★ *REVIEWING: **amzn.to/3rS2jHb**, **bit.ly/3775Yci** ADDITIONAL INFO IN THE DESCRIPTION⬆︎* ★ *QOTD: Is a DAC a must have, or do you view it more of a tweak to what you already have?* ★ *COMMENT RULES: Please be respectful. No outside links, URLs, email addresses, etc. Violations are automatically deleted.*
In my case DAC is not a must. Tweak fits very well. My system is budget wise, and current bottleneck is a two way speakers which struggles when scene gets complex. Using a DAC (cheap one) in my case is like abusing of contrast in imaging to obtain a better defined picture at the cost of dynamics. My speakers when feed with stereoids define better. So I prefer to avoid it, but it comes handy for some genres my system underperforms.
Thank you I’m moving to woodlands in Maine. CDs, vinyl , and satellite radio. I want to try you tube music and wasn’t sure if a descent Bluetooth and or with built in Dac or separate. Budget conscious.
A DAC is a must for me now. I recently upgraded my amp to a Marantz PM8006 that doesn’t have a built in DAC. I chose the Marantz for that very reason. I have an Aune X1S DAC that I had been using on my desk too system for years. One day I decided to connect it to my Yamaha 301 amp whose DAC I had been happily using for over a year. The difference it made in sound quality was dramatic. To the point where the 301 sounded like a much more expensive Amp. I had a similar revelation when I upgraded my phono stage. So when I decided to upgrade my amp having a built in DAC was a low priority as there seem to be many excellent external DAC options available. I currently have a Chromecast Audio going into the optical connector on my X1S and a Raspberry Pi w/ Hifiberry Digi+ Pro HAT feeding the coax port. Both sound excellent via the PM8006. BTW, you should do a review of the Marantz amp. I think it sounds great.
I have my 17” MacBook Pro Mac Pro 2010 connected to my other Onkyo HT-R398 5.1 surround sound with toslink cable. My home theatre is connected with Onkyo TXNR686 and Apple TV . My other Mac Pro 2010 DP don’t have sound system yet. You turn me on for the 200
I think DACs are a tweak after you have covered all your bases. I struggle with adding a external DAC to my CD transport (Music Hall 25). The DAC in the Cambridge CXA61 is good...but keep wondering if I need a better one.
I have a Topping E30 connected to a small HTPC and to a Bluray player. For €130 it's a bargain, it sounds awesome and even does DSD from the computer. And it has a remote to switch between inputs without getting my butt off the couch.
Cambridge has been on their game in the last couple of years.... The wife bought me a Cambridge Amp and speakers this past Christmas and I'm in love with their warm laidback sound.
My wife got me the dac magic 200 for my birthday. I had the dac for a couple of weeks before I saw this video and I must say I agree with you 100% on sound signature. I have a musical Fidelity M6 SI and it sound pretty good when I pair it to the Dacmagic. But in another room, I have a Hegel h95. When I hooked the dacmagic up to the Hegel it blew me away! I see why they call it magic. I'm upgrading from S.M.S.L SU-8. The Hegel H95 has an incredible dac but it does not do DSD or MQA and is capped at 24/96 on the USB input and optical input.
Having owned 20+ DACs in my life, and listening exclusively to digital sources, I have to say that the DAC is the most important component in my signal chain. In the end it's all about the implementation, any DAC has an analog output stage, and that can and will sound very differently depending on the implementation.
I bought one a month ago. I love it. Hooked up to my MacBook and Focal Clears, I stream Tidal Masters MQA. The sound is a revelation. It is the best sound I’ve ever heard. Incredible value for $500.
I have the Original DACMagic from about 10 years ago and just can't let go of it. Oh and I use it for my laptop and my Node2i as I like its sound better.
I use my DAC Magic 200M to take the coax output from my Sony DVD/CD player UBP x800M2 and run it into my NAD 325BEEE stereo amp. Same for optical out from my TV.
I agree. Too many DACs today are over analytical in their sound performance. It's not everyday you come across a DAC that emphasises musicality over precision
The only extra dac I’m using is the audioquest cobalt Dragonfly for listening from my IPad with headphone. At the moment I have a Grado sr 125e, but I ordered a Hifiman Sundara at my local dealer. The Dragonfly is a really upgrade for listening music a specially with Classical music and acoustic music. And also for blues, rock ore music like Pink Floyd.
Great review Andrew. I own a Cambridge Audio Dacmagic plus. I have connected my FIIO portable digital player and my Onkyo CD changer via coaxial cables to it. I also can connect a TV and a blue ray via optical cables if I want to watch videos. The DAC is connected with RCA cable to the AUX entrance of one of my vintage amplifiers (Sansui AU 6600 or Kenwood KA 7100, depending which one I have in use). This way I can have multiple sources connected to the AUX entrance of my amplifier and I don't need to go behind disconnecting and connecting different cables any time I want to change the source. At the same time I'm replacing the use of a mediocre DAC for a much better one for the case of the TV and a cheap blue ray player. This is a very good sounding dac and a great solution for my digital listening necessities. At this point there isn't a reason for me to upgrade to this new version. Yes not having a remote to change de source in the dac is a little inconvenient, but at the same time my amplifiers are from the era of great tactile knobs and switches way before remote controls, so not a big deal.
I prefer the analog and digital parts of my system to be separated, both because I also play records and also for the ease of upgrade (the digital part evolves faster than the analog one). Also I think that a machine purposefully built for a task should be better than a generic circuit added to another device (I think the same about integrated phono preamp), and I don't like that if I upgrade to a better dac the integrated one stays dead inside your device, maintaining the added complexity for something you don't use.
Well its exactly as you say with regards to older equipment. I had a 20 year old fairly high end Marantz CD player and integrated amp. In 2019 I 'upgraded' to a fairly modest but newly released Marantz receiver. I plugged the CD player in initially through RCAs. Good. Then I tried the coax - in other words I switched from the 20 year old DAC built-in to the CD player to the new one in the receiver and I heard a pretty big improvement in articulation and sound quality. I wasn't at all dissatisfied with the sound through the RCAs but having tried the coax there was no question of switching back.
I have an earlier DacMagic. I chose that because I felt it would be better than the DACs on my PC. So I bypass my mid-towers DACs on the motherboard and use the DacMagic, then to an NAD amp and my speakers. I have a SoundblasterZ sound card that I don't use any processing on, I just pass the signal via TOSLINK/SPDIF out to the DacMagic. Works fine for me.
Owner of a Dacmagic Plus here, as far as I can see, the 200M has swapped one coax/optical input for a built in BT antenna, which is a good choice IMO. For the Dacmagic Plus you needed to buy a separate antenna for 100 bucks. Other than that it's not much different, except for higher sample rates and MQA support (which I won't ever use). To me, the most important function of the Dacmagic is to use it as a USB DAC on my PC and as a DAC for a CD transport. That way you can buy a trashy CD player from Craigslist and bypass the crappy DAC to get all there is from CD (yes, CDs are still a thing lol). Because the DAC in a CD player makes/breaks over 95% of the CD sound quality.
Thanks for reviewing this - I just bought one quite impulsively then decided to panic-watch reviews. You've made me feel a lot better about splashing the cash now
That's really funny. Because I get it. I heard a reviewer talk some smack on the high end of an integrated I bought and it just bounced around my head when listening even though I hadn't heard it myself, before the review. Just be careful. Power of suggestion can reinforce and ruin!! Trust thy self lol
Choose carefully when purchasing a DAC. I was using a Bluesound Node 2i with my Elac Navis Speakers and though i could get better sound by purchasing a separate DAC. So i purchased a Denfrips Ares II for $1,300 AUD and i couldn't hear anything different. So now its for for sales and i will be making a loss. Always try before you buy. Great review ! always enjoy
Thanks Andrew for the review. On my desktop I ended up going with the NAD USB DAC 2 to an older technics Integrated amplifier, prior to which I was using a Bluetooth receiver. What an enormous difference it made, I am enjoying all my music again and it is in no small part to this channel. Thank you
Loved everything about this review - production standards, Andrew's knowledge and vibe, etc. I've had my DACMagic 200M for about 10 days. But I'm a complete bonehead. I don't even know what I don't know. Here's what I DO know. I have awful Klipsch Synergy surrounds circa 2003, a Velodyne 12" sub circa not too much later, a Denon AVR-1912 receiver circa 2011. And for my nighttime listening sessions I front end with a Node 2i, which I've had for about 20 days. I have no issue spending money to update my stuff, but it's a pain in the butt considering our small house, weird layout, and need for combined home theater and audio. So.... For me, the DACMagic 200 is a game changer, but that could be because I'm experiencing high res for nearly the first time. I find myself getting sucked into music like I can't remember doing since I was in my 20s. That was a LONG time ago. I recently dialed way back on Indie Rock -- too tired of trying to keep up - and am going big into classical and straight up jazz. Right now I'm listening to Mingus' "Ah Um" with a pair of Audio-Technica low-end cans connected by wire (not BT). Even as a headphone amp, this is a glorious way for me to have spent $300. Highly recommended.
My opinion on Dax is simple, when you're driving from a bad one, it's the only thing you think about. Squared away home Hi-Fi systems shouldn't ever need one. But if you're trying to drive any kind of decent monitor from a laptop or desktop oh, you're going to need something to clean up that signal at least. Anyone who tells you onboard audio is acceptable doesn't ever use anything but their Turtle Beach gaming headset to listen
I have been using the headphone jack on my M1 Mac mini with IEMs and my old ears have not notice any degradations. I do recommend a Jack, I have a TRRS plug to TRRS jack cable extension connected and the jack tied down under the monitor. That way I can use it with a mike/headset for conference calls and presentations. as well as listening. For everyday sound I pipe it from the HDMI monitor to a pair of old Creative t20 (you tube and other web video) and for listening a dedicated AMP/DAC using USB.
