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Hi !
i bought some weeks ago a Benchmark DAC1 - 1st edition (same back as the unit in the picture).
I had no opportunities for a serious listening.
Is this unit still a good one ?
Any advice about cables or any tweak to improve the sound ?
I am currently using the AES input.
It works ! but as i said above i did not have time for a serious listening yet.
I am listening almost only to cd files.
Thanks a lot.
Kind regards,
bg
Edits: 06/30/15 06/30/15Follow Ups:
Far better to get a used Monarchy Audio M22B, M22C, M33, M24 or NM24 DAC. The first four all use the famous and fantastic BB PCM63K and the last one uses the famous and fantastic BB PCM1704K DAC chipset. The first three use discrete SS output and M24 uses a pure tube output (no opamps). The NM24 you get a choice of SS or Tube outputs. They can all be had for a few hundred bucks. Best is to match them with a Monarchy DIP.
Hi and thanks a lot for the helpful advice.
I still would like to give these dacs i have at hand a chance
But i am moving soon. So i have to wait a little.
If the sound will not be nice i will look for something else for sure.
I see sometimes Monarchy dacs on sale. They look really serious.
Even if my life dream would be a Wadia dac ... but they are too expensive.
Thanks again.
Kind regards,
bg
Hi Beppe,
This DAC was on my shortlist in 2008 when I was looking for a DAC/pre-amp.
I listened too the DAC 1 several times intensively at the dutch distributer place (www.helios.nl).
I think on sound quality the SOS the review 'Perfect conversion' sums it up nicely.
All Benchmark DAC 1 types can sound a little (too) bright too my ears, but like PaneHead already suggested: there are things you can do too 'tame' the DAC 1 a little.
Since you model doesn't has an USB/Firewire computer interface onboard, great care should be taken with selecting an interface too the computer. Otherwise it will only sound 'so so'.
I neglected the importance of high quality interfacing myself for quit a while. For a few years I used a heavily modded digital part of the ESI Juli@ soundcard. While this sounds 'not bad at all' I only heard the full SQ potential of my Lavry Black DA 10, when I hooked it up too a high quality computer interface.
For a while I used the digital-out from a Anteloppe Zodiac Gold (only using the Zodiac Gold as a digital interface). With help of www.joystick.be, I finely could lay my hands on a second-hand Weiss AF1 interface.
I first thought about buying a new and better DAC since the Lavry DAC 10 was on the drawing board some 10 years ago. But with the Weiss AF1 I realised that I had not listened too the Black DA 10 but I had listened too my Esi JUli@ interface. I only had heard 50% of the potential sound quality of the Lavry Black DA 10.
Knowing from my auditions at Helios I know that the sound quality of your DAC 1 and the Black DA 10 are both in the same league. So probably also the sound quality of your DAC 1 will greatly benefit from a high quality computer interface.
About (digital) cable quality.
Recently a friend of mine bought a Anteloppe Pure 2. And he also needed new cables (USB between his (Apple) computer and analog between his Pure 2 and the pre-amps of his active studio monitors) We tried a lot of different cables. Also very expensive ones from Audioquest.
Again it was clear: you do need good quality (digital) cables. But also: good is good enough. There absolute no need for very expensive (digital) cables costing hundreds of dollars/euro's.
For 40 to 70 euro-dollar / meter you can buy high quality (analogue / digital) cables from Mogami, Vovox, Oyaide (or NEO).
(my personal opinion on this is: If gear needs highly expensive cables too sound good: than do not change the cables, but change the gear (that gear has design flaws)).
So:
- Take great care (!) in selecting a high quality computer interface for your Benchmark DAC 1.
- Make sure too use good quality XLR AES/EBU digital cable and good quality XLR analogue cable between DAC-pre and power amp. There is no need for exotic, very expensive cables. Good is good enough. I like the Vovox professional line very much. Very good quality at modest pricing.
Good luck
cMP PC win8.1 > Weiss AF1 Firewire interface > Vovox Link Direct SD > Lavry Black DA10 > Vovox Sonorus Direct S > Klein & Hummel O300
Hi and thank you so much for your very valuable reply.
Your following words " Knowing from my auditions at Helios I know that the sound quality of your DAC 1 and the Black DA 10 are both in the same league " have put a very big smile on my sad face ...
Based on my needs correctly driven this dac could be my definitive dac.
I am active on the usb to aes converter search.
As aes digital i am currently using a cable from Canare and like the sound. Actually i did not find much of a difference between this and a Sommercable one. Both nice.
