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Cosecant USB DAC v3 (now with ASYNC mode) and the Benchmark USB DAC 1


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Cosecant USB DAC v3 (now with ASYNC mode) and the Benchmark USB DAC 1

Now that both the Wavelength Cosecant USB DAC v3 (now with ASYNC mode) and the Benchmark USB DAC 1 and DAC 1-PRE support 24-bit audio at sample rates up to 96 kHz without the installation of any drivers or other special software. I am having a hard time choosing between them. My primary headphones are the Ultrasone UE 9 and the Grado GS 1000. Has anyone out there heard both side to side at any of the meets??? Are there specific advantages of one over the other?

 

Why did Benchmark choose not to implement the asynchronous mode of USB ???? Is this really a better way to go?

 

There is a big price diff between the two and the Benchmark gives you a preamp and headphone amps to boot!

 

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Hi tunes - Welcome to Computer Audiophile. I know romm661 (rick) has one of the new Cosecants on the way to his store and he does have the DAC1 already. I'll ask him if he has any info for us on this one.

 

Since both products have very different feature sets and very difference designs they are kind of apples and oranges even though both are DACs.

 

I can't answer completely as to why Benchmark did not implement asynchronous USB, but I will guess it is the same reason that Gordon initially did not use async. What that is exactly I really don't know and would rather leave it up to Gordon at Wavelength or the Benchmark guys to tell us.

 

As far as price goes, you do get more features with the Benchmark, but components that do more things don't always do more things better. It all depends on what you are looking for and what you like.

 

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Tunes,

 

All products that originated from the TI TAS1020 started with the code provided by TI. This code called the Reference design actually had all the pieces for Adapative mode working. The TAS1020 is basically like a small computer and has all the workings to do a number of things. Though it was meant to interface with audio dacs and adc's.

 

Benchmark, Empirical and others who did not have the expertise to reprogram the reference code bought the finished software from a company called Centrance. Centrance only offers Adaptive mode from what I understand.

 

ASYNC mode is much harder to accomplish because the designers of the TAS1020 USB Controller made some mistakes that made the part almost impossible to do ASYNC mode even though in the data sheet it said it supported it. This took me about 6 months to get to work with the emulator and several usb analyzers.

 

The price is simple to understand... mine is a tube unit with custom built 4 audio transformers (made in the USA). If I would do an all solid state unit something like my Proton it would of course as it is be less costing.

 

Thanks

Gordon

 

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