Benchmark DAC1 auditions out there? latest model

bauhaus_2116,

The mod is done by a gentleman who manufactures his own electronics... not Empirical, and consist of 6 or 7 bybees and some rewiring, bypassing and parts improvements. But 70% of the improvement he says comes from the bybees alone. As the dac has all surface mounted parts it is not recommended that you attempt too much. There is one area that you can easily (with some skill) place a bybee in that is one of the most important spots for bybees in regard to dacs, right at the digital input. The reason it's easy to install is that the input isn't mounted directly to the board. There is actually a wire (the only one in the dac) that goes down to the board that you can cut and install a bybee in the middle of. The other locations include power supply and output but this requires some serious understanding of the circuit.
I am planning to send my dac to him to have several of these mods done. But since you've got a bybee and some skill, place it at he digital input and let know. Be careful, I doubt the warranty will be honored if its apparent you've been in there mucking about. I know there are different bybee devices and there is a specific one he likes at that location but I'm not sure what it is. No doubt though that any of them would yield some improvement.

Dne,

What dvdp are you using now as a transport?

Irregardless of what the Benchmark lit. says, it is as dependent on a good transport as any dac. Also, as with any dac it also needs the best digital cable you can afford. I love the POIEMA!! stuff from Ridge Street Audio cables. It needs time to settle in but it is VERY transparant. The transport that I like is a Wadia something from the early nineties out of a friends studio. But my S7700 that we hard-wired a nice power cord onto sounds nearly as good.

I'm presently using a $200 Sony DVD NS500V and a Kimber Illuninations D-60 digital cable.. The overall sound with this transport and cable sounds excellent but I have no comparison with any other transport (except an ancient HK cdp which was atrocious). I have to think that a better transport would improve things further. Interesting that a Sony DVD player (unmodified I guess?) sounds almost as good as a Wadia. The 7700 does have a great reputation and maybe thats the one I should get. I'm also tempted by some of the older cd only transports, like, e.g. Thetas, that show up on Audiogon and the dilemma is whether to go with a DVD player like the 7700 or one of the older cd only players. Any thoughts? Thanks.

An S7700 that's working properly is at the entry level of truely high-end transports. The digital output on your 500v isn't in the same league at all. My suggestion would be to find an S7700 with as little use as possible as they can develop laser pick-up problems if used enough. If you can find a good one the improvement will be significant.

I just went back and auditioned the pro DACs on hand. Lavry Blue hands down winner over the Mytek Stereo96, which maintained a small lead over the Benchmark.

Preference for the Benchmark would have to be based on slightly lower price, more features (volume control, inputs/outputs, headphone jacks), or a desire for a more 'smoothed over' sound. The Mytek might be termed clinical but has greater detail and resolution than the Benchmark, and the Lavry Blue was an 'oh my god' difference in detail, nuance and refinement over both. The Benchmark sure is good, but at least try the Lavry or Mytek if the features are not an issue. The Lavry beats the Benchmark by more than I remembered.

I am not dissing your Benchmarks - just pointing out there is healthy competition around this price range. By the way the Mytek has SPDIF input and volume control on the front if that is an issue for you.

Search the pro audio forums for people that have compared the Lavry Blue to the Benchmark. None are convincing on their own but I am yet to find one where the Lavry was not preferred over the Benchmark by a decent margin. Whether it is worth the extra money is up to you, but they are somewhere in the same ball-park.

Here is one quote as an example:

'I have both in my mastering console. The Benchmark is a great sounding DAC, and when you consider the money, it's even better. However, when you spend 75% more for a Lavry Blue, you hope that money is buying you something, and in the case of Lavry Blue, it is. It's a bit more open and seems to let you see the details a bit more clearly. It also just tends to have more impact when level matched next to the DAC-1. This is not to insult the Benchmark as it is a fine product at an excellent price, but the Lavry does have the advantage. If you really want to hear something cool, listen to the Lavry Gold DAC924. That thing will blow your socks off! (and maybe cause trouble when your significant other sees the bill...)

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Jay Frigoletto
Mastersuite'

Of course he is right that the Lavry costs more, but his price relativities are slightly off. I believe I paid USD1200 for mine, but the latest listed price I saw was USD1340.