audiobomber

Nothing much available within four hours of my home. I will attend the Toronto Audio Fest this week and should have an opportunity to hear some things. Elac is exhibiting, and they have shown the DDP-2 at other shows. It's top of my list right now, the only thing that has ALL of the features I want. I can think of some advantages to a DAC with internal streamer: fewer connections, no cable, synchronization with the master clock.

Anything to report yet, @fajita ? I am very interested in this topic, as I am looking for a DAC/Pre, and a couple have built-in streamers.

Deleted.

UHF Magazine is Canadian, and a very trustworthy source for reviews, IME. http://www.uhfmag.com/ I subscribed for years to the print version, now they only offer digital copies. I don't read digital magazines cover to cover like I do with print, I tend to browse. I had a digital subscription to Stereophile and found the same thing. I never even read some issues at all. I used to buy the Brit mags off the shelf at Chapters, now I only browse the 'net for gear reviews. I check DailyAudiophile regularly. The only subscription I have is to UHF Magazine, but I likely will not renew because I'll be done buying gear for a long time after a new DAC/Pre purchase.

Nice job!

Hans B has a new video review:

Thanks @kennyb123 and @Sonis for your impressions. The DAC/pre I choose will be the heart of my system. Clearly I need to hear some of these DAC's for myself before I commit. I am starting a new thread in the Questions and Answers forum for more input.

Thanks for the info but not enough inputs for my system. I don't need an analog input but it would be nice to have. I do need two Toslink inputs, one coax and USB. Here's an opinion that contrasts with @Sonis: The Hugo 2 doesn't quite deliver the best sound in this price range – that would be the incredible Benchmark DAC3 HGC. The Benchmark delivers that sound at a lower price - $2,195, a good $500 cheaper than the Hugo." https://www.themasterswitch.com/review-chord-hugo-2 The DAC3 is listed A+ by Stereophile, with the Dave. The Hugo 2 is not listed, the TT is rated Class A. It's difficult to assess the SQ situation without being able to home trial (I live in a smaller city, a long way from the action).

You said nothing about preamp operation. I was merely clarifying the fact that my short list only includes DAC/preamps only, as I've sold my preamp. The DAC's you preferred to the DAC3 are not under consideration. The DAC3 has analog and digital inputs, gain control and multiple outputs. According to the manufacturer: "Benchmark DAC1, DAC2, and DAC3 converters are designed to directly drive power amplifiers and speakers." Please explain how that is not a preamp.

LOL! Look what I found on the net. Your post from 2018 in the Devialet forum: Upgraded my Ultra to Neo yesterday and found it to be a good thing as the top end shifted a bit tonaly. Funny thing that a capacitor in the PSU part of the Ultra can do this (the capacitor changed from 2200uF to 3300uF) https://devialetchat.com/Thread-A-Confused-streaming-system-Mutec-SOtM-Ultra?page=26

Perfect, thanks octaviars! What is the capacitance? I'd like to order it beforehand so I don't have to disassemble twice. I'm a huge fan of Auricaps.

Is info available to DIY the Neo upgrade?

The Yigg and Hugo2 are not under consideration, as neither operates as a preamp.

@The Computer Audiophile Any plan to review the Benchmark DAC3? If you aren't interested, maybe another reviewer would take a crack at it, @austinpop, @mitchco, @Sonis?

IME, software matters far more than hardware for accurate rips. I ripped most of my CD's with the internal drive on a laptop, later ones with a Pioneer Blu-Ray burner via USB. I used Windows Media Player and Exact Audio Copy. WMP was more convenient due to better tagging, and worked just fine for most of my collection. Some rips made from damaged CD's had distortion and/or skips, so I re-ripped with EAC, and with a couple of minor exceptions, they cleaned up perfectly. EAC bit checking is awesome. My worst CD, which will not play at all in my CD player, played after ripping with WMP, but still had some bad sections. Ripping with EAC took several hours, but it plays perfectly now.