Where did I go wrong?

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Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

On 6/5/04 12:10 PM, in article Nfmwc.48861$eY2.47832@attbi_s02, "Stewart
Pinkerton" <patent3@dircon.co.uk> wrote:

>> And, it is *not* the bleeding edge. You have to go to EMM labs (another pro
>> gear house) for that.
>
> Hmmmm. *Very* arguable, IMNVHO, as the technology in the Benchmark
> unit exceeds anything I've seen touted by EMM (aside from number of
> channels, of course!).

I have not tested the EMM labs stuff - though some friends I know from my
early days in broadcast equipment swear by them for recording and playback.

I will admit, though, they *are* doing work with PCM at 24 bit and 192kHz
and some DSD where this will matter a lot more.

With plain old CD - while the Benchmark may not be bleeding edge (I will
agree that it is arguable) it certainly will be more than most people will
even need. Though it is pretty tempting for a good DAC + headphone amp.

While I do believe technology has imprved, my NAD C541i is a darn good
machine - I haven't found anything so much better than I would be able to
justify purchase - unless it would be the Benchmark since that would have
use in my back studio and in the front listening area!

 

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Archived from groups: rec.audio.high-end (More info?)

On 5 Jun 2004 14:04:49 GMT, Bromo <bromo@ix.netcom.com> wrote:

>On 6/4/04 7:01 PM, in article c9quvi013pu@news3.newsguy.com, "Stewart
>Pinkerton" <patent3@dircon.co.uk> wrote:

>> At the
>> other end of the scale, the absolute pinnacle of D/A technology is
>> undoubtedly the remarkable Benchmark DAC-1, which sells for less than
>> a tenth of the price of say the Mark Levinson 'Reference' DAC, yet
>> massively outperforms it. Heck, it costs less than some people spend
>> on *cables*!
>
>Isn't it a great piece of equipment? I think the real nice thing about it,
>is that given a sufficiently well recorded, large CD collection, it is
>totally justifiable, especially if you have no intention (like me) of
>switching formats!
>
>I also do a bit of home recording, and it would be nice to hear the master
>in relation to the 'mix down' to 16/44.1 to make sure I got it right.
>
>Also, it uses a new chipset (not Crystal, which has been used by most high
>end 'dross' as you put it for the last round of development) - I would
>expect other high end companies to follow suit - I don't know about them
>keeping the price low, though!
>
>I think that the other nice thing about this particulr desig is that the
>distortion is so darn low as it is unmeasurable by the human ear - and even
>at maximum output.
>
>Oh well, I listened to it, but haven't scraped the money together to buy one
>- yet.

Having investigated the matter more deeply, I am even more impressed
by this unit, and I'm now casting about for a good supplier to create
'My Last CD Player' with a 'big boys toy' transport and the DAC-1,
secure in the knowledge that the *sound* quality cannot ever be
surpassed - and indeed the numbers are not likely to be, either.
--

Stewart Pinkerton | Music is Art - Audio is Engineering