Cambridge DACMagic, anyone? (THREAD II) - Page 33

Quote:

Originally Posted by shawn_low 

Update: replacement psu sent by dostributor was chunkier 1500ma.

So, can anyone also tell the difference between balanced and RCA output?

balanced output is better, eventhough your amp is single ended...

this is because in rca out, the balanced signal from dac is converted again to single ended through opamp while balanced out receive the pure signal from DAC. so basically rca out receives a degraded signal quality, hence balanced out is better. Correct me if i'm wrong

nb: it's entering the third week yet i haven't received my replacement PSU ~_~!!

Balanced out is better on DacMagic mostly because it skips one opamp that is there in the RCA path so even if you would like to go unbalanced I still recommend you get XLR>RCA cables.

Am I crazy? I was hoping for a relatively inexpensive upgrade to the stock PSU wall wart (I have both the original and replacement) and it looks like the Little Pinkie power supply V3i is $185. That's over half of what I spent on the DacMagic itself. I can buy a V-Dac for that. I really like the DM as it the only part of my rig I haven't wanted to upgrade. It just seems as if $185 is a lot of money and is overall close to the used street prices of the DLIII. Is this power supply worth the nearly $200? I've read the thread and it was said it's inexpensive. I don't feel it's all that cheap compared to the price of the DAC itself. Thanks.

Quote:

Originally Posted by .Sup 

Balanced out is better on DacMagic mostly because it skips one opamp that is there in the RCA path so even if you would like to go unbalanced I still recommend you get XLR>RCA cables.

Thanks. My amp (SPL Auditor) is balanced so I'll get some XLR cables. :-)

Quote:

Originally Posted by baka1969 

Am I crazy? I was hoping for a relatively inexpensive upgrade to the stock PSU wall wart (I have both the original and replacement) and it looks like the Little Pinkie power supply V3i is $185. That's over half of what I spent on the DacMagic itself. I can buy a V-Dac for that. I really like the DM as it the only part of my rig I haven't wanted to upgrade. It just seems as if $185 is a lot of money and is overall close to the used street prices of the DLIII. Is this power supply worth the nearly $200? I've read the thread and it was said it's inexpensive. I don't feel it's all that cheap compared to the price of the DAC itself. Thanks.

Expensive in audio is relative once you start spending big $$$. You should know since you bought a pair of HD800! Are they 5 times the quality over your Grado SR225?

Same principle applies here I guess. But the Pinkie website also details how you can DIY something similar if you don't want to pony up big $$$. Many users report better quality sound from a dedicated PSU.

Me? If I were to spend almost as much on a PSU as the DAC/Source, I'd rather lump it all into one sum and upgrade the DAC!

Quote:
Originally Posted by shawn_low  


" Expensive in audio is relative once you start spending big $$$. You should know since you bought a pair of HD800! Are they 5 times the quality over your Grado SR225?
Same principle applies here I guess. But the Pinkie website also details how you can DIY something similar if you don't want to pony up big $$$. Many users report better quality sound from a dedicated PSU.
Me? If I were to spend almost as much on a PSU as the DAC/Source, I'd rather lump it all into one sum and upgrade the DAC!"


I know what you're saying about the Hd800 vs SR225. But I think I equate it more to spending $600 to recable the HD800. Yeah, yeah, even spending $100 to recable the Grado would be too steep. BUT I did just get the M2tech HiFace and a nice silver plated 75ohm digital cable to help eek out a few percentage points more out of my computer setup. $200 just for that combo. LoL I won't even get into amps...


Which does bring me back to the DacMagic. I think it's a great DAC. IMHO I think good DACs and more expensive DACs are closer sounding to each other than either headphones or amps are. This is why I wondered. Is the almost $200 worth it or do I redistribute the money elsewhere to improve my setup? Will the Little Pinkie get me closer towards that elusive perfection we all seek? Or am I, again, chasing ghosts? LoL

Quote:

Originally Posted by baka1969 

Quote:
Originally Posted by shawn_low  


" Expensive in audio is relative once you start spending big $$$. You should know since you bought a pair of HD800! Are they 5 times the quality over your Grado SR225?
Same principle applies here I guess. But the Pinkie website also details how you can DIY something similar if you don't want to pony up big $$$. Many users report better quality sound from a dedicated PSU.
Me? If I were to spend almost as much on a PSU as the DAC/Source, I'd rather lump it all into one sum and upgrade the DAC!"


I know what you're saying about the Hd800 vs SR225. But I think I equate it more to spending $600 to recable the HD800. Yeah, yeah, even spending $100 to recable the Grado would be too steep. BUT I did just get the M2tech HiFace and a nice silver plated 75ohm digital cable to help eek out a few percentage points more out of my computer setup. $200 just for that combo. LoL I won't even get into amps...


Which does bring me back to the DacMagic. I think it's a great DAC. IMHO I think good DACs and more expensive DACs are closer sounding to each other than either headphones or amps are. This is why I wondered. Is the almost $200 worth it or do I redistribute the money elsewhere to improve my setup? Will the Little Pinkie get me closer towards that elusive perfection we all seek? Or am I, again, chasing ghosts? LoL

instead of upgrading the transformer, i think changing the opamp and power supply caps inside the DAC would be a much more significant upgrade 

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_djoel2000 

instead of upgrading the transformer, i think changing the opamp and power supply caps inside the DAC would be a much more significant upgrade 

In the interest of not going through 33 pages, could we trouble you to provide details? Or link to details?

Does it involve  the same opamp in the RCA output stage too?

Thanks!

Quote:

Originally Posted by shawn_low 

In the interest of not going through 33 pages, could we trouble you to provide details? Or link to details?

 

Does it involve  the same opamp in the RCA output stage too?

 

Thanks!

link speaks a thousand word 

http://www.headfonia.com/bbpress/topic.php?id=9
 

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_djoel2000 

instead of upgrading the transformer, i think changing the opamp and power supply caps inside the DAC would be a much more significant upgrade 

I agree

So I plugged Auditor from the Ref 5 back into the DM and I'm loving it. 

Auditor and DM = fantastic

LD 4 SE and Ref5 = heaven

Auditor and Ref5 = boring and harsh

LD4 SE and DM = grainy but still very musical

Quote:
Originally Posted by i_djoel2000  


" instead of upgrading the transformer, i think changing the opamp and power supply caps inside the DAC would be a much more significant upgrade "


Unfortunately I have ten thumbs and two left hands. I neither have the tools nor the skill to do those mods.

Quote:

Originally Posted by baka1969 

Quote:
Originally Posted by i_djoel2000  


" instead of upgrading the transformer, i think changing the opamp and power supply caps inside the DAC would be a much more significant upgrade "


Unfortunately I have ten thumbs and two left hands. I neither have the tools nor the skill to do those mods.

you can always ask the professional hand to do it, of course there are many in your place right? 

Quote:

Originally Posted by i_djoel2000 

link speaks a thousand word 

 

http://www.headfonia.com/bbpress/topic.php?id=9
 

Ok, got it. To sum up.

a) I am planning on running output via XLR Balanced. This already bypasses the opamps (OPA275) in RCA stage output so one mod doesn't need to be done.

b) Replace Digital & Analog PSU reservoir caps with Panasonic FC/Black gates/etc. Are these the the six 100pF wima output caps?

Did I get that right?