I got the 200M and returned it within 3 days. This 200M for some reason Cambridge didn't do enough testing. If you use it as an external DAC. I noticed that MQA playback is unstable when the MQA passthrough is enabled. Songs constantly drop and stutter. I have tried all the MQA albums, every time when I hit play on the song, music plays but the MQA will not trigged instantly. It takes like 1 sec or so for the MQA to engaged. The MQA light and sampling rate will not light up till 1 sec. I can also hear a small click sound from speaker when switching from normal to MQA files. Other people also experienced the same thing. I already emailed cambridge tech support group and they are looking at the problems. And sound from the ES9028Q2M is not as great. I did a comparison to my ES9016 8-channel. ES9106 just have way more clarity. Long story short, I returned it back to seller and got my full refund.
With my previous system, I realised that yes, DACs can definitely make or break a system. I had the CA DacMagic 100 in that, and that sounded pretty good. Then, that DAC moved to my desktop setup, and I used the onboard DAC from my Onkyo home theatre amp, and after a while I realised that something wasn’t quite right. I stopped enjoying listening to music with the DacMagic removed. So I moved it back to the speaker system. Now, with my new system, I can hear that it has quite a lot of potential. With my headphones (desktop) system, I was using my PC’s onboard audio output into my Magni 3, and again I stopped enjoying listening to music with that system. Once I hooked up the DacMagic back to that system, suddenly my music had life again.
I'm a gear-head that wishes he wasn't. On your recommendation, I got a Marantz NR1200. Love it. I had an external phono-preamp already so, that took care of that negative aspect for me. I love the way everything sounds on this receiver. But... I wonder if an external DAC would sound better than what's in there already? I'm not expecting an answer from you but rather I'm confessing because I just want to not think about the gear and just hear the music. The NR1200 has made me think that an external DAC just isn't needed but it's just sitting there, in the back of my mind. What if?
You likely are going to be okay with what you have (I mean, you will be okay), but if you were to experiment with a DAC, this is a good, relatively affordable option to try. I'd go this route before spending a TON of money on a DAC to see if there is a worthwhile difference.
I'm a happy owner of Cambridge Audio CXN V2 and it suffers from same issue. When used as pre amp it sound "dry" to me. I have fixed it with addition of Musical Fidelity X10D tube buffer. Completely different sound signature now. Bottom end is rich and thick and mids and highs are silky smooth. Highly recommend for all CXN V2 users. Cheers
One more thing Andrew, are you planning to review Edifier S3000pro? I had many traditional speakers in last couple of years and these bad boys made me rethink my hifi separates. One thing though, bass on -6db setting as they can sound boomy at times. Thanks
"smooth, analogue like, exceptional mids, fuller, smoothing off of high end/not fatiguing" sounds like the right DAC for me and perhaps a good way to get some of that "cambridge sound" with my roon raspberri pi, non cambridge cd transport and non cambridge dac-less integrated amp ... thanks for the great video! I think I will be buying one. while my rme adi dac 2 fs is great, its almost too clean and crisp and the high end can definitely be fatiguing with some music...
I don't consider a DAC a tweak, personally. I'd say it's more of a foundation. Without a good DAC, whether integrated or separate, your system is bottlenecked from the start. However, as long as you have a decent one, upgrading it will only get you so far, removing an information bottleneck and perhaps acting more as a tweak in terms of audio qualities.
what would u call high level system 2:58 ? is my denon avr x3300w about 6 years old atmos receiver high level or i would hear difference adding Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M to the chain for stereo mode connected to my pc ?
I know recoding speakers isn’t a good example but I would interested to have an example of what you hear by recoding speakers with a decent mic and doing the same without the dac or other items you review.
Andrew, thank you for the informative DacMagic review. However, what I found most impressive about your video was your personal, presentation skills. Your on camera presence and buttery smooth delivery is absolutely superb! Were you using an ear prompter or a teleprompter? If not, then you have to be a professional within the industry - what a terrific job of conveying information is such a relaxed and entertaining fashion. You held your audience's attention all the way through - nice work!
Really appreciate the kind comments! While I do not rely on a prompter, we do script out the review ahead of time and so that is what I'm working from while filming.
Well I'm actually thinking of purchasing the Cambridge Audio 200M so I can connect it with a pair of Tannoy Gold 8 speakers and dual Tannoy TFX subwoofers. It should be a good little setup for the bedroom 👍
Is it expensive to include remote capability? Does it interfere with the sound quality in some way? I really don't understand why they didn't include it. I would have tried this unit if it had a remote...what a shame!
its meant for desktop eco systems if you ask me. so youre always at arms length. keep in mind most speakers come with a remote. you would want to use that. i dont think a remote would interfere with sound quality?
DAC's are an interesting way to adjust the sound of a system akin to a image filter in photography. The quality of these changes is subjective and personal.... and that's a good thing. Switching system elements allows me to gain a new perspective that breathes new life into audio. While an external DAC is not needed (in most cases) the act of DAC swapping is a welcome addition to my system.
Andrew, first I really, really love your channel. Now about all this DAC stuff. As you are aware there are DAC ads all over the place at different price points with most promising the ultimate in Digital to Analog conversion. Now my OPPO 203 has what is purported to be a very high end DAC as does my Denon 1600NE SACD Player as does my Marantz SR7013. So with this in mind and the fact, that not all DACs are created equally and that most people probably can't hear the difference anyway how do you combat the endless pursuit by many audiophiles myself and others; although I've managed to control my impulses thus far, for the holy grail of the ultimate Analog conversion from Digital. I know personally I have switched back from letting my SACD player use it's DAC or letting the Marantz do the conversion with the end result probably being in the realm of my active imagination.
Hi Andrew - thanks again for another great video! I’m really enjoying your content! A quick question if I may ask please: You mentioned during the review that you tested both the balanced and unbalanced outputs - was there a significant difference between the two, especially in the context of using with your Tannoy Gold Fives (which look amazing btw!)? Thank you so much in advance for your help!
That was a great review. I want to ask for your opinion: I have a Denon X3700h and Marantz MM8077 with Klipsch RP 5.2.2 speakers set. Do you think that M200 will make a difference in music? I like how my Denon sound, but maybe because i haven't heard anything else. I think I want to get a DAC just for the music. Do you think it is a good idea?
Excellent. An incisive, informed, organised and well presented review. Having bought a 200m with few comparative reviews around at the time, it is a relief to hear good news from an informed source! As you say, an incredibly ‘musical’ DAC revealing so much of what the musician intended. I have also watched a couple of movies with it and found myself incredibly engaged with the sound. These attributes are difficult to quantify and too often ignored but really, this IS what all this equipment is for. I thought your ‘slowed tempo‘ metaphor was brilliant and summed up the DACs capabilities admirably. I would like to add that at the (UK) price point, including as it does a dual head pre-amp, additional co-ax and optical inputs and Bluetooth (if you must!) this is an extremely well judged proposition. In my experience (Focusrite, MOTU, Audioquest), it is substantially ahead of the the entry level stand-alone DACS whilst costing significantly less than the more esoteric offerings from, for example, NAIM or Audiolab. Delighted with my Cambridge Audio Dacmagic 200m and to have found such an insightful reviewer. Thanks.
I usually work from home, even before covid and was always able to blast my stereo as much as I wanted while working. But now that my wife is working from home too, I had to change over to headphones. In this scenario, I would say yes, a desktop DAC/headphone amp is necessary. I got an ifi zen dac for $150 and I really like it. It would be interesting to see how it compares to the cambridge audio.
This is great! I'm currently looking into putting together a classic audio station (turntable and cassette deck) to pipe through my main audio setup so stuff like this comes up a lot in my search. I'm glad to hear your take on this (although, ultimately, it doesn't fit my needs). I'm curious what your take on MQA is, though. Lots of controversy there, it seems. I personally prefer to go the lossless or Hi-Res route myself since storage really isn't a problem anymore, but there are people who swear that MQA is superior despite the fact that it's a lossy format (I'm very skeptical of this declared superiority, myself).
Thank you for watching. I like MQA and don't get caught up in the drama over is it or is it not. MQA isn't perfect, and if you take into account how it often "louder" than its CD counterpart, it can be more difficult to discern its quality over that of just CD. But that said, there are recordings where it does sound markedly better, but not every MQA title was originally recorded in high or higher res so its little more than sonic scaling. I'm glad to see it included or supported here, but fully admit that one does not NEED it to enjoy their favorite music.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Cool. I'm not super-opposed to it myself. Certain environments seem to be a better venue for it. If it can make anything sound better through my JBL earbuds, then I don't mind so much. There's already so many different iterations of coloring and mucking with the original sound at that point that getting mad about it is pointless -- you're into the convenience aspect at that point. Might as well see how good you can get it to sound, right? What I'm concerned about is the licensing aspect of MQA. Gatekeeping its benefits in expensive hardware and putting a premium on files encoded with it seems gimmicky and slightly anti-consumer to me. Especially since FLAC can be played and enjoyed in its full glory on just about anything without too much fuss.
Thanks indeed for the no-nonsense, straight ahead review of the Cambridge 200m DAC. There is one question persisting though: Is the DAC in my Luxman L-590AX integrated Amp already doing what a Cambridge 200m would do for me upon it's addition to my system? I should note that most of my listening is through Spotify or RUclips Music (although I do use my Luxman P-151 turntable occasionally). My speakers are 2 Paradigm SE6000F's.
