Thoughts on this DAC...

Benchmark Media DAC1
According to write ups, it's a geat performer. Anyone here have one or had listend to it.? I'm looking to use my NAD cd player as a transport and add a DAC to my system.

Great DAC !

Go for it. Truly remarkable piece of gear. I'm very very very happy with it. Feel free to ask anything specific.

Hellooooo? The Benchmark DAC-1 is what you were listening to last Tues in my system (hiding behind my Squeezebox)!

Seems most folks like it, though a few find it to be too "analytical." The Lavry Black is supposedly a touch warmer, as are some "tube" DAC's like the Audio Note, and others. FYI, TBLS members Mike and Jon both have tube DAC's, which I'm sure they'd let you (or I) demo.

I have a new tube dac on the way. I'll let you know my thoughts once I get it!

I'm sorry, but a DAC with tubes is like a pizza with pineapple and cherries on it. I can understand tubes in your preamp, I can understand tubes in your tuner, but I really can't understand them in a DAC, unless some smart folks want to widen their market and fish for "purists" - let's throw some tubes at them and they'll line up.

I assume you are referring to the tube acting as a buffer rather than a voltage gain stage (as it usually is in a pre...and as some of the tubes are in an amp...hybrid or tube)

I don't understand in the tuner, necessarily...what role do they play there?

I also have a SS dac, and another recently discontinued SS dac...I'll compare them side by side and see what I think.

I think it makes some sense to put a tube in the dac...since what you're doing is taking a digital signal, and converting it to analog. What better place to add that analog warmth and glow? You don't want it coming out sounding all digital, now do you?

I prefer to think of it as pinapple and ham pizza. Delicious

(I'll give my full thoughts once I can actually listen to it...and I'm going to try to tempt jtwrace to let me/us audition it on his system next to his very nice high end dac....a camelot brand one.)

Tubes only make sense in the analog stage of a DAC. But tube guys will connect the dac to their tubed preamp. How many tubes are enough tube ?

I guess it depends on taste, really. I'd say that having tubes play an effective role (voltage gain) and adding their flavor in that manner is probably the ideal usage of it...but if someone wants a particular change in flavor of the sound...then another layer of tubes might accomplish it. Who knows if I like this better than what I've got, but I like the idea that I can change aspects of the sound with the change of a cheap tube as opposed to an entire amp. I'm conisidering going the opposite route of SS(passive even) preamp and Tube amp. I would rather only have to roll the tube in my dac to make a difference as opposed to rolling all of the tubes in the amps I get. Just a matter of preference I guess.

It's a pretty cheap dac anyway...so it's not a huge loss if I don't think it's great.

lugano said:

unless some smart folks want to widen their market and fish for "purists" - let's throw some tubes at them and they'll line up.

Click to expand...

Now you're opening a whole can of worms!! How many products are there that are designed solely for sonic quality and how many products compromise sonic quality for marketing stuff as you state above. I'd like to think none, but I'd think we'd all be surprised.

Will, the Benchmark will be at my door step tomorrow.

I was thinking of the PSAudio DAC as a standalone... vs the Benchmark.

I'm going to research this some more...

Joey

I look forward to when IWalker comes with his tube DAC to try....He is always welcome as is all of you


The high end DAC that IWalker is referring to (that I own) is a Camelot Uther MK4.

Here are a couple links for some of the more popular tube DAC's... the LiteAudio Tube DAC-60 and variations thereof...
http://www.gr-research.com/components/lite_dacs.shtm
http://www.pacificvalve.us/VacuumTubeDacs.html

I've never heard one, but have seen favorable reviews online.

How does it turn on?

rampage60 said:

How does it turn on?

Click to expand...

Not sure if it has a power switch. However, the Benchmark doesn't have a power switch either! I have mine plugged into my (switchable) Monster power conditioner, but in reality, it stays on 24/7.

sleepysurf said:

Not sure if it has a power switch. However, the Benchmark doesn't have a power switch either! I have mine plugged into my (switchable) Monster power conditioner, but in reality, it stays on 24/7.

Click to expand...

I ment the Benchmark. Thanks!

it's always on...

... you can sweeten the wait by reading the Benchmark manual, located here:

http://www.benchmarkmedia.com/dac1/DAC1-Manual.pdf

and don't forget to buy a good coax cable, if you don't already have it. My choice is this one:

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/equipment/0706/stereovox_xv2.htm

Thanks lugano!

After auditioning the Benchmark DAC-1 for several evenings all I can say is ALL MY GOD! It had expanded the sound stage while keeping the center stage in tacked and focus. I notice the vocalist sounds much more real. It seems to have increased the depth of the sound stage. It allows the ML's to perform there killer reproduction at a higher level of performance. Also the bass is tighter and more solid. I'm very happy with its stellar performance!

rampage60 said:

I'm very happy with its stellar performance!

Click to expand...

Welcome to the club, George ! You are now another ML member having a big advantage over Joey... I wonder how long will that last

Truth is, no add-on I've done to my system improved the sound so dramatically and in such multiple ways as the Benchmark did.