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Benchmark DAC1 USB A Secrets DAC Review |
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| Written by Jason Victor Serinus | |||||
| Sunday, 27 January 2008 | |||||
Page 3 of 3
The Icing on the Cake
As the ultimate tweak, I capped it all with a Las Vegas vintage plastic Elvis. To insure that the beautifully clear, detailed sound I was hearing was not a result of the DAC1 USB channeling the spirit of Elvis, I also auditioned the unit with Elvis on the other side of the room, his back turned to the proceedings. I could hear no difference in sound. If Elvis was still channeling, he must be affecting every component in the house in equal measure.
Conclusions The Benchmark DAC1 USB is far more than a lightweight, inexpensive DAC/preamp that performs remarkably well for the price. It is the real thing, a bona fide hi-end product capable of elevating a decidedly mediocre sounding system to a level that audiophiles can be proud of. Beautifully engineered, built to last, and incredibly easy to set-up and operate, the DAC1 USB is a must-audition, hard-to-resist product. In my case, resistance was futile. Count me among the many satisfied Benchmark DAC1 USB owners.
Amplification
Loudspeakers
Cabling
Power
Analog
Accessories
Main System Room Dimensions
Upstairs Second System:
Computer System
Comments (12)
 Great Review!
written by Jim , January 29, 2008 Great review! You guys are on a roll with product. This whole switch to digital music servers over the past year and it seemed especially at CES this year. You give praise to the use of the Benchmark as a preamp for use on your Macbook. How do you feel the Benchmark measures up as a preamp vs. companies that produce quality lower cost preamps like say NAD (C162)? Also as a sidenote. For ease of control of your MAC if you have an iphone or itouch on hand you can use a program called Signal. Makes for a very slick interface! Noobish questions of course...
written by JHem , January 29, 2008 So I've notiched your HIFI sticks that you use to elevate your speaker cable. How much noise does your wooden floor really induce into your speaker cable? I also notiched your devotion towards really expensive power cables, I just wondered what kind of cable is inside uour wall, where you plug your very expensive power cable? Also, where can a fella like myself get my hands on one of these "hifi usb cables", that seemingly is supposed to let even more zeroes and ones through, than those poor-mans usb cables? I've noticed how you seem to be prone to "believe" so I've added a link you might be interested in... http://www.venganza.org/ With Kind Regards JHem Replies from the author
written by Jason Victor Serinus , January 29, 2008 To Jim. Thank you so much for your strokes. Not having reviewed a NAD preamp in my system, I regret that I am unable to provide reliable commentary. Nor do I have an iphone or itouch. As they say, so many products, so little time. The only potentially useful observation I can make is that transparency is a major contributor to preamp cost. Especially given the abysmal exchange rate and scarcity of copper and other metals, better resistors and capacitors cost far more than they used to. Years ago, I experimented with changing resistors in my Bruce Moore preamp - both in the circuit itself and in the attenuator. For every step up in quality (and, alas, price), transparency and color increased. -- To JHEM (or is it ahem), I have no idea how much noise via static charge the floor induces in my cabling. Shunyata is now making very fancy cable elevators that they claim to be among the few that transmit neither noise, vibration, nor static to cabling. Have I had time to check them out? No. Do I know if the wood is better than just letting the cable sit on the floor. Frankly, no. These are things I should check out in the future. The wood was around, and it cost nothing. I have a 30 amp dedicated line for my soundsystem. Should you think anything less than Valhalla in the wall nullifies the effect of after market power cables, and that the use of expensive after market power cables is predicated solely on belief, I urge you to try them for yourself. I know that some companies make audiophile grade USB cables. The folks at Benchmark Media aren't convinced that they make a diff. Again, I'd have to listen. That's what I did with after market power cables before buying. jason victor serinus Skeptical of perceived differences
written by Kris S , January 30, 2008 Dear Jason, I enjoyed your review, but your belief in stones, pads, risers and the like, raise serious skepticism and doubts of your ability to provide credible opinions on any sonic benefits the DAC1 may offer. I do not question your sincerity or integrity, as I have no reason to doubt the validity of your perceptions. However, I do have to question whether anyone else would be capable of sharing your perceptions. USB audiophile-grade
written by Michael Nemoy , January 30, 2008 USB is a computer digital interface, exactly as DVI or HDMI etc. Once properly constructed, there will be no difference, there shall not be. I regret that I read Stereophile magazine for some time and bought some quite expensive cabling (expensive for me). Now, all digital cables I only buy from Monoprice.com. (my ears are good, I have professional musical education) Something new
written by No Strings , January 31, 2008 The best thing this review offered (for me) was the photo of the system. It should be mandatory of every product review in Secrets. Mind you, it wasn't perfect, but the speaker and room interaction is what it's all about. Perfect would have been a photo showing the sytem and the entire room. I believe everyone could learn from said pics. Naturally the Benchmark had a glowing review. A professional product, impecable quality, perfect implementation, fairly priced; what's there not to like? All the cables/tweaks/Elvis' stuff is a guy still looking for something, instead of just enjoying the music. If one truly believes the cable will improve sound from the wall to the component(s), then he should do something about going the "other" direction; have the liquid replaced at the dam, generating the power, with bottled water ;-) Overall, I still enjoyed the reviewers enthusiasm. Hocus Pocus
written by ender21 , February 04, 2008 While I'm trying to give the reviewer the benefit of the doubt that this DAC *does* indeed have favorable qualities, the elevated cabling and persistence in mentioning his Shakti and Marigo products, along with unnecessarily expensive cabling, actually costs him credibility in my book. Fair or not, it could cost him in later reviews. Or more to the point, could cost *me* as a consumer looking for a grounded, objective and somewhat scientific review! I agree with No Strings, though. You can't find fault with his enthusiasm! ...