Thanks a lot again for the very helpful and positive advice.
Kind regards,
bg
Edits: 07/05/15 07/05/15 07/05/15 07/05/15
I use it with the jumpers on 0dB using balanced outputs into a pro amp. It sounds fine. There are a lot of junk recordings out there that this will not gloss over in the tubelike euphoria a lot of guys here seem to like draped over their music in order to hide problems elsewhere but on great recordings it sounds great.
Hi and thank you very much indeed for the very helpful advice.
I have to check where these jumpers are located and see.
I am not looking for an exceptional performance.
Just a musical sound.
Thanks again.
Kind regards,
bg
I have an HDR and really like it. I am also a part time recording engineer and use it as a tool when I'm not enjoying it for casual listening. I have owned DAC's from Meridian, MSB and Matrix over the past 20 years and I have absolutely no issues with this DAC.
That being said, I have never heard your model DAC but find it hard to believe that it is a bad as the above trashing. Maybe it is.....but hard to believe. The best advice is to trust your ears and if you got it at a good price......say around $300 or so, you didn't hurt yourself.
So, forget about what you have read, good or bad, just trust your ears.
BTW, here is my writer up and review of the HDR:
Part 1
So, I sold my Matrix Mini i v2 and bought a Benchmark HDR. I really wanted more SPDIF connections as well as the possibility to raise the bar on performance. I've read and heard continuous good things about the Benchmark for a long time.........and the price was too nice to turn down. Essentially, selling both the Mini i and my M-stage put me in close shouting distance of the Benchmark making it a no brainer. Also, it has an analog in, which added to the attraction.
One area where this DA stomps all over the Matrix is its headphone section, which is very detailed, dynamic and extended. It might be all the headphone amp one needs. Listening to it through my HiFiman 400's and Audible Illusions 3A is special and gives an exciting sonic picture. I still believe my Melos SHA1 offers a more organic sound but I am really liking what this headphone amp offers. With vinyl it really shines by providing a quick execution of transients.
As a DA it has worked well in both SPDIF and USB mode. It plays the resolution card a bit better than the Matrix. I haven't really put enough time into it to report on what else it does other than saying I'm not missing the Matrix, which is saying a lot because the Matrix offers plenty for very little. On a whole it is safe to say that this is a better DA......how much better only more time will tell.
Part 2
I've gotten more mileage into the unit now and can give a better account of its signature. This unit is very detailed with excellent resolution and extension. It turns on a dime but reveals reverb trails nicely. It doesn't seem to add color to the instruments and subtle changes made to your mix are easily discerned. Overall it will provide a clean, razors edge, view of your recording that will draw you into the music while laying bare all aspects of the recording. It does not romantize your recording but rather gives you a very clear picture of what's there, warts and all. For me, that's a good thing. I like to add my own sugar to my coffee. For that duty I would rather leave the sweetening to my preamps or amps.
Bass is well extended and punchy. It is not bloated nor does it leave notes hanging, thus blurring them together. Each bass note can be discerned from the other when there is a run or walking, or if the kick is layering, and or doubling.
Vocals are revealed for what is on the track, making it easier to identify the mic used or type of environment the track was recorded in.
High frequencies are one of its many strong points. Rides, Hi-Hats and Crashes are all revealed for what they are. Overtones and primary notes from instruments are there in their full glory.
This is an honest tool that will play back what is on your tracks. It comes in a sturdy, well constructed package, has gobs of inputs and output and does its job in first class, workman like fashion. However, for someone looking for a DAC that is more like a crayon this is not for you. It will not make your recordings more romantic or fix problems elsewhere in your system. For that you will have to shop elsewhere. But for someone who is looking for what it brings to the table, this might be the unit for you and now that Benchmark has released the DAC2 these are going for a great price on the used market. You can even buy a refurbished unit from Benchmark at a greatly reduced price with a warranty.
Again, I know this is not your unit but it is hard to believe that your DAC is that bad sounding since they come from the same family tree.
Hi and thanks a lot for the very interesting advice.
I understand that newer models sound better. As it usually is.
I bought it by instinct ...
I have to listen better and longer to it for sure.
Maybe is not the ultimate sound ... but i do not have enough money for that.
Thanks a lot again.
Kind regards,
bg
This may be an expensive solution,but had you considered using one of the Z-Systems units(RDP or RDQ).These units re-clock and upsample the digital signal.In addition,they allow use of an EQ (parametric) and allow tailoring of the sound.It will also offer you a digital volume control which may be more transparent.
