Benchmark DAC1 Pre vs. Bel Canto DAC3

I went through the exercise of comparing these two and others recently. I think you'll find a lot of useful information discussing these two particular DACs if you search existing threads.

BTW I think you've latched on to two very excellent choices depending on which way your musical tastes take you.

I would add only that I think the Benchmark is a very unique device for home audio use at its price point. I'm of the mindset that I still might well give one a try someday.

"So the DAC1 and the DAC1 Pre sound similar enough so that any comparisons between the DAC1 and Bel Canto also applies to the DAC1 Pre?"

I believe that is correct.

The DAC1 pre adds additional analog inputs for other input sources. That is the main difference I recall.

With a DAC only device like the Bel Canto, as a first step, if I were you, I would consider using a computer or laptop as the source to the DAC via USB interface.

Another inexpensive option,if you already have a computer that can function as a music server and a Wifi LAN in your home would be to get a Roku Soundbridge (under $200), connect that to the LAN and use the computer as the music server. Take a look at my system for an example of this.

Total cost for a suitable laptop, wireless router, and Roku SOundbridge as a source for the DAC would probably be under $1000 if starting from scratch. This can offer top notch sound and the computer/laptop can be utilized for other common tasks as well while you listen.

The music server is a software program that can run in the background on a newer, faster desktop PC or laptop with sufficient disk storage as well. A beefier dedicated server computer is not necessarily required these days.

You can connect via USB or wireless LAN. USB requires close proximity for a physical wire connection. With LAN or wireless LAN, the music server device can be located anywhere in the house that the wireless router can reach.

I use Windows Media Player as the Music Server program. I use loss less .wav file format files ripped to a 300Gb disk on the Toshiba laptop running Vista OS.

In my case, the laptop has a wireless (WiFI) connection to a Linksys wireless router running my wireless network. The Roku Soundbridge connects similarly to the WiFi network and the laptop music server. The digital outputs from the Roku feed my DAC.

So I do not use a physical USB connection, from laptop to DAC, but that should work as well using WMP as the server program, I believe.

To enable it to work as a server using a device like the Roku as the remote controller, yes, there was a configuration parameter that had to be set (i'll check the name and get back on that) but it may be different to control WMP directly on the PC/laptop. You basically just need it to output to the USB port. Not sure if that involves special setup or not.

Maybe someone else who knows for sure could chirp in?

Imaginary,

The "Windows Media Sharing" feature of Windows Media Player has to be enabled to allow other network devices, like the Roku or a Squeezebox, to share media files, including music files.

A DAC connected physically via USB does not communicate via a network, so I am pretty certain this would not apply in that case. See if you can find a USB DAC user guide available on-line somewhere. The user guide should indicate what if any special setup is needed for Windows, etc., if any. Most likely, a driver has to be installed and configured and that is it.

Here's an example:

http://www.usbdacs.com/Windows/Windows.html

Interestingly, this indicates that Vista is preffered for better sound quality than XP due to XP resident software that messes with the bits somehow. I can vouch that the sound quality on Vista using the networked media sharing approach is top notch. I suspect the same should be true for a USB DAC + driver as well.

Good luck!

Aphilewanna,

Sounds like a viable plan.

I'm actually using the Microsoft lossless format for many rips and it sounds essentially flawless to my ears. I'm sure without even hearing it that Apple lossless is at least as good or better based on the track records of Apple and MSFT.

I'd be particularly curious regarding any observations you could report comparing the wireless to USB approach and the resulting sound when you get to that point.

My gut feel is that USB may have more variability from device to device due to the more variable nature of the software interface (the USB driver used), but have never had an opportunity to explore the USB apporach. Wireless is just more convenient and I have just not heard anything yet with it to complain about soundwise.