[Redcarmoose]

Anyone know what i should set the buffer size and the USB streaming mode to in the driver?

Cheers

No, it depends on your computer. Everyone should be setting up to be bit-perfect. I use Wasapi and Foobar. Should not notice clipping unless heavy CPU load.

 

[Redcarmoose]

No, it depends on your computer. Everyone should be setting up to be bit-perfect. I use Wasapi and Foobar. Should not notice clipping unless heavy CPU load.

I notice what sounds like a pace issue if I use heavy EQ with Foobar. So I don't use it. It can sound like some of the notes are arriving at a different time. This was worse before putting Wasapi in place.

 

[m8o]

Well it's a rabbit hole of sorts. You can go into the threads here. The first time I noticed different DACs was with DAPs as they each had a different sound. Later around 2009 a buddy had me over to review DACs. His system was using a warm musical DAC and was trying out a thin detailed DAC. Just think of it like using tone knobs on an old stereo. I told him to keep his original.

So ya, they all can sound different, some more, some a little less different.

But the analog section can be as much to 'blame' for that, sometimes more [?], vs. the dac implementation.

In any case I wouldn't classify one a speaker dac and another a headphone dac, was more to my point. I just cannot imagine there is a manufacturer that would 'voice' a dac to have synergy with one at the expense of the other.

 

[Redcarmoose]

But the analog section can be as much to 'blame' for that, sometimes more [?], vs. the dac implementation.

In any case I wouldn't classify one a speaker dac and another a headphone dac, was more to my point. I just cannot imagine there is a manufacturer that would 'voice' a dac to have synergy with one at the expense of the other.

 
 
This subject has always had much talk here on the forums. If all Dacs were the same you could just get a $20 Ebay DAC and be done with it all, and some members do. Then others warm up their DACs for 24hours, spend 2K on them and test lists of them. Some reviewers used to say Rega was able to get their house sound with a slight reverb?
 
What ever it is these companies are able to get signature house sounds out of many different products and achive a following due to buyers getting into the sound. My warmer DACs work better with cold headphones and cold headphones work better with warm DACs. I don't know how they get to the prefered sound but I would guess there are tricks. Much of the time too, a color added, ever so slightly seems to add excitement to a new listening experience. When I was first using the DACMagic I could not hear a change untill I played this one Enya song, and my brain started to hear the new character of the DAC. So much of the time it's perception at first?

 

[m8o]

Oh, I certainly agree there are dramatic differences in DACs (less so at the point of diminishing returns). It is completely the categorization of them into speaker dac vs. headphone dac that was foreign to me.

 

[Redcarmoose]

Oh, I certainly agree there are dramatic differences in DACs (less so at the point of diminishing returns). It is completely the categorization of them into speaker dac vs. headphone dac that was foreign to me.

I didn't know that there was a difference either? Except that some small USB DACs seem just to plug into laptops or computers with headphones in mind. It seems to me that they would both work the same way in the end?

Amazingly the 851D has totally dropped in price.

https://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Azur-851D-DAC-Silver/dp/B00HW2U7H0

As well as the 651A getting very low cost!

I may have to step up?

https://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Audio-651A-CAMBRIDGE-BLACK/dp/B006IC50Q8

 

[Redcarmoose]

http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/cambdacmagicplusbl/cambridge-audio-dacmagic-plus-digital-to-analogue-converter-preamplifier/1.html?gclid=CIa56dPvrs0CFZA8gQodxzAJYg

$399. 00 the lowest new price now!

 

[TasticBubble]

Can someone tell me what kind of effect each filter has on the sound? I own it but I honestly can't hear much difference..

 

[c64]

Are there newer cheaper amps/dacs better than this now ? hows it stack up in todays market ?

 

[Redcarmoose]

Are there newer cheaper amps/dacs better than this now ? hows it stack up in todays market ?

The filters don't do much as I can tell?

I think it depends how you want to use one. I like it, but have not heard that many. It is more notable with a couple genres.

It's maybe slightly on the thin side but is slightly airy compared to some. It maybe matches better with warm amps and headphones though I like it with the k701s.

 

[peter123]

Fwiw I'll be getting one soon now along with at least five others (some portable, some desktop) in similar price range. Should be able to post some comparisons within the next weeks.

 

[Delayeed]

Sorry if it's been answered already but I couldn't find info on the headphone output power? Just curious like how many milliwatts can this deliver into 32ohms?

 

[peter123]

My thoughts on this piece of classic British audio equipment:
 
http://www.head-fi.org/products/cambridge-audio-azur-dacmagic-plus/reviews/17133
 

 

[uaciaut]

edit: Nvm thought this was DacMagic 100

 

[ClintonL]

In the driver what did you guys set USB streaming mode to? Standard/minimum latency/extra safe?