How good is Benchmark DAC1 comparing to......

Rainchild, ...Another comparison:

A few of us audio industry guys got together today in SB to listen to a few items that came out of the G****** Technology rooms at CES. One item was actually a Gorgeous pair ... (oh behave) of high gloss black tubed mono blocks, but this is not the thread to discuss those. The main item of interest was the very beautiful $3950.00 Lector CDP-7T cd player with outboard PS. I'm going to cut to the chase... I had a chance to evaluate a Lector integrated amp a few weeks ago and it had a similar sound. Rich in immediate presentation but unnaturally balanced to the warm. The Lector's bass was far less natural sounding than the DAC-1. It sounded a bit like a poorly executed tube amp in comparison. With a slightly exaggerated lateral spread, little natural depth, and dynamically slow and undefined when compared to the Benchmark. What's interesting is that a major manufacturer chose this as his personal player and by many accounts this unit sounds pretty involving etc. But compared to the Benchmark dac-1 (properly set up!) everyone agreed it was the more involving, alive, nuanced, dynamic, rythmic, and needless to say, accurate and honest of the two. You could just walk into the soundstage of the dac-1 instead of "being impressed" with the "sound" of the Lector. What's really impressive though is what Harry Pearson (The Absolute Sound) said recently in his review of the Lector CDP-7T.
"The Lector CDP-7T plays music nearly on par with the over-60-grand top-of-the-line Burmester CD drive and DAC. At the very fair price, this piece is a solid steal.

If the four grand Lector is a steal what would you call the benchmark? a give away? Pretty close.

I'll add some thoughts on what has helped my dac-1 to sound its best in my next "response".

Rainchild,

Actually the highs and upper mid are not dry at all. But rather are about as pure and vibrant as I've heard. The mid I wouldn't label sweet. That doesn't begin to convey the natural textures and uneditorialized presence that this dac is capable of. I distributed Linkdacs in the late nineties and the bass doesn't come close to the power, speed, agility and naturalness of the benchmark.
One thing I can add in comparing the Lector is... I might have left you thinking that the Lector was bigger and fuller but slower. It was way slower but the fuller impression came from noticably muted highs, somewhat small midrange presentation and exagerated mid-bass. Listening to the opening track of "the Poet" the voice was bigger and more life-like going through the benchmark with the sense of REAL "space" around it. On the same track using the Lector the voice sounded pinched, smaller and "cheaper" to quote a friend that was there.

Also, I did submit my response of helpful hints but the AG editors must be holding it. I made some "observations" in regard to the 'modder' so I may need to resubmit it.

In my experience the key to making the DAC-1 sound its best, without dropping $500.-$1k + for a modders interpretation of what he thinks sounds right, is to get a great inexpensive transport like a (an unmodded) S7700 and replace the plastic junk rca digital output jack w/ a high quality Cardas component BNC for the digital out, use a pair of 24 gauge or smaller silver wire as an impedence matching transmission line covered with a cotton jacket w/ BNC's as your cable. I know where you can get one back east at a fraction of what these guys are charging for digital cables. I guarantee it'll sound better. Putting a BNC on the S7700 was a snap. We used silver wire for the signal and it only needed to be a 1/4" long to reach the board and the ground tab attached right to the board...PERFECT. I'm not of the 'modder to the rescue/ gimme your money' persuasion. I love this hobby and livelihood.
In fact!
If any S7700/Benchmark owners desired to have this done I'd do it for next to nothing because It's easy for us to do and I've enjoyed meeting other benchmark owners. They're generally value minded and more sensible than to throw another 7 or 8 bills or more to have someone reinterpret its balance of sound.
Doing this swap and getting rid of the BNC-RCA adapter or the RCA/BNC terminated dig cable and replacing it with a SMALL gauge pure silver transmission line will improve the sound of your DAC-1 considerably. We build tube amps here for a major manufacturer and design x-overs and know how to handle audio gear.

I must add a comment in regard to the "Epirical" modder whos ONLY apparent aim in adding to ANY discussion is how he can benefit financially.
His arrogance is staggering.

He says:

"I'm happy for you that you like it (the dac-1) so much... however I compare it and all other DAC's to my reference DAC".

I've heard this "reference" dac a couple of times now. At T.H.E. show last week we went into his room and sat for a few moments listening to the same uninvolving "digital" sound I heard from his "reference" dac a year ago in my home.

Back to the excellent Benchmark!
I have more to share on getting the best performance from the dac-1 without major surgery (which is not easily reversible) which voids the warranty.
...But soon, must work now.

"Be sure to catch this issue if you are interested in one of the more objective reviews"

What is the deal with these people that have nothing better to do than try to discredit a product that has more objective reveiws than any other dac in history from the toughest critics in the world, i.e. Studio engineers. The sensible Sound is pushing a philosophy that nothing matters and its all personal bias. Is that objective? Why do they exist?
Nealhood,
Do you own a Benchmark? Do you know anything about its different set-up configurations. What do you have to do with this discussion? Knuckleheads like those S.S. subjective reveiwers just throw it in a system and spew away to affirm their philosophy which is self-serving unscientific/nonexhaustive.

This thread is lame.
I'm moving on to create a new thread where those who have a Benchmark and a clue can discuss and get the most from their extremely intellegent purchase...adios

Dna, I have not yet shared with you the one major configuration change that has elevated the performance of the benchmark to truely worldclass status.

Let's blow this popsicle stand.

Redkiwi,

There is no great commercial motive here.
We are putting the finishing touches on something that improves further the benefits of the reconfig., but anyone can enjoy the sonic improvements with a small purchase from an electronics store.
The change doesn't turn the DAC-1 into the best dac ever
-or anything ridiculous like that- but it is a 'significant!' improvment to an already noteworthy d/a. The change does make it more alive, smooth, dynamic, dimensional, and makes the mid more a bit more palpable.

I hadn't intended to make much of a stir but before I let-on the change that anyone can do. I wanted to encourage those who ownwed a Benchmarks.

So I'll let-on soon. Also, anyone using a passive pre with their Benchmark or using the volume control is in for a real treat!

Thanks for being patience.

Hi all,
I've been away. I need to apologize to those who have been waiting for the "improvement" info for the Benchmark dac-1.

As it turned out the effects were astonishing... but not universally so. We basically ran the IC's from the headphone amp with some internal changes but mostly the effects were due to the 0...zero output impedance of the HP amp and unless that was an issue with a given system the effects were slight. Several people who had the issue who we shared this info with were shocked by the improvement.
So basically what we discovered is not something worth marketing a product around but that would fall more in the category of significant info for those who are load (impedance) challenged in regard to the benchmark.

Sorry again for the gross delay.