I owned the Bel DAC2 and now own the Benchmark. The Benchmark is far superior to the DAC2; I don't know what you people are hearing.
Contraire to comment the DAC2 images better -- I found the DAC2 to bunch images together. Two guitars were as one guitar. I do use tube preamps with the Benchmark. I will admit I was not enamoured with the Benchmark run straight in the power amp. It did sound thinner and drier. Maybe it mates with only tube preamps, which it does very well and is a first class performer with clarity, detail, separation and a liveness that is musical in a defined way, not in a lush way.
Contraire to comment the DAC2 images better -- I found the DAC2 to bunch images together. Two guitars were as one guitar. I do use tube preamps with the Benchmark. I will admit I was not enamoured with the Benchmark run straight in the power amp. It did sound thinner and drier. Maybe it mates with only tube preamps, which it does very well and is a first class performer with clarity, detail, separation and a liveness that is musical in a defined way, not in a lush way.