Benchmark DAC1 auditions out there? latest model

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.

Hi guys,I just posted a response in another discussion about the benchmark and I dare post it here too.I am a guy that was just hoping for the same thing-world class Dac,affordable and good sounding,I have 100 reprints of the Stereophile and Soundstage reviews and I have crammed every word and tried to figure out what it meant.The last thing I did was make it happen and I persuaded a friend who works in a mastering lab to help me,so he brought a well burned in sample of latest generation so we can listen to it.It really is a great DAC,beautifilly detailed and with rock solid imaging,you hear things that you never heard but it does not have that magic spark that makes you want to listen all night and forget about everything.And this is with a TUBE preamp and TUBE power amp(yes we did try it with its own preamp and in calibrated mode and yes it is much better).it is deffinately a dac that allows you to hear what people here from the mighty bucks DACs,but it is simply a mastering tool,created to bring out everything possible so you can see what you have done with the recording and I am sorry,I wanted it to be my thing but it is not and I am really unhappy because it starts all over again and I have to find the right CD player again.One thing about the guys like me who spend a lot of time reading magazines-it helps,but don't blame the people there for being too polite in there criticism-the difference between the DAC1 and the ML DAC that JA was talking about is real,he is 100% right but he did not tell you that it is not THAT subtle,it is quite big and there is no free lunch,sorry. I do believe that mods help,I do not know the guy Steve from Empirical and I did not like the way he promotes his mods in every post but I give him credit for the things he wrote about the sound of the Benchmark.I spoke with someone at CES and he said taht they are working on an audiophile version of the DAC1,I cant wait to hear it.I f anyone feels offended by what I wrote here,please feel free to send me an e-mail at [email protected]

Has anyone compared to the Audio Mirror D1 NOS DAC?