Review: Benchmark DAC2

[russtafarian]

Read somewhere that Benchmark DAC2, although currently supporting only 64X DSD, could be made to support 128X DSD and DXD in the future - all through firmware update.

 

My understanding is the DAC2 family is locked in at a maximum of 24/192 and DSD64 due to the design of the SRC/jitter reduction/filter circuit. You can call Benchmark to confirm one way or the other.

 

My two cents... I love this DAC and Rory at the company is a great guy to speak with... enjoy...

 

Agreed. I had a chance to go out to dinner with Rory and David (who builds the new Benchmark speaker) on Friday @ the Newport Show. Great guys and a fun evening. Rory let me take his backup Benchmark power amp home for an overnight audition. Apparently, outside of John Gatski's preview at Everything Audio Network, I was the first customer to try one in my own system. All I can say is WOW! The synergy between the DAC2 and power amp is startling. It's a trip hearing headphone level resolution through speakers. Yet the overall character of the sound was relaxed and engaging. I'm saving up to get that amp, hopefully sometime next year.

 

Russ

[Dreaming Jester]

Thanks, Russ! Now, Skeptic, you've had the rather unpleasant experience with letters peeling off the faceplate. Is it really so easy, I'm somewhat put off by what seems like a not well thought out detail in a product of an otherwise exceptional quality. I'd prefer the letters (and numbers) were carved in the metal like the Benchmark logo. Is it an obvious flaw? What precautions do you recommend?

[Skeptic]

Thanks, Russ! Now, Skeptic, you've had the rather unpleasant experience with letters peeling off the faceplate. Is it really so easy, I'm somewhat put off by what it seems like a not well thought out detail in a product of an otherwise exceptional quality. I'd prefer the letters (and numbers) were carved in the metal like the Benchmark logo. Is it an obvious flaw? What precautions do you recommend?

Just wipe it with a dry or damp cloth without vigorous rubbing and you should be fine. Or buy the silver one which shouldn't show any fingerprint marks.

When I tried to clean off the rest of the lettering it took quite a bit of effort, so I guess the letters which did come off had not adhered properly to begin with.

 

I'm quite sure that if this happened to you, they would be happy to replace the front plate or send you out a replacement.

It's put together in such a way that the faceplate looks like a simple job to replace. I'm happy with the all black look so I haven't bothered to contact them about it.

 

I was hesitant to have posted anything, as I was worried it might scare people away from the device - even with this happening, I am extremely happy with the performance of the DAC, and as other people here have said, the team at Benchmark have been great when I have contacted them with questions about the DAC.

 

Looking around at the other options available today, I would probably still choose to buy a DAC2 rather than something else.

[Dreaming Jester]

Just wipe it with a dry or damp cloth without vigorous rubbing and you should be fine. Or buy the silver one which shouldn't show any fingerprint marks.

When I tried to clean off the rest of the lettering it took quite a bit of effort, so I guess the letters which did come off had not adhered properly to begin with.

 

I'm quite sure that if this happened to you, they would be happy to replace the front plate or send you out a replacement.

It's put together in such a way that the faceplate looks like a simple job to replace. I'm happy with the all black look so I haven't bothered to contact them about it.

 

I was hesitant to have posted anything, as I was worried it might scare people away from the device - even with this happening, I am extremely happy with the performance of the DAC, and as other people here have said, the team at Benchmark have been great when I have contacted them with questions about the DAC.

 

Looking around at the other options available today, I would probably still choose to buy a DAC2 rather than something else.

 

Understood. I still think they should consider carefully every detail in such a product. What do you think of (yes, 500 more) exaSound E20 btw?

[Boris75]

Thanks, Skeptic! Sounds promising although I can't find anything about the cause of the current limitation (not so for 24/192 - seems enough) or about any possible software updates. I don't even know if Benchmark are in the habit of releasing such updates for their products.

 

The Benchmark DAC1 is designed in such a way that only the USB interface can be updated, not the DAC itself as per this post on their forum:

The DAC1 USB has two separate sets of firmware; system firmware, and USB subsystem firmware. The system firmware is entirely separate from the USB subsystem firmware. The USB subsystem can be field upgraded, but the system firmware cannot be field upgraded.

 

I would assume that they may have followed the same design philosophy in the DAC2, but this is my guess entirely.

[andyv]

The Benchmark DAC1 is designed in such a way that only the USB interface can be updated, not the DAC itself as per this post on their forum:

 

I would assume that they may have followed the same design philosophy in the DAC2, but this is my guess entirely.

 

Boris, I'm not sure you're right. The DAC2 uses the Thesycon USB driver, and if you open up the Thesycon control panel you'll see there is an option for "Firmware Upgrade", so it looks like this might be possible.

[Boris75]

Boris, I'm not sure you're right. The DAC2 uses the Thesycon USB driver, and if you open up the Thesycon control panel you'll see there is an option for "Firmware Upgrade", so it looks like this might be possible.

 

This is encouraging. The Sabre chip inside the DAC2 supports DSD128 and DSD256: I would find it nice to have the possibility to play such files with my DAC.

[andyv]

This is encouraging. The Sabre chip inside the DAC2 supports DSD128 and DSD256: I would find it nice to have the possibility to play such files with my DAC.

 

Have to say I'm not that bothered - DSD seems to me to be mostly of curiousity value only as there are so few genuine DSD masters, let alone DSD128 and DSD256 ones. And Benchmark themselves aren't too keen on the format - see the interview with John Siau here.

 

Still, if they do upgrade it I won't complain!

[Boris75]

seems to me to be mostly of curiousity value only as there are so few genuine DSD masters

 

Yes, but there are plenty of genuine transfers of analogue tape to DSD.

[Dr. AIX]

Yes, but there are plenty of genuine transfers of analogue tape to DSD.

 

But a transfer of an analog tape to DSD isn't a "native" DSD project...it is limited by the fidelity/specs of the analog tape. Of the 8000 SACD/DSD recordings available only 15% were actually recorded using DSD through the entire production process.

[Paul R]

But a transfer of an analog tape to DSD isn't a "native" DSD project...it is limited by the fidelity/specs of the analog tape. Of the 8000 SACD/DSD recordings available only 15% were actually recorded using DSD through the entire production process.

 

In other semi-related conversations around the forum, the idea has been expressed that the sonic advantages DSD is attributed to provide, are mostly because of processing at the DAC. If that were to hold true, then pretty much *more* of the original recording would be likely to come through, analog, digital, PCM, DSD, DSX, or some oddball hybrid of them all.

 

It's just a thought, but provenance of a DSD file may not be as important, format wise, as the difference between PCM sample rates and formats. (i.e. being with a hi-res file that is simply up sampled from 16/44.1k.)

 

-Paul