DAC Magic 2

Model History:
DacMagic was designed by John Westlake, former Pink Triangle Tech, and digital conversion is accomplished by a pair of Philips TDA 1305 "18-bit" hybrid chips (the Naim CD 3.5 uses one).

DacMagic 2: Dual Philips TDA1305 hybrid DACs with symmetrical dual differential circuitry. Three separate transformers feeding 19 independent power supplies. DacMagic 2 is an improvement over the DacMagic 1.

DacMagic 2i: Many significant improvements. Design revisions resulted in reduction in distortion by as much as 50 per cent, gold-plated printed circuit boards and connectors, and better quality low-noise transformers. 

DacMagic 2 Mk II: same as DacMagic 2i but with Analog Devices AD712JN output chips.
DacMagic 3: the last of the series.

Submitted by Job Chithalan

Technical Data (taken from Instruction Manual) :
D/A Converter: Dual Philips TDA 1305 multi/single-bit hybrid
Sample Rates: 32, 44.1, 48khz, automatically traced and locked if within tolerance.
(for operate with CDPs, DVD players, FreeView Boxes, NICAM and Digital Audio Broadcasting (from satellite), DCC/DAT players.
LED Indicators (7): Locked, EQ, SCMS, 32, 44.1, 48 and power on/off
Digital inputs: 3 (2 BNC Electrical, 1 Optical)
Digital outputs: 1 (BNC) S/PDIF 75ohms
Analogue outputs: 2 pairs (1 phono pair, 1 balanced pair)
Frequency range: 4Hz to 20 Hz +/-0.5dB
Total Harmonic Distortion (typical): less than 0.005% at 1 kHz
Signal to Noise Ratio : greater than 110 dB
Dynamic Range: 100dB at 1kHz
Channel separation: greater than 130dB at 20kHz
Audio output level: 2.8V RMS
Inter Channel balance: =/- 0.5dB
Power consumption: 30W
Dimensions (mm): 430w x 315d x 92h

Reviews:
"Instant upgrade for a budget player but out of its depth within a properly designed hi-fi CD player." - Hi-Fi World, Jun 95, £150.

The Star Online : Audiofile review of DacMagic 2i is at
http://202.186.86.35/audio/story.asp?file=/1996/5/05dac

Cambridge Audio: DacMagic 3 review is at
http://www.audioweb.com

User Reviews and comments at
http://www.audioreview.com

Mods and Upgrades:
An illustrated 3-page article in the Jan 1999 edition of Hi-Fi News & Record Review covered modding a DacMagic II Mk 2. It can be downloaded as a .pdf file at http://lickham.co.uk/pdfs/dacmagic.pdf (922k)

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