This is interesting to hear that someone has just replaced a CD23 with a Benchmark DAC1 as I am in the process of doing just the opposite. Perfect example of how everyone's ears are different and how you really have to plug the gear into your own rig and see what it does for you. I was running a CEC transport into the benchmark via AES, using the exact same interconnects in an A/B I found that the CD23 breathed more life into the music and also was much better on the bottom end. I am finding that the Arcam is more musical overall, more of an "instrument" which plays music as opposed to the DAC1 which is more of an "instrument" in the sense of being like a precise laboratory device.
I had originally gone from a Rotel 951 to the Benchmark and found the Benchmark to be a bit more relaxed and certainly more detailed than the Rotel. I would expect that the Arcam gear would be smoother overall for you. Best of luck, let us know how it turns out for you...
I had originally gone from a Rotel 951 to the Benchmark and found the Benchmark to be a bit more relaxed and certainly more detailed than the Rotel. I would expect that the Arcam gear would be smoother overall for you. Best of luck, let us know how it turns out for you...