Tom:cat
Not a bad dac. Certainly better than some think. It requires some tweaking to hear what it can do:
1. Vibration control
2. replace fuses
3. balanced output and fixed
4. careful selection of usb cable
5. power cord
Dont remember the specifics but each item seemed to help tame this dac a bit.
Good luck and enjoy!
please pay some attention too detail before you post
cMP PC win8.1 > Weiss AF1 Firewire interface > Vovox Link Direct SD > Lavry Black DA10 > Vovox Sonorus Direct S > Klein & Hummel O300
Hi and thanks again.
Mine is what i think is the very 1st edition without usb.
I am going to use the aes input. It worked when i tried.
By the way what do you mean for vibration control ? the transformer ?
Kind regards,
bg
I used various devices - myrtle blocks or something else under the unit.
Oh and btw the Gustard U12 is a great way to get USB into the Benchmark. Never really liked the USB on this unit and was one of the biggest improvements to the sound.
Good luck!
Hi and thanks a lot for the helpful advice. I will try something.
I looked inside and i do not think i will touch anything in the circuits
Usually a little more uF in the ps and strategic place (output stages) are beneficial.
Also cables can do something in order to make the sound thicker
Thanks again.
Kind regards,
bg
Too bad, now it might be hard to listen seriously without thinking of some of the "negative reviews" that have been posted. If I were you, I'd try to remember that there are a great many positive reviews of this product to consider also.Next time? Listen first, solicit opinions last.
Edits: 07/02/15
Hi and you are right. But i trust people here a lot indeed.
I see dedication. Passion and great experience.
When many opinions are negative they cannot be all wrong.
And vice versa of course
I wonder how much different cables can change the situation by the way.
Kind regards,
bg
I'm sure that you can find plenty of suggestions for cable over on the cable forum. I've never owned a separate DAC, only digital players, so I cannot make a recommendation.But, speaking of DACs and cables, of all the components that go into the making of a stereo system, digital playback components and cables are (to me) the most similar sounding. My digital front end and my cabling are the last things I'll ever worry about. I've noticed very few sonic differences between digital components and cables so far, and the differences that do exist are relatively minor ones. Work on upgrading your speakers and other components, don't worry too much about relatively miniscule sonic enhancements.
Edits: 07/02/15
Hi ! thanks again for the very helpful advice.
I have some cables to try. I have a very positive experience with Cardas Neutral ref (but rca) and my old Rotel cdp.
The sound was quite musical. The Cardas were from a friend.
I have now Cardas Hexlink xlr .. i little big and stiff but i am optimistic.
I will ask there for specific recommendations when i will have more experience of the unit.
I hope to be able to test it in the weekend.
Thanks again.
Kind regards,
bg
The differences in the digital components may be subtle, even impossible to hear in short term listening. However, this does not mean that the differences don't matter. If there are problems the result may be apparently good sound that leaves you fatigued after a lengthy listening session. Under these circumstances, it is possible to place the blame for dissatisfaction in the wrong place. On the other hand, many differences in speaker setup and room acoustics may be obvious, but as they leave results that are still plausibly "natural" they may not cause fatigue.
The ultimate test of a system is not how impressive or "good" it sounds, but how much enjoyment it brings. If you want to measure this enjoyment, the best way to measure it is how many hours you can spend listening and remain delighted.
Tony Lauck
"Diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform." - P.R. Sarkar
Dear Sirs,
thanks a lot indeed for the very valuable even if negative response.
I think i made a mistake.
Even if i looked inside and being impressed by the construction quality of this little dac. Very well built. Neat construction indeed.
However, i will try some cables combinations, for instance with cables famous for smoothin out things ... or give a little more warm to the sound.
Sometimes the effects are impressive.
I will ask in the specific section by the way.
Next time i will ask before buying for sure.
Thanks a lot sincerely again.
Kind regards,
bg
Are you saying you made a mistake based on the negative comments or because you are unhappy with the sound? TBH, it comes down to psychological effects as well as the speaker and listening room characteristics. Some of the comments are blatant exagerrations based on prejudices. The Thiel CS3.7 that one of the naysayers has, was noted as having a rising top end and would be sensitive to the listening axis "a hyperarticulation that a less charitable listener might call brightness." I'm sure the owner would insist he had everything perfectly setup and was listening at the optimum height therefore the fault is with the DAC1. However, this cannot be proven. We also don't know what recordings were being auditioned at the time and what sonic preferences they have. The bottom line is that unless one is present at the mastering session, one cannot possibly know what the Mastering engineer heard through his system. If the ME equalised the sound to compensate for a warm speaker, I'm sure the recording would sound quite bright and harsh on some systems!
