How good is Benchmark DAC1 comparing to......

Dgclark0007

I bought the Benchmark DAC1 on 30 day eval and returned it. I liked it, but did not think it was the giant killer that many are professing it to be. I thought it was fairly clear, and uncolored but a tad thin and unnatural sounding in the midrange. It did not seem to be particularly dynamic. Detail retrieval was very good but not great. I thought it was a very competent and clean DAC, but not special. I compared it to my EVS Millennium II DAC and thought that the Mill was superior. It was fuller, more acuurate and handled the dynamics of music better. I also did not think it really improved on the stock 3910 I have. The 3910 is kind of dark, and pinched off sounding but it has a good soundstage, a balanced sound and good dynamics. It can get a little shrill in the uper registers. Even with those issues though, it still feels a little more natural and musical than the DAC1. I can easily see why there is so much success with 3910 mods. The DAC1 on the other hand is very digital sounding but without the digital edge and hardness. If data accuracy is the ultimate end for you, maybe it is the right DAC. For my ear I am primarily interested in the timbre of the sound and having it sound more like real life, which in my view is actually much darker and less detailed and planar in the soundstage than we want to admit. Go to a symphony and think of it in terms of a home audio setup and you will see what I mean. Don't know if this helps any but those are my thoughts.

Thf:
Where did you buy the unit from? Did you buy it from the address above? Do they have a website or email address? Where did you get it modded? Is yours a 220V unit?
Thanks

Abrahavt,
Yes, I bought it from the given address and they will mod it for you upon request. You can choose what you want to upgrade. If you want a full upgrade, it should cost around US$2000. You can also request them to do a 110V unit. They are the manufacturer themself and they can do any modifications upon request, very flexible.
Sorry, I don't have their website or email address. You can call them or fax them a message.

Dgclark, Hang on to your suspicious attitude. It will do you well in the long run. In this specific case, I think you're on the wrong track. There are people here who are able and willing to do things I wouldn't consider -- like buy a piece just because they're curious and want to stay informed. I have a hard enough time doing that with a CD. That's what gives this site so much "headroom", in terms of depth of information, for people like me.

These people may be crazy ;-> but often they are less biased in their opinions. Okay--it's hard to say "less biased" with a straight face in a conversation about audiophiles. Anyway, it is the opinions of true believers and those that want affirmation for a very precious investment they've just made (that better _not_ have been the wrong choice) that are more suspect to me. In any case, Red has a lot of posts on record, and he seems more than Alright.

This is a fun site. If you can dig the opinions without developing the compulsions, noone will get hurt!

Seems I need to clarify my posts. I bought the Lavry for the stereo in my lounge. But I still liked the idea of the Benchmark and so bought one and use it when I travel. I live in New Zealand but right now I am in a hotel in London. I have with me a 200GB drive attached to my laptop, a Wavelength outboard audio card, the Benchmark and some headphones. It means I can travel and still have great sound. When I am at home the DAC1 stays in the box. It has come out two or three times for a week or so at a time to joust with the Lavry but the Lavry always wins in my system. Hope this explains my posts. I continue to believe the Benchmark is great value for money and am not trying to damn it with faint praise. I just prefer my Lavry and suggest anyone looking at a Benchmark try a few others at the same time.