Find the weak link in my system-Mezzo 6, Cayin a-55t and Dacmagic.

Good morning and Happy Easter.

IMO Improvements could be made at either end, which ultimately should probably be your long term goal. For now, if you are happy with the Mezzo 6s, I would change the Dac.

If you like the clarity of the Dacmagic but want something more musical, you should look to the Audiolab M-Dac or possibly the MF M1-Dac/M1-Clic (a little outside budget).

Later on, I think you should look to speakers like Audio Note AZ-2, Kef R series and PMC Twenty series....but that's for another day.

Cno

Backup Cno's comments: When I had the DacMagic for a short period it made my system sound too sterile for my liking. My you, I have this built-in allergy towards budget Cambridge stuff....

Thanks CnoEvil and plasticpenguin and Happy Easter to you both. I'm quite happy with my Mezzos and I finally have an amp that can match their quality. Also I don't think the amps having any trouble driving the Mezzos so I think I should change the dac as well. I think if I'm able to spend the whole grand on the dac I should just do it so I can satisfy my upgraditis, so would be glad if you can make some recommendations at that price point as much as I am tempted by the Audiolab and the M1.

To be honest plasticpenguin, I've always admired CA gear, especially at their price point there are not many alternatives. Granted, their sounds are considered as bright by some people but I think that its just a matter of system matching. They also have superb build quality, but everyone has different ears, I for instance am not a fan of marantz amplifiers.

 

I think the Cambridge DAC (sterile ?) and the Cayin (sweet) compensate each other. And as you are quite satisfied with your system, what kind of better sound do you want ? What are you really missing ?

I think I have a good sound balance. I would like something which sounds a bit analogue. Having heard musical fidelity stuff, I think a dac from them should be the ticket. Right now my system sounds soft with some songs, I'm just looking for some bite to it. A little extra detail wouldn't go a miss either. Have budgeted 500 pounds for the dac and 1000 pounds for the speakers. Have emailed audionote regarding the speakers but still not set on a dac.

I think the Cayin is resposible for a significant part of the "softness". I really needed some time to like it's total sound.

As i can see from another post on the forum, you have your new amp for 3 months only. Maybe you should give it a little more time instead of hastily buying new "stuff". I had some doubts too in the beginning (1,5 year ago bought my Cayin), but started to like my sytem more and more. Yes the sound is a little bit soft, but everything is there in beautiful "colours", and no listening-fatigue.

I have a post on the forum about my "starting" doubts ("Advice on new set"). Could be an interesting read for you.

Good luck and enjoy what you have!

 

 

Thank you for your comments, its certainly nice to hear from someone who owns a Cayin as its a particularly different amp (relatively high powered tube amp) so I don't think everyone gets what I'm trying to say. Well its not that I don't like the Cayin's sound signature, quite the opposite infact. My Cayin and my Technics sound great together even through my existing speakers. The amp also seems to have gotten more powerful lately perhaps the tubes have broken in. I think my main problem is the source A.K.A my DacMagic. Therefore I'm trying to achieve the sonic talents of my Cayin and Technics setup. It has warmth and bite at the same time. Listening to "Money" by Pink Floyd, just the coins give me goosebumps. I like the fact that the tt and amp combo has bite when required and warmth when it is not.

I don't know your amp but the DacMagic certainly looks like the weak link having had a look at the Cayin information on the internet.  I wonder whether something like the Musical Fidelity M1 DAC or the Audiolab M-DAC might be worth auditioning in your system to see if they improve matters.

In terms of the speakers, the Mezzo 6s are excellent although I feel the whole Mezzo range needs careful matching to avoid it sounding slightly clinical. 

Thanks for the recommendation Matthew, it looks like the M1 or the M Dac are something I need to check out since you and most other forum members have been recommending it. I'll give my Mezzos some time and see how they react to the new dac before replacing them....although Audionote speakers seem to be more suited to my amp, but who knows that may well be a downgrade in my setup. The Mezzos are great speakers for the money, maybe I should give them some time with partnering equipment near their price point.

I dare to doubt that the DacMagic is a real problem. From many sources i read that it has bite and kind of 'digitally" direct in sound. This is compensated by the Cayin's soft character. I think a more "sophisticated" DAC could easily be to soft for the sound. On much of my music, i have (almost) nothing to wish more for. And some music sounds just badly. Of course you can try another DAC (Rega or Arcam), which sound "softer", as they say.

Furthermore, maybe are your speakers not especially an ideal match, but i do not now them. For mine it is the same. But the Cayin brings the qualities up in them, better then any ss-amp did. The Audio Notes could be better match but have their own character as i have  heard (never really heard them), and they are expensive!

You could also think of your acoustics, or the position of your speakers. That could change a lot (for the better) too.

I am guessing that you are just want to adventure in effect world of SQ presentation? i suggest you would upgrade mains cable power, or the conditioner, for the cable i would recommend, old US brand 2nd hand market if you tend to agree in sacrificing sound stage n more imaging 3d, for conditioner, i cannot say only tried chang a moment before it short circuited, n tacima.

 

if you often bored, by atmosphere, maybe you should push to increase the system's dynamic, maybe good amp's internal organ in particular, or speaker's, i don't have most bang for the buck advice

Have you heard a good sub, your 500 budget would be recommended to a rel t1, if you got the time demo them, no need for pre amp out, go tweak a rca to a socket split for worse case scenario. it only hum, more in our system class. play music, its gone,

 i have had a 10000 USD system, but must sell

Save money on cables, mains and conditioning. Just save your money and stick it in the bank. Enjoy the music instead.

IMO The Audio Note speakers sound more musical and would be an upgrade (which model are you considering, and have you managed to make contact?) .......but that's personal preference.