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Perfectwave PWD MKII, Benchmark DAC2, Wyred DAC2

I just obtained a Benchmark DAC2 and am really impressed by the transparency, clean, open kids, and solid bass. I use XLR output (hooked up directly to amp) and had to adjust the attenuator jumper to -20db to match the gain on my amp. In my setup, I rank these three in the following order, based solely on sound quality.

1) Perfectwave PWD MKII - best DAC among the three, does everything well. I specially like the solid bass, buttery smooth midrange, and transparency. I could listen for hours and not get ear fatigue.

2) Benchmark DAC2 - not quite as good a midrange as PWD MKII, but very close. This DAC is very versatile with analog input, excellent headphone jacks, and DSD capability.

3) Wyred DAC2 - warm sounding and detailed, but not as transparent as the other two. I was already happy with this DAC before I obtained the Benchmark. And I may just keep it for my third system. It's still an excellent DAC.
avhifidelity

Showing 1 response by charles1dad

charles1dad's avatar
charles1dad
10,250 posts
 
Cal3713,
If your Datastream was fully broken in you raise an interesting point. Some people believe that DSD is a different sound but not necessarily a better sound. Some would argue that well implemented PCM is superior, obviously these are all individual and subjective opinions. I know your high level system is easily able to sort out the nuances and subtle differences. It makes one wonder regarding DSD how much is hype and marketing vs a true sonic advancement. Time will tell.
Thanks,
Charles,
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