Again, don't be swayed by the opinion of others (both positive and negative). At the end of the day the opinions remain just that... FACTS are the only currency worth dealing in and you need to use your own judgement.
Regards Anthony
"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats
Hi ! of course i am saying that i "feel"like i made a mistake based on the negative comments.
For me comments from expert persons are very important.
I am also an avid reader of reviews in general.
I like how some writers are able to describe feelings with words. The way they use words ...
They usually have big experience of different units, competence and very resolving playback systems.
Much more resolving than mine.
Actually i listening more to headphones than speakers to avoid issues with neighbours ... they are completely silent. Unbelievable.
And the walls are made out of paperboard.
I am using an Akg k501 (very transparent and natural) and a HP amp designed to drive the old k1000.
If i will be able to get a detailed but relaxed and natural sound through the HPs i will be done.
I see HPs like a stethoscope for the source.
My listening was too brief to give a definitive answer.
And i still hope that cables can do something to tame some harshness and hardness.
Thanks again.
Kind regards,
bg
Edits: 07/02/15 07/02/15 07/02/15 07/02/15
You should borrow one and give it a try.... I cannot count the times someone having a different experience with a product compared to my own.
Hi ! actually i have already bought it because the price was nice.
And i found old very positive reviews.
I sincerely hope that i will be able to make up the sound a little with the right cables selection.
IMHE cables can do a lot. Especially with digital.
Decent analog sounds almost always pretty good, from a musical point of view.
Maybe it is not the last word in detail, but it is often very musical indeed.
Thanks again.
Kind regards,
bg
a paint peeler. belongs nowhere but mid level home recording studios.
When it first came to the attention of the audiophile community, there was nothing, nothing, at its price point that could touch it.
Build quality is nothing short of excellent.
Succeeding generations had better sound.
To call it a paint peeler is a flat-out exaggeration.
Audiophiles need to read what they write and not stoop to personal invective.
There are a number of reports that indicate the build quality is in fact, substandard.Invective?
They are opinions based on experience and research. Of course, some opinions are less grounded in facts that others.
It is also true that there were just not that many simlarly priced & featured products that were on the market. The headphone jack was a pretty good feature that was one of the selling points for John Marks.
Comparitive analysis by people with experience showed this product for what it is. It is not "bashing" and opinions are balanced with people qualifying them with both good and bad points. You labeling reasonable criticism as "bashing" doesn't serve you well.
Finally, if this product was so great, why did Benchmark take dramatic steps to improve later iterations?
"Asylums with doors open wide,
Where people had paid to see inside,
For entertainment they watch his body twist
Behind his eyes he says, 'I still exist.'"
Edits: 07/02/15
... , in minimal configuration without USB input, shortly after that.As I posted more than once, I had an Apogee MiniDAC on hands at the same time, and also acquired used PS Audio Digital Link III shortly after that.
Out of these 3, Benchmark was clearly, unmistakably the worst, competing - and winning over PS Audio - only in the bass. From there up, it was thin, shrill, dry, fatiguing, and any other negative epithet you could come up with. I was relieved when sent it back where it came from (I believe it was AudioAdvisor), mere 2 weeks after it showed up.
So much for bashing.
Edits: 07/01/15
We came to the same conclusion when my friend got one. He replaced it pretty quickly with a Resolution Audio Cantata, which was a proper DAC (although it is still not one of my favorites).
Your experience is mirrored by a multitude of others, including mine, and a large number of friends who were early DAC adopters.
The fact is, the magazines were looking to introduce a new advertiser into the fold. The fact that several Stereophile writers called it a reference is pretty frightening. The Audio Critic recently called it "perfect". What a hoot.
I'm not asking whether he is "well" - that is certainly not the case for at least last 30 years.
"What the Benchmark DAC1 HDR adds to or subtracts from its input signal is borderline unmeasurable, so the sonic character of its output is obviously the sonic character of its input. It's as simple as that. It has no sound of its own. Furthermore, its measurements could be 20 or 30 dB worse and it would still sound the same. I have convinced myself of that over and over again in double-blind listening comparisons of all sorts of electronic components at matched levels. The 100% purity of the DAC1 HDR is of benefit mainly in professional systems, where the integrity of the equipment chain needs to be verified and guaranteed. To audiophiles it's a somewhat abstract luxury—but not an excessively costly one."