I just recently recommended the FiiO K5pro Desktop DAC (currently sold at €159) to a friend of mine to improve the audio quality over the on-board soundcard. I was surprised myself how much she is now raving about it.
I tested this DAC extensively over the weekend and switched back and forth with the internal DAC on the Bluesound Node (latest gen) and could hear absolutely no difference, however both the DM 200 and internal Bluesound Node DAC's beat the internal DAC on the the Cambridge CXA81 and were equal to the on-board DAC in the Parasound Halo Hint 6 based on my listening.
WOW .. you have no idea how much this info helped me. I am, actually on a verge between getting this DAC or the Bluesound NODE.. and was not sure if the internal dac of the Bluesound is way weaker. But if you say you barely noticed any difference... well.. I think that is a clear sign to get the bluesound... since it is way more than just a "DAC"! Can you confirm this?
I'm going to buy node because great blueos. I think maybe there are some diffs in dacs but after that you have different amplifiers, headphones, speakers. It doesn't make sense for me. I'm buying devices I like to use and look at it :)
I returned my dacmagic plus because I couldn't live with the lack of remote in a living room environment. Not having one is just stupid. I also seem to prefer the sound of sabre based dacs so the change was a win-win.
I have both, the plus as well as the 200M. In direct AB comparison, for me, the 200M has less punch and therefore I am a bit disappointed. It is a very subtle difference, until you know it ^^ And comparing to a teac cd player, for me, the integrated dac of the teac is punchier than the 200M.
I disagree. As stated in my other comment, in my case the DAC (or absence of it) could make or break a system. W/o: not fun to listen to, W: brings back the life to the music. Depends on the system, of course.
So true... I have 3 DACs (2 external, 1 internal to an SACD player) and the differences are SO SMALL. Frankly, if I am not doing an A/B comparison, I could not tell a difference and would have been satisfied with any of them including the $100 Schitt Modi3 !! Sigh...
Cambridge Audio prides itself for great price / performance and preserves the "BRITISH SOUND".. Based upon this review, looks like they have been successful at it ! Well done !
This is my 3rd DacMagic product that I've reviewed and this product line (and brand) have been VERY consistent over the years, so if you're a fan, you're going to like the 200M. Hell, even if you're not a fan of Cambridge, I still think you'll be a fan of the 200M, for it's really good!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Indeed.. I have my eye out for their network streamer (CXNV2?) too.. but waiting for native Amazon Music HD integration that their folks say are in progress and hope to be available in 2021. PLUS, I also have my eye out on their AlvaTT turntable due to its Bluetooth AptxHD capabilities. Too many choices !!!! I love the minimalist design too ! Plus, their customer support is OUTSTANDING based upon first hand experience. Someday.....
My friend brought his around to test in my system. I'm fairly mid range and have reasonable level equipment. The dacmagic vs the Wolfson DACs in my ageing Arcam cd33 had very slight differences ( not better not worse just different) My Nobsound fx6 DAC bought on the absolute cheap as a quick first DAC 2 year ago held its own against the Arcam and The Dacmagic Price : £39 I'm going to upgrade my DAC soon but for a real budget ( like how cheap in the audio world is £39) DAC do check them out . I was absolutely skint at the time after a first round of upgrades. This little DAC has been great for 2 years
@@sbwlearning1372 I agree... for the most part based upon my very limited experience, the differences are minute... I have 3 DACs and it's really hard to tell much difference. It could be because I have an SET all vacuum tube system driving a horn loaded speaker that is known to be not accurate, or more coloration ? Who knows ? I won't be spending more than $1000 on a DAC, that's for sure as it changes so much...
I purchased a dragonfly red and it's a massive enhancement on my system. I put in on my Xiaomi Mibox S + smsl Q5pro + FX audio tube preamp + Klipsch Rp600m
DACs with included volume (gain) control are a great alternative to a traditional pre-amp, so they go great with a separate power amp or active speakers. The drawback, though, is you lose the source selection function which is a tough choice to make if you have analog sources. I recently added to my system an RME ADI-2 fs DAC which I'm hugely happy with, given its multiple talents. But I'm wrestling with finding a way to play my old cassettes on my 3-head Sony tape deck. Not exactly high-end audio but still a lovely old-school collection. Vinyl lovers, especially, will encounter the same dilemma. The vast majority of music, however, is now in digital format, so the volume-enabled DAC can be a go-to solution for many audiophiles, which should have pre-amp manufacturers worried.
i’m just getting into vinyl!! my first setup consists of a uturn orbit, cambridge axr85, and wharfedale denton 85th’s. thanks for the great videos andrew!
Great review. Love CA products, had many of them over the years. Allthough I think this one does not bring anything to my current setup. What becomes to external dacs and their abilities to improve sound, i think they come somewhere right behind cables (digital cables that is). Atleast with an average system like mine. Had an Modi3 once, sold it after 2 weeks.
What BT/DAC device are you using to connect the AlvaTT? I am seriously considering the AlvaTT as I am fascinated by the AptxHD codec it supports. Was it hard to pair BT with it ? Seems like there is really no control capabilities other then resetting BT connection and let it do its thing ?
@@ptg01 Kanto YU6: they pair with AptxHD-I have my TT in one room and the speakers in my music room (guitars, amplifiers, etc.). No better way to jam to some music.
I understand how a DAC can produce noise due to interference on the analog part of the conversion. But I do not understand how can two DACs sound different. Can anyone explain why that could be the case ?
It's all about the implementation. And it's not sorcery. I guess the analogy that comes to mind is a masterful chef and an amateur get the same ingredients... the preparation that the master chef uses, the ratios, the totality of the prep and final cooking. Same produce. Completely different end products. Now that's with off the shelf dac chips e.g. saber, burr Brown, etc. But you also get to FPGA designs like chord uses... basically the FPGA is a modular chip that you can program to be whatever you want it to be. Like a controller or a dac. In that case it's ALL about the programming and implementation. Further up the line you see R2R dacs... (resistor to resistor). They aren't using off the shelf saber, burr Brown, Wolfson, or akm chips from the usual sources but rather an electrical assembly of resistors that are often hand selected and tested (much like tubes) to provide precision handling of electrical signal. Remember that sound waves, organically speaking, look like smooth peaks and valleys with infinite nuance at any level you may zoom in or magnify. But with digital, you have finite peaks and values as sampled over a specific period of time. The value must be represented by a specific value. It cannot be as fluid or organic and has limited amount of resolution for practical reasons, such as file size. You can't really draw a smooth edge or circle with square bits and pixels just like if you ever magnified digital art on your computer. The round edges are blurred by square pixels to approximate the effect. At a distance it looks like a circle or a smooth wave, but the more you zoom in or magnify, the more harsh and distorted the reality of those edges appear. Same happens in music. When you get equipment that can expose those edges it becomes more apparent. And a quality implementation of a DAC will do it's best to not only smooth those edges but provide a recipe for overall tonality that you may enjoy over another chefs implementation
@@erics.4113 Your explanation does not make sense to me at all. All the DAC is doing is translating the information from the file into electrical pulses. It doesn't make sound waves, be them smooth, pixelated or otherwise. That's the speaker's job.
@@DrinkWater713 it's converting digital bits into an analog signal. Yes it's all voltage and it's not technically drawing or graphing sound waves as we represent them visually. But the analogy is still there, because, ultimately, they are being created in the signalling. The speakers generate the real world physical waves, but what you feed them matters. You can try different dac implementations of the same base chipset yourself and hear differences with the "recipes" Of course, the other components in your chain will have impact on these differences just like the room, your chair, and what's between those ears of yours 😉
OMG!! Was this all Greek to me!!! For the most part. I probably only have what's known these days as a DAC in my CD player both in home and in my car. I still need to know how to get a letter to you. Thanks for your continued quality and style!!
Hi Andrew: right now I stream from a 2008 MacBook Pro into a Cambridge DacMagic 200 M (purchased upon your recommendation), hooked up to a Musical Fidelity M5si (another splendid recommendation), playing through 1984 Klipsch Cornwalls. Is there a better way to stream to my system, that is not duplicative of the DacMagic? Would a newer laptop, or maybe a newer iPad, provide better quality? Thank you for your help. I watch your videos as soon as they are released. Jim Lionberger, Longmont Colorado.
I have a question about dacs. I have an older Denon receiver and I do stream music via a Bluetooth adapter that I added on. Would it be worth it to purchase a dac to improve the sound or should I invest in a new receiver with a dac built in. I do have some new Polk speakers on the way (I hope) so I really want my system to sound the best it can. Thanks so much for your time and I love your RUclips channel. Thanks again, Darren Osley
Hello Andrew. A great and clean review once again! I was actually thinking of adding the dacmadgic 200m for my cxn v2 due to the ability of MQA, and also headphone amp. After watching this video I am now thinking what should I do.... One more thing on what I would like your input: what are your thoughts about the sennheiser hd 600 as an open back headphones as a complementary pair to a closed back ones. Keep safe.
So ditch my Dragonfly Red that sits between my MacBook Air (Intel) and my Kantos YU4’s? I like the Red because with a little dongle ugliness I can use it on my iPhone with Tidal or local .FLAC files and it really makes a difference there when feeding my Ultimate Ears 18+ Pro IEM’s. So, I guess my answer is outboard DAC’s have limited applications for my listening that don’t make a clean cost/benefit argument. Granted, my experience is limited in this arena.
External DAC end all be all for me...if a very recent version of a DAC chip is internal to the component and implementation has been reviewed as complimentary, like the Technics SL-G700's, than saves a box while still achieving an external DAC's purpose.
