Cambridge Dacmagic? Real improvmt or hype?

Toslink is worst possible way to go, that is the problem. Use a good 75 ohm cable and hear the difference. I was just listening to 3 different ones this morning on my V-DAC. All three are good but noticeably different.I don't use balanced so can comment on them.

I used to be a Cambridge Audio dealer and found this piece to be quite transport/source dependent, regardless of what the reviews say in that regard. With some sources, it worked very well and I felt it was excellent value for the money. With some other sources, the performance just wasn't there. That probably explains many different opinions about this piece. I prefer 75 ohm coax, but I've had good results using a better quality toslink with it as well.

Balanced would make more of an audible difference than optical vs. coax (unless you are running over 50 feet of digital). Don't buy into the Audiophool hype.

Glass toslink is the way to go, you may want to try that out before moving on. A quick google search for one will yield several options, some inexpensive.

I love Toslink myself. But that shouldn't matter. I'm more likely to believe that the dacmagic is your weak spot considering the rest of your gear. IMHO. Have you considered trying out some other higher-end dacs in your rig? You may be surprised.

Regards