Cambridge Audio’s ‘original’ £200 DacMagic (actually second-generation, albeit with a big gap between generations) was a huge success. It was so dominant that it earned a place as the DAC to beat if you were making, selling, or buying a sub-£400 Digital-to-Analog-Converter. But as with all good things, its time has finally come to an end and it has been replaced by the DacMagic Plus. But, with added features and a higher price tag of £350, does the Plus live up to its name? 

What’s changed? Most obvious is the addition of variable outputs controlled via a front panel volume knob. The front panel also sports a headphone jack as well as additional buttons for digital filter selection and absolute phase. On the inside of its diminutive case the Plus upconverts to 384 kHz and can now stream from a Bluetooth device, using hi-fi-grade aptX Bluetooth technology, via Cambridge’s optional BT 100 adapter.

At its heart, there beats twin Wolfson 8740 24-bit digital-to-analog converters in dual differential mode, coupled to Anagram Technologies Adapted Time Filtering 2 (ATF2) 24-bit/384kHz audio upsampling with jitter reduction. This goes to the variable outputs, from an Anagram-based non-bit-chopping digital control. This is claimed to deliver excellent channel tracking with low noise. Asynchronous USB connectivity arrived too late to be included in the previous DacMagic, but is a key part of this latest model.

Like the DacMagic it replaces, the DacMagic Plus can be considered a general purpose DAC that could be used either in a desktop or room-based system. However, certain of the DacMagic Plus’ features plainly work better in a desktop context, such as the lack of a remote control, but the inclusion of a headphone amp, multiple digital input and output options, as well as balanced and unbalanced analog outputs, all give the DacMagic Plus near-perfect ergonomics for use in advanced desktop systems. Combine the DacMagic Plus with powered speakers such as the Audioengine A5+ and you can have a complete, very high-quality desktop system for less than £1,000.

During set-up the DacMagic Plus had no significant issues. Straight out of the box the DacMagic Plus is configured to support up to 96/24 via USB 1.1. But for 192/24 capabilities you must change to USB 2.0 via a special combination of button pushes. The methodology for this conversion is buried on page 22 of the PDF version of the user’s guide, though in my view this information really needs to be on a separate “read me first” page. 

Once properly configured, the DacMagic Plus performed perfectly throughout the review period. But the DacMagic does have one ergonomic quirk: its volume control. Unlike most volume controls, which are in some way directly connected to an attenuator, the DacMagic Plus control is more like a switch. When you turn it, it feels loose and sloppy before it engages. Once engaged, it takes a moment for the volume knob to respond. To some prospective users, this volume control will feel cheap. Also with no dots, numbers, or indicators to tell a user what the relative volume level is, doing repeatable, matched-level comparisons between inputs with different levels was nearly impossible. 

The DacMagic Plus offers three different digital filter settings that can be changed via a front panel button: linear phase filtering, minimum phase filtering, and steep filtering. Cambridge Audio encourages users to experiment to hear which filter setting sounds best with different material. Each input can have a different filter setting so when a given input is selected a particular filter will be employed. The DacMagic Plus includes one more adjustable sonic parameter: absolute phase. If a user holds down the digital filter button for more than a second it becomes the phase switch so you can go from positive phase to inverted phase. 

For listeners who want to know exactly what the sampling rate is for every piece of music they play through their computer’s playback chain, the DacMagic Plus includes a set of blue LEDs that inform you of the current rate. Since some players and computers will automatically downsample higher resolution digital streams if not configured properly, these notification LEDs can be especially useful to make sure that your new 192/24 music file is actually being played back at 192/24.

My most recent live recording of the Boulder Philharmonic included the world premiere of a composition by Ruby Fulton entitled “Deadlock.” It is a concerto for beat box and orchestra. Shodekeh, the beat box soloist, used a small amp on stage in addition to an array over the concert hall’s proscenium and a freestanding subwoofer. When I played back my 192/24 files of the recording through the DacMagic Plus I was immediately struck by how accurately the bass transients and dynamics were reproduced. During the Beat box passages I could hear how the bass travelled through the hall and how it bloomed as it expanded. 

On commercial pop recordings such as Alexis Harte’s “Please Come Out” from his superb album Spoons of Honey, the DacMagic Plus did a fine job of retaining all the subtle low-level background effects and textures. Imaging was precise without being pinched or etched. The cut begins with both record surface noise scratches as well as crickets chirping in the background. Through the DacMagic Plus it’s easy to hear where and when these background sounds are very subtly feathered in and out of the mix.

If you are contemplating putting together a high-quality desktop audio system, or adding computer audio to an existing system, you will be hard pressed to find any DAC/Preamp that includes a more useful feature set or better sound for the DacMagic’s £350 price tag. Yes, it’s a great value. Yes, it delivers excellent sonics. And yes, the Cambridge Audio DacMagic Plus has earned my recommendation as the new benchmark for DAC performance with a price under £600.

Technical Specifications

Inputs: three digital audio inputs (one USB input, plus two additional digital inputs – each with its own set of Toslink and S/PDIF coaxial jacks). Bluetooth connectivity is also offered via an optional Cambridge Audio BT 100 wireless Audio Receiver.

Outputs: two variable-level stereo analog outputs (one single-ended via RCA jacks, one balanced via XLR connectors), two (pass through) digital audio outputs (one S/PDIF coaxial, one Toslink).

Data Rates Supported: USB: 44.1kHz-96kHz at up to 24-bit resolution.

Optical and Coaxial S/PDIF: 32kHz-192kHz at up to 24-bit resolution. 

Internal upsampling to 384kHz/24-bit via Anagram Technologies Adapted Time Filtering 2 (ATF2).

THD: <0.002%

Signal-to-noise ratio: 112 dB

Dimensions (H x W x D): 8.5” x 2.063” x 9.325”

Weight: 2.6 lbs. (without power supply)

Price: £350

Manufactured by: Cambridge Audio

URL: www.cambridgeaudio.com 

Distributed by: Richer Sounds

URL: www.richersounds.com

Tel: 0845 900 1230 (UK only)