Nemeske88
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If somebody heard both, i would accept own impressions also.
DACMagic Plus Impressions
- Thread starter estreeter
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The Plus will do 384 Khz files vs 192. Same DAC chips in both.Balanced outputs on the plus. Also has a modest HP amp. Basically it is a wider feature set vs the orignal DacMagic. I use the HP amp sometimes on my DMPlus. I have never had a 384Khz file to try, it certainly handles the 192's just fine.
Nemeske88
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Thank you very much.
OK....Looks like my Decware CSP2+ should be here shortly. I'll report back how it combines with the Dac Magic Plus once I have some burn in time on the Tubes.....
margolbe
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Does the DAC Magic Plus play DSD or DSF files? Do they ever upgrade the firmware to their DACs to incorporate improvement?
To my knowledge there has been no firmware upgrade. DSD or DSF would be a function of the software playing the file. The DMPlus would process the file if it is presented in its processing range:
http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/specifications.php?PID=872&Title=Specifications
http://www.cambridgeaudio.com/specifications.php?PID=872&Title=Specifications
Diseree
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Yesterday, I failed to upgrade firmware of FOSTEX HP-A8, so I've sent it to service center for repair.
DACMagic Plus is now my primary DAC/AMP temporarily. I feel the sound of DACMagic Plus is transparent and elegant but less brilliant than HP-A8. Its design is cool, and user-friendly. I'm regret that SP/DIF and COAXIAL is exclusive.
DACMagic Plus is now my primary DAC/AMP temporarily. I feel the sound of DACMagic Plus is transparent and elegant but less brilliant than HP-A8. Its design is cool, and user-friendly. I'm regret that SP/DIF and COAXIAL is exclusive.
I have had a few weeks to enjoy the DM+ with the Decware CSP2+ Tube Pre-Amp/Headphone Amp.
http://www.decware.com/newsite/CSP2.html
This is a nice combo. I have several hundred hours on the DM+ and I would buy it again. However, now that I have a dedicated HP amp to plug my HD650's into I am clearly using the best parts of the DM+.
First, I have used and enjoyed the HP amp on the DM+ but clearly, this is not the strong suit of this unit. My Fostex HP-P1 portable DAC/Amp is easily its equal in the amp department.
I spent some time today listening to the parts of DSOTM that Gwarmi referenced earlier where he felt the DM+ was lacking in detail, as well as most of the album several times...(It is an all time favorite! Not tough duty for sure...
) I went back and forth between:
1. MBPro>AIFF files>Amarra>USB 2.0 out>Audioquest>DM+>CSP2+>HD650's with Toxic Cable Silver Poison's
2. Denon DVD-5900>CSP2+>HD650's with Toxic Cable Silver Poison's
The Denon handles Redbook and SACD and I have both discs so I was listening to 3 iterations of the album. I ripped the Redbook disc via iTunes to lossless AIFF, So I was reviewing AIFF vs. Redbook vs. SACD for versions of the tracks.
No big surprise the SACD offered the clearest and more detailed sound, more data and DSD to boot. What was gratifying was the DM+ and the Redbook were virtually indistinguishable. I probably listened to "Great Gig in the Sky" 10 times. It was fun and enjoyable trying to hear what differences I could perceive. All in all I wanted to remove as many variables as possible to what could be considered detractors to performance. Quality Cables, Check. Actually using USB 2.0, Check, etc....
As a point of reference last week I got to play with the Burson 160DS, The Rega DAC and the highly regarded Metrum Octave. Each has its individual pros and cons, but as a system, my current CSP2+/DM+/MBPro with AIFF files is proving to be just as satisfying as any of those other units.
This is always a YMMV hobby. Everyone has their own perceptions (and sometimes ego when we have dropped cash on the table). For me I am glad I have the DM+. Will I get something else later? Hey! This is Head-Fi! Probably, but not because I am unhappy with the DM+
http://www.decware.com/newsite/CSP2.html
This is a nice combo. I have several hundred hours on the DM+ and I would buy it again. However, now that I have a dedicated HP amp to plug my HD650's into I am clearly using the best parts of the DM+.
First, I have used and enjoyed the HP amp on the DM+ but clearly, this is not the strong suit of this unit. My Fostex HP-P1 portable DAC/Amp is easily its equal in the amp department.
