The Dacmagic is known to be a little on the bright side. You can look for a warmer sounding digital cable, but the fact remains your DAC is not up to the level of the rest of your system, so the sound will always be compromised even if you tame it down. Also, you never know what you will get when mixing amps and preamps from different manufacturers. If you are still not satisfied after improving your source you should either go back to an Audio Research amplifier or get a Pass preamp. When the amp and preamp are matched there is always a rightness to the sound that cannot be achieved by mixing brands.
ARC LS25 with PASS X250 - bad match? Seems bright.
I just switched my amp from an arc VT100mkII to the PASS X250. Upon doing so, I heard more brightness and even harshness in my system. I have heard that the PASS amps are not bright, so I am suspecting either a system mismatch, or that the X250 is more linear and is revealing another source of brightness in my system, that the tube amp perhaps was masking.
System:
Rockport Mira Monitors
Wisdom SCS Subwoofer
PASS X250
Audio Research LS25 mk I
Bryston 10b Sub crossover
Cambridge DacMagic
PS Audio GCPH
J.A. Michell Tecnodek
Dynavector 10x5
Cardas 100b microtwin balanced interconnects
Cardas Cross speaker cables
I am having a feeling that maybe my source components are not up to par with the rest, and that may be the cause of the harsh brightness at times. Or, that the PASS does not like the ARC LS25. What do you think?
Thanks!
Mark
System:
Rockport Mira Monitors
Wisdom SCS Subwoofer
PASS X250
Audio Research LS25 mk I
Bryston 10b Sub crossover
Cambridge DacMagic
PS Audio GCPH
J.A. Michell Tecnodek
Dynavector 10x5
Cardas 100b microtwin balanced interconnects
Cardas Cross speaker cables
I am having a feeling that maybe my source components are not up to par with the rest, and that may be the cause of the harsh brightness at times. Or, that the PASS does not like the ARC LS25. What do you think?
Thanks!
Mark