Benchmark DAC1 Pre - anybody heard a mod?

Richlane - Thank you. It sounds very clear on my system with stock power cable but exact location of notes/instruments is a little fuzzy. I will try conditioner and/or different cables.

Beaster - Empirical Audio used to make modds to DAC1. One of them was to replace NE5532 amps with OPA627. Benchmark engineers stated that OPA627 is inferior to NE5532 (more THD) but Steve from Empirical Audio said that microlevel details are improved. In addition he was converting whole DAC to NOS, therefore loosing advantage of jitter rejecting property of usampler. If you already have good transport you might enjoy the sound of NOS.

Richlane - I agree, sound is far from warm and full but clarity and transparency is unprecedented. I drive directly class D power amp with good results but also know that people who combined Benchmark with tube gear were very happy. I would still bypassed preamp to drive tube power amp directly.
Less is more (and cheaper too).

Richlane - I agree he should at least try tube preamp (I should too).

Cerrot - what changed from power cable on Benchmark alone? I'm planning to put power conditioner (Furman 20PFi) and very short power cable (Belden 83803) to Benchmark.