Dacmagic to yamaha AS500

synaptik

synaptik

synaptik

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11 Aug 2012
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I'm after a 2.1 and because I do not use either onboard sound or soundcard of any kind, would the PC >Dacmagic to Yamaha AS500 be a good combination? Sound damping on the amp seems good along with its ability to support headphones up to 470 ohms. I know nothing regarding the quality of it's headphone out though. Thank you.
 
Not trying to contradict what lucid is advising because what he says is spot on. However:

I prefer to listen to headphones with my A-S500 over my Nuforce Icon-2, I find I gives a bigger soundstage and better clarity.



I don't find it very 'bright' unless the music im listening to is mixed fairly bright. I enjoy the bass with my K701's, a somewhat bass light headphone, and find that well recorded music gives plenty of bass.
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Source: http://www.head-fi.org/t/528725/yamaha-a-s500-finally-something-worth-auditioning-from-yamaha/15

If you shop around you will find a 30 days (satisfaction guarantee) to return said item if not suitable to your liking (if purchased online). Maybe then a dedicated headphone amp would be worth a try?
 
ethan said:
Source: http://www.head-fi.org/t/528725/yamaha-a-s500-finally-something-worth-auditioning-from-yamaha/15
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I had a quick read through that link,. Thanks for posting it. My impression though is that there's no consensus on the quality.

Yamaha have certainly fitted the amp with a headphone socket capable of driving more power hungry headphones. But from reading the comments it's still very much down to partnering equipment and listener preferences whether the results are judged good / bad / indifferent.

ethan said:
If you shop around you will find a 30 days (satisfaction guarantee) to return said item if not suitable to your liking (if purchased online). Maybe then a dedicated headphone amp would be worth a try?
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Ethan and I have had this discussion before when he suggested that the Distance Selling Regs gave a "try at home" facility. They don't. Nor does the Sale of Goods Act.

If a retailer is happy to refund after goods have been opened and used (and you've definitely checked that it applies to the specific product) then fine, go mail order. However, where the results might be very dependent on the partnering equipment and listener preference I think anyone would be mad to buy blind via mail order. This is especially so where a product is in wide distribution (Richer, Superfi, Hyperfi etc) and heavily discounted both mail order and over the counter.

The cost of insured carriage for a return will eat at least £20-£30, then there's the hassle of cancelling the order in writing, arranging the courier, finding the depot or taking a day off work for the collection.... It's just a huge PITA for what is a sub £250 stereo amp.

If you have to take a day off and you live within 45 minutes of a major UK city then do it for something productive. Line up a few dems on a midweek day when the retailers will be quieter. Go take your headphones and listen to the Yam and a few likely contenders. In that price section of the market you also have Onkyo, Marantz, Denon, Pioneer, Teac, NAD, Harman Kardon and even Arcam if you stretch the budget a bit. Listen and buy and take home the same day. Beats mail ordering hands down IMO and you'll have some fun too.
 
I would suggest you check out the Beresford Caiman - I use one as a DAC for my main PC and really love the quality. I use it to feed a mid-spec Denon integrated and I really like the sound. It even has both line and switched outputs if you wanted to use it as its own pre-amp. It regularly gets compared to the DACMagic and often comes out favoured, it also has a similar number of mods available such as a silmic mod, a gatorized option and various (very pricey) power supply upgrades.
 
To clarify it is only a 30 day money back gurantee if unused. Which makes what Lucid referred to all the more relevant. My bad:

However, where the results might be very dependent on the partnering equipment and listener preference I think anyone would be mad to buy blind via mail order. This is especially so where a product is in wide distribution (Richer, Superfi, Hyperfi etc) and heavily discounted both mail order and over the counter.

The cost of insured carriage for a return will eat at least £20-£30, then there's the hassle of cancelling the order in writing, arranging the courier, finding the depot or taking a day off work for the collection.... It's just a huge PITA for what is a sub £250 stereo amp.

If you have to take a day off and you live within 45 minutes of a major UK city then do it for something productive. Line up a few dems on a midweek day when the retailers will be quieter. Go take your headphones and listen to the Yam and a few likely contenders. In that price section of the market you also have Onkyo, Marantz, Denon, Pioneer, Teac, NAD, Harman Kardon and even Arcam if you stretch the budget a bit. Listen and buy and take home the same day. Beats mail ordering hands down IMO and you'll have some fun too.
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I would suggest you check out the Beresford Caiman - I use one as a DAC for my main PC and really love the quality. I use it to feed a mid-spec Denon integrated and I really like the sound. It even has both line and switched outputs if you wanted to use it as its own pre-amp. It regularly gets compared to the DACMagic and often comes out favoured, it also has a similar number of mods available such as a silmic mod, a gatorized option and various (very pricey) power supply upgrades.
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I have read some very favourable reports about Beresford dac/amps but wasn't aware that the caiman was still available? Please correct me if i am wrong as I would like to take a look/try one of these.
 
You indeed look correct! Seems they are still in stock on a Beresford website in the Netherlands but Home Hi-Fi only seem to sell the Bushmaster (?!) now :(

That's a real shame as they really are good DACs ... you could always try 2nd hand.
 
Ethan and I have had this discussion before when he suggested that the Distance Selling Regs gave a "try at home" facility. They don't. Nor does the Sale of Goods Act
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Just out of interest I've been wondering about this myself.

Distance selling. National archives. gov:
The right to cancel allows the consumer time to examine the goods or services, as they would have when buying in a shop.
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Presumably then if you were in a shop you would be using and listening to said item?

Returning a used and unsatisfactory product then within 7 days is legally accomodated for?
 
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