[renewutz]

Hello everybody,

I´m a newby german at audiocircle, but I read a lot of articles here.

My system is:

Speaker: Phillips MFB 541(from 1976) modified - active speakers http://www.mfbfreaks.nl/images/mfb/541/vooraanzicht.jpg
(Pre-)Amp: Funk Lap1 http://www.funk-tonstudiotechnik.de/ABHOERSYSTEME.htm
CD-Player: Marantz CD-10 (modified by hoerwege http://www.hoer-wege.de/)
Mediaplayer: Popcornhour NMT http://www.popcornhour.com/onlinestore/
HDD: Samsung Spinpoint 500GB in Fantec-Drive
Analog: Rega Planar 3 + gsp-audio amp2

So I´m searching for a new DAC
My thoughts so far:

RME ADI 2

Benchmark DAC 1 (can this DAC be modded)

Benchmark DAC 1 Pre (I could sell my pre-amp, if the Benchmark is good enaugh as a pre)

Altman Attraction DAC + (Battery or PSU form P.Hayes or "switch power Pack" (like SMPS12 http://www.funk-tonstudiotechnik.de/NETZTEILE.htm)

any other posible DACs for "good money"

By the way. which german user has the altman in use - nearly impossible to hear the DAC without buying - who whould let me try the dac - the other DACs can be tried for hire.

regards from Germany
René

[geowak]

Hello Rene

You will get a wide variety of opinions on this topic.

I have the Benchmark DAC1- which is the USB version. I like it alot. It sounds clean. It can be used strickly as a preamp, it has balanced connections AND usb connections for linkup to a SB or computer/music server and it serves well as a headphone amp, with a headphone connection. Very sweet sound with alot of connectivity. My two cents worth.

[tvyankee]

hey

take a look at this one.

http://www.hifi500.com/product/da100s.htm

good luck.

[raov1]

Wavelenght's "Brick". Nothing short of spectacular. 
Or may be their new proton.

http://www.usbdacs.com/Products/Products.html

[renewutz]

The price for the wavelength is "a little bit" to high    $ 1750

My price-category is up to 1600$ / 1400€.

regards
René

[richidoo]

I have the Altmann. I like it very much. It is NOS so very smooth and natural. The extremely stout output section prevents high freq rolloff common in many other NOS DACs. Plus the jitter reducing, oversampling input receiver allows use with just about any transport with only slight change in the sound. You gotta be able to "appreciate" the  styling, or lack thereof... Charles Altmann speaks german, of course, and is very friendly on the phone. The output opamps are 2134 and if anything they err slightly on the smooth side like a nice clean RCA tube, but there is no lack of detail, even with hyperdetailed speakers. A used copy might be available if you look carefully.

I hope to have the opportunity to listen to Benchmark this spring. It is very popular and the Benchmark engineers take their mission VERY seriously.

[pardales]

I second the Altmann recommendation. I can also recommend the Audiosector DAC.

[denjo]

I (third) the Altmann recommendation. The Altmann DAC will stop the upgrade bug! 

[NewBuyer]

Personally I think the Benchmard DAC 1 Pre, using its built-in preamp and selling your current (and very nice) preamp, would be your best solution here. If you wish to keep your current preamp, I feel the RME ADI 2 would then easily be your top choice listed so far.

Do you spin a lot of CD disks? If so, you might instead also consider the Cambridge Audio Azur 840C player, which additionally performs as a standalone DAC - allowing you to also sell your current CD player.

[Panelman]

Rene,
I second the earlier advice to look at the Benchmark Pre-1.  I recently moved to it and the performance is very good as a preamp and of course as a DAC. I also have an Gram Amp 2 for my phono stage and it works very well with the Benchmark Pre-1. The preamp let's all the detail come through. The flexibility with the digital inputs is a real plus. The two headphone outputs are also very good.  For the price it is a very well done and complete piece.

Sean

[bacobits1]

I just got a Benchmark DAC1 (non USB) it is very impressive sounding.
I have a tube integrated so I by pass the DAC1 Pre.
Either way it's a great product.

D

[renewutz]

Is there anyone from Germany, who has the Altman DAC in use.

I´m very interested in trying / testing that DAC.

René

[pardales]

Not sure about your proximity but I think Charles Altmann is located in Germany.

[tanchiro58]

Not sure about your proximity but I think Charles Altmann is located in Germany.

Rene,

Guten Tag. Herr Charles Altmann is located in Hann (Nordrein Wesfalen) where I lived before in West Germany.

[doug s.]

i have never known anyone to prefer a benchmark dac over a modded art di/o, and several folks have compared.  a used modded di/o can be had for anywhere from 15% to 50% of the cost of a benchmark.  you may have to wait a bit for a used one; i had one f/s, but it's now gone, & i am not gonna be selling the other two any time soon.   

and, now since the modded zhaolu dacs seem to be maybe even better than the di/o's, it's a no-brainer, imo,  to buy a zhaolu dac for $200, spend about $50 on upgrade parts, & forget about something like a benchmark.

and, i know wery few folks that prefer running any source direct w/o a preamp.  even really really expensive ones, let alone relatively cheap ones like the benchmark.  i am not familiar w/your pre; i suspect if it's good, it will be a significant downgrade if you run something like a benchmark direct.  personally, tho, i prefer tubed preamps...

ymmv,

doug s.

[renewutz]

@tanchiro58

I heard and saw you owe the altman and the prometheus. What are the differences between these two DACs and have you heard the other DACs I have in mind (at the beginning of my post).

I know that Charles Altman lives in Haan but I think he might not send one of his DACs to a "perhaps" customer who wants to try and compare it to other DACs.

regards
René

[renewutz]

Hey guys,

I have also the possibility to try these ones (sorry - speach is german):
http://www.hoer-wege.de/dac4398.htm  - 700€ to 1250€ (depends on diffent mods)
http://www.hoer-wege.de/dacup1704cmf.htm  - 1220€ to 2040€ (depends on diffent mods)
http://www.hoer-wege.de/dacup1794.htm  - 1480€ to 2200€ (depends on diffent mods)

regards
René

[bacobits1]

Well, it doesn't matter what I think anyway.
Certain people know more or think they do.
It's come down to all matter of taste.
I'll go beck to my lurking.

D

[tanchiro58]

@tanchiro58

I heard and saw you owe the altman and the prometheus. What are the differences between these two DACs and have you heard the other DACs I have in mind (at the beginning of my post).

I know that Charles Altman lives in Haan but I think he might not send one of his DACs to a "perhaps" customer who wants to try and compare it to other DACs.

regards
René

Rene,

The Altmann Attraction DAC is an overall excellent DAC. But the Promitheus DAC is a not bad at all DAC and much cheaper than other NOS DAC in its range of performance. I have tried to modify and tweaked around with the Promitheus DAC which is now in the ratio of 8.5 to 10 compared to Attraction DAC in both my system (Promitheus costs $385 plus $150 modified versus Attraction DAC has 3x the cost). Good luck.

Tan

[tanchiro58]

Hey guys,

I have also the possibility to try these ones (sorry - speach is german):
http://www.hoer-wege.de/dac4398.htm  - 700€ to 1250€ (depends on diffent mods)
http://www.hoer-wege.de/dacup1704cmf.htm  - 1220€ to 2040€ (depends on diffent mods)
http://www.hoer-wege.de/dacup1794.htm  - 1480€ to 2200€ (depends on diffent mods)

regards
René

Rene,

Have you tried or listened to any of the Hoer-wege DACs yet? How do they sound? I might be interested in a PCM1704 DAC which does look cool to me. 

Regards,
Tan