the best dac for 2k
Jul 16, 2010 at 8:59 PM Post #61 of 118
I knew you would like them! Now, someone buy my T1s so I can get one!
tongue_smile.gif

 
Sam-fi
beyersmile.png

 
Jul 17, 2010 at 10:15 AM Post #62 of 118
hi 
thanks for that suggestion. 
beerchug.gif

but even If you had the money you would have to choose between them!
k701smile.gif

thanks again 
 
Jul 18, 2010 at 6:49 PM Post #66 of 118

 
Quote:
I am shocked that someone likes the sound of the Benchmark,  have you not heard other DAC's or are peoples hearing just that different?

 

I can see that with mellow musical tastes, recessed or dark headphones, tubey amps, an untrained ear or hearing loss that an etched sound signature could be preferable. Id personally rather listen to rusty nails dragged over a tin roof.
 
Jul 18, 2010 at 7:04 PM Post #67 of 118
How much does the Bel-Canto3 run for used? Around 2k, right?
 
Jul 19, 2010 at 5:48 AM Post #71 of 118

The biggest difference in sound between commercial DACs is #1 the analog stage (do you want a cmoy in your signal path?), #2 digital filtering/OS algorithm, #3 Dac chip used.  
 
There are very few  jitter reducing schemes implemented in commercial dac's that actually work IMHO,  its best to forgoe the trickery and just get a good transport.
 
Quote:
.  Given that, I'd prefer to choose the one that most pleases me, rather than the first one to fall from the piñata.  I would suggest that the largest factors to influence how they sound would have to do with timing (their clocks), jitter (also a factor of timing), and the means they use to translate digital to analog (among other things like power supply, signal path, etc. all of which are well beyond my own understanding). 



 
Jul 19, 2010 at 6:43 PM Post #72 of 118

 
Quote:
 
I can see that with mellow musical tastes, recessed or dark headphones, tubey amps, an untrained ear or hearing loss that an etched sound signature could be preferable. Id personally rather listen to rusty nails dragged over a tin roof.





Quote:
I am shocked that someone likes the sound of the Benchmark,  have you not heard other DAC's or are peoples hearing just that different?

 


I like the sound of the Benchmark DAC1.  And yes I have heard others like the Weiss Minerva, Tranquility, Antelope Zodiac +, Ayre QB-9, Lavry DA-10 and a host of others.  If anything, when properly setup, the Benchmark DAC 1 is a bit laid back and a bit dark.  When it is not it can be bright as all get out.
 
Careful matching with the right power cord (you must ditch the stock cord), the right digital cables, and you have to warm the darn thing up for at least 30-50 minutes.  If not, you will not be hearing what it can do.
 
This weekend I had the opportunity to listen and experiment with the Weiss, Tranquility and Ayre and all were affected more by their ancillary equipment like power and input cables than the character of the dac itself.  All did change with one simple ancillary change.
 
Say what you will, but in the end,  your system will be more a sum of its parts than you might think.
 
cheers
 
Jul 20, 2010 at 8:37 AM Post #73 of 118

Lets see,  an overpriced NOS DAC and the rest sigma-delta just like the Benchmark.  Why don't you compare it to something better engineered,  you may be surprised what an R2R DAC with a non NFB analog stage sounds like.?
 
Quote:
I like the sound of the Benchmark DAC1.  And yes I have heard others like the Weiss Minerva, Tranquility, Antelope Zodiac +, Ayre QB-9, Lavry DA-10 and a host of others.  If anything, when properly setup, the Benchmark DAC 1 is a bit laid back and a bit dark.  When it is not it can be bright as all get out.
 
cheers



 
Jul 20, 2010 at 12:00 PM Post #74 of 118


Quote:
Lets see,  an overpriced NOS DAC and the rest sigma-delta just like the Benchmark.  Why don't you compare it to something better engineered,  you may be surprised what an R2R DAC with a non NFB analog stage sounds like.?
 

 

 
 
I would be glad to, always like to hear and learn.  Why not send one over?
 
Was the Audio GD Compas nos?  I owned the ack dack as well.  We have a mini meet coming up in Denver in a few weeks.  Any "better engineered" nos dacs that should be on my must seek out list?
 
 I liked an older EAD 7000mkii with PMD filter quite a lot, wish I had not parted with it, think that used r2r dac.
 

 
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top