I own Benchmark DAC3 but the best sounding DAC I have heard is the Resonessence MIrrus. There are new variants of the MIrrus that I have not heard yet. Supposed to sound even better.
High End DAC's compared
Since last contributing to Audiogon discussions I have owned a Bryston BDA-3, Luxman DA-06, and the Oppo 105d. Each, as you know, uses a different DAC chip: respectively AKM, Sabre Burr- Brown.
I now use exclusively the Bryston, sourced via USB by a Bryston BDP-3 streamer, or via HDMI by the Oppo disc player.
The characteristics of these DAC's has been described by others, and there may be general agreement that the Luxman is 'very smooth', the Oppo (sabre) harsh, the Bryston in-between.
My personal impressions:
1. The Luxman employed for chamber music...string quartets, piano trios and quartets, as well as for solo piano...
is 'muddy'....the lack of detail can be annoying.
Try as I might to persuade myself that the 'more expensive sound'...ie, the Luxman's...should be better than the Oppo's, I had to throw in the towel and avoid the Luxman for strings and piano.
2. The Luxman employed for vocals (cantatas, oratorios, operas, folk music) is a delight. I've read that 'smoother' high frequency response decreases listener fatigue. Such applies to the Luxman, without noticeable decrease in clarity.
3. That virtue is such that even 'downrated' DVD/blu-rayDVD audio sourced to the Luxman via the Oppo's coaxial audio output was superior to the Oppo's decoding.
4. The Bryston BDA-3 is a good compromise...'
Chamber music and piano have the detail lacking with the Luxman. Vocals may be very slightly harsh, but are thoroughly enjoyable.
I struggled to parse the foregoing impressions in respect of digital source...standard CD, SACD, hi res PCM, double speed SACD. The sound quality seems to improve as one progresses from the beginning to the end of that list, but the DAC comparisons...at least my ear...are the same.
The bottom line for me is that the Oppo is an amazing value, the Luxman nirvana to the vocal lover but
not entirely acceptable to the chamber music/piano lover, the Bryston a good compromise at reasonable price, particularly if bought discounted as 'a demo', in partial respect of its HDMI (and DSD via HDMI and USB) capability.