Cambridge Audio DAC Magic 200M

The DacMagic 200M is a digital-to-analogue converter from Cambridge Audio, designed to transform digital audio streams from a computer, CD player or streaming service into a faithful analogue signal. It also incorporates a headphone amplifier, allowing it to function both as a DAC for a hi-fi system and as a dedicated source for headphone listening.

This is the first Cambridge Audio device to support full playback of MQA files, a British compression technology that delivers sound close to the original studio recording while keeping file sizes small enough for streaming, particularly via TIDAL. The DacMagic 200M provides full MQA decoding, including both the Core and Renderer stages.

Its conversion relies on two ESS ES9028Q2M chips, capable of processing PCM from 16 to 32 bits at sampling rates from 44.1 kHz to 768 kHz, as well as native DSD. These features allow it to play most high-resolution formats available today. Frequency response extends from 10 Hz to 50 kHz (±1 dB), with very low harmonic distortion (less than 0.0005% THD+N at 1 kHz) and a signal-to-noise ratio above 115 dB, ensuring a clean, detailed signal.

The headphone output shows distortion below 0.001% at 1 kHz for 100 mW into 32 ohms, with a signal-to-noise ratio also above 115 dB. The unit is compatible with a wide range of headphone impedances, from 10 to 600 ohms, allowing it to drive both sensitive portable headphones and more demanding models. Bluetooth v4.2 connectivity also enables wireless use from a smartphone or tablet.

This DAC is aimed at listeners wishing to improve the sound quality of an existing system from a digital source, whether that's a computer, a CD player or an MQA-compatible streaming subscription. It is equally suited to use ahead of a hi-fi amplifier or for direct headphone listening, thanks to its built-in amplification stage and its variable or fixed level output, adjustable depending on the intended use.