Benchmark DAC1 users thread
- Thread starter Andrew B.
- Start date
eddie pugh
pfm Member
Thanks guys.
I checked the Manual again and you are spot on. If my understanding of dBu is correct the variable turned up full gives out 3V (11dBu) as opposed to the 2V (8.2dBu) from the calibrated fixed output.
I'll try it out when I get back home next week and let you know if the problem persists
eddie
I checked the Manual again and you are spot on. If my understanding of dBu is correct the variable turned up full gives out 3V (11dBu) as opposed to the 2V (8.2dBu) from the calibrated fixed output.
I'll try it out when I get back home next week and let you know if the problem persists
eddie
tomek
pfm Member
Hi,
So after nearly two months with DAC1 i have sold it loosing only 20€.
At the begining there was a great fascination with all this detail, but in some way i can't live with this kind of sound and i came back to my 10 years old DPA Enlightenment Drive+DX32 DAC ...
It looks like i am married with DPA and from time to time i have one "affaire" with other dac or cd player and after some short fascination at the begining i am always coming back home
Cheers, Tomek
So after nearly two months with DAC1 i have sold it loosing only 20€.
At the begining there was a great fascination with all this detail, but in some way i can't live with this kind of sound and i came back to my 10 years old DPA Enlightenment Drive+DX32 DAC ...
It looks like i am married with DPA and from time to time i have one "affaire" with other dac or cd player and after some short fascination at the begining i am always coming back home
Cheers, Tomek
tomek said:Hi,
So after nearly two months with DAC1 i have sold it loosing only 20.
At the begining there was a great fascination with all this detail, but in some way i can't live with this kind of sound and i came back to my 10 years old DPA Enlightenment Drive+DX32 DAC ...
It looks like i am married with DPA and from time to time i have one "affaire" with other dac or cd player and after some short fascination at the begining i am always coming back home
Cheers, Tomek
Old romances never die until the start to get ugly.
Paul Ennis
pfm Member
Just to share my BM experiences, I picked up a s/h DAC1 today to partner with my ATC 20ASL's, jezz, I love this box! I was never totally happy with the ATC's until now, but to my ears, it just sounds fantastic. Considering how (relatively) cheap the DAC1 / ATC combo is, it's just amazing. Some of the key UK hifi companies should hand their heads in shame when you look at how miserly they are with the price performance ratio.
The best thing about this combo is that while purchasing it I did not have to endure any of the pseudo science hifi dealer bullshit, no fancy cables, no expensive upgrades to keep up with, no stupid tables, no dealer setups. After 15 years I am so, so happy that I have got away from the Linn / Naim constant upgrade pressure. It feels like I have woken up from a bad dream. I'm off to listen to some CD's
The best thing about this combo is that while purchasing it I did not have to endure any of the pseudo science hifi dealer bullshit, no fancy cables, no expensive upgrades to keep up with, no stupid tables, no dealer setups. After 15 years I am so, so happy that I have got away from the Linn / Naim constant upgrade pressure. It feels like I have woken up from a bad dream. I'm off to listen to some CD's
Hi folks, as a BM DAC1 user and also a rabid hifi window shopper, i was wondering which dac is considered a substantial upgrade from the BM DAC?
Also, is moving onto XLR interconnects and setting the internal jumpers to 0db worth bothering with?
(Thought i'd reopen this thread rather than start a new one...)
Also, is moving onto XLR interconnects and setting the internal jumpers to 0db worth bothering with?
(Thought i'd reopen this thread rather than start a new one...)
adieadie,
I would strongly recommend setting the jumpers to 0db using XLRs - that is the way I have mine.
I'm no expert but you need to find out if your preamp/amp will work with the attenuator set to off (0dB), the calibrated output range of the DAC1 is between 9dBu (2.18 volts RMS) to 29dBu (21.83 volts RMS), so you can see why given 21.83 volts that you shouldn't use an active preamp - it will fry it.
With the -20db setting (XLR default) this will give you a maximum of 9dBu or 2.18 volts RMS. The RCA setting is 8.2dBu or 2 volts RMS like most CD Players.
Not sure on what 'betters' the Benchmark - I'm sure someone out there will tells us their views.
Cheers,
Dave
I would strongly recommend setting the jumpers to 0db using XLRs - that is the way I have mine.
I'm no expert but you need to find out if your preamp/amp will work with the attenuator set to off (0dB), the calibrated output range of the DAC1 is between 9dBu (2.18 volts RMS) to 29dBu (21.83 volts RMS), so you can see why given 21.83 volts that you shouldn't use an active preamp - it will fry it.
With the -20db setting (XLR default) this will give you a maximum of 9dBu or 2.18 volts RMS. The RCA setting is 8.2dBu or 2 volts RMS like most CD Players.
