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Cambridge DACMagic, anyone? - Page 5  

post #61 of 920
10/14/08 at 3:38am
Why would it sound like the 840c when it shares some dac components with the 740c?

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post #62 of 920
10/14/08 at 4:58am
Quote:
Originally Posted by StanleyB1 View Post
I heard that it only has two digital inputs, but the rear of the unit has a multitude of sockets. I wonder if that means that only two types of inputs can be utilized. i.e. one USB and one optical, or one coax and one optical. That would mean that a lot of the sockets would be redundant.
Can the first persons who get their hands on one test out the number of items that can be plugged in at any one time? Maybe the instructions might give a better guide as to what is possible. It's quite complicated to do a multiple input selector on a DAC, which is why those types tend to be a bit more expensive on the whole.
It has 3 selectable sources, USB, Digital 1 and Digital 2, and one Digital output. The connections for the Digital sources (excluding USB, naturally) and the ouptut are both SPDIF and TOSLINK. The question I'm interested in is (and maybe this is what you're asking) if there can be both SPDIF and TOSLINK connected to one source input, with the one playing getting priority.

post #63 of 920
10/14/08 at 5:13am
Review
post #64 of 920
10/14/08 at 6:14am
From that review:
'It's probably worth getting a word or three in at this point about the filters, because they do indeed have an important effect on the sound – nothing gross, but the way the sound registers on the ear over the course of a prolonged track varies between them.

To the extent that each can be succinctly summarised, the linear phase is clean and tidy with a particularly well-controlled bass, but can sometimes seem a little clinical by comparison with minimum phase, which seems slightly warmer but perhaps a shade less precise.

Meanwhile, steep is superlatively detailed in simple music – single voice/instrument, or just a few – but slightly loses out to linear in very dense textures.
[]
Standards of CD replay being what they are, it probably won't lift many modern players beyond recognition, but it could give a new lease of life to some older models and for computer-based music replay it is an excellent choice.

The remarks about the filters is an important one IMO. I myself have struggled to understand why different recordings react differently to different types of digital filters. That inconsistency is reason why I don't use that function.

I am a bit disappointed with their conclusion that the DacMagic probably won't lift many standard (CD/DVD) players beyond recognition. Many standard players have less than perfect DAC implementation and are in the whole easily improved upon when they are used as a transport with a good DAC.
post #65 of 920
10/14/08 at 9:22am
'but the way the sound registers on the ear over the course of a prolonged track varies between them.'

What does that mean?
post #66 of 920
10/14/08 at 12:44pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by apatN View Post
'but the way the sound registers on the ear over the course of a prolonged track varies between them.'

What does that mean?
Sounds very similar to the comments made about the side effects of upsampling. The padding of the waveform with data that was not present in the original digitally converted audio signal can cause an uneven playback effect.
post #67 of 920
10/14/08 at 5:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by apatN View Post
'but the way the sound registers on the ear over the course of a prolonged track varies between them.'

What does that mean?
It means that the filters sound different.
post #68 of 920
10/14/08 at 5:37pm
hi guys, great forum, just wanted to ask a question, im a recording musician and need a new portable soundcard for recording on the road and am considering a apogee duet (i work for Apple, so get a good deal on apogee gear) and i know it will be suitable for my recording and tracking / monitoring applications, but i also want a better way to experience my digital music collection and was looking to buy some grado 325i's so my question was will something like the Cambridge dacmagic, coupled with a dedicated headphone amp, give me a superior quality listening experience over the duets headphone output? or is maybe line out from the duet into a headphone amp the ideal solution? im a bit stuck on this one and would really like some help from you guys !
post #69 of 920
10/14/08 at 6:00pm
Duet + headphone Amp will be good enough IMO, I dont see how the DacMagic can be significantly better than the Duets line out, and heck its another piece of equipment for you to tug along. I say stick to the Duet especially since you mentioned recording, and get a nice HP amp.
post #70 of 920
10/14/08 at 6:59pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by karenmarkentoff View Post
hi guys, great forum, just wanted to ask a question, im a recording musician and need a new portable soundcard for recording on the road and am considering a apogee duet (i work for Apple, so get a good deal on apogee gear) and i know it will be suitable for my recording and tracking / monitoring applications, but i also want a better way to experience my digital music collection and was looking to buy some grado 325i's so my question was will something like the Cambridge dacmagic, coupled with a dedicated headphone amp, give me a superior quality listening experience over the duets headphone output? or is maybe line out from the duet into a headphone amp the ideal solution? im a bit stuck on this one and would really like some help from you guys !
The Duet headphone out is already quite good, as is line out. I would try that first, and then add a headphone amp to the Duet if for some crazy reason you need better.
post #71 of 920
10/14/08 at 9:34pm
Just notice the price from Wild West Electronics pumps up to $400 from 370$ last week.
post #72 of 920
10/17/08 at 12:18am
I put my order in for one of these -- seems like a nice little box for the money. I think this bit of copy from here did it for me:

Quote:
Adapted Time Filtering (ATF), developed in conjunction with Anagram Technologies, Switzerland, intelligently interpolates standard definition 16 bit CD or USB audio to 24 bit/192kHz via a new 32 bit Texas Instruments Digital Signal Processor (DSP) to reveal unparalled levels of detail. Unlike other products based on standard sample rate converters which effectively just draw a straight line 'between the dots', the DacMagic employs a process that involves a proprietary polynomial curve fitting algorithm which ensures that the interpolated data smoothly fits between the original data points. A time domain model adaptively generates the new data in the temporal domain dramatically reducing digital jitter; even that present in the input audio. This is especially effective when used with PCs or network music players where audio jitter introduced by hard-disk playback, USB links or Ethernet can be radically reduced.

Each high quality Wolfson WM8740 DAC handles just one channel for excellent stereo imaging, operating fully in differential mode for exceptionally low distortion and noise. Fully differential anti- aliasing filters based on a Bessel linear phase topology, which feature flat group delay characteristics, provide amazing timing.

The DacMagic's 32 bit DSP runs Cambridge Audio's own proprietary digital filter algorithms with three different filter options available: Linear Phase, Minimum Phase and Steep. Controlled from one switch on the front panel, they are extremely clever audiophile topologies specifically developed for audio playback and all offer excellent sound quality but differ slightly to appeal to a wide range of listening tastes.
Can't wait until it arrives....
post #73 of 920
10/17/08 at 12:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by dogday View Post
It has 3 selectable sources, USB, Digital 1 and Digital 2, and one Digital output. The connections for the Digital sources (excluding USB, naturally) and the ouptut are both SPDIF and TOSLINK. The question I'm interested in is (and maybe this is what you're asking) if there can be both SPDIF and TOSLINK connected to one source input, with the one playing getting priority.
I would think that would work just fine as long as both sources are not on at the same time.
post #74 of 920
10/17/08 at 12:42am
Got an email from Wild West Electronics that the first batch will start on 22nd. Can't wait to that day
post #75 of 920
10/17/08 at 12:59am
Waiting on reviews

Dave
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