Cambridge Audio DacMagic 100 - Digital to Analogue Converter with Toslink, S/PDIF, and USB Inputs Featuring 24-bit Wolfson DAC - Silver

Product Information

kHz level error versus digital modulation level, -120 ~ 0 dBFS, undithered 24-bit 44.1 ksps input. ( R&S UPL.) Hmm, 0.2% distortion isn't good, but probably not audible. The Benchmark DAC1 HDR is much, much better here if you want a great, accurate headphone amplifier and DAC.

There are RCA and balanced XLR outputs, twin digital coaxial and optical inputs, and also digital coaxial and optical outputs. Headphone response is flatter than most people could measure. The difference between channels is channel imbalance. There is slightly more pre-ringing than with the linear phase filter. This needs a little more processing power than the other filter types, but it should theoretically be the best of the lot – except that this one adds a small, but not vanishing amount of passband ripple, something of poorly understood subjective significance.This is very good, and better than many other DACs, and about as good as onboard CD player DACs. (onboard DACs are usually better at handling overshoots than computer-fed DACs because external DACs seem to have forgotten about DSP headroom.) Aha! The 50 Ωoutput source impedance leads to the added low-frequency distortion. At 0.02%, forget about it.

Is it a jump in performance on the original? Yes. It sounds better and does more, and if you value the extra features then the DacMagic Plus could be ideal.The Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus is an inexpensive, lightweight, Chinese-made DAC with astounding performance. If you want to go wireless, there is an inevitable drop in quality – but the aptX dongle connected to our smartphones and laptop easily enough, and sounded better than standard Bluetooth connections. This Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus is typical precise and lightweight Chinese: sheet metal case and aluminum front.