Since I was not happy anymore with my old system and was listening more and more music online, I got interested in experimenting with new loudspeakers and dac's to improve the sound of the online sources. Many nice reviews later I wasn't sure Schiit Modi, Cambridge DacMagic, Chord Mojo, Fii, smsl, dragonfly etc. so I looked on the used market and bought myself a chord mojo in mint condition for 320€. Thought I take something more special to see if I feel a difference... I use it as connection from laptop to headphones or to my old hifi. And yes it makes the sound somehow sweeter and less cold. I will also try it with the cd-player. Think, after buying a new receiver with a good dac, the search is over.
Depends... If you are listening to audio from your phone headphone jack or from your laptop, yeah it is a game changer. Also, if you precisely know what are you looking for, it can be. But if you are a casual listener and you are trying to improve already good system, you probably won't hear a big difference.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews i see so the review might be more focus on home-theater system then. Looking forward to it keep up the good work. Greetings from France .
so if I understood you correctly: SMSL 500 being more neutral means it is worse than CA - hmm ;-) I always thought we are looking for as linear as possible components - at least in the DAC that is source-like component. Once you lose the high frequency you cannot restore it later
No it’s not worse just different. I ultimately prefer the 200M but those seeking a little less coloration or top end extension may want to check out the SMSL.
No need to say "digital" DAC because there's no analogue dac by comparison. DAC is a DAC whether it has chips or RTR or tubes or no tubes it's still a box that converts Digital information (ones and zeros) and turns it into analogue information (voltage).
Thanks for the review. I've been on the fence about pitching in a few times, but I feel the time has come. I've been watching and reading reviews on DACs lately, and I'm not even in the market for one. However, you were the first reviewer who took the time to clarify how you see a dedicated DAC, and what sense it can make for different use cases. The reason I became interested in finding out more about dedicated DACs is the fact that I recently installed Volumio on a RasbperyPi 3b. Now, as you mentioned, the headphone jack on the Mac Mini isn't great, which is something you can say about most computers in general, and even more so for something like the Pi. So, I started by using an HDMI extractor, which worked better than I expected, but was considering an upgrade to the iFi Zen DAC (I would welcome such a review, btw), when I realized I already had a good one, in the form of my Yamaha MG12XU USB mixer, which was already on my desktop to begin with. Having said that, I think the 200M would be a great addition to your vintage systems, or for anyone in a similar situation (having great amplifiers that lack a built-in DAC, or CD players with great build quality, but older DACs).
I am in the market for my first DAC to pair with my labtop. I run my audio into a Pioneer Integrated A-757 amp. Dual mono block. Then into my 70's Infinity 5000 3 way monitors. I listen to everything from Rush, to Sabbath, then Oscar Peterson, then Sibelius. And everything in between. Thoughts about how the 200M might perform.
Nice review Andrew. What were your thoughts of the built-in dacs in the Musical Fidelity M5si or the M6si? Also considering the M6si as a one box solution for the DAC as well as the phono stage. Looking at one of those two for my next upgrade. Thanks.
The built-in DAC on the M5si was not used in this review or for comparison as it's not THAT full featured. The DacMagic 200M would be an "upgrade" compared to the internal DAC on the M5si. I have no comment on the M6si as I have not heard it.
Hi, I am just now exploring the world of stand alone DAC's. The 200m seems like it would blend well with my Cambridge CXA 80. How does the DAC that is built into the CXA 80 compare to the 200m, I'm not sure. Is it redundant? Any feed back would be appreciated.
I have the cxa81 and the 200m, the dac in the Cx series isn’t great (low signal to noise ratio, bad implementation) if you trust the measurements, however I do find it sounds better
Thanks for the review Andrew. My brother recently purchased a Schitt Modi and I've been considering purchasing one as well for my vintage 2 channel system. I love that the Cambridge has more flexibility but it sounds like you would recommend/prefer the Schiit Modi for a living room system. Is that correct? Thanks again.
For a year only with just Klipsch R-51 PM(No SW) I recently got my Linton and Leak stereo 130..... i’m very very very happy with them, I also use Leak BT with my Tidal streaming and i’m very very very happy with it..... Do I need one more DAC such as 200M? No... not for now..... but i’m sure would like to try the 200M with my present setting....
My systems priority is analog Tube gear and two turntables. I have a CD player hooked up to a schiit mani when I stream I use a rocket fish Bluetooth receiver. Will I hear a difference if I put the Mani into the mix?
I have been able to place a high end DAC in my system, a Berkley Alpha 2 and it definitely was way way more than a tweak , however I decided not to purchase it and picked up a Gustard A22 + which was much less expensive but not cheap and does have MQA ,while I must admit the DACs in my system all sound sweet ,I still enjoy having the sound of the separate DAC preferable when listening to music . Whether or not its an unconscious confirmation bias ,,,,who can say ?
I have the DacMagic Plus - originally bought second-hand then replaced as new when it failed after years of service (borderline acceptable, but still the best replacement option on market). This video doesn't cover the best features for me - aside from sound quality which is of course the first requirement! In my house we use it as a digital media-switcher to interface with a pretty big 2.2 channel sound system. The sound system is always at very high volume, so the quality of input is critical as even the slightest dirturbances would get seriously amplified. Instead it sits silent, even with your ear to one of the many speakers. The DacMagic handles silence and SNR in the absolute toughest of circumstances - the main inputs are an over-spec 1200W desktop computer with water-cooling, fans, rotating hard drives and lots of other electrical noise, and an ageing laptop. Both these devices are completely unsuitable for music playback when plugged in through a headphone jack or any internal sound card... but using the Dac by USB, bluetooth or SPDIF completely clears the air of interference. Thank god for that. Better yet, DacMagic outputs to the crossover by balanced XLR outputs, so even the cheapest XLR cables will negate crosstalk or electrical interference simply by the nature of that interface. For hyper-nerd computer-source audiophiles like me I absolutely recommend this Dac, although I'm surprised that the new version didn't incorporate WIFI & source elements so it could act as, for example, an internet radio or streamer instead of just a throughput box. PS - it's also a very capable headphone amp for those who are in a position to place it somewhere near their listening spot!
A DAC can really make a difference, but it's also a very subjective implementation. I my system, my setup just seemed a bit lean with a Schitt Modi 2. I got a god deal on an airist audio R2R, HUGE improvement. Very palpable change in the system overall. The R2R measures "poorly" to those that worship the numbers, but the tonal character, scale, stage and even micro detail was a big difference. There was a feeling reminiscent of what could be described as second order harmonics, something that is more prevalent with tubes or a Nelson Pass amp. Made quick comparisons between them with the same reference tracks, then hung out with the R2R for a while, brought back in the Modi for a while. But this is based on my own setup. Whatever change I'd make I felt and heard a big improvement with the R2R. it may just come down to the output stage? Who knows....but I can tell.
I find a DAC between my Apple iMac 27 inch to be a necessity. The only digital sockets (out) on the iMac are USB. The old iMac had an optical out but Apple didn't include one on the new computer. I have an aging, though still good, Cyrus amp and Mission speakers for small sound system in the "man cave". My current DAC is a a discontinued Arcam r-Pac (gifted by a friend) which is USB powered. I intend to try the CA 200M to see if it improves the sound which lacks punch. I feel some retail therapy coming on.
★ *REVIEWING: **amzn.to/3rS2jHb**, **bit.ly/3775Yci** ADDITIONAL INFO IN THE DESCRIPTION⬆︎*
★ *QOTD: Is a DAC a must have, or do you view it more of a tweak to what you already have?*
★ *COMMENT RULES: Please be respectful. No outside links, URLs, email addresses, etc. Violations are automatically deleted.*
In my case DAC is not a must. Tweak fits very well. My system is budget wise, and current bottleneck is a two way speakers which struggles when scene gets complex. Using a DAC (cheap one) in my case is like abusing of contrast in imaging to obtain a better defined picture at the cost of dynamics. My speakers when feed with stereoids define better. So I prefer to avoid it, but it comes handy for some genres my system underperforms.
Thank you I’m moving to woodlands in Maine. CDs, vinyl , and satellite radio. I want to try you tube music and wasn’t sure if a descent Bluetooth and or with built in Dac or separate. Budget conscious.
A DAC is a must for me now. I recently upgraded my amp to a Marantz PM8006 that doesn’t have a built in DAC. I chose the Marantz for that very reason.
I have an Aune X1S DAC that I had been using on my desk too system for years. One day I decided to connect it to my Yamaha 301 amp whose DAC I had been happily using for over a year. The difference it made in sound quality was dramatic. To the point where the 301 sounded like a much more expensive Amp. I had a similar revelation when I upgraded my phono stage.
So when I decided to upgrade my amp having a built in DAC was a low priority as there seem to be many excellent external DAC options available.
I currently have a Chromecast Audio going into the optical connector on my X1S and a Raspberry Pi w/ Hifiberry Digi+ Pro HAT feeding the coax port. Both sound excellent via the PM8006.
BTW, you should do a review of the Marantz amp. I think it sounds great.
I have my 17” MacBook Pro Mac Pro 2010 connected to my other Onkyo HT-R398 5.1 surround sound with toslink cable. My home theatre is connected with Onkyo TXNR686 and Apple TV . My other Mac Pro 2010 DP don’t have sound system yet. You turn me on for the 200
I think DACs are a tweak after you have covered all your bases. I struggle with adding a external DAC to my CD transport (Music Hall 25). The DAC in the Cambridge CXA61 is good...but keep wondering if I need a better one.
