Cambridge DacMagic XS
Cambridge Audio has launched a new entry-level digital-to-analogue converter called the DacMagic XS. It's an USB-only design and costs £99.95. The DacMagic XS is tiny, about the size of a small box of matches, and built with an aluminium case.
The DAC's output is limited to a 3.5mm jack. This can be used to drive a wide range of headphones due to a relatively beefy amplifier section - Cambridge claims it's ten times more powerful than a typical laptop headphone amplifier.
Cambridge Audio has launched a new entry-level digital-to-analogue converter and headphone amp called the DacMagic XS. It's an USB-only design and costs £99.95. The DacMagic XS is tiny, about the size of a small box of matches, and built with an aluminium case.
It can be switched between USB 1.0 and USB 2.0 operation - the latter allowing an upper resolution limit of 24-bit/192kHz. A small LED indicator changes colour according to the sampling frequency of the incoming signal. The DAC's output is limited to a 3.5mm jack.
This can be used to drive a wide range of headphones due to a relatively beefy amplifier section – Cambridge claims it's ten times more powerful than a typical laptop headphone amplifier.
By Ketan Bharadia