I spent some time today listening to the parts of DSOTM that Gwarmi referenced earlier where he felt the DM+ was lacking in detail, as well as most of the album several times...(It is an all time favorite! Not tough duty for sure...
1. MBPro>AIFF files>Amarra>USB 2.0 out>Audioquest>DM+>CSP2+>HD650's with Toxic Cable Silver Poison's
2. Denon DVD-5900>CSP2+>HD650's with Toxic Cable Silver Poison's
The Denon handles Redbook and SACD and I have both discs so I was listening to 3 iterations of the album. I ripped the Redbook disc via iTunes to lossless AIFF, So I was reviewing AIFF vs. Redbook vs. SACD for versions of the tracks.
No big surprise the SACD offered the clearest and more detailed sound, more data and DSD to boot. What was gratifying was the DM+ and the Redbook were virtually indistinguishable. I probably listened to "Great Gig in the Sky" 10 times. It was fun and enjoyable trying to hear what differences I could perceive. All in all I wanted to remove as many variables as possible to what could be considered detractors to performance. Quality Cables, Check. Actually using USB 2.0, Check, etc....
As a point of reference last week I got to play with the Burson 160DS, The Rega DAC and the highly regarded Metrum Octave. Each has its individual pros and cons, but as a system, my current CSP2+/DM+/MBPro with AIFF files is proving to be just as satisfying as any of those other units.
This is always a YMMV hobby. Everyone has their own perceptions (and sometimes ego when we have dropped cash on the table). For me I am glad I have the DM+. Will I get something else later? Hey! This is Head-Fi! Probably, but not because I am unhappy with the DM+
bobbmd
Head-Fier
hi, new to this forum
are you saying that something like v-link 192 would be redundant and that usb from the very new macmini(2.5 gHz,i7,8gb ram) to the dmplus will work well thanks bobbmd
also someone else said that low rez streaming ie 320kbps from a bbc station sounded great does that or would that imply that MOG would even sound better than it is now with my old system which is an ancient hp windows media center xp(BUT with a digital out to my avr) i chose to buy a macmini so i wouldnt have to deal with installing an asio driver or use foobar-am i being short sighted? i plan to us pure music for my ripped cd's dva-a's(ripped via dvdaudioextractor to flac) and use either the toslink or coaxial input for music directly from my universal cd sacd dvda changer/i also plan on hooking my hd cable box again using one of the toslink or coaxial inputs on the dm+ will the dm+ improve the sound quality soundstage etc from all those sources??
also have any of you compared and care to comment on a comparison b/t dm+ and schiit gungnir or is apples and oranges thanks again bobbmd
are you saying that something like v-link 192 would be redundant and that usb from the very new macmini(2.5 gHz,i7,8gb ram) to the dmplus will work well thanks bobbmd
also someone else said that low rez streaming ie 320kbps from a bbc station sounded great does that or would that imply that MOG would even sound better than it is now with my old system which is an ancient hp windows media center xp(BUT with a digital out to my avr) i chose to buy a macmini so i wouldnt have to deal with installing an asio driver or use foobar-am i being short sighted? i plan to us pure music for my ripped cd's dva-a's(ripped via dvdaudioextractor to flac) and use either the toslink or coaxial input for music directly from my universal cd sacd dvda changer/i also plan on hooking my hd cable box again using one of the toslink or coaxial inputs on the dm+ will the dm+ improve the sound quality soundstage etc from all those sources??
also have any of you compared and care to comment on a comparison b/t dm+ and schiit gungnir or is apples and oranges thanks again bobbmd
Whew! That is a laundry list...
The DM+ can handle 24/192 via USB (PC requires a Cambridge Audio USB driver to go above 24/96) so you do not need the v-link. Remember that the DM+ arrives preset in USB 1.0 mode and you have to switch the USB 2.0 on in order to access USB 2.0 capabilities (See the manual, it is easy). Also, the DM+ will not do 24/176.4 via USB, only via Coax/Toslink. The DM+ is asynchronous so the Jitter removal benefit of the V-link clock is not required. I would suspect some would say that a separate DDC is still preferable (V-Link, Stello U3, Audiophelio 1 or 2, etc.). 320 is not bad but in the hifi game, lossless is better. I am running a MacMini with Amarra and a PC with JRiver. The Mac is connected via USB and the PC via Coax into digital input #1. My CD/DVD-A/SACD/HDCD input to my Decware CSP2+ is direct from my Denon DVD-5900. It has its own Burr Brown DAC's so I am not running it through the DM+.
