Hello-
I am looking for a 2nd DAC, ideally a good competitor to my Chord DAC64 mk I (which I like a lot, but is now far too pricey in the US, with the dollar underwaterââ'¬Â¦)
Price point is roughly $1k, unless the unit is a good step up from the DAC64, at which point I can hit $3k or so (used). Demo-ing will be hard, since few local dealers have DACs... so I am trying to narrow the field to one or two options to try to get hold of.
My questions are these:
- Is the Benchmark DAC1 a reasonable competitor to the DAC64, given my system? I don't need to know which is better, just whether I'd be wasting my time.
- Ditto re: the Bel Canto DAC2 (or DAC3)?
- Other suggestions (DA10, DL III)?
- I have seen suggestions that to go (an easily noticeable) step up from the DAC64 requires $8k+ (new)... is this true?
$1k is the target, but I am flexible depending on how good the unit is compared to the DAC64. < $3k used is a (soft) top end.
My system is a Squeezebox -> DAC64 -> JRDG pre & amp (solid state) -> Vandersteens. The system has nice resolving power, but is a bit laid back, maybe a tad dark (especially compared to Thiel or Krell stuff, which I don't like so much). Pretty linear, & good time-domain response (1st order). I am happy with it- not really trying to change anything in particular, just need a 2nd DAC which (depending how I like it) will go to the study or replace the Chord (which would then go to the study). Generally listen to pop (Dead/Marley/Portishead), guitar (Gotan/Cook/DiMeola), female vocalists (Merchant/Krauss), electronica (Kruder & Dorf./Oakenfold), and some classical.
I would appreciate responses from people who have owned or spent a reasonable amount of time with at least the DAC64 & the unit(s) they recommend. Comments from those with systems remotely similar to mine will be most helpful; I'm a long way from SETs/horns. Also interested if folks have used them in headphone set-ups, which I consider to be quite revealing. Not considering changing my transport, or anything else in the chain- this is only about the DAC.
I don't mean to overconstrain the discussion, just trying to make clear that this isn't a generic "which DAC is better (for everything)" question.
Thanks for any suggestions/advice!
I am looking for a 2nd DAC, ideally a good competitor to my Chord DAC64 mk I (which I like a lot, but is now far too pricey in the US, with the dollar underwaterââ'¬Â¦)
Price point is roughly $1k, unless the unit is a good step up from the DAC64, at which point I can hit $3k or so (used). Demo-ing will be hard, since few local dealers have DACs... so I am trying to narrow the field to one or two options to try to get hold of.
My questions are these:
- Is the Benchmark DAC1 a reasonable competitor to the DAC64, given my system? I don't need to know which is better, just whether I'd be wasting my time.
- Ditto re: the Bel Canto DAC2 (or DAC3)?
- Other suggestions (DA10, DL III)?
- I have seen suggestions that to go (an easily noticeable) step up from the DAC64 requires $8k+ (new)... is this true?
$1k is the target, but I am flexible depending on how good the unit is compared to the DAC64. < $3k used is a (soft) top end.
My system is a Squeezebox -> DAC64 -> JRDG pre & amp (solid state) -> Vandersteens. The system has nice resolving power, but is a bit laid back, maybe a tad dark (especially compared to Thiel or Krell stuff, which I don't like so much). Pretty linear, & good time-domain response (1st order). I am happy with it- not really trying to change anything in particular, just need a 2nd DAC which (depending how I like it) will go to the study or replace the Chord (which would then go to the study). Generally listen to pop (Dead/Marley/Portishead), guitar (Gotan/Cook/DiMeola), female vocalists (Merchant/Krauss), electronica (Kruder & Dorf./Oakenfold), and some classical.
I would appreciate responses from people who have owned or spent a reasonable amount of time with at least the DAC64 & the unit(s) they recommend. Comments from those with systems remotely similar to mine will be most helpful; I'm a long way from SETs/horns. Also interested if folks have used them in headphone set-ups, which I consider to be quite revealing. Not considering changing my transport, or anything else in the chain- this is only about the DAC.
I don't mean to overconstrain the discussion, just trying to make clear that this isn't a generic "which DAC is better (for everything)" question.
Thanks for any suggestions/advice!
