I am selling the Benchmark USB DAC1 as I have moved on to a new Ayre DAC. The new Ayre DAC is more revealing but at a cost of $8.9K. I rate the unit as a 7 and will handle shipping in the CONUS if you pay the PP fees for $475. I will include include a power cord.
One Stereophile reviewer thought the DAC1 compared favorably to the new Benchmark DAC3. A
Stereophile 2018 Recommended Components
Class A+ rated:
Benchmark Media Systems DAC3 HGC: $2195
"The [Benchmark] DAC1 was a tough act to follow. So, apparently, is the DAC2. Where would the DAC3 land?" Thus did JCA lay the groundwork for his review of Benchmark's DAC3 HGC (the last three letters designate this as the audiophile version, with a headphone amp and two analog inputs), which supports files up to 24/192 and DSD64, the latter as DoP (via USB). The design of this most recent Benchmark DAC was motivated by the availability of a new chip from ESS Sabre, the ES9028PRO, said to offer superior filter choices as well as active harmonic compensation, itself intended to reduce even further the levels of second- and third-harmonic distortion when compared with the Benchmark DAC1 and DAC2. That said, after rigorously comparing the DAC3 HGC with his own Benchmark DAC1, JCA heard no differences whatsoever: The new, like the old, impressed him as a product of "astonishing fidelity and emotional expressiveness." The conclusion of JA's Measurements sidebar was similarly concise: "All I can say is 'Wow!'" (Vol.40 No.11 WWW)
