[mofonyx]

Hi,

I'm going to have a Benchmark DAC1 soon and I'm curious to how I should be controlling the output volume of the XLR Analogue Balanced Outputs at the rear panel.

The set up should be:

Benchmark DAC1 >>XLR cables>> Amplifier >> Headphones

Do I adjust the volume using the *Calibrated* volume control setting (i.e. using the calibration potentiometers at the rear end) or do I do it with the *Variable* volume control setting (i.e. using the front panel volume knob to control the analogue output)?

What are the differences of using one from the other?

Thanks.

 

[dip16amp]

Use the calibrated volume control setting if your amplifier has a volume control. The calibrated setting is for line out adjustment. The variable setting is used if the amplifier does not have a separate volume control. You can also try both ways and see if you can tell which sounds better.

 

[kool bubba ice]

Are you going to be using the 701 with the DAC1 amp? I thought the combo was underwhelming & boring IMO

 

[matti_s]

Quote:

Originally Posted by kool bubba ice /img/forum/go_quote.gif Are you going to be using the 701 with the DAC1 amp? I thought the combo was underwhelming & boring IMO

DAC1 is dac primarly, not amplifier. Not mean to be disrespectful, but what I got from other DAC1 threads you opinion of DAC1 is based on it's internal head amp. I used it with Heed CanAmp and it was anything but boring. It's retains it detailness and analytical response of DAC1, but adds more warmth and power to lower end (without loosing the tightness of the bass).

Just to mention that fe Tool's "Vicarious" or "46 & 2" causes severe drooling and Norah Jones "Nightingale" (if I may loan from mr. Clarkson) feels like angels licking your soul.

IMHO only way to make it better (with going bankrupt) is to go balanced. I'm planning to acquire Rudistor NX33 sometime and retire the CanAmp to work rig. The CanAmp is wonderful amp, but once the bug has bitten...

edit: correct couple of typos.

 

[music_man]

if your headphone amp has a volume control use the calibrated pots on the dac1. if the headphone amp does not have a volume control use the variable on the dac1. or if you want to cause distortion which i always discuss is many times a good thing you can use the variable on the benchmark and the volume control on the headphone amp if it has one. this will cause "overdrive" which is a distorted saturated signal. if you use that with extreme moderation it might sound good to you. if you get carried away doing that you will blow the drivers in your headphones or your amps input stage perhaps. i found the dac1 sounds best with the pads on 0db(ymmv). you must be very careful with the pads at that setting. you can easily damage equipment ahead of the dac1 with the pads there. i do find that the decibel to voltage ratio that the benchmark engineers state is way off in my system. i got best results running the dac1 at 4-5 vrms into various amps. i'd like to point out not to calibrate it or change the pads unless you have a true rms voltmeter and basic knowledge of handling cmos electronics(static).

music_man

 

[mofonyx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by music_man /img/forum/go_quote.gif if your headphone amp has a volume control use the calibrated pots on the dac1. if the headphone amp does not have a volume control use the variable on the dac1.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dip16amp /img/forum/go_quote.gif Use the calibrated volume control setting if your amplifier has a volume control. The calibrated setting is for line out adjustment. The variable setting is used if the amplifier does not have a separate volume control. You can also try both ways and see if you can tell which sounds better.

Thanks for that. Taking the example of say, a First Watt F1 which does not have a volume control; would it be better to control the volume straight from the DAC1 with variable volume control OR to run it through a preamp (for volume control); with calibrated settings on the DAC1. I would assume that controlling the volume with the DAC1 would be preferable as there are less components from source to sound.

Quote:

Originally Posted by music_man /img/forum/go_quote.gif i found the dac1 sounds best with the pads on 0db(ymmv). you must be very careful with the pads at that setting. you can easily damage equipment ahead of the dac1 with the pads there. i do find that the decibel to voltage ratio that the benchmark engineers state is way off in my system. i got best results running the dac1 at 4-5 vrms into various amps. i'd like to point out not to calibrate it or change the pads unless you have a true rms voltmeter and basic knowledge of handling cmos electronics(static).

This worries me because I do not have a true rms voltmeter nor do I have a basic knowledge of handling cmos electronics. It seems that on the manual the output is set at 4 dBu (reading up on dBu, I would assume this means 4 vrms). I don't think that changing the jumpers would be too difficult; perhaps I will leave the calibrated pots alone.

