Benchmark DAC 3B Vs. Schiit Gungnir Multibit and a question.

@rvpiano

glad you have the chance to hear the ayre codex

it is massively underrated and underappreciated... the music that thing makes is RIGHT... there are some dacs that do some things better but as an overall package for a warm dimensional full saturated sound the Ayre (in an absolute sense, and certainly for its price) is not easy to beat

i have found the Ayre sounds a touch better through its XLR outs... run that way, I use it and a Metrum Jade as my baseline references to compare any new dac to understand the often subtle differences in presentation

sounds like you are having fun... enjoy the music and comparing!

piano

suggest you give a week, for me it takes time to really come to a solid conclusion, need multiple listening sessions, some cable or equipment swaps, some break in/settling in

to me the gumby had some nice r2r qualities, more rounded sound, detail was from within, not up front, bass was rounder flowed rather than slammed...

i had pv12 and pv14 back in the day... definitely a honey colored lovely luscious tubey character, will do wonders with sharper dacs of the modern day!

piano

let us know how it compares to your gumby

cj will help cure a lot of digital ills - which cj?

have fun!

If "super clarity and absolute neutrality" is what you are looking for, the more recent Benchmark DACs will provide that. A DAC3B exhibited these characteristics in my system while reviewing various DACs.

same here w dac2 in my case

i would add that 'super clarity' is true... 'absolutely neutrality' maybe/probably so but we don’t really know what that is going from d to a - certainly a leaner brighter sound than most r2r nos or tubed dacs sound characters that have a following - not to say it is not a good unit - i suspect it does (and sounds) exactly as benchmark desires

to me, this sound is impressive at the start, very hifi/super-fi, but becomes hard to listen to and live with for long stretches... so many recordings are presented with too much sharpness and sibilance...  ymmv as always -- as systems are different, tastes are different, rooms are different

@rvpiano

i thought bm allows money back trial no? if so doesn’t hurt to hear it in your system

to me in my travels benchmark gear always has had a very consistent reliable voicing... always clear quick somewhat lean mids plenty high end energy... not good or bad... just depends on system matching

depending on which cj preamp you have it will add either a little or a good amount of texture, roundness, glow that is provides a more natural presentation

benchmark dac will play brighter and leaner than a gumby

agree codex better than both... warmer more textured