CDP / DAC Advice required

In your price range, I really love the Benchmark DAC3, and you can usually find them here for around $1600 used.

Rich

I'm sorry, I meant to say that I really loved the Bel Canto DAC3 for $1600 used, not the Benchmark DAC3 which doesn't even exist.

Rich

Hi Uglystupid,

Wow, I'm a little surprised that the Apogee mini beat the Bel Canto DAC3, head to head.

I found the Benchmark to have excellent low level resolution, a wide soundstage but not a deep soundstage, it is analytical, brighter, and more forward sounding than the Bel Canto DAC3. The Bel Canto DAC3 is a little warmer, more Analog-like, less digital sounding, and it has a deeper soundstage, but not as wide as the Benchmark, and the sound is set back behind the speakers

Just a heads up, the Bel Canto DAC3 takes 100 hrs just to warm up and stabilize, this is also listed in their Owner's Manual on page8.

Initially the Bel Canto DAC3 sounds; cold, distant, and un-involving for the first 2-3 days and then on the 4th day, all is good in the world. If it's possible I would suggest that you demo it again, after it's plugged in for 4 days. I'm not kidding, when I first plugged mine in, I was so disappointed, I thought something was wrong with it.

Furthermore it also sounds better through the 110 ohm AES/EBU Digital inputs and the XLR Analog Outputs. I had also noticed that if you have 2 digital sources plugged in to it at the same time, than that also decreased the sound quality, I'm not sure why this occurs, but I have found this too be the case with some very expensive DAC's as well.

What type of transport are you using? and Are you using a preamp, or were you running the DAC3 directly into an AMP?

Rich

You speak very well, don't worry about it.

Certainly, I don't think you missed anything. If you and you're friend had the same observations, than either the Apogee is phenomenally better than I thought, or the Bel Canto DAC3 wasn't warmed up properly. The fact that this demo occurred at a dealer, I would think that I would have to give the dealer the benefit of the doubt, that he knows what he's doing, unless the DAC3 was recently sitting on a shelf unplugged, prior to your demo.

Although, the set-up that I had recommended, will definitely improve the sound for maximum results, it is not necessary to hear how good the DAC3 is.

I will say, however, that if the DAC3 wasn't warmed up for at least an absolute minimum of 2 days, then the test was totally flawed, and I would recommend that you re-demo it.

Rich