Cambridge Audio DacMagic Azur DAC - Level-2 Upgrade

The auction is for the modification only and does not include the Cambridge Audio DacMagic which must be purchased separately.

This is a service for modifying Cambridge Audio D/A Converters (please ask for other manufacturers & models)

The latest DacMagic D/A converter from Cambridge Audio has been brought right up to date with the latest Wolfson WM8740 24bit DACs, high quality 32-bit Texas Instruments Digital Signal Processor. At £199 this compact DAC represents excellent value for money and good quality sound, What Hi-Fi Magazine commented; “It sounds great too, combining the timing, clarity and punch of Beresford's £120 TC-7510 with a healthy dose of the £160 Musical Fidelity V-Dac's midrange fluidity and richness. The result is a powerful, full-bodied yet subtle and driving presentation: one that caters for all types of music equally well. If you can stretch to £200, this Cambridge Audio DAC is one of the best we've tested.” The auction is for the modification only and does not include the Cambridge Audio DacMagic which must be purchased separately.

Having upgraded the DacMagic 2 back in the late 1990’s where the upgraded DAC was favourably reviewed by Hi-Fi News & RR, we were keen to hear what extra performance we could wring out of the latest design. The new DacMagic is an altogether different design to the 3 versions that spanned the 1990’s. Gone is the 430mm width chassis in favour of a much smaller one. A single, 4-layer PCB is packed with all the power supplies, digital & analogue circuits. The core analogue circuits of the Dacmagic are derived from the popular 640C CD player, the 2x Wolfson WM8740, dual differential filter and capacitor coupled output. The design uses no fewer than 6 regulated supplies for the digital & analogue circuits with two separate linear power supplies. The 2009 version takes its power supply from a 12VAC-AC plug-in wall-wart adapter. This dispenses with the need for potentially large and costly AC transformers to step down the power supply.

At £200 the new DacMagic is amazing value, and is frankly beyond any criticism at the price. But with pricing of parts, circuit board, etc, down to the last penny the DacMagic is near absent of audio grade passive components such as capacitors, regulators, op-amps. This is where the upgrades kick in; take the basic design and by careful selection replace key parts and this £200 product starts to show abilities you would expect in a DAC upwards of £800.00. Out go the ‘Xunda’ power supply capacitors in favour of the Panasonic FC series, we remove the ‘NCD’ brand electrolytic’s for decoupling and upgrade to Sanyo OSCON & Rubycon ZA types, the NE5532 op-amps for analogue filter are upgraded to the superb LME49720, the noisy 7805 regulator for the DAC power supplies is replaced with a specially selected low noise type to ensure clean power. The auction is for the modification only and does not include the Cambridge Audio DacMagic which must be purchased separately.

We have two levels of upgrades available; both levels markedly improve the sound quality of inputs via the coaxial, optical; and USB when connected to the digital output of your CD player or streaming lossless music from your PC or MAC.

*Level-2 Upgrade only.

DacMagic Level-2 Upgrade

■ 4x Panasonic FC analogue power supply capacitors.
■ 2x Sanyo OSCON SP analogue regulation bypass capacitors.
■ 1x Specially selected low noise type for analogue supply (DAC).
■ 1x Panasonic FC DAC regulation bypass capacitors.
■ 1x Sanyo OSCON SP for digital regulation bypass (clock).
■ 2x Panasonic FC digital power supply capacitors.
■ 5x Panasonic FC digital regulation bypass capacitors.
■ 5x Sanyo OSCON SP for DSP & input receiver decoupling.
■ 3x Sanyo OSCON SP digital input decoupling.
■ 1x Rubycon ZA decoupling for logic circuits.
■ 4x LME49720 for low-pass filter.

How To Order

The Cambridge Audio DacMagic Level-2 modification is supplied & installed by Audiocom for £192.05 inclusive (excludes carriage).

Once you have purchased the Level-2 modification please contact us to schedule and book your DacMagic for the installation.

The modification work is completed with 4-5 working days from receipt of the CD player. The Level-2 modification is covered by a 2 year parts & labour guarantee, this guarantee excludes any OEM parts such as laser & LCD display.