Good dacs with balanced outputs

[zenpmd]

I am seriously thinking about replacing my Benchmark HGC DAC 2 as its so buggy. Any recommendations? I am worried about losing performance

 

Thanks!

[zenpmd]

Thanks ajoe, did you compare it to anything else? Looks really great.

[zenpmd]

in boths windows and linux its not always recognised, basically. a workaround is to only put into standby and not turn off, and that has a benefit too as it doesnt send the stupid electrical pop down the line on standby as it does on power off. It also has a really strong grip in exclusive use that makes it impossible to switch between youtube and, say, j river withut a reboot. My Nuforce HDP conversely works wondrefully all the time!

 

in answer to the other questions, I need volume control but dont need a headamp. My budget is essentially limitless, but I dont buy into snake oil so I wont be buying DCS

 

I do, however, wonder whether I should get a cheap, simple DAC (like those simple cheap boxes or even a DIY) and a really nice pre amp - like a McIntosh?

[zenpmd]

I simply don't trust Chord and that Hugo TT is ugly as hell!!!

[zenpmd]

Okay so looks are in the eye of the beholder, but may I ask in what way you "don't trust Chord"?

 

How can you trust any company who produces an electronic board in an overpriced case and charges northward of 10k for it? In the same way, how can you trust any company who prices copper at ££££ per m

[zenpmd]

ahhhh zenpmd !!! i think you might be running into USB 1.0 vs USB 2.0 mode problem with Benchmark DAC2.

When powered on (need to do that only once) you need to put it in USB 2.0 mode. To do that press 'USB' button on remote and your DAC2 lights will flicker (keep USB pressed for 4-5 seconds) and if top light goes next to '4x' that is USB 2.0 mode. Do the same thing again, it will switch back to 'USB 1.0' mode. ... Mine is connected to power all the time and i switch it off by putting it in standby mode on remote (or pressing power button on the DAC itself). I do NOT disconnect it form the power. When due to storm or fuse going dead (once or twice a year) ... my DAC is not recognised by my headless squeezelite player and then all i need to do is press USB button on remote for 5 seconds and im good to go. Squeezelite finds it ... worse case i need to reboot the PC which anyhow is what i do after power cut.

 

That is (in addition to sample rate changes) only major gripe i have with DAC2.

 

hope this helps. (see my post in the other thread on DAC2 re. Linux support)

Normally you have U lit, then either 24 or 16 lit, then either 44 or 48 lit. When my dac is plugged in although registred by linux the only lights which will display are U and 44. No light on 16/24. That is showing the problem but even Beenchmark wont tell me what it is.

Thanks but I dont think that is right. In USB 1.0 or 2 mode it doesnt work.

[zenpmd]

So your problem is with the cost... That's hardly a "trust" issue and Chord Electronics are not making huge profits. The case asside which can be seen as over engineering for aesthetic purposes (though other companies design similar cases and all claim audio engineering reasons), Chord design their DACs from the ground up rather than using off the shelf components and such engineering costs.

 

I get you don't like their products and feel them overpriced, I just think the term "trust" implies something underhand or dishonest and I can't see how that applies to Chord (or generally to any company we're talking about).

 

 

The Chord Company (who make cables) is completely different company from Chord Electronics Ltd.

 

fair enough

 

i wasnt referring to chord cables, i just meant the over charging for cheapish stuff without huge amounts of engineering, and thats where the trust bit comes in. I thought about buying the concept turntable the other day, until I looked at their stupid higher end products and lost faith in the whole company.

 

but I do also distrust over engineering in order to justify cost. Its so interesting to compare the inside of a Bryston DAC, to say, a DCS. THe DCS looks so full of "stuff" the Bryston barely at all...

 

As a side note, I dont understand how all these snake oil reviews can say a dcs is great, and a chord hugo is great. Apparently the thing that makes these big dacs great is all the isolation, different stages, whatever, then another companyt goes and squashes it all together in a tiny box and apparentlkyits amazing? There is so much weirdness out there in the end I dont trust any of them!

[zenpmd]

Looks like a sensible TT choice to me. Generally I'm encouraged, rather than put off by companies that make expensive stuff as well as more "budget" options. When I buy the latter I hope for some VFM trickledown tech from the former.

 

Hi Norton. I am too. But when the concept is so sensibly put together, etc, their high end turntables are frankly stupid looking!