the DacMagic's 192kHz upsampling is vastly superior and I confirmed all of this with Cambridge Audio directly.

Uh...yes you did.

[Dusty Chalk]

All three? Do you mean ...

No, it sounded like you described three different connections: digital audio out from PC into Azur 740C analog-ly into 640R; digital audio out from PC into 640R; and then in your second paragraph, something about the DacMagic. (Which is also where you use the word, "vastly", BTW.) So you didn't actually listen to the DacMagic in either of these scenarios? Actually, that smells right -- I think you mentioned that earlier, and from your other response, I get that second paragraph was based on the email exchange.

And no, it doesn't really surprise me that the Cambridge Audio doesn't redigitize the signal. Good on them. I am kind of surprised that the digital connection is inferior to the analog connection, though.

[The Monkey]

I actually said that "the DAC in the Azur 740C is superior to the one found in the DacMagic unit as confirmed by my email exchanges with Cambridge Audio."

I did not say vastly superior...

It is, nonetheless, superior and this can easily be proven by comparing the specs of the Azur 740C and the DacMagic and also from the mouth of the horse itself, Cambridge Audio.

Superior in what way?

[grawk]

bigger numbers sound better don't they?

[The Monkey]

Yes, silly me.

[morphsci]

You do have to be careful with the DacMagic as it does have a very hot analog output and can easily push some headphone amps into distorting. I cannot use it without attenuators with the little Audio Alchemy Amp. It works just fine with the GSX.

[The Monkey]

iirc, the DacMagic also gets physically hot. Is that correct?

[morphsci]

Not really. Mine gets only slightly warm and I have left it on for days. One of these days I will have to open it up and check the output stage.

[peanuthead]

You do have to be careful with the DacMagic as it does have a very hot analog output and can easily push some headphone amps into distorting. I cannot use it without attenuators with the little Audio Alchemy Amp. It works just fine with the GSX.

Anyone know what the output voltage of the DacMagic is?

Edit: Stereophile review says 2.1 V from RCA jacks. That doesn't seem very "hot". Has there been a change?

[Girardian]

What's the word on the next update to this unit? When will the next version be released?