Benchmark DAC1 or new CDP - need your opinion

pearsall001

I currently have a HK DVD22 DVD/CD player. It is very good w/ both formats. However I feel the need to upgrade. You guys know how that goes!! I'm kicking around the idea of another CDP or the DAC1. From what I gather the DAC1 in essence becomes your new CDP & your old unit now becomes the transport. The DAC1 gets nothing but the best reviews A++++++ from pro's in the audio business along w/ consumers like us. Apparently I would have to spend mega bucks on a new CDP to rivel the sound quality from the DAC1. What are your thoughts.

heiney9

I suppose it would depend on the $$$ of the Benchmark. I have a seperate DAC and feel it is the absolute way to go. If you have a digital out on HK and it's in good working order I would opt for the external DAC w/o hesitation. Forum member STEVEINAZ has a Benchmark and he loves it. I'm sure he'll post something about his experience with the unit. Even if you spent big $$$ on a new CDP that won't nec guarantee it will sound better than the Benchmark. It's just like any other seperate audio component. The piece is dedicated to 1 thing...converting digital to analog. You can't go wrong.

H9

pearsall001

heiney9,
yeah, the HK has a good digital out. Here's another question. I'm running a NAD T773 receiver & a Jolida 502B mod int amp. The NAD handles HT & the Jolida handles 2 channel. Is there a way to run both units into the DAC1?
Oh and the price for the DAC1 is $975 w/ a 30 day return policy if I don't like it.

heiney9

pearsall001 wrote:

heiney9,
yeah, the HK has a good digital out. Here's another question. I'm running a NAD T773 receiver & a Jolida 502B mod int amp. The NAD handles HT & the Jolida handles 2 channel. Is there a way to run both units into the DAC1?
Oh and the price for the DAC1 is $975 w/ a 30 day return policy if I don't like it.

I'm not that familiar with the layout/options of the Benchmark but I would assume it has more than 1 INPUT so you can use multiple sources or different types of connections (Optical, Coax, AES/EBU). I'm not sure if it has more than 1 AUDIO OUTPUT. Most only have 1 set of audio outputs which are analog. My Adcom only has 1 set of audio outputs. My AMC Dac-8 has 1 set of audio outs (analog) and an SPIDF digital output.

If the Benchmark is like my AMC Dac-8 and your NAD T773 has digital INPUT via an SPIDF connection you could use the standard audio outputs from the Benchmark to your Jolida for 2-ch listening. Then use the SPIDF digital output connection to the NAD. I think this scenario would work, I'd check into it though. I know the reason for the SPIDF digital out on my AMC Dac-8 is for hooking up to a digital recorder. The SPIDF output is a nice feature, but the AMC is really not a great DAC, that's why I use it in my computer rig. My Adcom is so much better sounding than the AMC, but the AMC serves its purpose.

If this senario doesn't work or if the Benchmark only has 1 set of outputs, which is normal, then I'm not sure what you'd have to do. You could always split the signal, but that is really not a great solution.

H9

heiney9

pearsall001 wrote:

heiney9,
yeah, the HK has a good digital out. Here's another question. I'm running a NAD T773 receiver & a Jolida 502B mod int amp. The NAD handles HT & the Jolida handles 2 channel. Is there a way to run both units into the DAC1?
Oh and the price for the DAC1 is $975 w/ a 30 day return policy if I don't like it.

Also at $975 with a 30 day return policy....that's a no brainer, got for it. You'll be very suprised with the results.

steveinaz

The Benchmark DAC1 is the best purchase I've made in a long time. It's got 3 digital inputs; coax/bnc, toslink, and aes/ebu. You can switch between the 3 on the front panel making the DAC1 a preamp as well. It also has an outstanding headphone section with 2 headphone jacks, and a ton of options available as "switchpacks" inside the unit----What more could you want? $975.

There's also a 3-way switch in the rear to switch between "fixed" output, "variable" output and "calibrated" output, which you set the levels for. When you're not using the DAC1 as a preamp, you switch it to either "fixed" or "calibrated" this by-passes the front volume control except for the headphone jacks--very cool. When using it as a pre, select "variable" then the volume knob controls all outputs.

heiney9

The scenario I just posted may not work because by using a SPIDF digital output you would essentially be bypassing the conversion stage in the Benchmark. It's simply "passing" the digital signal through and at that point the NAD receiver would be using it's internal DAC to do the conversion...thus defeating the purpose of the Benchmark. Make sense

H9

heiney9

Steve, it only has one set of outputs....right?

steveinaz

2, AES/EBU (XLR) and RCA.

Buy it and try it--you could easily sell it for about 85% of what you paid for it if you don't like it. BUT you WILL.

steveinaz

FWIW, I currently have 3 sources connected to mine:

Coax: DVD player
AES/EBU: CD Player
Optical: Polk XM tuner

heiney9

It doesn't sound like it is going to work using both the NAD and Jolida. If one of those has an AES/EBU input then it would work. Not that familiar with either piece to know if they have this kind of input. Check your manual's or look at the back of the units to see.

Even if you can't get it to work for both units...it's still worth picking up for the 30 day trial. You won't be sending it back

H9