Benchmark VS Mark levinson 36 DAC ?????????

I was and still am, for a change, impressed with stock Benchmark. A lot of reviewers were as well including 2004 Stereophile "Component Of The Year" award. Why then many people hear "forward and bright"? Possibly because Benchmark, according to their technical director John Siau, was purposely designed not to sound warm, since warm sound (enhanced even harmonics) does bad things to sound of instruments with more complex harmonic structure (like piano). Benchmark will do wonders with properly matched equipment.

Knghifi - that shows how differently we all perceive. It sounded to you muffled and lacking detail and resolution while most of opinions I've read stated "too bright" and "hyper detailed".

Theduke - Initially DAC1 sounded a little thin until Signetics factory that made NE5532 burned down (2000/2001). Texas Instruments bought license, redesigned die and Benchmark got fuller sound. Another possible problem was very high output impedance on RCA outputs in very early Benchmarks.

"Perhaps your DAC1 was faulty?" - or it was one of the first Benchmarks with very high output impedance on unbalanced (RCA) outputs?