mark1101 Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 Anyone use Benchmark DAC1, or MSB Link DAC 3 ? Other good ones in $1,000 price range? Comments about what you learned from using, and /or competitive comparisons? Edit: Anyone doing anything with upsamplers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacksonbart Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 16 Burr-Brown PCM-1738E 24-bit, 192-kHz highest resolution DACs ala Denon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 Anyone use Benchmark DAC1, or MSB Link DAC 3 ? Other good ones in $1,000 price range? Comments about what you learned from using, and /or competitive comparisons? Edit: Anyone doing anything with upsamplers? I use a Benchmark DAC1. It is very similar to a fully upgraded AH! CD player with Amperex PQ tubes. Great bass and detail. A friend has it on loan and he loves it with his Mac music server. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiser SET say Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 EAD DSP7000 Series III I have plans to get a Benchmark DAC1 Mark as I think it with a nice tube CDP and a set of tube mono blocks for my LaScalla system are going to be the ticket[] I'm loving all the press I've been reading on the DAC1 ever since Stereophile had it as product of the year (what was that 2004?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1101 Posted May 15, 2007 Author Share Posted May 15, 2007 If you use a DAC you will bypass the tube output section of the CDP. You only need to use the transport and digital output. Basically you would just use the Philips transport on a Jolida JD100a for instance. The tubes would just glow for nothing. Now...with a nice tube pre...now I think you are talking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 I ran an AH! with every option and Amperex Tubes and a Benchmark DAC1 at the same time. It was a tossup. The Benchmark is more versitile (think computer music server). Great DAC and not bad on Audiogon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
busterfree Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 Anyone use Benchmark DAC1, or MSB Link DAC 3 ? Other good ones in $1,000 price range? Comments about what you learned from using, and /or competitive comparisons? Edit: Anyone doing anything with upsamplers? I use a PS Audio Digital Link III DAC, and it upsamples. It retails for $999. It sounds better than the analogue output of my old Toshiba DVD/Tivo unit. I have not compared it to other DACs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vman71 Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 I use a Bel Canto DAC2 and love it. It's 24/192 up-sampling. I haven't tried others like the Benchmark DAC1 but I have no desire to, since buying the Bel Canto. You can get them used for around $700 if you're patient. I love that it has added more details, layering to the music, separation of vocals & instruments, and warmth/smoothness to the overall sound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theryugobuddy Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 Geez--you guys with your high $s--- you spend a couple grand on cables I'm sure, too--they see you coming![] I couldn't be happier with the Adcom GDA-700 used off eBay--less than $200-- older unit that works smoove-- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1101 Posted May 16, 2007 Author Share Posted May 16, 2007 The Bel Canto DAC3, the newest, is $2,500.00. Now....I'd like to find THAT for $700. I doubt it. I'm reading LOTS about these things. All the different ones out there. If you are into digital music I have to believe this is the way to really improve upon the sound of your system. The question is....which one? The beauty is that these bridge the gap from PC to audiophile system. There are less of these out there than CD players to choose from. So I guess it shouldn't be that difficult...right? [] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kaiser SET say Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 "I couldn't be happier with the Adcom GDA-700 used off eBay--less than $200-- older unit that works smoove--" Well Thereyougobuddy[] Got my EAD CDT-1000 transport and DSP7000 III DAC off A-goN for $1200.00 and could not be happier since the setup originally went for $4000.00[] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark1101 Posted May 16, 2007 Author Share Posted May 16, 2007 I'm glad you guys found the place to be. I agree with the direction. I'm still studying. I need to hear some of these units too. A DAC will probably be my next purchase.....whenever that might be. It's very interesting to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 I'm glad you guys found the place to be. I agree with the direction. I'm still studying. I need to hear some of these units too. A DAC will probably be my next purchase.....whenever that might be. It's very interesting to me. Oh yea. I forgot. Check out the Musical Fidelity 3.24 DAC. I thinkthat it was Stereophile A rated and can be had used for about $600 or less on Audiogon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornwalled Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 I've been using a Krell CD-DSP as a DAC for a DVD Player, as the Krell's laser died. However, I am selling it if anyone's interested. Terrific sounding DAC! Has optical and coax inputs. -Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wpines Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 A little off topic from the breed you're discussing here. I've got a Stereo-Link USBDAC. I've gotta say it's a great sounding unit for the money. Good clean sound from my PC in comparison to an internal sound card. Maybe it's the isolated powerr supply. Anyway, It's a damn good value. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerwoodKhorns Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 A little off topic from the breed you're discussing here. I've got a Stereo-Link USBDAC. I've gotta say it's a great sounding unit for the money. Good clean sound from my PC in comparison to an internal sound card. Maybe it's the isolated powerr supply. Anyway, It's a damn good value. I have a Behringer U control UCA 202. It is a USB DAC and had an optical out. $30. What a bargain. Love it. I use it at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest " " Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 "Got my EAD CDT-1000 transport and DSP7000 III DAC off A-goN for $1200.00 and could not be happier since the setup originally went for $4000.00" The EAD 7000 III is an amazing DAC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toadtobin Posted May 16, 2007 Share Posted May 16, 2007 I used to have a MSB Link III w/ the upsampling upgrade and seperate power supply. TBH I never heard the value from the upsampling card. Just seemed to add a slight haze to everything. The DAC itself had an excellent sound to it though with upsampling disabled. I used a Sony SCD-XE670 as a transport- which for the money is a great SACD player, but were only sold in canada. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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