"The Benchmark DAC2 HGC represents a new reference standard in the category of "DAC with line-level preamp" (excluding mysterious megabuck products designed to meet voodoo criteria). I refer you again to the links above if you wish to explore the unit's awesome feature set, with any and all digital or analog signal sources, be they audio components or computer. Its sound is what any non-voodoo reviewer would expect on the basis of the Audio Precision measurements: the exact sound of the signal source, nothing more and nothing less."
- Peter Aczel, The Audio Critic
Unfortunately, I can't find a full version of the review so I can pull up the "perfect" quote.
As an alternative to the Cardas,check out the Monoprice premium XLR cables.I still use one for my aes-ebu.You might try using them for the digital and stereo out.They have an inverted smile frequency balance,but still quite musical and revealing.I have replaced mine with PADs,but can still highly recommend.Especially at the price-give you a better deal on my replaced ones,if interested.
Tom:cat
I stand by what I said. Trying to get past the 30 minute mark with it in the system was a chore..to put it kindly.
You DO have a point about it not having much competition when it was first introduced, but then again it was not really necessary to have a DAC at that point in time.
N/T
in a home audio system. There are other mid-end DACs that blow it away for the same price. It does have a headphone jack if you have a pair of super warm headphones to compensate for its thin/harsh sound.
"Asylums with doors open wide,
Where people had paid to see inside,
For entertainment they watch his body twist
Behind his eyes he says, 'I still exist.'"
Grace Design pro products are built to last, are versatile, and are usually not described as "paint peelers" from what I understand.
The best DAC I've ever owned was a "pro" unit.... The Prism DA-2.
Their ADC's were known as SOTA for the time. Abbey Road used Prism ADC's to digitize the Beatles master tapes the second time around.Some of my very best sounding CDs were mastered from Prism derived masters.
Edits: 07/01/15
what did you think when you heard that particular model?
As Sprezza said, (and it's also my understanding), they improved the sound quality of their later products.
I borrowed one from a friend and had it in my system for a long time, it's simply thin, aggressive and abrasive. The right RCA output jack was shorted.
Of course that is only 1 anecdote: but that may lead some to conclude that the build quality isn't so much....
Cheers,
"Asylums with doors open wide,
Where people had paid to see inside,
For entertainment they watch his body twist
Behind his eyes he says, 'I still exist.'"
Exactly.
It also exposes how clueless many audio magazines are when this DAC was given a rave review by Stereophile and then others. Without out that review Benchmark never enters the home hifi market.
Fast forward, they did the same with the MyTek. Another paint peeler.
To be totally fair, I understand later generations of the Benchmark are far better sounding, but still retain that fatiguing "pro" sound.
Curious logic....
If a recording is mastered using studio gear, then you would get the closest result to what the mastering engineer is hearing by using the same equipment.
Regards Anthony
"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats
Actually no.
RECORDING studios 90% of the time are using powered monitors, so they want hot sources. They also listen at very loud levels.
MASTERING studios often use gear sold in the audiophile market. Two totally different situations.
I used to sell the Yamaha NS10. If they wanted good sound in the studio, nobody would have bought them. They did look very nice though.
Dave
Mytek is not a paint peeler when used in a properly set up system. Setting it up, however, is not particularly easy and requires more technical expertise and patience than many audiophiles possess. The unit also takes many hundreds of hours to burn in before it plays at its best and requires being left on 24/7.
Tony Lauck
"Diversity is the law of nature; no two entities in this universe are uniform." - P.R. Sarkar
All that being said, why would anyone want a DAC that requires that much burn in, produces that much heat, and is set to super hot levels by default?
You may want to consider Thorsten's upcoming iFi Pro iDSD. with volume control, DSD256 (if you actually care), discreet output stage, linear power supply, headphone amp etc...that will shame the competition based on the design thread on Head Fi and my experience with the $499 Micro iDSD. The Pro will be $1500
I have the DAC1 HDR which I use to monitor my ADC. I have also used it as preamp before my NAD M51. It isn't quite as good as the NAD, but certainly is a very well engineered DAC. You may have seen my comments on this DAC on another thread - since Benchmark products are aimed at the professional market, they are intended to be as neutral as possible. Consequently, they are often "disappointing". As I said on the other thread "It is disappointing to spend money on a component and not hear it" if you get what I mean! In other words, it doesn't jump out to impress you. On the end of my Grimm CC1 or the Big Ben, it is a technically superb DAC. My only criticism was on the USB input - they use synchronous mode and despite the use of their "Ultralock" technology, the USB input is a long way off the SPDIF input and a high jitter source becomes flat and lacking in precision. NOTE: the HDR doesn't have an AES input like your model, so using the AES input is likely to show an even bigger contrast.
