Benchmark VS older ultrahigh end dac's in these...

Presumably the new DAC/USB/Pre model is what Benchmark would like to be assessed on. I've yet to see a detailed review. Can anyone provide one ?

Bought a Benchmark USB and got rid of it in a week, my old MSB Link sounded better and my Monarchy 18B smoked it except in the details department. Benchmark = complete abscence of texture and body to highlight upper mid lean and mean, digital at its best for the worst....
Since then, I have auditionned the Audio Aero Prima SE and Audiomat Maestro, loved both tremendously yet way too expensive for me. My pending purchase is either a Stello 220 or a Monarchy NM24, the latter seducing me lot and one cannot beat the choice of tube and SS output..if only it had balanced out like Stello...

Hi every one
A while back i had Donson 18 bits dac along with Spectral /MIT system/Meggis and i have heard a 100 and 1000 good reviews about Beachmark dac1 so i give it a try (used unit audiogon) after very patienced listening and compared to my Very musical Donson Dac Highly recommened (1mouth) it turn out to be very artificial and very fatigue and very thin sound , not my cup of tea,notthing personal to Benchmark'owner. Donson made in 1998 and Benchmark /2004 ,It's seem to me that Musicality does not have to do whit new technology (it might but not entirely) but good intention and the love of the music that make MR: Donson had made one of the best dac .To be percise just like The Donson dac is like( The band ) QUEENS, and Benchmark is sound more like QUEENS but without Fredie/May/Roger/????? sorry i forgot the durmmer's name. lastly

All and all is just the matter of opinion and taste ,but the most importance thing is enjoy the music while we can, that's why we're here

Thanks
Vita

With all the responses I am surprised there hasn't been a mention of the Bel Canto DAC 3...any comments on the DAC3 compared to the Benchmark...or others?

The divergence of opinion here doesn't surprise me. The Benchmark has a
sepcific signature that will polarize opinions. Some will say "
transparent" others "clinical". This reminds me of the divide
on Quad ESLs and (particularly older) Merlin VSMs. All the products share a
certain "lean" quality in the mid-bass that I suspect is behind
much of the debate as to their merit.

IMHO, the Benchmark is great. In a system with Verity Parsifal Encores,a
QSonix transport and warmish tube electronics it sounds absolutely great and
to my ear far superior to the DAC/DAC sections that preceded it in my
system.

However, with a ss amp (Odyssey mono) and the aforementioned VSMs,
things went a bit dry and analytical. In short, IMHO this is really system and
taste dependent.

Marty

PS I switched out the Odysseys for TAD Hibachis as my ss "alternate" and the
Benchmark sounds much better via TAD/Merlin. OTOH the Benchmark/Merlin
combo is IMHO still better served by an all-tube chain.