DacMagic 200M

Digital to Analogue Converter and Headphone Amplifier

Colour
£549.00
  • Dual ESS SABRE ES9028Q2M Reference DACs – one per channel, handles digital audio up-to 24-bit/768kHz or DSD512
  • Digital Inputs: 2 pairs of optical & coaxial terminals, plus USB Audio – for audio sources incl. CD & Blu-ray players, laptops, games consoles etc.
  • Analogue Outputs: ¼” headphone, XLR & RCA connectors – for max. versatility
  • Bluetooth aptX input – wirelessly receive digital audio from smart devices
  • Supports MQA – for approved studio-quality digital audio
  • Compact half-width hi-fi unit – available in lunar grey or special edition black
FREE DELIVERY
FREE RETURNS
60-DAY HOME TRIAL
  • Shine a Light on Music

    Digital audio files can be packed with incredible musical detail, but they need to be converted to analogue first for you to hear it. And how good it sounds will depend on how well the digital audio from your computer, network player or CD is converted. DacMagic 200M’s twin ESS DACs decrease crosstalk and improve separation because there’s a DAC dedicated to both left and right channels. These fully balanced, optimised, and efficient signal paths reveal previously hidden glittering musical prizes. 

    DacMagic 200M in special edition black
    Close up of DacMagic 200m

    Why You Need Some DacMagic

    Perhaps your vintage amp lacks the digital inputs for today’s listening choices. Maybe the DACs in your hi-fi setup just need a helping hand. Or you hate how your computer down-samples audio streams before they’ve hit your headphones. One thing’s for sure, DacMagic 200M is a dedicated hi-fi separate that beats integrated DACs for pure sound performance.

    MXN10 and DacMagic 200m in a stack

    Desktop Dream Team

    DacMagic 200M can be used with a variety of digital sources, maybe kit you already own. Alternatively, you can pair it with its sibling – our MXN10 compact network player. These half-width hi-fi heroes share the same family look and are now available in a choice of special edition black or lunar grey. Together they make a very credible desktop hi-fi system – or ‘head-fi’ if you prefer. 

    • “I bought the DacMagic 200M to use with my recently purchased MXN10. This allows me to use headphones to listen without turning the rest of my system on. The sound quality, value for money and the inclusion of Bluetooth, also the ability to take the volume control out of circuit, are what attracted me.” 

      DacMagic 200M listener, Essex, England

    Close up of the rear panel of the DacMagic 200m showing XLR and phono outputs

    Vital Connections

    Being compact, but not miniscule, means that DacMagic 200M has room for a plethora of digital inputs and analogue outputs. Two pairs of co-ax and optical inputs, a USB computer in and Bluetooth aptX for wireless connection keep the most demanding listener happy. A pair of balanced XLRs, unbalanced RCAs and a ¼” (6.3mm) headphone-out complete the picture. 

    Close up of the DacMagic 200m front controls

    Sounds Like Team Spirit

    Looking for fast, accurate retrieval with no upsampling to keep your music intact? Then DacMagic 200M’s powerful XMOS processor can handle 1000 million instructions per second, to send digital information to the dual DACs, which work asynchronously at a clock speed of 100Mhz to convert digital to analogue in a ‘bit perfect’ way. 

    Close up of the DacMagic 200m in Black

    Choice and Status

    DacMagic 200M’s aluminium fascia has a button to select one of 4 possible digital inputs, another to pick one of 3 digital filters to suit your listening taste, and a volume control if you’re using it as a headphone amp. There are LED lights to confirm your input and filter selection, with additional ones that indicate the incoming music resolution.

    • BBC Music Magazine

      "Prepare for a huge audio upgrade..."

    • AV Forums logo

      “It sounds fluid, realistic and engaging..."

    • Stereonet's logo

      "Sonically it’s refined and expansive, with plenty of detail and an enjoyably musical nature.”

    • On Mag logo

      "...a high-performance digital Swiss army knife"

      Sample rate view of the DacMagic 200m

      MQA: Studio Quality Audio

      If you’re signed up to Tidal’s premium service, you can enjoy MQA music files. A green LED, on DacMagic 200M’s fascia, confirms it’s a genuine MQA music file. While a blue MQA LED indicates that you’re listening to a file approved by the artist/producer or verified by the copyright holder as accurate to the original recording. Put simply, blue is best.

