Hi-Fi: Cambridge Audio Dac Magic – Review – 75
It was way back in the late 1980s that Arcam produced the first dedicated hi-fi digital-to-analogue converter, the appropriately named Black Box. This unprepossessing slab of hi-fi history had a swift knock-on effect as other manufacturers rushed their products to market.
The reasoning was sound enough: separating the delicate digital and analogue sections of a CD player from noisy motors and power supplies would lead to a much lower noise floor, while the dedicated transport had particular attention paid to better clocking of the digital stream, reducing digital ‘jitter’ and therefore improving sound quality even further.
The meteoric rise of the DAC, however, was mirrored by its eventual decline as CD player manufacturers lifted their game with better onboard DACs and superior isolation of the power supply and transport motor from the sensitive converter and analogue output.
But with the ascendance of the computer as a music source, the almost extinct external DAC has made a terrific comeback.
I have owned D/A converters from illustrious hi-fi companies such as Meridian, Esoteric and DPA, but the DacMagic One I bought in 1995 will be the example I remember most fondly. It was far easier on the pocket than either of the other D/A converters and yet offered a sound quality that belied the price tag. Just as impressive as the audio performance were the connectivity options. With three digital inputs I could connect my CD player, DAT tape deck and minidisc player at the same time. And here we are 14 years later with the new Cambridge Audio DacMagic.
Unlike the earlier versions the new DacMagic is quite a diminutive component, yet it has a considerable amount of technology on board, with inputs and outputs galore: two sets of either coaxial or optical inputs, a USB input and the option of either conventional RCA or balanced outputs, as well as an optical and coaxial digital output for digital recording or as a bitstream signal pass-through for home theatre systems – handy for somone wishing to use their DVD player as a CD transport without losing its 5.1-channel ability.
The DAC will up-sample 16/44.1 redbook CD to 24/192, and its sound is customisable with three DSP filter settings, allowing subtle changes to the analogue output. I experimented with all the filter settings, but found myself mainly employing either the linear phase or minimum phase options.
The majority of my listening was spent using Logitech’s fabulous Squeezebox Duet (see our review in Tone 74), and the DAC handled every file format I threw at it. FLAC, MP3, AAC and Apple Lossless were all enhanced by the DacMagic, improving detail retrieval and heightening the soundstage of recordings such as Andrea Bocelli’s Incanto.
Heavier music didn’t faze the DacMagic either; it helped to produce a rousing performance of Tool’s Lateralus, one of my favourite albums from the prog-metal masters. I was also delighted with the sound of the DacMagic connected via USB to my Mac Mini; it made a fairly okay-sounding rig (Kingrex T-Amp with Klipsch Synergy B2s) really come alive.
As a stand-alone hi-fi DAC with excellent sound quality and multiple inputs, it represents very good value for money. Computer geeks and audiophiles alike can rejoice in the fact that a bargain over-performer is available in the form of the Cambridge Audio DacMagic.
GARY PEARCE
TECH SPECS
DacMagic
Digital-To-Analogue Converter
$799
Type: Dual Wolfson 24-bit DACs
Digital input sampling frequencies supported: 32/44.1/48/88.2/96kHz
Audio output up-sampling: Fixed 24-bit 192kHz
Dimensions: 52 x 215 x 191mm (H/W/D)
Weight: 1.2kg
Contact:
Pros
- Great sound quality
- Connectivity options aplenty
Cons
- None really…
Verdict
- I’m hoping the importer lets me have the DacMagic for an ‘extended’ (ahem) trial – it’s a class act for not a lot of coin
This Review is from Tone Issue 75.
Loading ...