Tonight I have been comparing my dedicated $199 Cambridge Audio Dac Magic 100 released in 2011 (which I now use in place of a PC sound card, but also as a DAC for my CD player), with a rather expensive (originally) AVID MBox3 costing $679. The Avid is one of those professional PC audio interfaces intended for the likes of Pro Tools.
The Dac magic has 4 digital inputs 2 x spdif, 1 x tos link and 1x USB and one set of analog stereo output.
The MBox 3 has 1x SPDIF digital input, 2 x Analog inputs (selectable for line level, mic level or guitar), 1 x SPDIF output, and one set of analog stereo outputs, via USB is has 2 stereo inputs and two stereo outputs that the computer can choose from. It also has a headphone amplifier which the Dac Magic does not.
Both support 92khz sample rates at 24 bits. The MBox also supports 48khz and 42khz at 24khz and 32 bits.
I was hoping to connect the MBox 3 to one of the tape loops of my amp so that I could record vinyl to my PC and play back recordings in high def and repurpose the Dac Magic.
After A/B testing the two from the same digital source, I have to say the Dac Magic won hands down. Bass and treble extension was the same as was its pace and timing, but what set the Dac Magic apart was the details. With the Dac magic each instrument could be heard clearly without other sounds obscuring and the stereo imaging was far improved. The MBox 3 whilst good, thinks like synths were lost almost other more dominating sounds such as bass, base synths, guitars and vocals. The Dac Magic will stay and the MBox3 will only be used when ripping vinyl or when I need to record anything else.
Take this as a recommendation that if anyone is connecting their PC to a HIFI amp, the Dac Magic is an excellent replacement for the humble or even not so humble sound card. No more weird computer thinking noises though the speakers.
New to me old synthesiser (Kurzweil K200) picked up cheap and it sounds good.
Plugged in played for about 15 minutes, really bassy patch damaged my speaker coil, and now I have a ruiined pair of JBL speakers. Any savings I made on the synth I did not really need have been lost on the speaker damage. :(
Dark Side of the Moon Original USA Capital Records first pressing. The vinyl used was of really poor quality looking at it and hearing it. Lots of roar as the needle moves though the un-modulated groove and lots of clicks which can be attributed to imperfections in the vinyl (I see lots of tiny raised bits, its not scratches). I washed the record thinking it was dirt. Nope, just goes to show even if a record looks mint, one should give it a play in the shop if possible.
Last couple i played on vinyl was the other day, Crass - Normal never was (remix 12" no 6) the youth remix is immense, the best one, very dubby.
and a Hangmen 7" i bought from the gig the other week and got signed by singer LOZ
Just ordered on vinyl
Mike Pride - I hate work (double orange vinyl, jazz reworkings of classic MDC songs) very weird lol.
2 Squire lps (Mod band) just bought all of their reissue 7"s and was thinking of buying the lps, they did a deal last night for black friday, 2 of the lps for the price of 1 (20.99 including postage), ltd to 5 people, managed to grab a set :)
Professional Mel-the-Bell Simulator................"So realistic, I found myself reaching for the Kleenex King-Size!" - Richard Darling
I found myself listening to Black Dog by Led Zepplin....It's surprising how good of a song that is, it's one of those ones that when you listen to it, you know you've heard it a million times before in the future...
Comments
I like the smug grin "nailed it" at the end ;)
The Dac magic has 4 digital inputs 2 x spdif, 1 x tos link and 1x USB and one set of analog stereo output.
The MBox 3 has 1x SPDIF digital input, 2 x Analog inputs (selectable for line level, mic level or guitar), 1 x SPDIF output, and one set of analog stereo outputs, via USB is has 2 stereo inputs and two stereo outputs that the computer can choose from. It also has a headphone amplifier which the Dac Magic does not.
Both support 92khz sample rates at 24 bits. The MBox also supports 48khz and 42khz at 24khz and 32 bits.
I was hoping to connect the MBox 3 to one of the tape loops of my amp so that I could record vinyl to my PC and play back recordings in high def and repurpose the Dac Magic.
After A/B testing the two from the same digital source, I have to say the Dac Magic won hands down. Bass and treble extension was the same as was its pace and timing, but what set the Dac Magic apart was the details. With the Dac magic each instrument could be heard clearly without other sounds obscuring and the stereo imaging was far improved. The MBox 3 whilst good, thinks like synths were lost almost other more dominating sounds such as bass, base synths, guitars and vocals. The Dac Magic will stay and the MBox3 will only be used when ripping vinyl or when I need to record anything else.
Take this as a recommendation that if anyone is connecting their PC to a HIFI amp, the Dac Magic is an excellent replacement for the humble or even not so humble sound card. No more weird computer thinking noises though the speakers.
So good at playing the guitar it literally sounded nothing like what it was supposed to, should've shredded less.
Points deducted :))
....like I could ever play that good :(
this since im off to see em again tommorow in Stockton with Dogflesh and The Hangmen (2nd time ill have seen em)
No bad 'uns there
Plugged in played for about 15 minutes, really bassy patch damaged my speaker coil, and now I have a ruiined pair of JBL speakers. Any savings I made on the synth I did not really need have been lost on the speaker damage. :(
Gonna play this for Missus Boozy tomorrow....Or later on today I suppose now....
The Snakerattlers (punk n roll)
New album from thrash metal legends Exodus
https://vitalorganauction.bandcamp.com/album/dos-equis-virus-dollars-ep-1
https://mikepride.bandcamp.com/album/i-hate-work
Still, it sounds very emotive on my set up.
and a Hangmen 7" i bought from the gig the other week and got signed by singer LOZ
Just ordered on vinyl
Mike Pride - I hate work (double orange vinyl, jazz reworkings of classic MDC songs) very weird lol.
2 Squire lps (Mod band) just bought all of their reissue 7"s and was thinking of buying the lps, they did a deal last night for black friday, 2 of the lps for the price of 1 (20.99 including postage), ltd to 5 people, managed to grab a set :)