Upgrade from Benchmark Dac?

Drubin,

Well of course it's...ah..wacko! That's what this hobby is all about. I didn't plan it that way, it is just how it worked out. I had a Running Springs Haley with a Cardas(mongoose) cord. I wanted to sell it and tried installing a bybee (go ahead and laugh) signature power conditioner and ended up with them in series. Both make a difference, but work on different aspects of the sound. Over the weekend I installed a loaner Bybee super cord and I am really tempted to keep one in but it is pricey. As my original post stated, I am looking for a replacement for this combo. Frankly I was embarrassed to post it for fear of a comment such as yours...
By the way, the power is not very "dirty", but as Mapman said, it is very resolving and the AC stuff has really made a somewhat sterile DAC very liquid on my Soundlabs.

Cerrot, Do you think spending $3,000 on cables and PC on a $950 DAC will out perform a $4,000 DAC?

Anything out there in the digital world that will blow me away like the Benchmark? I don't want to spend ten times the dough to get a debatable 10% more "sound".

I suspect a lot depends on you.

If you are skeptical (as your thread suggests) then it might be hard to get even a 10% improvement.

However if you are ready to stump up the dollars for something rare and truly high-end then you may find it quite easy to convince yourself that you have a 100% improvement.

After all what is 10% ? What is 100% ?

Human nature...more dollars has a big influence on "expectations" moreover the cosmetics and build on something ten times as expensive will be extremely impressive compared to the sadly austere functional DAC1 (even though it has an unnecessarily expensive faceplate).

4est,

Powercord is the Shunyata Python Vx Helix (into Shunyta Hydra w/20amp Python PC) on Symposium sveltshelf; IC's are Tara Labs The One.

Sidssp, I don't know if it sounds better than a $4,000 DAC as I haven't heard one in my system. I do have an Esoteric X03SE CD Player, which was $8,000 (+ Python Vx Helix Vx and Tara Balanced The One PC & IC) and the Esoteric does sound much better, but the Benchmark sounds awesome and, for now, am happy with it. The benchmark (hooked to squeezebx) is just for the convenience, casual listening. When I want my mind blown, it's The Esoteric or Vinyl. I am VERY happy with the Benchmark and am quite amazed when I put a playlist together while reading and can't read as I am too involved with the listening. If it were my main source, I'd probably upgrade the Benchmark to the Berkley, or get an Esoteric D03.

I am enjoying the Benchmark way too much for $950 - and, if I did get a $4,000 dac, I would still use $3,000 worth of cables, and, I would be surprised if it would sound as good as the Esoteric.

I now use the PS Audio XStream Plus SC power cord(Blue)to

the Benchmark.

Which is plugged into a PS Audio Duet with a PS Audio

XStream Statement(Red) SC to the wall.

Audio Alchemy Data Stream Transmitter/Receiver Digital

Connections with the largest A.A. Power Transformer. Then

I use the B.N.C. inputs and output via. XLR Balanced

with PS Audio XStream Audio XLR's.

Oh, and just another tip from old Pops,they(Benchmark)

say take the cheapest transport, and you are set.

Maybe...

But how about using a rock solid killer transport, with

the Dac-1? Worthwhile? You bet Your last paycheck!

That is where the Sony XA7ES comes in. Instant Synergy!

The $7k Ayon CD-3 implements a Sony Transport,$25K Lindemann

822SACD Player uses a Sony Transport,as does the 800S at $15k.

There are many more, the point is, the Transport does

make a difference. Especially with the Benchmark Dac-1.

I have owned 2 Dac-1's so I am now very familiar with,

some of it's likes, and dislikes.