Regards Anthony
"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats
Hi and thanks a lot for the very helpful advice.
I think i have the very 1st edition. There is no usb input.
And i did not see any clock input as well ... so i cannot use an external clock with it.
I think i can do something to smooth out and warm-up a little the sound.
I have found Cardas cables being a godsend for this purpose.
But i am willing to try some other solid core Cu xlr cables.
I would like to stay away from tubes, the usual " antidote ".
And also AES connection sounds to me more relaxed and less noisy.
Thanks a lot again.
Kind regards,
bg
Edits: 07/01/15
Sorry, when I said I was using a master clock with the DAC1, I meant that I was reclocking the SPDIF input data to the DAC1. The point being that, although the "Ultralock" is good, it still requires a clean jitter-free input to give of its best.
The Opamps in the DAC1 are NE5532 according to Benchmark. The DAC1 HDR I have uses LME49720 throughout and that gives a smoother and more realistic presentation. I have found that the NE5532 can sometimes sound a bit "shut-in".
If you are brave, you can try to replace the opamps with LME49722!
Regards Anthony
"Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty.." Keats
" Sorry, when I said I was using a master clock with the DAC1, I meant that I was reclocking the SPDIF input data to the DAC1. The point being that, although the "Ultralock" is good, it still requires a clean jitter-free input to give of its best. "
Ok i see. I will keep that in mind. I do not have any clue about the jitter performances of my converter feeding the dac.
" The Opamps in the DAC1 are NE5532 according to Benchmark. The DAC1 HDR I have uses LME49720 throughout and that gives a smoother and more realistic presentation. I have found that the NE5532 can sometimes sound a bit "shut-in".
If you are brave, you can try to replace the opamps with LME49722!
Regards Anthony "
Unfortunately i have no hope for this mod.
I would damage anything.
At max i could think of some caps replacement. Just that.
I like Nichicon FG caps a lot. They are good caps indeed.
I have to see inside one of these days.
Thanks again.
Kind regards,
bg
I modded my Dac 1 with by replacing the 5532s with the NS LMEs (you also need to change the voltage regulators)and the improvement is vast and immediately discernible. Sound is warmer with better depth and imaging.
Hi this is a little out of place ... but i have an opinion.
That the quality of the power supply is of paramount importance for sound.
Maybe even more than the op-amps actually used.
Therefore i would think to a new power supply.
But i do not know the voltage requirements for the unit.
I have to look inside first ... in the weekend.
I have seen extremely interesting DIY projects for PS in some sites.
Very interesting indeed.
If you have any useful information please feel free to email me.
Thanks again a lot for the hint.
Kind regards,
bg
Edits: 07/01/15 07/01/15 07/01/15
I owned one for a few months.... I thought it sounded awful..... But there are a lot of highly-regarded digital audio products that I think sounds awful....
At first, the DAC1 sounds "hyperdetailed".... But after about 10 minutes of listening time, I picked up on a "band of noise" the music was riding on. I was unable to block this out. Kept me from focusing on the music. The "band of noise" also lingered in my head for several minutes after the music stopped.
I later found out this was a trait of digital audio playback that utilizes asynchronous sample rate conversion. The first edition Benchmark DAC1, for a reason I cannot explain, upsampled signals to 110 kHz sample rate. But I've experienced a very similar "band of noise" effect with DACs that upsample to 24/192.
Hi and thanks a lot for the very helpful opinion.
I am very sorry to hear about the listening fatigue provided by this unit.
I just listened to it briefly and indeed it sounded detailed.
I have also bought a pair of Cardas xlr to smooth out the "edges" a little and give some more naturalness to sound.
IMHE aes connection sounds better than spdif. More relaxed, less noisy while keeping all the detail. More "dimensional" as well.
Another idea is also to play a little with power cord known for warming up sound ...
But again ... listening fatigue is a nightmare. I agree.
And with digital is always around the corner. Unfortunately.
Thanks again.
Kind regards,
bg
Edits: 06/30/15 06/30/15 06/30/15
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