Benchmark DAC3 or Bryston BDA2 or 3

@mahler123  

I last listened to a Benchmark DAC about 3 years ago, at an audio show, and never heard one in my system.  To me it sounded a bit hard compared to the Bryston. 

Was it the DAC1 you listened to 3 years ago?  I recently picked up a DAC3 for a second system to and really like it.  It measures very well and the sound is quite transparent.  I'm wondering if the transparency doesn't go over well with some folks who may (unknowingly) like some distortions/colorations in their sound.  Running my DAC3 through a tube integrated is a great balance I think between transparency and warmth.  The DAC3 probably doesn't work in every system but it's a nice addition to mine.

I need to google the measurements/reviews on the Bryston DAC as I suspect it likely doesn't measure as well.  Kind of like the Schiit Yggy which many love but measures really badly. 

Nope, I was wrong - sorta.  The BDA2 and 3 both measure very well as does the Benchmark.  Price is the most significant difference I see and how it sounds in your system.

Mahler123 From reviews and Stereophile apparently the Bryston Dac measures superbly, as good as can get according the their testing. 

Apparenltly due to class a output and no op amps the Bryston sounds almost tube like smoothness and slightly less forward than Benchmark which also scores very high Class A+. 

The Bryston plays PCM up to 384khz and 4XDSD. I only have a few files like that but the Benchmark stops at 192 and 1xDSD. Not worth the price to switch to the Bryston but Audirvana can upsample everything to that.

Any thoughts on the benefit of the super-high sample rates above 192khz and DSD beyond 64?