The DM+ will improve sources that have low quality DAC's such as computer motherboards or portable sources like iPods as well as CD players without any high quality DAC's.
As to the Gungnir vs the DM+, since the Gungnir is balanced both for input and output and the DM+ only for input, it is an apple and orange comparison. All things being equal with the Gungnir being 2 years newer and a bit more expensive, I suspect it would be the superior device. I have not heard them side by side so tough for me to say absolutely.
I hope that helps! Good luck....
The DM+ can handle 24/192 via USB (PC requires a Cambridge Audio USB driver to go above 24/96) so you do not need the v-link. Remember that the DM+ arrives preset in USB 1.0 mode and you have to switch the USB 2.0 on in order to access USB 2.0 capabilities (See the manual, it is easy). Also, the DM+ will not do 24/176.4 via USB, only via Coax/Toslink. The DM+ is asynchronous so the Jitter removal benefit of the V-link clock is not required. I would suspect some would say that a separate DDC is still preferable (V-Link, Stello U3, Audiophelio 1 or 2, etc.). 320 is not bad but in the hifi game, lossless is better. I am running a MacMini with Amarra and a PC with JRiver. The Mac is connected via USB and the PC via Coax into digital input #1. My CD/DVD-A/SACD/HDCD input to my Decware CSP2+ is direct from my Denon DVD-5900. It has its own Burr Brown DAC's so I am not running it through the DM+.
The DM+ will improve sources that have low quality DAC's such as computer motherboards or portable sources like iPods as well as CD players without any high quality DAC's.
As to the Gungnir vs the DM+, since the Gungnir is balanced both for input and output and the DM+ only for input, it is an apple and orange comparison. All things being equal with the Gungnir being 2 years newer and a bit more expensive, I suspect it would be the superior device. I have not heard them side by side so tough for me to say absolutely.
I hope that helps! Good luck....
bobbmd
Head-Fier
longbowbbs-thanks so much!you have no idea how many times i have asked those questions on other forums and have received no or little feedback
i am probably going to go with gungnir because its made in the usa and will use it only with the new macmini plus their owner/deveopler answered me directly! and it is upgradable AND you think a v-link192 is redundant with gungnir's "adaptaclock" and usb transfer features?
i suspected there was no reason to run my yamaha universal changer through the dac since my sort of low brow yamaha rx v2500 has the same burrbrown dacs as yours and the changer itself has same dacs and already sound great when playing sacds and dvd-a's plus i love the some albums especially the dead's workingman' dead and american beauty sound via analog through my outlaw icbm in multichannel AND i actually ripped those plus dvd-a's of claptons ocean blvd and riding with the king using dvdaudio extractor to mediamonkey and they all sounded almost same as the dvd-a's from the changer
now, in regard to low rez streaming ie from MOG,siriusxm, i understand that lossless/flac is best but they stream at i think 320kbps for MOG and maybe 128kbps for sirius will the gungnir(or for that matter dm+) make the sound,soundstage,clarity better(MOG i think really sounds very good right from the digital out of my pc to the avr now and is even great with newer or remastered releases ie bottom line seems tobe their,MOG'S, source material espeically soloists and acoustic) and what about sending my hidef cable box audio through either of the dacs?is it pointless or benefical (dm+ people say definitly will be better)
can i add to my laundry list?
why did you choose amarra over puremusic, it seems more costly and looks more complicated and what version of amarra did you buy
i lost ALL my ripped cd's(600+) last year due to equipement failure (my pc and backup) if i rerip them to my macmini should i use flac and convert to ?applelosses? or does amarra or puremusic do that automatically and easily for me or just use apples "high rez" codec
if i do rerip my cd's(it sooo laborious took me an entire winter last time) what do you or your friends know about these 2 ripping services-pickled productions and ready2play
finally what headphones? i was looking at the lower priced <=500$ grados or higher priced sennheisers(wireless ones) i would connect them directly to my avr i get very good sound from <100$ sennheisers now i also listened to dr dres beats at best buy but questioned if i was listening to "doctored' music reproduction to make them sound so good
i certainly hope i havent overstepped my bounds and wasted your time with all these questions but i have to have all my ducks in order b4 i approach my "CFO" for this stuff she thinks my audio "perfection" is ridiculous(she is pretty deaf)
thanks again bobmd
i am probably going to go with gungnir because its made in the usa and will use it only with the new macmini plus their owner/deveopler answered me directly! and it is upgradable AND you think a v-link192 is redundant with gungnir's "adaptaclock" and usb transfer features?
