Did you know that computer manufacturers spend as little as $2 on the sound cards in many modern laptops? Which explains why their cheap headphone jacks frankly suck. They’re simply not good enough to get the most from your headphones.
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Which leaves you with two options: buy a high-end (read: expensive) pair of better headphones with built-in processing. Or buy a DAC (digital audio converter) headphone amp with which you can use any pair of headphones you like.
I much prefer the latter option which is where Cambridge Audio’s new DacMagic XS headphone amp comes in.
The Skinny
In their own words, the DacMagic XS is:
… an instant upgrade to any computer’s sound output. It connects quickly and easily to any USB port and allows you to hear your favourite music and movies with every drop of detail, exactly as the artist intended.
Here’s the gist:
The Traveler’s Take
The first thing I love about the DacMagic is the size: about the size of a matchbox and only 100g, it’s insanely small. The case is also constructed of durable, brushed aluminum to boot so it’s built to withstand the rigors of the road.
Straight out of the box, the one-sheet quick start guide provides installation instructions that took less than a minute to complete. On my Windows 8.1 laptop, I simply plugged the unit into an available USB port, plugged the headphones into the DacMagic and … that’s it.
I tested the unit on a variety of different music genres (including talk/podcast, EDM and of course some Bieber) and in my opinion this thing sounds great! I admit that I’m no audiophile, but it kicks out some seriously loud sound from my budget RHA earbuds. Cambridge Audio promises a boost of up to 10 times more power than most laptop sound cards manage. While I haven’t access to an audio lab to prove this claim, I wouldn’t be surprised.
Like most travelers, I often find myself in loud environments on the road: coffee shops, airports, trains, and of course planes. An ultra-portable device like the DacMagic is perfect for being able to crank up my headphones to drown out all of the ambient noise, especially when I’m working.
As an added bonus, the unit features dedicated volume controls so there’s no need to fiddle with the ones on your laptop.
If there’s one thing I’d love to see is a similar unit for smartphones, as that’s my primary music device when traveling.
Pricing + Availability
Available now in black for around $200 USD from these Cambridge Audio dealers.