DacMagic 200M
Digital to Analogue Converter and Headphone Amplifier
4.7
(54)
  • 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
Colour
  • 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.

    • Technical Specifications

      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
      See all tech specs See less tech specs
    • Product Support & Downloads

    • DacMagic 200M Reviews

      4.7

      4.7
      (54)

      33 Reviews

      Great DAC

      Fantastic piece of equipment. Only thing I wish we could have is a remote to control it. Not an issue, but if it's possible, I'd pay for an accessory remote!

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      Right back to the future.

      I was looking for a DAC that would cope with input primarily from a MacBook using Apple's Lossless music. Not only does the DacMagic 200M do this but it also has a Bluetooth facility (if I ever want to use my mobile as a source) and also a headphone amp which my system preamp doesn't have. I have now spent the past few weeks listening to as wide a variety of music as possible, not just to check out my choices but to enjoy the sound quality; Jazz, Classic Rock, Classical Orchestral and sometimes where possible, I have compared it to what I have on vinyl. The DacMagic is different from my vinyl sound but so is the CD player. However, tonight I started a bit of music browsing and picked the blues track "Tin Pan Alley" from "Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble". I was so impressed that I listened to it twice! The sound stage was superb with impressive guitar and drum transients and a really solid bass. I've only really experienced that kind of quality with some half-speed mastered vinyl recordings I have. It's still early days using the unit but it is unobtrusive, well laid out and has now given my hi-fi a modern versatility it didn't have until now. It more than compliments all the other sources I use and since I have experimented with the digital filters I've found that the 'slow' filter seems to work best with my set up, the sound stage is 'correct' if that makes any sense. Cambridge Audio was a respected company when I bought my Spendor BC1 speakers way back in the 80s; its nice to see that the tradition of quality audio is still continuing today especially as this new plus old combination has brought my separates right back to the future and made me very happy indeed.

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      Very Impressed with the sound quality

      Decided to upgrade my D/A convertor for a little project mixing/listening room due to it's ability to support MQA and 192kHz which has come in handy for Tidal and mixing (not sure when or where I'll be listening to 768kHz audio anytime soon but it's useful to have the capability; future proofing I guess). It's quite a punchy sounding amp, quite clear and precise and seems to pair well with the Dynaudio LYD 7's that I running so far. A feature I would find useful is if you could switch to the headphone stage on the source selector so you don't have to keep plugging and unplugging the headphone cable when you want to switch between those and the monitors. Can't really comment on the Bluetooth side of things as I haven't spent much time with that feature. Overall a great dac which I'd recommend. I think to upgrade from this, in a home studio environment, I think I'd need to start looking at the rack mounted D/A converters.

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      Response from Cambridge Audio

      Dear Valued Customer

      Thank you for such a positive review and more importantly thanks for your trust in choosing Cambridge Audio products.It sounds like you've put together a thoughtful and versatile setup for your mixing/listening room.

      The decision to upgrade your D/A converter for compatibility with MQA and higher sample rates like 192kHz is a smart move especially if you're working with Tidal and engaging in mixing projects.The ability to future-proof your equipment by supporting higher sample rates even if not currently in regular use is indeed a good strategy.

      It ensures that your equipment is ready for advancements in audio technology and it seems like you've found a DAC that meets your current needs and allows for potential growth.The convenience of being able to switch to the headphone stage on the source selector is a practical feature especially in a studio environment where quick transitions between monitors and headphones are common.

      This can save time and make your workflow more efficient.As for the Bluetooth feature it's always good to have it as an option even if you haven't explored it extensively yet.

      It can be handy for casual listening or for connecting various devices wirelessly.Considering your satisfaction with the current DAC it's understandable that a further upgrade might involve looking into rack-mounted D/A converters which can offer additional features and scalability for a professional home studio setup.If you ever decide to explore rack-mounted options make sure to consider your specific needs such as the number of inputs and outputs additional features like digital connectivity options and overall compatibility with your existing equipment.It's great to hear that you'd recommend our Dac-200M.

      We hope that it continues to bring you many hours of listening happiness.Kind Regards

      Cambridge Audio Customer Support

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      The Cx Series is now complete for me

      I’ve finally finished the wiring and the repositioning and finally I’m listening to MQA on the CX courtesy of the Dacmagic. It’s wonderful. I’ve listened to MQA Studio and DSD and the sound is very satisfying. The unit sits easily on the stack. The difference is satisfying. If you want MQA from your CX system - the Dav magic does it.

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      Response from Cambridge Audio

      Dear Customer

      Thank you for such a positive review and more importantly for your trust in choosing Cambridge Audio.We hope that DacMagic>200M continues to bring you many hours of listening happiness.Kind Regards

      Cambridge Audio Customer Support

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