Review: Benchmark DAC1 (Modified)

Lee

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Feb 3, 2011
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Benchmark DAC1 Review

Background:

I’ve been wanting to upgrade my 16/44 playback for some time. My Sony SCD-777ES sacd player has been a great investment but as good as the cd player is, it is a bit long in the tooth and more recent DACs and players do sound better. I also wanted to find something that would serve two other purposes- headphone listening and computer audio file playback. So when a DAC1 came up for a good price, I was intrigued and bought it.

Modifications to the DAC1:

This unit has had the Eichmann RCA inputs and outputs installed. I am feeding the input from the Sony SCD-777ES player into the unit and using Kimber Hero or Cardas Golden Reference cables to connect with my Audio Research preamp. This unit was also sent back to Benchmark last summer and upgraded to the latest chip set as well. The only thing out of date is the older style “rack mount” faceplate which still looks good. This is the non-USB, non-preamp version which sells for just over a grand new.

Computer Audio Plans:

I am going to get the Musical Fidelity V-Link to convert the USB cable from my new Mac Mini to an SPDIF output to connect to the Benchmark DAC1 to play computer audio files in the next month or so. I will report back when I get there. Stay tuned.

Build Quality;

Nick and I used to carry around this device to lots of our live recording events so I know it is a tough little machine. The case is solid with a high quality faceplate and knurled headphone/volume control on the front. It has both XLR and RCA outputs on the back of very high quality but my listening was done with the RCA outs.

Measurements:

I don’t have the test gear but you will find that the DAC1 has superb measurements from John Atkinson’s testing.

Listening Impressions:

I’ll let the cat out of the bag early. This is really a tremendously good sounding DAC. It really stepped up my CD playback tremendously. It also bested several current CD players including the Oppo 83 which I used for comparisons. I will grade each aspect based on my own personal experience. For music I used a wide variety including some acoustic discs I love such as the excellent Rolling Stones “Stripped” and the Nils Lifgren “Acoustic Live”. I used the Nat King Cole “Greatest Hits” on DCC, the “Romantic Russia” Georg Solti on XRCD and the Freddie Hubbard “Open Sesame” and Horace Silver “Cape Verdean Blues” on AudioWave XRCD produced by our own Joe Harley. I also used “Spot the Difference” by Squeeze and “The Trinity Sessions” by Cowboy Junkies. I also used the recordings that Nick, Dave and I did on hirez 24/176 DVD-Audio played back by using the Oppo 980H feeding the Benchmark which can do up to 24/192 conversion. The Oppo passes the 24/176 when set in “Raw Data” mode. I also took a listen to the Beatles “Love” which is a favorite and Neil Young’s “Harvest”.

Initial impressions were impressive. I really liked the level of detail I was hearing with the Kimber DV30 and DV60 75 ohm cables. It was clear that I was hearing “more into the mix” and getting a much better sense of detail. I especially noticed that the violin and cello works we record had the correct timbre. They simply sounded like real instruments in a real space. A violin has both woody textures and a certain sweetness to it that is hard to get perfect on digital. The Benchmark sounded like what we heard in the church we record in. Nick and I are finishing up our first commercial recording of an extremely difficult Kodaly piece with a fabulous young cellist from the Jacksonville orchestra. The cello and church interact nicely and the sound of that cello was right on the money. Later as I used the Black Cat Veloce cable, things were much better across the board.

So without further ado, let me comment on several aspects of the Benchmark’s performance…

High Frequencies: B+, lots of air and extension, but ruthlessly revealing. If there is any brightness in your playback chain it will find it. It took me a while to discover an area of brightness in my amp but when I did I realized the DAC1 was just telling the accurate truth of the matter and my system was at fault and not an inherent brightness in the DAC1.

Midrange: A, among the best I have heard regardless of price. Full, liquid, musical.

Bass: A+, terrific!, tight and taut but not exaggerated. A standout feature in my humble opinion.

Soundstage: B-, not as wide and deep as some I have heard but still above average.

Resolution: A+, almost as much detail as some very expensive DACs I have heard. This DAC really unravels some orchestral recordings I have.

Immunity from Jitter: B-, this unit is said to be immune but both John Atkinson and I have found this is not always the case. It does benefit from better transports. Using my Oppo 980H, it creates a nice sound but nothing like the Sony which is a terrific transport.

