The Bel Canto is the more musical DAC here. The Benchmark is very analytical and thin sounding in my opinion. Everything John Atkinson recommends sounds this way if you take a look at his recommended component history. I think his Class A rating is a bit over zealous.
There is a reason you see so many of them hit the classifieds weekly and are advertised as only a couple of months old. They can sound very fatiguing which is definitely not what this hobby is all about..
Anyway, I don't think you could go wrong with a Bel Canto DAC-2, A Musical Fidelity Trivista 21, or an Electrocompaniet ECD-1 used here on Audiogon. But the best way is to audition, audition, audition in your own system with your music..
BTW:(I own an Electrocompaniet ECD-1 and love it)
Good Luck,
Chris
There is a reason you see so many of them hit the classifieds weekly and are advertised as only a couple of months old. They can sound very fatiguing which is definitely not what this hobby is all about..
Anyway, I don't think you could go wrong with a Bel Canto DAC-2, A Musical Fidelity Trivista 21, or an Electrocompaniet ECD-1 used here on Audiogon. But the best way is to audition, audition, audition in your own system with your music..
BTW:(I own an Electrocompaniet ECD-1 and love it)
Good Luck,
Chris