The Edge is an accurate reproducer of your up stream gear. The Benchmark tends to be a bit on the cool side of the audio spectrum. Overall, I'd guess that your system is on the very cool side given you are also using itunes. I suggest the addition of a tube somewhere. I use an Edge NL12.1 and think it is amazing. I have it paired with a Conrad Johnson Act2 preamp and a Meitner cd player. You could always upgrade the NL10.1 to SE status but I don't think its going to solve the coolness in your system. Cardas cables on the front end may also help as they tend to be a bit warmer. I'm also guessing that you are using single ened cables. The Benchmark will sound much better when using the balanced outputs.
ML 303 vs EDGE NL 10.1
iTunes into Benchmark DAC-1 usb was using a ML 383 have 'upgraded' to an EDGE NL10.1 / The upgrade is just not working. Everything that I used to love in the sound is gone. About the only improvement is more clarity in the high end but less realism and everything else is worse. Am now in the process of upgrading to the best speaker cables and interconnects I can afford but is it my ears or maybe not having an active preamp now or can the 383 at a fourth the cost be 'better' than the laser biased EDGE? What went wrong with my upgrade?