It's a very good unit. you can also check out the new Lavry for about the same amount of $

If you can get a copy of Bob Katz' book, you can see some very revealing spectral plots of the Benchmark - pretty stellar performance.

But that Lavry Black seems pretty awesome, too.

We have two of the Benchmark DAC-1s. One for each of our mastering rooms. Obviously we like the unit a lot. For the price I don't think you can go wrong with the unit. Have not had a chance to check of the others in that price catagory but I understand from others that the Lavry is very good. One AMAZING thing about the Benchmark is the way it handles jitter.

MTCW

it's sounds boring and sterile.....

a/b'ed it with an apogee mini dac and my audio note....

it lost both times.... and i'm not really an apogee fan

i suggest getting one and a/b it against some other stuff

might be good for the money though

iznogood wrote: it's sounds boring and sterile.....

a/b'ed it with an apogee mini dac and my audio note....

it lost both times.... and i'm not really an apogee fan

i suggest getting one and a/b it against some other stuff

might be good for the money though

To what are you referring? The Benchmark?

benchmark DAC-1.... isn't that the topic??

iznogood wrote: benchmark DAC-1.... isn't that the topic??

Hey, no need to be rude.

DrsStudios,
I find the DAC-1 is very nice specifically on the monitoring side. This has been discussed before, you can have a look: (Dead Link Removed) ; (Dead Link Removed) ; (Dead Link Removed) and this one also to get more different opinions: (Dead Link Removed) .

Best,
Richard

The Benchmark DAC-1 is a nice sounding DAC. When discussing converters you will get mixed opinions about what sounds "better". The way I perceive the DAC-1 one is as having slightly emphasized bass response. When comparing it to other converters it has more in the low end than what tends to actually be there. This is when comparing to either Mytek, Lucid, or Lavry specifically. The Benchmark DAC-1 unit makes a great home theatre or audiophile DAC. Although some mastering engineers like Bob Katz and others are using the DAC-1 in their mastering rooms. I like my converters pristine and as accurate as possible to the analog source, I'm using Lavry Blue in my studios and for mastering. It just all comes down to preference, best thing is to try it out and see if you like it for yourself.

Thanks for all your input, gives me a couple of choices to look at,
Richard, the links are a big help... i tried serching but it was off line at the time or something.

Thanks!

hey richard....

how was i rude??? i cannot see how my response is any more rude than asking me what i am referring to.... as we all know the topic...

but as nathan said it all comes down to preference.... and mine is something a bit less monotone than the benchmark

iznogood wrote: hey richard....

how was i rude??? i cannot see how my response is any more rude than asking me what i am referring to.... as we all know the topic...

but as nathan said it all comes down to preference.... and mine is something a bit less monotone than the benchmark

Sorry about this, it is a misunderstanding from me 8) .

Glad it helps DrsStudios.

Cheers.

iznogood wrote: benchmark DAC-1.... isn't that the topic??

Yes but we were also talking about a lot of different converters.

I will stickup for the DAC-1

I don't think your assessment of the unit is correct. I have tried lots of other Digital to Analog converters over the years and the DAC-1 stands pretty high on my list of really good DACs. I think it is very truthful and find that for the money it beats the heck out of a lot of high end converters. Some people like converters that add something to the sound but sterile is what I am looking for. I want to be able to hear EXACTLY what I am listening to and not have it add things to the sound. We had a very high end Mark Levinson DAC that I paid a lot of money for. It made everything put though it sound wonderful but as a mastering engineer I am looking for truth and not fiction.

I have not tried the Lavry but plan to in the near future but I think for the present that the DAC-1 from Benchmark is about as good as they get for the money!

MTCW

Thomas W. Bethel wrote: [quote=iznogood]benchmark DAC-1.... isn't that the topic??

Yes but we were also talking about a lot of different converters.

I will stickup for the DAC-1

I don't think your assessment of the unit is correcthow can the term correct be used in a subjective discusion??. I have tried lots of other Digital to Analog converters over the yearsso have i and the DAC-1 stands pretty high on my list of really good DACs. I think it is very truthfuli don't... it doesn't reveal that many diffrences and find that for the money it beats the heck out of a lot of high end convertersno doubt about it. Some people like converters that add something to the sound i don't but sterile is what I am looking forlifeless is not what i'm looking for. I want to be able to hear EXACTLY what I am listening tome too and not have it add things to the soundthe benchmark subtract from the music imo. We had a very high end Mark Levinson DAC that I paid a lot of money fortoo many opamp's maybe...ml loves them. It made everything put though it sound wonderful my dac doesn't.... half my cd's sounds crap on itbut as a mastering engineer I am looking for truth and not fiction. i second that...

I have not tried the Lavry but plan to in the near future but I think for the present that the DAC-1 from Benchmark is about as good as they get for the money!for the money.... maybe.... but second to none it is not

MTCW

iznogood wrote: [quote=Thomas W. Bethel][quote=iznogood]benchmark DAC-1.... isn't that the topic??

Yes but we were also talking about a lot of different converters.

I will stickup for the DAC-1

I don't think your assessment of the unit is correcthow can the term correct be used in a subjective discusion??. I have tried lots of other Digital to Analog converters over the yearsso have i and the DAC-1 stands pretty high on my list of really good DACs. I think it is very truthfuli don't... it doesn't reveal that many diffrences and find that for the money it beats the heck out of a lot of high end convertersno doubt about it. Some people like converters that add something to the sound i don't but sterile is what I am looking forlifeless is not what i'm looking for. I want to be able to hear EXACTLY what I am listening tome too and not have it add things to the soundthe benchmark subtract from the music imo. We had a very high end Mark Levinson DAC that I paid a lot of money fortoo many opamp's maybe...ml loves them. It made everything put though it sound wonderful my dac doesn't.... half my cd's sounds crap on itbut as a mastering engineer I am looking for truth and not fiction. i second that...

I have not tried the Lavry but plan to in the near future but I think for the present that the DAC-1 from Benchmark is about as good as they get for the money!for the money.... maybe.... but second to none it is not

MTCW

What ever!

...

There is a language barrier here.
I guess the easiest thing is to wrap everything in silk so people don't misunderstand each other in a bad way.

I see these things every day at work and on forums. All it takes is a bit of effort when reading/writing to prevent this.

Regards
Henrik

I think it's just people from Scandinavia. I think it comes from living so far away from everyone else, the only way they can get people to visit is by pissing them off enough for them to come looking for you to kick your butt. badump bump.

as thomas would say..... whatever! :roll:

A little testy today are we? It was a joke, like in ha ha.

I think it was funny :lol:

I was about to write the exact same joke only about Americans but you beat me to it Mike!... he he

Well said Thomas. :D

Michael Fossenkemper wrote: A little testy today are we? It was a joke, like in ha ha.

mixing hiphop inthebox with to little coffee :shock:

can make grown men cry :cry:

i think i'll go feed my pet polarbear :lol:

Headphone output of the RME Fireface is a killer!
no kidding!

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