I have a Topping E30 connected to a small HTPC and to a Bluray player. For €130 it's a bargain, it sounds awesome and even does DSD from the computer. And it has a remote to switch between inputs without getting my butt off the couch.
Cambridge has been on their game in the last couple of years.... The wife bought me a Cambridge Amp and speakers this past Christmas and I'm in love with their warm laidback sound.
Thats good to know. Most cambridge stuff ive bought second hand has been bright and hard to listen to
My wife got me the dac magic 200 for my birthday. I had the dac for a couple of weeks before I saw this video and I must say I agree with you 100% on sound signature. I have a musical Fidelity M6 SI and it sound pretty good when I pair it to the Dacmagic. But in another room, I have a Hegel h95. When I hooked the dacmagic up to the Hegel it blew me away! I see why they call it magic. I'm upgrading from S.M.S.L SU-8. The Hegel H95 has an incredible dac but it does not do DSD or MQA and is capped at 24/96 on the USB input and optical input.
Having owned 20+ DACs in my life, and listening exclusively to digital sources, I have to say that the DAC is the most important component in my signal chain. In the end it's all about the implementation, any DAC has an analog output stage, and that can and will sound very differently depending on the implementation.
Please make your own video good better best and superb!
@@Ryan-yi6su positive, comparative and superlative - don't think there's a stage beyond that:) Yes, maybe I will make a video in the future.
I bought one a month ago. I love it. Hooked up to my MacBook and Focal Clears, I stream Tidal Masters MQA. The sound is a revelation. It is the best sound I’ve ever heard. Incredible value for $500.
I have the Original DACMagic from about 10 years ago and just can't let go of it. Oh and I use it for my laptop and my Node2i as I like its sound better.
Combine your vintage pioneer and the Klipschs.... sweet!!! You going to love that combination
I use my DAC Magic 200M to take the coax output from my Sony DVD/CD player UBP x800M2 and run it into my NAD 325BEEE stereo amp. Same for optical out from my TV.
I agree. Too many DACs today are over analytical in their sound performance. It's not everyday you come across a DAC that emphasises musicality over precision
The only extra dac I’m using is the audioquest cobalt Dragonfly for listening from my IPad with headphone. At the moment I have a Grado sr 125e, but I ordered a Hifiman Sundara at my local dealer. The Dragonfly is a really upgrade for listening music a specially with Classical music and acoustic music. And also for blues, rock ore music like Pink Floyd.
Great review Andrew.
I own a Cambridge Audio Dacmagic plus. I have connected my FIIO portable digital player and my Onkyo CD changer via coaxial cables to it. I also can connect a TV and a blue ray via optical cables if I want to watch videos. The DAC is connected with RCA cable to the AUX entrance of one of my vintage amplifiers (Sansui AU 6600 or Kenwood KA 7100, depending which one I have in use).
This way I can have multiple sources connected to the AUX entrance of my amplifier and I don't need to go behind disconnecting and connecting different cables any time I want to change the source. At the same time I'm replacing the use of a mediocre DAC for a much better one for the case of the TV and a cheap blue ray player.
This is a very good sounding dac and a great solution for my digital listening necessities. At this point there isn't a reason for me to upgrade to this new version. Yes not having a remote to change de source in the dac is a little inconvenient, but at the same time my amplifiers are from the era of great tactile knobs and switches way before remote controls, so not a big deal.
Andrew, thank you for keeping audio...human. I put the 200M paired with my Tannoy (gold 7) speakers and and I smiled.
I prefer the analog and digital parts of my system to be separated, both because I also play records and also for the ease of upgrade (the digital part evolves faster than the analog one). Also I think that a machine purposefully built for a task should be better than a generic circuit added to another device (I think the same about integrated phono preamp), and I don't like that if I upgrade to a better dac the integrated one stays dead inside your device, maintaining the added complexity for something you don't use.
Not having a built in DAC is why a recently chose a Marantz PM8006 over a Cambridge CXA61.
Well its exactly as you say with regards to older equipment. I had a 20 year old fairly high end Marantz CD player and integrated amp. In 2019 I 'upgraded' to a fairly modest but newly released Marantz receiver. I plugged the CD player in initially through RCAs. Good. Then I tried the coax - in other words I switched from the 20 year old DAC built-in to the CD player to the new one in the receiver and I heard a pretty big improvement in articulation and sound quality. I wasn't at all dissatisfied with the sound through the RCAs but having tried the coax there was no question of switching back.
I have an earlier DacMagic. I chose that because I felt it would be better than the DACs on my PC. So I bypass my mid-towers DACs on the motherboard and use the DacMagic, then to an NAD amp and my speakers. I have a SoundblasterZ sound card that I don't use any processing on, I just pass the signal via TOSLINK/SPDIF out to the DacMagic. Works fine for me.
Owner of a Dacmagic Plus here, as far as I can see, the 200M has swapped one coax/optical input for a built in BT antenna, which is a good choice IMO.
For the Dacmagic Plus you needed to buy a separate antenna for 100 bucks.
Other than that it's not much different, except for higher sample rates and MQA support (which I won't ever use).
To me, the most important function of the Dacmagic is to use it as a USB DAC on my PC and as a DAC for a CD transport.
That way you can buy a trashy CD player from Craigslist and bypass the crappy DAC to get all there is from CD (yes, CDs are still a thing lol).
Because the DAC in a CD player makes/breaks over 95% of the CD sound quality.
I would love if it would have remote ! I'm using usb, optical spdif and Bluetooth inputs usually in living room.
Agreed. If it can be a preamp, it neeeeds to come with a remote.
Thanks for reviewing this - I just bought one quite impulsively then decided to panic-watch reviews. You've made me feel a lot better about splashing the cash now
LOL I did the same thing. Andrew's review made me feel that my purchase was worthwhile.
Ditto. And I keep doing it even though I'm very happy with the purchase.
That's really funny. Because I get it. I heard a reviewer talk some smack on the high end of an integrated I bought and it just bounced around my head when listening even though I hadn't heard it myself, before the review. Just be careful. Power of suggestion can reinforce and ruin!! Trust thy self lol
I bought a USB Dac, from China, it had a deprecated TI IC, and is absolutely flawless. 4$. No noise, no distortion, nothing, just music
I really liked the DacMagic Plus when I had it, so I'm glad and unsurprised that this unit performs well.
I have also loved Cambridge Audio components. I use a DAC with CD player. This DacMagic looks great.
Choose carefully when purchasing a DAC. I was using a Bluesound Node 2i with my Elac Navis Speakers and though i could get better sound by purchasing a separate DAC. So i purchased a Denfrips Ares II for $1,300 AUD and i couldn't hear anything different. So now its for for sales and i will be making a loss. Always try before you buy. Great review ! always enjoy
Thanks Andrew for the review. On my desktop I ended up going with the NAD USB DAC 2 to an older technics Integrated amplifier, prior to which I was using a Bluetooth receiver. What an enormous difference it made, I am enjoying all my music again and it is in no small part to this channel.
Thank you
Thanks for sharing! So glad to hear you are enjoying your system!
Loved everything about this review - production standards, Andrew's knowledge and vibe, etc.
I've had my DACMagic 200M for about 10 days. But I'm a complete bonehead. I don't even know what I don't know. Here's what I DO know. I have awful Klipsch Synergy surrounds circa 2003, a Velodyne 12" sub circa not too much later, a Denon AVR-1912 receiver circa 2011. And for my nighttime listening sessions I front end with a Node 2i, which I've had for about 20 days. I have no issue spending money to update my stuff, but it's a pain in the butt considering our small house, weird layout, and need for combined home theater and audio. So....
For me, the DACMagic 200 is a game changer, but that could be because I'm experiencing high res for nearly the first time. I find myself getting sucked into music like I can't remember doing since I was in my 20s. That was a LONG time ago. I recently dialed way back on Indie Rock -- too tired of trying to keep up - and am going big into classical and straight up jazz. Right now I'm listening to Mingus' "Ah Um" with a pair of Audio-Technica low-end cans connected by wire (not BT). Even as a headphone amp, this is a glorious way for me to have spent $300. Highly recommended.
My opinion on Dax is simple, when you're driving from a bad one, it's the only thing you think about. Squared away home Hi-Fi systems shouldn't ever need one. But if you're trying to drive any kind of decent monitor from a laptop or desktop oh, you're going to need something to clean up that signal at least. Anyone who tells you onboard audio is acceptable doesn't ever use anything but their Turtle Beach gaming headset to listen
Just what I am looking for but after seeing the price, I saved it for later. Good job on the video.
You must have this for a transporter that will of course be able to play SACD discs
I have been using the headphone jack on my M1 Mac mini with IEMs and my old ears have not notice any degradations. I do recommend a Jack, I have a TRRS plug to TRRS jack cable extension connected and the jack tied down under the monitor. That way I can use it with a mike/headset for conference calls and presentations. as well as listening. For everyday sound I pipe it from the HDMI monitor to a pair of old Creative t20 (you tube and other web video) and for listening a dedicated AMP/DAC using USB.
Your reviews are very intelligibly relatable and I appreciate you both for the time and effort you put into them
Thank you so much, Josh! We appreciate you watching!
I'm addicted now!
I got the 200M and returned it within 3 days. This 200M for some reason Cambridge didn't do enough testing.
If you use it as an external DAC. I noticed that MQA playback is unstable when the MQA passthrough is enabled. Songs constantly drop and stutter. I have tried all the MQA albums, every time when I hit play on the song, music plays but the MQA will not trigged instantly. It takes like 1 sec or so for the MQA to engaged. The MQA light and sampling rate will not light up till 1 sec. I can also hear a small click sound from speaker when switching from normal to MQA files. Other people also experienced the same thing. I already emailed cambridge tech support group and they are looking at the problems. And sound from the ES9028Q2M is not as great. I did a comparison to my ES9016 8-channel. ES9106 just have way more clarity. Long story short, I returned it back to seller and got my full refund.