i suspected there was no reason to run my yamaha universal changer through the dac since my sort of low brow yamaha rx v2500 has the same burrbrown dacs as yours and the changer itself has same dacs and already sound great when playing sacds and dvd-a's plus i love the some albums especially the dead's workingman' dead and american beauty sound via analog through my outlaw icbm in multichannel AND i actually ripped those plus dvd-a's of claptons ocean blvd and riding with the king using dvdaudio extractor to mediamonkey and they all sounded almost same as the dvd-a's from the changer
now, in regard to low rez streaming ie from MOG,siriusxm, i understand that lossless/flac is best but they stream at i think 320kbps for MOG and maybe 128kbps for sirius will the gungnir(or for that matter dm+) make the sound,soundstage,clarity better(MOG i think really sounds very good right from the digital out of my pc to the avr now and is even great with newer or remastered releases ie bottom line seems tobe their,MOG'S, source material espeically soloists and acoustic) and what about sending my hidef cable box audio through either of the dacs?is it pointless or benefical (dm+ people say definitly will be better)
can i add to my laundry list?
why did you choose amarra over puremusic, it seems more costly and looks more complicated and what version of amarra did you buy
i lost ALL my ripped cd's(600+) last year due to equipement failure (my pc and backup) if i rerip them to my macmini should i use flac and convert to ?applelosses? or does amarra or puremusic do that automatically and easily for me or just use apples "high rez" codec
if i do rerip my cd's(it sooo laborious took me an entire winter last time) what do you or your friends know about these 2 ripping services-pickled productions and ready2play
finally what headphones? i was looking at the lower priced <=500$ grados or higher priced sennheisers(wireless ones) i would connect them directly to my avr i get very good sound from <100$ sennheisers now i also listened to dr dres beats at best buy but questioned if i was listening to "doctored' music reproduction to make them sound so good
i certainly hope i havent overstepped my bounds and wasted your time with all these questions but i have to have all my ducks in order b4 i approach my "CFO" for this stuff she thinks my audio "perfection" is ridiculous(she is pretty deaf)
thanks again bobmd
HPManiac
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Hi all,
I've been following this thread with interest and I have a DM+ which has at least 150hrs under its belt, fed by Foobar2000>Wireworld Starlight (Red - love it, 3 sets!)>CA DM+>HiFiMan HE-5(not 5LE)/Beyer T5p/AKG K550/LCD2 rev2. I've noted the divergence of opinion on the DAC and amp section. IMHO, when fed by well-converted FLACs at 24/192 it's excellent (using the same Wireworld Starlight USB cables and headphones across all my DACs - Musical Fidelity M1 DAC, KingRex UC384+UPower, Fostex A8C and sundry portable DAC/Amps).
The amp has it's limitations but to my ears they have more to do with some upper frequency leaness and imaging than drive or control. As an example, my HE-5s are notoriously difficult to drive but the DM+ is able to recreate the same leading edge percussive transients and decay with them as my (ahem!) more pricey amps eg. 1Ohm output impedance Musical Fidelity M1 HPA, Fostex and Leben. The HE-5s are the fastest 'phones I have - next to a Stax Sig combi - and I was *very* surprised to hear how the DM+ managed to control them. Imaging is a different story and that and the leaness might well be addressed by the power supply (eyeing the Channel Islands PSU). So, to summarise, I have nothing but praise for this reasonably priced DAC/Amp unit that, when placed on its edge in the supplied stand, takes up very little desk space. Oh yes, not keen on the volume knob either.
As usual, YMMV. Cheers.
I've been following this thread with interest and I have a DM+ which has at least 150hrs under its belt, fed by Foobar2000>Wireworld Starlight (Red - love it, 3 sets!)>CA DM+>HiFiMan HE-5(not 5LE)/Beyer T5p/AKG K550/LCD2 rev2. I've noted the divergence of opinion on the DAC and amp section. IMHO, when fed by well-converted FLACs at 24/192 it's excellent (using the same Wireworld Starlight USB cables and headphones across all my DACs - Musical Fidelity M1 DAC, KingRex UC384+UPower, Fostex A8C and sundry portable DAC/Amps).
