Short answer
Both are desktop DAC/amps, $399 against $459.
The HiFiMAN EF500 reaches 100 dB on 567 of the 567 models here, the Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M on 565.
| Specification | Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M | HiFiMAN EF500 |
|---|---|---|
| Power into 32Ω | 300 mW | 1.3 W |
| Power into 150Ω | 65 mW | 282 mW |
| Power into 300Ω | 32 mW | 141 mW |
| Power into 600Ω | 16 mW | 70 mW |
| Output impedance | not published | not published |
| Output noise | not published | not published |
| Price | $399 | $459 |
| Headphones it reaches 100 dB on out of 567 | 565 | 567 |
Not published means the maker leaves it out, so that axis cannot be compared.
| Balanced | Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M | HiFiMAN EF500 |
|---|---|---|
| Socket | no separate rating | XLR4 |
| Power into 32Ω | — | 4.5 W |
| Power into 300Ω | — | 480 mW derived |
| Output impedance | — | not published |
| Output noise | — | not published |
| Headphones it reaches 100 dB on out of 567 | — | 567 |
Only the HiFiMAN EF500 has a separate balanced rating from its maker; through it, it reaches 100 dB on 567 of the 567 models here. The Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M may still have a balanced socket — its spec sheet simply gives no figure for one, so there is nothing to put beside it. Derived figures are worked out from the loads the maker did publish.
| Load | Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M | HiFiMAN EF500 |
|---|---|---|
| 32 Ω | Published | Published |
| 150 Ω | Published | Derived |
| 300 Ω | Derived | Derived |
| 600 Ω | Derived | Derived |
Both makers publish a power rating. Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M publishes at 32 Ω and at 150 Ω; HiFiMAN EF500 at 32 Ω. The other rows are worked out from those.
So the two columns are not equally firm row by row: at 150 Ω only the Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M figure is the maker’s own. On those rows the derived number is the one to doubt first.
2 headphones reach 100 dB on the HiFiMAN EF500 but not on the Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M — Moondrop PARA, Symphonium Titan.
565 of the 567 models here reach 100 dB on both.
Headroom is at a 100 dB SPL peak.
The widest gap on the list is the Shure SE846: HiFiMAN EF500 has +40 dB of headroom there against +33 dB. 6 dB is about 4.4 times the power, which matters for peaks rather than for how loud the music sits.
The hiss columns are empty for Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M and HiFiMAN EF500 because neither maker publishes no output noise figure.
| Headphone | Impedance | Needs | Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M headroom | HiFiMAN EF500 headroom | Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M hiss | HiFiMAN EF500 hiss |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shure SE846 | 9 Ω | 0.04 mW | +33 dB | +40 dB | not published | not published |
| Campfire Audio Andromeda 2020 | 9 Ω | 4.0 mW | +13 dB | +20 dB | not published | not published |
| Audeze LCD-2 Classic | 70 Ω | 0.79 mW | +22 dB | +29 dB | not published | not published |
| Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro (250Ω) | 250 Ω | 0.63 mW | +18 dB | +24 dB | not published | not published |
| HiFiMAN HE400se | 25 Ω | 7.9 mW | +15 dB | +21 dB | not published | not published |
| Audio-Technica ATH-R70X | 470 Ω | 1.6 mW | +11 dB | +18 dB | not published | not published |
| Sennheiser HD 600 | 300 Ω | 6.6 mW | +7 dB | +13 dB | not published | not published |
| HiFiMAN Susvara | 60 Ω | 50 mW | +5 dB | +11 dB | not published | not published |
The HiFiMAN EF500 costs $60 more than the Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M. Out of the 567 models here, that difference buys 2 more models driven to 100 dB.
Nothing runs the other way: there is no axis here on which the cheaper of the two does better.
Only published figures count here; blank axes are counted separately.
Each in full: Cambridge Audio DacMagic 200M and HiFiMAN EF500.