Looking for opinions on Cambridge DACmagic DAC

I've been using the new DacMagic with my Sony ES CDP for two + months and am quite pleased. I leave it fixed on the "linear" filter setting. Although I'd like to have the budget for a Benchmark DAC, that's not feasible. I always keep in mind on Audiogon that a great many contributors and readers dis components that aren't priced in the stratosphere, but there are those of us who who like Audiogon even though our entire audio system cost less than a single component in many readers systems. I was in the dentists office last week and they had a copy of that obnoxious "Robb Report" in the waiting room. Although an absurd read in this age of austerity, it is still interesting to flip through it to kill time. In between the ads for flex jets and $50K watches was, no surprise - the blue glow snob appeal of the mighty McIntosh. (0:

The review matches my observation after using the DacMagic for almost a month now. However, I can't comment how it compares with other DACs, I can only comment about the improvement in my system. I listen mostly to SACDs and a few Redbook CDs. As you know, the CD-layer alone of high-quality SACD recordings are generally better compared to Redbook CDs. At the first listen using the DacMagic, the sound quality of the SACD's CD-layer as well as the Redbook CDs blew me away. Suddenly I got excited with the improved soundstage, imaging, detail, and tighter low end, but still maintaining the warm character of my modest system. Overall sound quality was richer and deeper. DacMagic is a fantastic bargain with features I can grow into. I've long been curious whether the internal 24/192 DAC in my player can be improved with an outboard processor and I'm happy to discover it did. I will continue listening to SACDs but when I listen to Redbook CDs I now have a superb device to lift them as well. I'm extremely pleased and would highly recommend it.

Very, very good and flat out great for the $. I use mine with a digital piano, but I snuck it into my main system (tempoprarily replacing a Benchmark DAC-1) for a quick listen. It's audibly warmer than the DAC-1, but that may be a positive (depending on your system). Other than that warmth, I didn't have so much as a nit.

Marty