With my previous system, I realised that yes, DACs can definitely make or break a system. I had the CA DacMagic 100 in that, and that sounded pretty good. Then, that DAC moved to my desktop setup, and I used the onboard DAC from my Onkyo home theatre amp, and after a while I realised that something wasn’t quite right. I stopped enjoying listening to music with the DacMagic removed. So I moved it back to the speaker system. Now, with my new system, I can hear that it has quite a lot of potential. With my headphones (desktop) system, I was using my PC’s onboard audio output into my Magni 3, and again I stopped enjoying listening to music with that system. Once I hooked up the DacMagic back to that system, suddenly my music had life again.
I'm a gear-head that wishes he wasn't. On your recommendation, I got a Marantz NR1200. Love it. I had an external phono-preamp already so, that took care of that negative aspect for me. I love the way everything sounds on this receiver.
But...
I wonder if an external DAC would sound better than what's in there already? I'm not expecting an answer from you but rather I'm confessing because I just want to not think about the gear and just hear the music. The NR1200 has made me think that an external DAC just isn't needed but it's just sitting there, in the back of my mind. What if?
You likely are going to be okay with what you have (I mean, you will be okay), but if you were to experiment with a DAC, this is a good, relatively affordable option to try. I'd go this route before spending a TON of money on a DAC to see if there is a worthwhile difference.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews I think you just saved me a bunch of time! Thanks!
I'm a happy owner of Cambridge Audio CXN V2 and it suffers from same issue. When used as pre amp it sound "dry" to me. I have fixed it with addition of Musical Fidelity X10D tube buffer. Completely different sound signature now. Bottom end is rich and thick and mids and highs are silky smooth. Highly recommend for all CXN V2 users. Cheers
One more thing Andrew, are you planning to review Edifier S3000pro? I had many traditional speakers in last couple of years and these bad boys made me rethink my hifi separates. One thing though, bass on -6db setting as they can sound boomy at times. Thanks
Have an OG DacMagic Plus and even now i still adore it. Amp is weak but BUT damn its compatibility as balanced DAC is a lifesaver
I use an external headphone amp with this DAC via the balanced connections. No complaints.
"smooth, analogue like, exceptional mids, fuller, smoothing off of high end/not fatiguing" sounds like the right DAC for me and perhaps a good way to get some of that "cambridge sound" with my roon raspberri pi, non cambridge cd transport and non cambridge dac-less integrated amp ...
thanks for the great video! I think I will be buying one. while my rme adi dac 2 fs is great, its almost too clean and crisp and the high end can definitely be fatiguing with some music...
definitely agree that speakers and room acoustics play the larger role in overall sound.
I don't consider a DAC a tweak, personally. I'd say it's more of a foundation. Without a good DAC, whether integrated or separate, your system is bottlenecked from the start. However, as long as you have a decent one, upgrading it will only get you so far, removing an information bottleneck and perhaps acting more as a tweak in terms of audio qualities.
what would u call high level system 2:58 ? is my denon avr x3300w about 6 years old atmos receiver high level or i would hear difference adding Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M to the chain for stereo mode connected to my pc ?
I know recoding speakers isn’t a good example but I would interested to have an example of what you hear by recoding speakers with a decent mic and doing the same without the dac or other items you review.
Andrew, thank you for the informative DacMagic review. However, what I found most impressive about your video was your personal, presentation skills. Your on camera presence and buttery smooth delivery is absolutely superb! Were you using an ear prompter or a teleprompter? If not, then you have to be a professional within the industry - what a terrific job of conveying information is such a relaxed and entertaining fashion. You held your audience's attention all the way through - nice work!
Really appreciate the kind comments! While I do not rely on a prompter, we do script out the review ahead of time and so that is what I'm working from while filming.
Well I'm actually thinking of purchasing the Cambridge Audio 200M so I can connect it with a pair of Tannoy Gold 8 speakers and dual Tannoy TFX subwoofers. It should be a good little setup for the bedroom 👍
Is it expensive to include remote capability? Does it interfere with the sound quality in some way? I really don't understand why they didn't include it. I would have tried this unit if it had a remote...what a shame!
its meant for desktop eco systems if you ask me. so youre always at arms length. keep in mind most speakers come with a remote. you would want to use that. i dont think a remote would interfere with sound quality?
DAC's are an interesting way to adjust the sound of a system akin to a image filter in photography. The quality of these changes is subjective and personal.... and that's a good thing. Switching system elements allows me to gain a new perspective that breathes new life into audio. While an external DAC is not needed (in most cases) the act of DAC swapping is a welcome addition to my system.
Andrew, first I really, really love your channel. Now about all this DAC stuff. As you are aware there are DAC ads all over the place at different price points with most promising the ultimate in Digital to Analog conversion. Now my OPPO 203 has what is purported to be a very high end DAC as does my Denon 1600NE SACD Player as does my Marantz SR7013. So with this in mind and the fact, that not all DACs are created equally and that most people probably can't hear the difference anyway how do you combat the endless pursuit by many audiophiles myself and others; although I've managed to control my impulses thus far, for the holy grail of the ultimate Analog conversion from Digital. I know personally I have switched back from letting my SACD player use it's DAC or letting the Marantz do the conversion with the end result probably being in the realm of my active imagination.
With Apple's late night release of Lossless, we're going to need more DAC talk Andrew. This was helpful. Thank you.
Apple ear buds are incredible
@@rajendrabiswas I thought I would give the Earbud Pro a go after seeing your comment, and they are very clear. Missing a little bass though.
@@marcgoldstein2957 I swear it’s better than my HD 599 seinheisher .. but earbuds have software handshake .. so I also have to get a DAC for my 599
Does this DAC have a phase/polarity function?
I would love a comparison of this vs a Topping e30.
Not possible the e30 is on another level
The e30 has a remote which is nice when used in a racked system.
Hi Andrew - thanks again for another great video! I’m really enjoying your content! A quick question if I may ask please: You mentioned during the review that you tested both the balanced and unbalanced outputs - was there a significant difference between the two, especially in the context of using with your Tannoy Gold Fives (which look amazing btw!)? Thank you so much in advance for your help!
That was a great review.
I want to ask for your opinion:
I have a Denon X3700h and Marantz MM8077 with Klipsch RP 5.2.2 speakers set.
Do you think that M200 will make a difference in music?
I like how my Denon sound, but maybe because i haven't heard anything else. I think I want to get a DAC just for the music.
Do you think it is a good idea?
Excellent. An incisive, informed, organised and well presented review. Having bought a 200m with few comparative reviews around at the time, it is a relief to hear good news from an informed source!
As you say, an incredibly ‘musical’ DAC revealing so much of what the musician intended. I have also watched a couple of movies with it and found myself incredibly engaged with the sound. These attributes are difficult to quantify and too often ignored but really, this IS what all this equipment is for. I thought your ‘slowed tempo‘ metaphor was brilliant and summed up the DACs capabilities admirably.
I would like to add that at the (UK) price point, including as it does a dual head pre-amp, additional co-ax and optical inputs and Bluetooth (if you must!) this is an extremely well judged proposition. In my experience (Focusrite, MOTU, Audioquest), it is substantially ahead of the the entry level stand-alone DACS whilst costing significantly less than the more esoteric offerings from, for example, NAIM or Audiolab.
Delighted with my Cambridge Audio Dacmagic 200m and to have found such an insightful reviewer. Thanks.
I usually work from home, even before covid and was always able to blast my stereo as much as I wanted while working. But now that my wife is working from home too, I had to change over to headphones. In this scenario, I would say yes, a desktop DAC/headphone amp is necessary. I got an ifi zen dac for $150 and I really like it. It would be interesting to see how it compares to the cambridge audio.
This is great! I'm currently looking into putting together a classic audio station (turntable and cassette deck) to pipe through my main audio setup so stuff like this comes up a lot in my search. I'm glad to hear your take on this (although, ultimately, it doesn't fit my needs).
I'm curious what your take on MQA is, though. Lots of controversy there, it seems. I personally prefer to go the lossless or Hi-Res route myself since storage really isn't a problem anymore, but there are people who swear that MQA is superior despite the fact that it's a lossy format (I'm very skeptical of this declared superiority, myself).
Thank you for watching. I like MQA and don't get caught up in the drama over is it or is it not. MQA isn't perfect, and if you take into account how it often "louder" than its CD counterpart, it can be more difficult to discern its quality over that of just CD. But that said, there are recordings where it does sound markedly better, but not every MQA title was originally recorded in high or higher res so its little more than sonic scaling. I'm glad to see it included or supported here, but fully admit that one does not NEED it to enjoy their favorite music.
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Cool. I'm not super-opposed to it myself. Certain environments seem to be a better venue for it. If it can make anything sound better through my JBL earbuds, then I don't mind so much. There's already so many different iterations of coloring and mucking with the original sound at that point that getting mad about it is pointless -- you're into the convenience aspect at that point. Might as well see how good you can get it to sound, right? What I'm concerned about is the licensing aspect of MQA. Gatekeeping its benefits in expensive hardware and putting a premium on files encoded with it seems gimmicky and slightly anti-consumer to me. Especially since FLAC can be played and enjoyed in its full glory on just about anything without too much fuss.