written by JEJ , February 04, 2008 While I am not a fan of Shakti stones and the Marigo mat, I do respect Jason's right to his opinion that they make a difference for him. I believe that such items provide a comforting effect that allows the listener to relax and feel that everything is working at its best. Jason is one of the finest writers in this business, and if the stones and mat allow him to focus on the review product, then that is what I want him to do. I accept the challenge
written by No Strings , February 04, 2008 Regarding Mr. Johnson's comments, I can only remind him that what made this website blossom into a successful webzine was the no-nonsense DVD Benchmark reviews. I understand that "one" cannot survive simply reporting on DVD players, and that audio components require a bunch of subjective comments, adding the snake oil add-ons, only complicates the issue. I absolutely agree, Jason's writing style is terrific, but when things are put in print, comments (unfortunately) are taken more seriously than than should be, hence the confusion. Finally, just as Jason's; this is only an opinion. A comment on acoustics and my work
written by Jason Victor Serinus , February 05, 2008 Anyone who has visited Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, or any number of halls around the country, is aware of such tweaks as acoustic shells, suspended moveable panels made of plastic or other materials, the addition of fabrics, and, in some cases, mild amplified acoustic reinforcement. Davies Symphony Hall even shifts the position and height of these suspended panels depending upon the music being performed and the forces onstage. All of this is deemed necessary in order to transmit clear sound to the audience. In the same way, I use the accoutrements that some would deem "snake oil" to enhance the acoustic experience. Two-channel, bluebook CD has a host of inherent limitations of which we are all aware. Anything I can do to make the sound more transparent, three-dimensional, timbrally accurate, and engaging works for me. I may not know how some of these things work, but I do know what I hear and how their introduction into my home acoustic affects how music impacts me emotionally. Hence I experiment, use what works, and let go of the rest. It's really that simple. It's a shame that some of the devices that enhance my listening experience bend some people so out of shape that they feel the need to launch virtual crusades against them. But that's how it has always been. There are always people who want to stop others from exercising their freedom to experiment and innovate. There are always people who want to legislate relationships and what happens behind closed doors. And there are always folks who refuse to respect other people's experiences, or people who are different than them. I spend hours at a time listening to music in silence. I do that at home, and at live concerts, sometimes three or four times a week. This is what feeds my soul. I strive to share as much of this experience with others through my writings and personal interactions. If doing so f offends some people, so be it. Thankfully, I receive enough emails on a weekly basis to know that I am serving a constructive purpose in the Universe. jason victor serinus Hi Rez MusicGiant Downloads
written by JimX , February 13, 2008 Jason: thanks for the thoughtful review. high rez downloads (eg those currently available from MGs) represents one of the more exciting applications for true USB DACs. 2 Questions: 1. many "USB DACs" do not use a pure usb interface and simply convert the signal to SPDIF thereby obviating the jitter benefits of staying in the USB realm. Does the Benchmark use a true usb interface? 2. have you tried the Benchmark with Music Giant's high rez downloads. I am not 100% clear on the file characteristics (and there may be several) but I understand that they offer SACD-like music files. Can the Benchmark decode them? USB vs. TosLink
written by Doug , November 06, 2008 Great review. Just wondering if you had a chance to listen to the benchmark via the Toslink input using the optical out from your macbook. I just purchased the DAC1 (non usb) and hooked it up via the digital out on my macbook pro. I think its terrific but was wondering if the USB would yield even better sound. Other reviewers have indicated they really couldnt detect a difference (some thought usb was "grainy"). What are your thoughts? Write comment
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Again, set-up was as simple as can be. It took but a few minutes to plug in the DAC1 USB, adjust Audio Midi set-up, find optimal positioning for the volume controls, and start listening. Of course, to get the best sound possible out of the system, I used a Nordost Valhalla power cable on the DAC 1 USB. (I know. The power cable alone costs twice the price of the DAC1 USB). I also took advantage of Harmonic Tech Magic One interconnects and some ancient High-Wire speaker cable. Finally, I put Ganymede ball bearing supports under the DAC1 USB, and a Shakti stone on top.
Okay. You’ve heard me gush aplenty already. Suffice it to say that the DAC1 USB produces such better sound than the iMac/iTunes built-in sound processor that comparisons are preposterous. Once I heard how good my new set-up sounded, I realized that I could never return the DAC1 USB to Benchmark. I bought the review sample.
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