Valab NOS Dac VS. Cambridge Azur DacMagic

I've had a DACMagic in my system and I was pretty impressed with its performance, especially at the price point. Always seemed very "clean" sounding with very good details. I've replaced it recently with an MHDT Labs Paradisea+ NOS DAC, and I have to say, I much prefer the NOS DAC sound, at least in my system. I've heard of the VaLab stuff and know that it utilizes some of the same technology as MHDT. I think there are a lot of dependancies with systems and what your listening habits are, but it seems that the NOS DAC's are geared to the "musical" camp and the OS DAC's (like the Cambridge) swing toward the "accuracy" camp. If the VaLab isn't quite tripping your trigger but you're looking for the NOS "sound", you might investigate the MHDT stuff.

Interesting read so far. FWIW, I prefer the Valab (after 300+hrs of burn in) in my digital amp based set up over the Bel Canto DAC3 for sheer musicality and emotion.

Mine is currently the early 2009 iteration. Not sure if yours is of the current or original batch but there's been notable improvements. To me the NOS sound is more analog-like and thus, closer to the real thing.

The BC was definitely in the accuracy/analytical camp but killed the music in the process and devoid it of emotion. I think a warmish or tube-based system can use the accuracy and high resolution of the BC DAC3 to compliment and balance out its attributes better. My digital sytem doesn't need help in that department and thus the result I've observed.

YMMV,

Kenobi

I have a Valab that I bought to play with. I did the cap upgrade as mentioned on the Hi Fi forum. The DAC is REALLY good compared to my Wavelength Cosecant V3. It's going to make my dad very happy with his new computer audio setup that I'm giving to him.

Ok, after a week of silence, I had another few hour session of comparing. I've always found I can't compare sound quality, very well, after prolonged listening, due to confusion. I get a better sense of what I'm hearing on a "first impression" basis, like I'm listening to someone's system for the first time. After a week of not listening, my memory, and expectations, for what my stuff sounds like is pretty much gone.

Anyways, after listening to the Valab, for a few songs, and then going back to my CDP's internal DAC for the same songs, I figured out what the Valab is lacking, in my system. It's the "blackness" of the background that's absent. Yes, the Valab is easy to listen to, but it sounds more like I'm listening to music being reproduced within my room. By comparison, my CDP creates a whole new "space" from where the music emerges from, and I find it easy to suck myself into this space, and listen from deep within. With my eyes closed, I feel as if If I'm somewhere else. I think this sense of space is what most of us are striving for. With the Valab, I feel as if I'm still sitting in my own living room. It just sounds more 2 dimensional. I'm sure some modding or cable swapping would help, but do I wanna go down that path?

On the other hand, I found if I got up and walked around to other areas of the house, the Valab sounds more listenable, and more what people would expect a stereo to sound like. It's like, if I was going to have a party and crank some tunes, I would use the Valab. Hmmm.... Maybe I'll just stick with my CDP, for now, and use the Valab for my "party DAC", cause I can crank some loud hard core music through this thing without things sounding objectionable, but for solo critical listening from my sweet spot, my CDP has the edge, by a wide margin. Much more fine detail being heard, but somewhat tilted towards the top.

So, how does the DacMagic fit in? Compared to my CDP, it does have a fuller, and probably more realistic sounding midrange, but it seems to push the midrange forward, somewhat masking the top and bottom extension, and also masking that sense of "space", I've grown accustomed to. The space is there, but it's harder for my brain to drift into it, kinda like the forward midrange is acting like a wall, keeping me out. I think my CDP's seemingly recessed midrange forces me to pull my focus deeper in. My CDP gives me more of a "dished" sound, and my original goal was to find something to pull some midrange out, but I think the DacMagic might be pulling out too much, for my tastes.

BTW, in case anyone was curious, my Valab is a March 2009 version, and my analog interconnect of choice is TMC Whites.

Rooski,

Having had the Onix XCD-88 for a while (few years), it mostly acted as a transport as I found the internal DAC lacking. Not sure what kind of digital cable you have going from transport to DAC, but quality there makes a huge difference (Acoustic Zen MC2 on mine). In my system, the Onix was never competitive at all with either the Valab or any of my previous DACs.

Again, in my system, the Valab bested a BC DAC3 and all others I've tried--more analog-like, non-digital and very fullsome, 3D sound with flesh and blood feel the vocal presentation. Admittedly, it isn't as silent as the OS DACs but it preserves the original intent of the music better.

But hey, if you can do sans DAC, put the dough toward more software instead.

Kenobi