Praise for DacMagic

I have had a DACMagic in my sytem for a while and have been very impressed by its performance. I run the digital out from my Squeezebox into one input and the digital out from my Sony player to another input for listening to RBCD. I also run USB directly from my music server from time to time, like when I'm previewing something over the web from eMusic or the like. Nice to have all of that flexibility!

Before the DACMagic, I was using a Musical Fidelity XDACv3 with both the XPSU external supply and the X10 tube buffer. I wanted to get something with switchable inputs, so the DACMagic seemed a good choice at a reasonable cost. Well, "reasonable cost" became an understatement once I got it hooked up. Much better transparency, air and imaging than the MF stuff (which I still think is very good). I think the DACMagic is a fantastic value and to get better sound, I'd probably have to bump up to something like the new Bryston or Bel Canto DAC3.

As far as setup, use good cables; I'm a big fan of PNF Audio and have both their Coax and Toslink cables on the DAC Magic and their interconnects on the output. Also, as stated previously, vibration control is always a good thing. I have the DACMagic sitting on three #2 Vibrapods and it does make an improvement in clarity and dynamics.

Ejoy the music!

Try it with a Blu Ray player. It will take it up a level. Try the Stone's Shine a Light movie or the new Neil Young.

Drubin
The dacs in the Dacmagic are the same as in the Azur 840 so the sound is Identical. It wouldn't be an improvement.

Stevenbell, the DACs in the DacMagic are not the same as in the 840C, they are the same as in the 740C. Even if they were the same, that by no means says that the sound is identical. The type of DACs used are just one aspect of the sound. There's a whole lot more to the overall sound quality than just the type of DAC that is used in the design.

Everest audio
The Dac's in the 840 are the same according to Stereophiles Sam Tellig. He even goes on to say the sound would be simalar between the Dacmagic and the 840.Take it up with him I was trying to be helpful.