The amp has it's limitations but to my ears they have more to do with some upper frequency leaness and imaging than drive or control. As an example, my HE-5s are notoriously difficult to drive but the DM+ is able to recreate the same leading edge percussive transients and decay with them as my (ahem!) more pricey amps eg. 1Ohm output impedance Musical Fidelity M1 HPA, Fostex and Leben. The HE-5s are the fastest 'phones I have - next to a Stax Sig combi - and I was *very* surprised to hear how the DM+ managed to control them. Imaging is a different story and that and the leaness might well be addressed by the power supply (eyeing the Channel Islands PSU). So, to summarise, I have nothing but praise for this reasonably priced DAC/Amp unit that, when placed on its edge in the supplied stand, takes up very little desk space. Oh yes, not keen on the volume knob either.
As usual, YMMV. Cheers.
bobbmd, The Gungnir will do a great job for you. Since I am not running balanced HP's it is not a priority from that perspective.
I chose Amarra after hearing it at a dealer who demoed it to me. No brainer after that demo. I own the full version but I was able to buy the Mini version and get upgraded for free when they changed their pricing models earlier this year.
I would re-rip using iTunes into AIFF lossless. Amarra reads then natively though it also has a FLAC conversion feature to import FLAC files into iTunes and Amarra. I have never used a ripping service, though after ripping about 600+ CD's myself I certainly appreciate the usefulness they offer. I doubt I will ever give up the physical media for just the same possibility you experienced.
I find Grados a bit bright for me. Some folks are really taken with them and the RS2's would be at the top end of your range. I personally really like the Sennheiser sound and the HD650's have been wonderful. You can also pick them up for around $400 if you look. Sometimes for a bit less. I personally find Beats too boomy. I am not clubbing every night, I am relaxing after an average of 4 nights per week on the road and over 1000 miles per week of driving. (I am in a hotel now actually, night 4...) So jamming with Dr. Dre is not on my list. Some Steely Dan or Alan Parsons is more to my tastes along with the occasional metal track. The 650's deliver in spades here.
Good luck with your quest. I love Head-Fi as a great place to ask questions and leverage other peoples experiences and perspectives.
I chose Amarra after hearing it at a dealer who demoed it to me. No brainer after that demo. I own the full version but I was able to buy the Mini version and get upgraded for free when they changed their pricing models earlier this year.
I would re-rip using iTunes into AIFF lossless. Amarra reads then natively though it also has a FLAC conversion feature to import FLAC files into iTunes and Amarra. I have never used a ripping service, though after ripping about 600+ CD's myself I certainly appreciate the usefulness they offer. I doubt I will ever give up the physical media for just the same possibility you experienced.
I find Grados a bit bright for me. Some folks are really taken with them and the RS2's would be at the top end of your range. I personally really like the Sennheiser sound and the HD650's have been wonderful. You can also pick them up for around $400 if you look. Sometimes for a bit less. I personally find Beats too boomy. I am not clubbing every night, I am relaxing after an average of 4 nights per week on the road and over 1000 miles per week of driving. (I am in a hotel now actually, night 4...) So jamming with Dr. Dre is not on my list. Some Steely Dan or Alan Parsons is more to my tastes along with the occasional metal track. The 650's deliver in spades here.
Good luck with your quest. I love Head-Fi as a great place to ask questions and leverage other peoples experiences and perspectives.
HPManiac, I appreciate the DM+ feedback. I have found that after 150 to 200 hours the DM+ ( and a lot of other gear) changes for the better. The amp section for me was decent, but it is crushed by my CSP2+. The DAC section has been very nice though. The twin Wolfsons are excellent and as I audition other DAC's I am pleased to see it holds its own very well. I also like the fct I can connect a variety of inputs sources and us the DM+ as a switching device too! I am very interested in your perspective because you are using several well regarded HP's that I have never had a chance to listen to. Nice to hear it performs well with both HiFiMan and Audeze! All in allI am right with you on my positive opinion for the DM+. I can't speak for some other forum members who were underwhelmed, but I am very satisfied with the purchase.
BTW, Which Leben are you using?
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