Thanks indeed for the no-nonsense, straight ahead review of the Cambridge 200m DAC. There is one question persisting though: Is the DAC in my Luxman L-590AX integrated Amp already doing what a Cambridge 200m would do for me upon it's addition to my system? I should note that most of my listening is through Spotify or RUclips Music (although I do use my Luxman P-151 turntable occasionally). My speakers are 2 Paradigm SE6000F's.
I just recently recommended the FiiO K5pro Desktop DAC (currently sold at €159) to a friend of mine to improve the audio quality over the on-board soundcard. I was surprised myself how much she is now raving about it.
I tested this DAC extensively over the weekend and switched back and forth with the internal DAC on the Bluesound Node (latest gen) and could hear absolutely no difference, however both the DM 200 and internal Bluesound Node DAC's beat the internal DAC on the the Cambridge CXA81 and were equal to the on-board DAC in the Parasound Halo Hint 6 based on my listening.
WOW .. you have no idea how much this info helped me. I am, actually on a verge between getting this DAC or the Bluesound NODE.. and was not sure if the internal dac of the Bluesound is way weaker. But if you say you barely noticed any difference... well.. I think that is a clear sign to get the bluesound... since it is way more than just a "DAC"! Can you confirm this?
I'm going to buy node because great blueos. I think maybe there are some diffs in dacs but after that you have different amplifiers, headphones, speakers. It doesn't make sense for me. I'm buying devices I like to use and look at it :)
Thank you, I have blue sound and glad this helped me to stay with it
I returned my dacmagic plus because I couldn't live with the lack of remote in a living room environment. Not having one is just stupid. I also seem to prefer the sound of sabre based dacs so the change was a win-win.
I have both, the plus as well as the 200M. In direct AB comparison, for me, the 200M has less punch and therefore I am a bit disappointed. It is a very subtle difference, until you know it ^^
And comparing to a teac cd player, for me, the integrated dac of the teac is punchier than the 200M.
DACs aren't really and end all fix all. But, in some cases they do make hooking things up easier - especially with older analog equpment.
I disagree. As stated in my other comment, in my case the DAC (or absence of it) could make or break a system. W/o: not fun to listen to, W: brings back the life to the music. Depends on the system, of course.
I have a California audio labs sigma 2 dac with the 24/96 card upgrade. I absolutely love it!
No remote pretty much makes for a deal breaker except for desktop usage. Agreed that DACs are merely expensive tweaks.
lol
So true... I have 3 DACs (2 external, 1 internal to an SACD player) and the differences are SO SMALL. Frankly, if I am not doing an A/B comparison, I could not tell a difference and would have been satisfied with any of them including the $100 Schitt Modi3 !! Sigh...
Cambridge Audio prides itself for great price / performance and preserves the "BRITISH SOUND".. Based upon this review, looks like they have been successful at it ! Well done !
Thanks for watching.
This is my 3rd DacMagic product that I've reviewed and this product line (and brand) have been VERY consistent over the years, so if you're a fan, you're going to like the 200M. Hell, even if you're not a fan of Cambridge, I still think you'll be a fan of the 200M, for it's really good!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews Indeed.. I have my eye out for their network streamer (CXNV2?) too.. but waiting for native Amazon Music HD integration that their folks say are in progress and hope to be available in 2021. PLUS, I also have my eye out on their AlvaTT turntable due to its Bluetooth AptxHD capabilities. Too many choices !!!! I love the minimalist design too ! Plus, their customer support is OUTSTANDING based upon first hand experience. Someday.....
My friend brought his around to test in my system. I'm fairly mid range and have reasonable level equipment.
The dacmagic vs the Wolfson DACs in my ageing Arcam cd33 had very slight differences ( not better not worse just different)
My Nobsound fx6 DAC bought on the absolute cheap as a quick first DAC 2 year ago held its own against the Arcam and The Dacmagic
Price : £39
I'm going to upgrade my DAC soon but for a real budget ( like how cheap in the audio world is £39) DAC do check them out . I was absolutely skint at the time after a first round of upgrades.
This little DAC has been great for 2 years
@@sbwlearning1372 I agree... for the most part based upon my very limited experience, the differences are minute... I have 3 DACs and it's really hard to tell much difference. It could be because I have an SET all vacuum tube system driving a horn loaded speaker that is known to be not accurate, or more coloration ? Who knows ? I won't be spending more than $1000 on a DAC, that's for sure as it changes so much...
I purchased a dragonfly red and it's a massive enhancement on my system. I put in on my Xiaomi Mibox S + smsl Q5pro + FX audio tube preamp + Klipsch Rp600m
DACs with included volume (gain) control are a great alternative to a traditional pre-amp, so they go great with a separate power amp or active speakers. The drawback, though, is you lose the source selection function which is a tough choice to make if you have analog sources. I recently added to my system an RME ADI-2 fs DAC which I'm hugely happy with, given its multiple talents. But I'm wrestling with finding a way to play my old cassettes on my 3-head Sony tape deck. Not exactly high-end audio but still a lovely old-school collection. Vinyl lovers, especially, will encounter the same dilemma. The vast majority of music, however, is now in digital format, so the volume-enabled DAC can be a go-to solution for many audiophiles, which should have pre-amp manufacturers worried.
i’m just getting into vinyl!! my first setup consists of a uturn orbit, cambridge axr85, and wharfedale denton 85th’s. thanks for the great videos andrew!
That's a great system! We really appreciate you watching and hope you continue to enjoy the music!
Great review. Love CA products, had many of them over the years. Allthough I think this one does not bring anything to my current setup.
What becomes to external dacs and their abilities to improve sound, i think they come somewhere right behind cables (digital cables that is). Atleast with an average system like mine. Had an Modi3 once, sold it after 2 weeks.
I know I’ve got no complaints with the DAC and Bluetooth connection on the Alva TT-so I assume there is at least a strong familial connection.
What BT/DAC device are you using to connect the AlvaTT? I am seriously considering the AlvaTT as I am fascinated by the AptxHD codec it supports. Was it hard to pair BT with it ? Seems like there is really no control capabilities other then resetting BT connection and let it do its thing ?
@@ptg01 Kanto YU6: they pair with AptxHD-I have my TT in one room and the speakers in my music room (guitars, amplifiers, etc.). No better way to jam to some music.
Hi, i am looking for a DAC for my PC and Beyerdynamic 1990 pro. Should I go for the Fiio K9 oder this one in the video?
This DAC supports DSD so have you tested it with DSD files or SACD disks?
I did not test it with SACD discs as I have none, but you are correct in that it has support for DSD files.
I understand how a DAC can produce noise due to interference on the analog part of the conversion. But I do not understand how can two DACs sound different. Can anyone explain why that could be the case ?
It's all about the implementation. And it's not sorcery. I guess the analogy that comes to mind is a masterful chef and an amateur get the same ingredients... the preparation that the master chef uses, the ratios, the totality of the prep and final cooking.
Same produce. Completely different end products.
Now that's with off the shelf dac chips e.g. saber, burr Brown, etc. But you also get to FPGA designs like chord uses... basically the FPGA is a modular chip that you can program to be whatever you want it to be. Like a controller or a dac. In that case it's ALL about the programming and implementation. Further up the line you see R2R dacs... (resistor to resistor). They aren't using off the shelf saber, burr Brown, Wolfson, or akm chips from the usual sources but rather an electrical assembly of resistors that are often hand selected and tested (much like tubes) to provide precision handling of electrical signal. Remember that sound waves, organically speaking, look like smooth peaks and valleys with infinite nuance at any level you may zoom in or magnify. But with digital, you have finite peaks and values as sampled over a specific period of time. The value must be represented by a specific value. It cannot be as fluid or organic and has limited amount of resolution for practical reasons, such as file size. You can't really draw a smooth edge or circle with square bits and pixels just like if you ever magnified digital art on your computer. The round edges are blurred by square pixels to approximate the effect. At a distance it looks like a circle or a smooth wave, but the more you zoom in or magnify, the more harsh and distorted the reality of those edges appear. Same happens in music. When you get equipment that can expose those edges it becomes more apparent. And a quality implementation of a DAC will do it's best to not only smooth those edges but provide a recipe for overall tonality that you may enjoy over another chefs implementation
@@erics.4113 Your explanation does not make sense to me at all. All the DAC is doing is translating the information from the file into electrical pulses. It doesn't make sound waves, be them smooth, pixelated or otherwise. That's the speaker's job.
@@DrinkWater713 it's converting digital bits into an analog signal. Yes it's all voltage and it's not technically drawing or graphing sound waves as we represent them visually. But the analogy is still there, because, ultimately, they are being created in the signalling. The speakers generate the real world physical waves, but what you feed them matters.
You can try different dac implementations of the same base chipset yourself and hear differences with the "recipes"
Of course, the other components in your chain will have impact on these differences just like the room, your chair, and what's between those ears of yours 😉
Really appreciate this review. It really helped me understand DACs a bit better. Just well done.
You may want to check out my personal test review
Great question, better answer!
OMG!! Was this all Greek to me!!! For the most part. I probably only have what's known these days as a DAC in my CD player both in home and in my car. I still need to know how to get a letter to you. Thanks for your continued quality and style!!
@robinsonbrand I have a Schiit Asgard 3 and Modius Dac stack. I was wondering do you think it would be an upgrade to get the 200M?
Hi Andrew: right now I stream from a 2008 MacBook Pro into a Cambridge DacMagic 200 M (purchased upon your recommendation), hooked up to a Musical Fidelity M5si (another splendid recommendation), playing through 1984 Klipsch Cornwalls. Is there a better way to stream to my system, that is not duplicative of the DacMagic? Would a newer laptop, or maybe a newer iPad, provide better quality? Thank you for your help. I watch your videos as soon as they are released. Jim Lionberger, Longmont Colorado.