Lastly, no, I don't plan to run the K701s straight out of the Benchmark DAC1

 

[music_man]

the variable pot on the front of the benchmark is not the best pot. it will depend if your amp has a better pot. if the amp does not have a variable pot then use the one on the benchmark. adding more boxes to your signal chain will probably degrade the sound more than enhance it. unless the preamp is very high quality. a lot of people think the dac1 sounds better with the variable pot. i think it sounds better with the calibrated pots. you will have to try both and decide for yourself. either way will work. just do not use two variable volume controls in a signal chain unless you want to cause noise and distortion as i mentioned above. for a "clean" sound use only variable control.

if you do not have a true rms voltmeter and knowledge of how to use it forget adjusting the rear pots or moving the pads! you will end up sending the unit for service. it won't be broken most likely but it will be way messed up. vrms does not equal decibels full scale. two different measurements. they do directly relate to each other in this case however. ie, the voltage goes up the dbu goes up.

music_man

 

[mofonyx]

music_man, thanks for the reply.

So a preamp in the audio chain would not be preferable for volume control purposes, as I can gather from your words.

With that it would be possible to conclude that it is best to have DAC1 >>> amplifier and control the volume of the analogue outputs on the DAC1.

Thanks for your replies to this thread, you have been helpful.

 

[kool bubba ice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by matti_s /img/forum/go_quote.gif DAC1 is dac primarly, not amplifier. Not mean to be disrespectful, but what I got from other DAC1 threads you opinion of DAC1 is based on it's internal head amp. I used it with Heed CanAmp and it was anything but boring. It's retains it detailness and analytical response of DAC1, but adds more warmth and power to lower end (without loosing the tightness of the bass). Just to mention that fe Tool's "Vicarious" or "46 & 2" causes severe drooling and Norah Jones "Nightingale" (if I may loan from mr. Clarkson) feels like angels licking your soul. IMHO only way to make it better (with going bankrupt) is to go balanced. I'm planning to acquire Rudistor NX33 sometime and retire the CanAmp to work rig. The CanAmp is wonderful amp, but once the bug has bitten... edit: correct couple of typos.

Sigh.. I just think the amp in the DAC1 is subpar, & question why they even put it in, in the first place.. I also tried the 701's with my BADA12 tube amp..It sounded better but still wasn't really impressed. It does have certain qualities that I liked, but had some things I didn't like. Maybe I need a gazillion hrs of burn in time

. IMO getting the 701 balanced would have been a waste of time for me..AKG needs a better flagship headphone IMO.

 

[mofonyx]

Something is better than nothing

 

[music_man]

kool bubba ice, i see you still have the dac1 so i assume you like it. it is pretty good. not with k701's though! that was the problem. the k701's are amazing headphones with much darker, slower equipment.

that is why i originally thought the dac1 was bad. i blamed the dac1. you blamed the k701's. plug them into a presonus cs and they will sing to you! or if you want to spend more money you could do lavry black>grado ra-1>k701.

i read posts here that the variable sounded better than the calibrated. not true i find. that is slowing it down for brighter cans. in a loudspeaker system with a preamp the calibrated is clearly better to me. i can pump 5.66vrms into the preamp without clipping on the calibrated. the variable will start clipping at about 5vrms.

music_man

 

[mofonyx]

Does the Variable setting ultilise the headamp as a preamp for volume control?

 

[blessingx]

Quote:

Originally Posted by mofonyx /img/forum/go_quote.gif Something is better than nothing

I'm not so sure of this. As an example, I sold my Aria because I bought it expecting a great DAC/amp combo. When I found out the DAC was substandard IMO, far behind the amp, I sold it as I would have likely purchased a different amp if that was all I was after. While still likely a minority of us, I suspect a decent number of Head-Fiers purchase a DAC1 or DA10 for their internal headamp or balanced outs, lessening the need for a decent separate amp. Both have gathered quite a rep in this area as great combo units (furthering the bang for buck trait). If part of that combo proves disappointing it can color the whole purchase. Again using my purchase history as an example, I would have not bought the DA10 specifically only for DAC duty.

 

[mofonyx]

I don't see them doubling as headamps. I am getting a dedicated amplifier. A DAC is a DAC is a DAC. A headamp may come in handy when I'm saving up for something after I've sold my amps (transitional upgrade phase).

Hence, something would be better than nothing!

but once again, I would like to know "Does the Variable setting ultilise the headamp as a preamp for volume control?"

 

[mofonyx]

bumping it up to get attention to the question at hand..