Benchmark DAC1 + Rotel 15 series

[Industrial]

Anyone try this yet? The sound of the internal DACs on my 1570 are really nice but things can always be better. I keep hearing great things about this external DAC and wondered if it could improve even more on the great sound I'm getting now. Source WAS a Yamaha DVD player but I recently fell in in love with a Squeezebox streaming FLAC files. Just looking for any experience with this as a week long Google etc search has found nothing.

[Bostonears]

I haven't heard the 1570, but I have used a Squeezebox feeding FLAC to a Benchmark DAC1 Pre, which sounded great. And, you get a high quality headphone amp as part of the DAC1. If you can find a local dealer or person with a DAC1, I suggest trying to get a demo side-by-side with your 1570 to see if there's a noticeable difference.

[Industrial]

Got to demo the Benchmark DAC 1 USB today. Too complicated to bring my system there. I asked if I could "Rent" to demo it at home but they don't do that either. I did get to test it on an Esoteric AMP using a Audio Research CDP as transport playing through Quad speakers in store. Wasnt able to A/B it either. From memory (yea i know audio memory is cr*p) when I was there I couldnt really see a big benefit using this dac over how I already liked my sound. I almost found the mids too muffled for my taste (not bright enought?) the Highs however for like cymbals did sound pretty amazing. Bass was decent. I guess I like the sound of my system. I could buy it test it at home and return it, but the restocking fee would be $400 CAD. So naw..

EDIT: Looking back I think the DAC1 is very detailed. I heard things I don't usually hear in songs I already know. Playing a cello track I know well I could hear the bows rubbing against the strings. Usually I can only hear this when I have my ear to the speaker. However what I didn't like was how everything to me sounded like a wall of sound. I couldn't hear the instrument seperation I'm used to.

[MickeyVee]

I'm running a PS Audio DLIII DAC with the 1560 avr.. there is no comparison, the DAC just smokes the receiver's DAC's.. much, much better.. I'm running a OPPO BD-83 as the source using COAX and also run iTunes with Apple Lossless over the air to an AirPort Express / optical into the DAC..
I've tried running the coax and the optical directly into the avr and there is noc comparison.. DAC is smoother, better bass, better imaging, detail, etc.

[pixeljedi]

I too have the same PS Audio DAC (w/Cullen Stage IV mod), and I can also confirm the difference MickeyVee mentioned with the DAC in the 1560. It's a jaw-dropping, night and day, insane difference.

No matter the transport (PS3, Sony DVP-S9000ES, laptop with iTunes), the PS Audio DL-III delivers crystal clear audio that is just mind-blowing.

[Industrial]

I'm running a PS Audio DLIII DAC with the 1560 avr.. there is no comparison, the DAC just smokes the receiver's DAC's.. much, much better.. I'm running a OPPO BD-83 as the source using COAX and also run iTunes with Apple Lossless over the air to an AirPort Express / optical into the DAC..
I've tried running the coax and the optical directly into the avr and there is noc comparison.. DAC is smoother, better bass, better imaging, detail, etc.

Sounds promising. Have you two ever compared the PS Audio to the Benchmark? I have looked up reviews and seems like the Benchmark has more detail but the PS audio is very detailed and more "musical". I have never seen the PS for sale localy. But if it does sounds close to the Benchmark and is 1/3 of the price (atleast localy) then I may just look into it.

[pixeljedi]

I haven't had a chance to listen to the Benchmark DAC1. So I can't offer a comparison there. The selling point for me was the sound on the DL-III. It was one of those - OMG WTF 'this is too good to be true' moments. The Cullen mod made things even better.

From the research I did before buying, look really closely on how the DAC you want delivers the sound in the final output stage. Many use op-amps and these can wreck the sound if they're not high quality. The DL-III doesn't use op-amps in it's output stage so you wont have to worry about it.

[LikeCoiledSteel]

I currently have the Benchmark Dac1 and was considering getting a PS DL III, as I do not need the headphone amp or preamp capabilities of the BM, and the DL II has a USB input. I have since changed gears and am considering the Peachtree Nova with the ESS Sabre Dac. Reviews so far have it killing most dacs, with an integrated amp, tube hybrid pre section and remote as bonus.

[MickeyVee]

Sounds promising. Have you two ever compared the PS Audio to the Benchmark? I have looked up reviews and seems like the Benchmark has more detail but the PS audio is very detailed and more "musical". I have never seen the PS for sale localy. But if it does sounds close to the Benchmark and is 1/3 of the price (atleast localy) then I may just look into it.

I haven't tried the benchmark.. I'm in Canada and prices are pretty high plus don't need the headphone amp. Last time I looked (a month or so ago) PS Audio had a special going for $699US but was not available in Canada.
It's night and day with the external DAC. I can't even listen to the 1560 DAC anymore

[Industrial]

I currently have the Benchmark Dac1 and was considering getting a PS DL III, as I do not need the headphone amp or preamp capabilities of the BM, and the DL II has a USB input. I have since changed gears and am considering the Peachtree Nova with the ESS Sabre Dac. Reviews so far have it killing most dacs, with an integrated amp, tube hybrid pre section and remote as bonus.

What other Hardware are you running with the Benchmark? Hows the Sound Quality? The peachtree Nova has been on my radar as well. Its really nice looking.