Tweaks: You have to use a good AC cord! I recommend a Shunyata Venom3 for the best results or even better try a Cardas Golden Reference which is my favorite AC cord for digital. I have not tried the new Cardas Clear cord which was just unveiled at the AXPONA show. Also, it is VERY important to use a quality 75 ohm cable. For my listening I used the Black Cat Veloce cord which retails for $123 and is just a superb cable with high quality shielding, connectors, and cryo treatment.

Comparison with other players and DACs: I’ve just compared the Benchmark to four players and DACs.

Oppo 83 series – I found the DAC1 to best the 83 and 83SE in my listening using some Nat King Cole DCCs and some FIM/LIM XRCDs and the AudioWave Blue Notes. With the 83, there was more detail and a more even balance but the 83SE narrowed the gap . I have not compared to the new Oppo 95 yet but my friend Chris just got one so a shootout may be in order.

Cambridge Audio DacMagic: I had this for a while and it is a good DAC for the price but the resolution and bass quality is at another level for the DAC1. However, the DAC1 costs twice as much.

Sony S570 BluRay player: Pretty good for the money like the DacMagic but just not the same level of resolution and the highs are not as extended.

Headphone Listening: Using a series of Grados – 80s, 125s, 225s and the Sennheiser 600s yields some really fine sound from the headphone jack. The Grados in particular really come alive with fuller bass and midrange.

Concluding Thoughts: This DAC is highly recommended. Strengths are a sublime bass, and a nice even presentation of across the frequency range with a wonderful midrange. Resolution is to die for revealing just how much information is on the CD format. Weaknesses are a slight narrowing of soundstage and some minor susceptibility to transports it is paired with but again that is nothing I can’t live with. And the icing on the cake is the flexibility of a high quality headphone amplifier built in and the ability to use for computer audio files with an SPDIF converter.

Bear with me as I am taking picture tonight and will post some then. The photos will show the mods on the back panel but I think the sound described is similar to what you get with an un-modified unit.

I hope this review is helpful for some of you considering the purchase of a DAC.
 

FrantzM

Member Sponsor & WBF Founding Member
Apr 20, 2010
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Hi

Very nice review. It mirrors what I have found also with the HDR-1 ... The headphone amp is superb and could have been worth the price of admission itself. I haven't use this in spdif only with USB and it is surprisingly good ... Enjoy it
 

amirm

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Apr 2, 2010
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Very nice review. As you note, no matter how good the DACs, sending them a clean digital stream helps. So I suspect you will see a bump up with the USB to S/PDIF bridge.
 

Lee

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Feb 3, 2011
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Many thanks for the kind remarks!

Here are some photos...Sony and Benchmark playing a disc (Oppo 980H below for 24/192 streams):



New RCAs:



{right to left} Shunyata Venom 3, Black Cat Veloce, Kimber Hero Interconnects:

 

Lee

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Very nice review. As you note, no matter how good the DACs, sending them a clean digital stream helps. So I suspect you will see a bump up with the USB to S/PDIF bridge.

I think (and hope) you are right. I have the 24/44 USB stick of the Beatles remasters. I will give a review of those once the V-Link is put in the chain.
 

Lee

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mep

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I think (and hope) you are right. I have the 24/44 USB stick of the Beatles remasters. I will give a review of those once the V-Link is put in the chain.

Lee-I too have the Beatles 24/44.1 USB stick. Do you have any of the original Parlaphone Beatles LPs to compare the stick to? I'm dying for someone else who has a decent phono setup to compare the two.
 

Lee

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Feb 3, 2011
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Lee-I too have the Beatles 24/44.1 USB stick. Do you have any of the original Parlaphone Beatles LPs to compare the stick to? I'm dying for someone else who has a decent phono setup to compare the two.

Yes, I have a very early Parlophone Sgt. Peppers (verified with Mike Fremer's help on the deadwax stamper numbers). Spectacular sound. Levels above even the excellent Beatles remasters and USB.
 

Lee

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Feb 3, 2011
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Thanks Vincent for the link.
 

Lee

Well-Known Member
Feb 3, 2011
3,210
1,738
1,260
Alpharetta, Georgia

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