I have a question about dacs. I have an older Denon receiver and I do stream music via a Bluetooth adapter that I added on. Would it be worth it to purchase a dac to improve the sound or should I invest in a new receiver with a dac built in. I do have some new Polk speakers on the way (I hope) so I really want my system to sound the best it can. Thanks so much for your time and I love your RUclips channel.
Thanks again,
Darren Osley
hello Andrew!!Is this dac better than cxa81 dac??I am a cx81 owner is it a real upgrade ??thank you!
Hello Andrew. A great and clean review once again!
I was actually thinking of adding the dacmadgic 200m for my cxn v2 due to the ability of MQA, and also headphone amp. After watching this video I am now thinking what should I do....
One more thing on what I would like your input: what are your thoughts about the sennheiser hd 600 as an open back headphones as a complementary pair to a closed back ones.
Keep safe.
Excellent review and I apreciate the no bull
Glad you enjoyed it!
So ditch my Dragonfly Red that sits between my MacBook Air (Intel) and my Kantos YU4’s? I like the Red because with a little dongle ugliness I can use it on my iPhone with Tidal or local .FLAC files and it really makes a difference there when feeding my Ultimate Ears 18+ Pro IEM’s. So, I guess my answer is outboard DAC’s have limited applications for my listening that don’t make a clean cost/benefit argument. Granted, my experience is limited in this arena.
I use a Audiolab M-Dac Plus with my Adam Audio T5V Active Monitors, which sounds Great with TV shows and Music
I have an "old" standard M-Dac, I really like it!
@@karellen00
Yeah Audiolab make some great sounding dacs
External DAC end all be all for me...if a very recent version of a DAC chip is internal to the component and implementation has been reviewed as complimentary, like the Technics SL-G700's, than saves a box while still achieving an external DAC's purpose.
Since I was not happy anymore with my old system and was listening more and more music online, I got interested in experimenting with new loudspeakers and dac's to improve the sound of the online sources. Many nice reviews later I wasn't sure Schiit Modi, Cambridge DacMagic, Chord Mojo, Fii, smsl, dragonfly etc. so I looked on the used market and bought myself a chord mojo in mint condition for 320€. Thought I take something more special to see if I feel a difference... I use it as connection from laptop to headphones or to my old hifi. And yes it makes the sound somehow sweeter and less cold. I will also try it with the cd-player. Think, after buying a new receiver with a good dac, the search is over.
Depends...
If you are listening to audio from your phone headphone jack or from your laptop, yeah it is a game changer.
Also, if you precisely know what are you looking for, it can be.
But if you are a casual listener and you are trying to improve already good system, you probably won't hear a big difference.
Guess i will be looking forward to your opinion on the focal Chora 826, if Im not mistaken seeing them on the living room .
They are the 826Ds actually. A review is coming!
@@andrewrobinsonreviews i see so the review might be more focus on home-theater system then.
Looking forward to it keep up the good work. Greetings from France .
so if I understood you correctly: SMSL 500 being more neutral means it is worse than CA - hmm ;-)
I always thought we are looking for as linear as possible components - at least in the DAC that is source-like component.
Once you lose the high frequency you cannot restore it later
No it’s not worse just different. I ultimately prefer the 200M but those seeking a little less coloration or top end extension may want to check out the SMSL.
Thanks to you this will be my first Digital DAC great review
No need to say "digital" DAC because there's no analogue dac by comparison. DAC is a DAC whether it has chips or RTR or tubes or no tubes it's still a box that converts Digital information (ones and zeros) and turns it into analogue information (voltage).
@@marcgabor9690 hey thanks for your info
Thanks for the review. I've been on the fence about pitching in a few times, but I feel the time has come. I've been watching and reading reviews on DACs lately, and I'm not even in the market for one. However, you were the first reviewer who took the time to clarify how you see a dedicated DAC, and what sense it can make for different use cases. The reason I became interested in finding out more about dedicated DACs is the fact that I recently installed Volumio on a RasbperyPi 3b. Now, as you mentioned, the headphone jack on the Mac Mini isn't great, which is something you can say about most computers in general, and even more so for something like the Pi. So, I started by using an HDMI extractor, which worked better than I expected, but was considering an upgrade to the iFi Zen DAC (I would welcome such a review, btw), when I realized I already had a good one, in the form of my Yamaha MG12XU USB mixer, which was already on my desktop to begin with. Having said that, I think the 200M would be a great addition to your vintage systems, or for anyone in a similar situation (having great amplifiers that lack a built-in DAC, or CD players with great build quality, but older DACs).
I am in the market for my first DAC to pair with my labtop. I run my audio into a Pioneer Integrated A-757 amp. Dual mono block. Then into my 70's Infinity 5000 3 way monitors. I listen to everything from Rush, to Sabbath, then Oscar Peterson, then Sibelius. And everything in between. Thoughts about how the 200M might perform.
Nice review Andrew. What were your thoughts of the built-in dacs in the Musical Fidelity M5si or the M6si? Also considering the M6si as a one box solution for the DAC as well as the phono stage. Looking at one of those two for my next upgrade. Thanks.
The built-in DAC on the M5si was not used in this review or for comparison as it's not THAT full featured. The DacMagic 200M would be an "upgrade" compared to the internal DAC on the M5si. I have no comment on the M6si as I have not heard it.
Hi, I am just now exploring the world of stand alone DAC's. The 200m seems like it would blend well with my Cambridge CXA 80. How does the DAC that is built into the CXA 80 compare to the 200m, I'm not sure. Is it redundant? Any feed back would be appreciated.
I have the cxa81 and the 200m, the dac in the Cx series isn’t great (low signal to noise ratio, bad implementation) if you trust the measurements, however I do find it sounds better
Thanks for the review Andrew.
My brother recently purchased a Schitt Modi and I've been considering purchasing one as well for my vintage 2 channel system. I love that the Cambridge has more flexibility but it sounds like you would recommend/prefer the Schiit Modi for a living room system. Is that correct? Thanks again.
Which cables did you use for the unbalanced setup? (rca to phono jack or adapters?)
For a year only with just Klipsch R-51 PM(No SW) I recently got my Linton and Leak stereo 130..... i’m very very very happy with them, I also use Leak BT with my Tidal streaming and i’m very very very happy with it..... Do I need one more DAC such as 200M? No... not for now..... but i’m sure would like to try the 200M with my present setting....
Could you share your mic setup you used to record this video? Thank you!
Hey you should try the iso-acoustics puck minis under the tannoy speakers in your desktop setup, made all the difference for me!
My systems priority is analog Tube gear and two turntables. I have a CD player hooked up to a schiit mani when I stream I use a rocket fish Bluetooth receiver. Will I hear a difference if I put the Mani into the mix?
I have been able to place a high end DAC in my system, a Berkley Alpha 2 and it definitely was way way more than a tweak , however I decided not to purchase it and picked up a Gustard A22 + which was much less expensive but not cheap and does have MQA ,while I must admit the DACs in my system all sound sweet ,I still enjoy having the sound of the separate DAC preferable when listening to music . Whether or not its an unconscious confirmation bias ,,,,who can say ?
I have the DacMagic Plus - originally bought second-hand then replaced as new when it failed after years of service (borderline acceptable, but still the best replacement option on market). This video doesn't cover the best features for me - aside from sound quality which is of course the first requirement! In my house we use it as a digital media-switcher to interface with a pretty big 2.2 channel sound system. The sound system is always at very high volume, so the quality of input is critical as even the slightest dirturbances would get seriously amplified. Instead it sits silent, even with your ear to one of the many speakers. The DacMagic handles silence and SNR in the absolute toughest of circumstances - the main inputs are an over-spec 1200W desktop computer with water-cooling, fans, rotating hard drives and lots of other electrical noise, and an ageing laptop. Both these devices are completely unsuitable for music playback when plugged in through a headphone jack or any internal sound card... but using the Dac by USB, bluetooth or SPDIF completely clears the air of interference. Thank god for that. Better yet, DacMagic outputs to the crossover by balanced XLR outputs, so even the cheapest XLR cables will negate crosstalk or electrical interference simply by the nature of that interface. For hyper-nerd computer-source audiophiles like me I absolutely recommend this Dac, although I'm surprised that the new version didn't incorporate WIFI & source elements so it could act as, for example, an internet radio or streamer instead of just a throughput box.
PS - it's also a very capable headphone amp for those who are in a position to place it somewhere near their listening spot!
A DAC can really make a difference, but it's also a very subjective implementation. I my system, my setup just seemed a bit lean with a Schitt Modi 2. I got a god deal on an airist audio R2R, HUGE improvement. Very palpable change in the system overall. The R2R measures "poorly" to those that worship the numbers, but the tonal character, scale, stage and even micro detail was a big difference. There was a feeling reminiscent of what could be described as second order harmonics, something that is more prevalent with tubes or a Nelson Pass amp. Made quick comparisons between them with the same reference tracks, then hung out with the R2R for a while, brought back in the Modi for a while. But this is based on my own setup. Whatever change I'd make I felt and heard a big improvement with the R2R. it may just come down to the output stage? Who knows....but I can tell.
I find a DAC between my Apple iMac 27 inch to be a necessity. The only digital sockets (out) on the iMac are USB. The old iMac had an optical out but Apple didn't include one on the new computer. I have an aging, though still good, Cyrus amp and Mission speakers for small sound system in the "man cave". My current DAC is a a discontinued Arcam r-Pac (gifted by a friend) which is USB powered. I intend to try the CA 200M to see if it improves the sound which lacks punch. I feel some retail therapy coming on.