[Industrial]

I haven't tried the benchmark.. I'm in Canada and prices are pretty high plus don't need the headphone amp. Last time I looked (a month or so ago) PS Audio had a special going for $699US but was not available in Canada.
It's night and day with the external DAC. I can't even listen to the 1560 DAC anymore

Im in Ottawa, so my options are even more limited localy then yours. The one thing the PS audio dac has over the Benchmark USB is that its less then half the price. Is it against forum rules to ask you where you got the PS audio DAC? I used to think my internall DAC`s were amazing. Then I heard the Cambridge audio 840c and it blew them away. And i keep reading that the PS and Benchmark are even much better.

[LikeCoiledSteel]

What other Hardware are you running with the Benchmark? Hows the Sound Quality? The peachtree Nova has been on my radar as well. Its really nice looking.

The Benchmark is nice, but I think that it can get sterile in an overly forward system. I like the idea of the Nova as it will let me consolidate some of my gear, as well as compete with the BM on the Dac side. It also has the USB input and hybrid tube preamp section that should mate well with my hybrid Butler amp. I have not heard a Nova yet though.

I currently run:
Mains: Anthony Gallo Reference 3.1
Amps: Butler TBD2250, PS Audio Trio
PrePro: Cary Cinema 6
DAC: Benchmark DAC1
Universal Player: Denon 2900
Cables: StraightWire Encore II, Kimber Hero, Audioquest Type 4, CV-8, Columbia DBS
Power Conditioner: Belkin PF60

[MickeyVee]

Im in Ottawa, so my options are even more limited localy then yours. The one thing the PS audio dac has over the Benchmark USB is that its less then half the price. Is it against forum rules to ask you where you got the PS audio DAC? I used to think my internall DAC`s were amazing. Then I heard the Cambridge audio 840c and it blew them away. And i keep reading that the PS and Benchmark are even much better.

Industrial.. PM me if you can.. the 840C would be a good way to go.. I went from the DACMagic (which was awesome) the the PS Audio.. it was about 1.4K with tax.. It really depends on the rest of your system.. I know that my DAC is more revealing than the rest of my system so the 840C as a CD player and an external DAC would have been a great deal but I was going down a different road.

Go to the PS Audio site.. find the DAC under products and click on Buy Now.. you will be pointed to the Canadian distributor and a form for them to contact you..

[Industrial]

Industrial.. PM me if you can.. the 840C would be a good way to go.. I went from the DACMagic (which was awesome) the the PS Audio.. it was about 1.4K with tax.. It really depends on the rest of your system.. I know that my DAC is more revealing than the rest of my system so the 840C as a CD player and an external DAC would have been a great deal but I was going down a different road.

Go to the PS Audio site.. find the DAC under products and click on Buy Now.. you will be pointed to the Canadian distributor and a form for them to contact you..

I'm running a RSP-1570 pre/pro with a RMB-1565 AMP. Using B&W CM1 speakers. Transport is a Squeezebox. I agree that the 840c is really nice however. I would rather spend all my money one a amazing DAC vs a great CDP/DAC all in one. I don't even play CD's anymore since I got my Squeezebox and converted all my CDs to FLAC (took me a full 24hours!). So im sure adding a really nice DAC would clear up the music/sound even more.

See the price of the PS audio is still cheaper after taxes then what the BM would cost me before taxes. When you say going down a different road. What do you mean? Also, I now like the idea of seperates since you can swap stuff out much easier.

How would you compare the Dacmagic to the PS audio DAC?

[MickeyVee]

The PS Audio is much better..
We have similar systems (I'm running a Rotel 1560 plus have a 1572 coming in to drive the mains.. Martin Logan Clarity)
Similarly (but different), I pretty much run iTunes with Apple Lossless (either via AirPort Express or USB) and do very little CD anymore. (it took me a month to convert doing up to 10 CD's a night)
The PS Audio smokes the DAC in my Rotel and I think it would be a great addition to your system!

I was originally going to go CD mainly but have gone the iTunes route.. no looking back now.

[Industrial]

Found a local ps audio dealer. I still can't decide on PS Audio or the Benchmark. I think I'm leaning towards the BM DAC1 from what Im
reading. Perhaps add a Tube buffer later on so I can "color" the sound when I want to. Just wish the prices weren't so expensive here. I think my system should not bottleneck the sound too much I find it has very low noise floor.

But from reading what you have said I can see that any higher quality DAC can indeed improve the sound quality.

[MickeyVee]

They're both great DAC's.. your best bet would be to audition if you can.. in the Martin Logan owner's club, I think the PS Audio is the most popular.
Good Luck & listening.. I don't think you can go wrong either way.

[Industrial]

On my way to pick up the Benchmark dac1 USB. Will let everyone know how I like it.

[Industrial]

Well I got to A/B it vs the Perreaux dac. The first song I heard I didn't know which dac was being used. I remember thinking "I hope this isn't the benchmark" it sounded a little too thick and not as detailed as I would like. Well that was the perreaux. Next was the benchmark and it was like taking a veil off the speakers. Voices sounded clearer and the highs sounded much more real. And the bass was much tighter (I loved that).


Brought it home and I think it sounds even better! Female voices like Norah jones lost that grainy sound and sounded more real. I played a few alternative rock songs my gf likes and even she could now hear background guitars that you couldn't hear at all before. I didn't even have to point that out to her. The seperation and dynamic are amazing. I can hear no background noise at all.

Tested it out with some Metal and it works very well because it doesn't bloat the sound and everything is very tight.

All in all I love this dac and don't feel that the Rotel limits it in anway. I think my initial demo in store was freak experience becaus the same setup sounded much better today.Don't know why, quiet day? Doors were closed? Really satisfied...