      DacMagic 200M shown in full

      Designed for Real Life

      DacMagic 200M’s small enough to fit a desktop, but big to hold its own in a stack. Within its half-width hi-fi separates form, it delivers a sonic upgrade that’s way bigger than the steel and aluminium case it comes in – now in a choice of lunar grey or special edition black finish. Take our 60-day home trial to hear it for yourself.

      • T3 5-star Platinum Award

        T3 Magazine, UK, September 2021

        "If the DacMagic 200M can’t improve your digital audio performance, you must have quite the setup already. It's overflowing with features, and the sound quality is simply wonderful.” 

      #MyCambridgeAudio

      Share your set-up on social media using @CambridgeAudio and #MyCambridgeAudio to feature on the Cambridge Wall of Fame.

    • Press reviews

      • Sound + Image Awards 2022

        Australia, December 2021

        DAC/Preamp of the Year (under $2500) "The DacMagic 200M is a pocket rocket of a performer, able to be used as a DAC, a headphone amp, or even as a preamp for a whole digital system."
      • BBC Music Magazine

        United Kingdom, February 2022

        “Prepare for a huge audio upgrade with this ESS Sabre desktop DAC.”
      • Australian Hi-Fi

        Australia, October 2021

        “The DacMagic’s defining characteristic is an overall heart-lifting clarity.”
      • T3

        United Kingdom, September 2021

        PLATINUM AWARD “Sturdy, compact, lavishly specified and with performance to match, the Cambridge Audio DACMagic 200M is nigh-on perfect.”
      • SoundStage!

        United Kingdom, June 2021

        “You’d be hard-pressed to find something anywhere near its price that does everything as well as the DacMagic 200M”

        Customer Reviews

      • The details

        DIGITAL TO ANALOGUE CONVERTERS Dual ESS ES9028Q2M DACs
        DIGITAL FILTER Selectable, Fast – Slow – Short delay
        FREQUENCY RESPONSE 10Hz to 50kHz (±1dB)
        THD+N @ 1KHZ 0DBFS <0.0005% (A-Weighted)
        SIGNAL TO NOISE RATIO >115dB (A-Weighted)
        CROSSTALK @ 10KHZ < -110dB
        OUTPUT IMPEDANCE <50 Ohms (unbal), <100 Ohm (bal)
        MAX. OUTPUT LEVEL (UNBALANCED) 2.1V rms (fixed or variable – user selectable)
        MAX. OUTPUT LEVEL (BALANCED) 4.2V rms (fixed or variable – user selectable)
        DIGITAL INPUT WORD WIDTHS SUPPORTED 16bit (Bluetooth), 16-24bit (Optical, Coaxial), 16-24bit (USB)
        DIGITAL INPUT SAMPLING FREQUENCIES SUPPORTED 44.1kHz to 96kHz PCM, DoP64 (Optical), 44.1kHz to 192kHz PCM, DoP64 (Coaxial), 44.1kHz to 768kHz PCM, Native DSD 64x to 512x, DoP 64x to 256x (USB)
        MQA COMPATIBILITY Full decoding (Core + Renderer)
        BLUETOOTH v4.2, A2DP profile, SBC and AptX codecs
        ROON TESTED Yes
        HEADPHONE OUTPUT THD+N < 0.001% at 1kHz 0dBFS @ 100mW into 32ohm
        HEADPHONE OUTPUT S/N > 115dB (A-Weighted)
        MAX OUTPUT POWER >300mW @ 32ohm, >65mW @ 150ohm
        FREQUENCY RESPONSE 10Hz - 50kHz (±1dB)
        RECOMMEND HEADPHONE IMPEDANCE 10 Ohm to 600 Ohm
        MAX POWER CONSUMPTION 12W
        COLOUR Lunar Grey
        DIMENSIONS (HXWXD) 52 x 215 x 191mm; (2.0 x 8.6 x 7.6”)
        WEIGHT 1.2kg/2.6lbs