Not sure on what 'betters' the Benchmark - I'm sure someone out there will tells us their views.
Cheers,
Dave
I dont understand this, if the -20db (2.18v) setting is the same as a CD player, then why do I need to use 0db (which voltage?) setting?
My pre-amp on the NVA AP80 is passive, not sure if that makes a difference
you don't "need" the 0dB setting, you only need to take care you're presenting the correct voltage setting to your pre or power amp. Some audio-nerds here get the collywobbles thinking about sending a signal down a resistor pack (when it goes through masses of resistors in the pre and/or power amp anyway) and tend to spurt a load of old **** about this little component "degrading the signal".
A signal that's too hot for the inputs of your equipment will be more "degrading to the sound" than an inline resistor.
A signal that's too hot for the inputs of your equipment will be more "degrading to the sound" than an inline resistor.
retseldrib
pfm Member
I am using my BM DAC1 as a DAC / Pre-amp which has completley trounced my NAIM 82 with twin PSU. Anyway, I spoke with the technical dept at Benchmark about this very subject. They said the only reason to use the XLR was for long cable runs and that there is no difference in sound quality between coaxial, XLR or even optical. I challenged them about the optical connection not being able handle frequencies approaching 192kHz and they said that it would not make a difference to the sound quality but in such cases the sound would just cut out ie silence. Optical is not as stable as XLR or coaxial according to what I was told.
retseldrib
pfm Member
mmm interesting. What transport / source are you feeding the BM DAC1 with?
I bought a new BM DAC 1 a few years ago and wasn't impressed. I paired it with a Marantz CD6000 KI as transport and compared it against the CD3.5/APX2 I had at the time and much preferred the latter. However, some had suggested that the all Naim system (including speakers) I was using at the time might not have been ideal. As a result, I have been curious to give it another go.
Skip forward to now and I should have a BM DAC 1 arriving in the post today. It will be used with a Squeezebox 3 and will go up against a Beresford DAC which is currently being used in my system. I will also try feeding it with the Densen via BNC-BNC (just to try), since both the DAC 1 and B400xs have this facility.
Now to wait for the postie.....
Lefty
Skip forward to now and I should have a BM DAC 1 arriving in the post today. It will be used with a Squeezebox 3 and will go up against a Beresford DAC which is currently being used in my system. I will also try feeding it with the Densen via BNC-BNC (just to try), since both the DAC 1 and B400xs have this facility.
Now to wait for the postie.....
Lefty
Does anyone have any tips to get the best out of the Benchmark?
I'm currently finding the same complaints as with the first time I owned it. Very detailed, but rather sterile, dry and lifeless overall. I compared the optical and coaxial and actually preferred the sound of the optical.
So currently I am using the optical input and the RCA outs in fixed output mode. Am I doing anything wrong?
Lefty
I'm currently finding the same complaints as with the first time I owned it. Very detailed, but rather sterile, dry and lifeless overall. I compared the optical and coaxial and actually preferred the sound of the optical.
So currently I am using the optical input and the RCA outs in fixed output mode. Am I doing anything wrong?
Lefty
cliffpatte
Speed camera anarchist
That is not the best combination in the world to be honest. The best sound I have had out of a BM DAC1 is using a Meridian 500 transport and the AES/EBU input with the balanced outputs of the DAC1 going into a Balanced input on a preamp and that again being balanced into ATCSCM50ASLs
Given the BM DAC1's pro heritage its almost certain to perform best balanced in and out.
The second best sound I have had is with a rather crappy DVD player as a transport (Buffalo linktheater) via Coax into a Naim NAC52/NAP500/NBL system.
Cliff
Tigerjones
Bagpuss
Lefty did you buy the Benchmark that was recently for sale on here? I have heard that the Squeezebox and Beresford sound very good together. Where you not happy with the Beresford?
I didn't go for the one on here in the end. Instaed, I got my Benchmark from someone on hifiwigwam.
You're dead right in that the Squeezebox and Beresford sound good together. In absolute terms, I'd say this combination is about as good as most £1k CD players. I wasn't unhappy with this at all and the only reason I tried the Benchmark again was out of sheer curiosity. The SB3/Beresford was extremely good and I wanted more. Unfortunately, it currently seems as though the Benchmark might be a backward step!
Lefty
You're dead right in that the Squeezebox and Beresford sound good together. In absolute terms, I'd say this combination is about as good as most £1k CD players. I wasn't unhappy with this at all and the only reason I tried the Benchmark again was out of sheer curiosity. The SB3/Beresford was extremely good and I wanted more. Unfortunately, it currently seems as though the Benchmark might be a backward step!
Lefty
Tigerjones
Bagpuss
Interesting Lefty, I was thinking of replacing my Beresford with a BM DAC but I am not so sure it will be a good investment for the money.