[wkatzir]

   The search for right DAC for my setup has led in many directions.  But as I researched and compiled trusted opinions, the decision came to be between the Bryston BDA-1 and the Benchmark DAC1 USB.  The reviews for both have ranked them among the best buys for your money in both build and sonic quality, yet to my knowledge, there are no direct comparisons between the two available.  And, regrettably most retailers do not sell both, let alone have demos of both for comparison.  Fortunately for me I was able to come across one dealer that not only does, but one that was also able to set up an A/B listening session.  For that, I have to take a quick minute to thank the people at Westlake Pro Audio (www.westlakepro.com) for allowing me 2 hours use of one of their professional mixing studios filled with some of the finest audio gear as well as one DAC1 USB and one BDA-1.
   I brought with me my MacBook Pro with 25 records of various music stored as AIFF 44.1K 16bit files, a mini-to-toslink fiber optic cable, and a USB 2.0 cable.  All Midi Controls were set using that timesaving application, CA-Sample Rate, provided by the people at Computer Audiophile (www.computeraudiophile.com) with everything set at 44.1K and 16bit, except for the when using the Benchmark, which forces 24bit.  My salesman joined me as well as the Manager of the studio who was also interested hearing what the two had to offer.
   As we began A/B’ing between the two from song to song, it was instantly apparent how much louder the Bryston was then the Benchmark.  According to the decibel meter on the mixing board, it was approximately 3db louder! To my knowledge the Benchmark does has level adjustments on the back that could easily fix that, if its volume is an issue to you.
   Utilizing the USB connections of both units, we all appreciated the stronger treble and tonal balance that the Benchmark had over the Bryston.  Voices were slightly fuller, symbols were crisper with a longer finish, and keyboards and synthesizers had more impact and vigor.  On the flipside, we also noticed that the bass was stronger and more controlled with the Bryston.  The difference was equally as dramatic as the Benchmark’s strengths in higher frequencies.
   In terms of sound stage, the Bryston was slightly wider and a tad more room filling.  The Benchmark tended to be more forward and central.  Separation and definition were about the same on both units with some songs from Thom Yorke’s The Eraser Rmxs album sounding better on the Benchmark while others from Animal Collective’s Merriweather Post Pavilion sounding better on the Bryston.
   Unlike the Benchmark, the Bryston allows for the control over the up-sampling feature.  Throughout our tests, we almost always preferred the up-sampling to be on.  The difference between the function being on and off was miniscule, and I liked the fact that we had the ability to turn it off or on with the push of a button.
   After and hour and a half, both the manager and I preferred the Benchmark simply for its clarity and balance, with the salesman preferring the Bryston for its “pleasing scoop” that he felt evened out the balance with the midrange at higher volumes.  With my mind made and as we were packing everything back up, I remembered the mini-to-toslink cable that I had brought.  Knowing that the Bryston functions differently via USB then it does via its other inputs, we decided to switch the cables and do another quick test to see it there is a noticeable difference.  And, yes, there was a noticeable difference.
   The Benchmark sounded very similar to an almost unnoticeable degree, but the Bryston opened up revealing much of the lost highs that it lacked via USB.  It was not 100% at the level of the Benchmark, but it was 95-97% there, creating a very natural and full sound.  The Bryston’s bass also improved in tightness, which could be a result of the pairing with better higher frequency resolution or that over the optical pathway, the Bryston’s processing was better as a whole. Playing the Isley Brothers song, “People of Today”, the BDA-1 provided a much more musical experience then the Benchmark did, even evoking some head bobbing.  That is to say that the DAC1 USB sounded fantastic as well, it is just that the combination of the Bryston’s newfound clarity meshed with its already large sound stage, made for a more pleasing experience.
   The cable switch also improved on Bryston’s imaging, making for much sharper and more defined reproductions.  This was a noticeable difference over the Benchmark. Via the BDA-1, on Henry Fiol’s Fe, Esperanza y Caridad, the background vocals in the song ”Ven y Baila mi Son” were distinct and clearly separated in space from your left to slightly right of center, and when played through the DAC1 USB, the same separate voices merged into a group, and the space narrowed to a range slightly to left and right of center.  We played a few other songs with similar results.  On Heat Miser’s Mic City Sons, “Rest My Head Against the Wall”, the Benchmark had a very pleasant range with all of the instruments sounding as unenthusiastically energetic as I assume Elliot Smith had wanted them to be.  But when played through the Bryston, each of those instruments took its place within the soundstage, filling the room, and essentially making the whole experience more lifelike.
   Given this large gain in performance, I had to reconsider my decision made 30 minutes earlier.  If I had only the option of USB, I would have gone with the Benchmark without much of a thought.  It has a wonderful, clear, and balanced sound, that is sharp without being harsh or hard to listen to.  It, in fact, was a pleasure to listen to.  It is a unit that is worth every cent.  But, since the use of an optical cable is an option for me, I ultimately chose the Bryston.  The gains by using an optical cable were, in our opinion’s, game changing.   Its’ soundstage was wide and spacious, its’ ability for separation and definition was amazing, its’ control and authority was impressive, and its’ sound, for lack of a better phrase, makes you want to dance to the music; all making the Bryston BDA-1 an easy choice as my DAC.

Wes Katzir

[konut]

Excellent comparison! Great first post! Welcome to AudioCircle! I own a BDA-1 and echo your impressions. Always wondered how it would compare to the Benchmark. Thanks!!   

[fly_fish_nz]

Thanks Wes.  I had one quick question as I was reading: did you have a chance to compensate for the volume differences between the dacs?

[wkatzir]

Hello - Since time was somewhat limited for the session, we compensated for the volume adjustment on the board - wkatzir

[BobM]

I would venture to guess that you might get even better sound going to a non-USB, non-TOSLINK cable, like an RCA or XLR connector. Both of the others are inferior connections to the RCA or XLR.

Bob

[mcullinan]

I agree with Bob. Go to an RCA and I believe you will realize further improvements! Great review.
Mike

[ted_b]

Why do you guys say RCA is better than toslink?  Both are S/PDIF (and likely inferior to AES/EBU), and unless you use a BNC connector on the coax you may not be getting a good 75 ohm connection.  A good toslink cable (glass is better than plastic IMO) provides an electrical isolation from ground loop issues, etc.  Personally, I think the real world differences are likely a nit, but AES/EBU, now we're onto something.  But you guys seem very convinced of RCA superiority, so I'd love to learn why.  Improvement is a good thing. 

[wkatzir]

The reason for my choice in cables was simply a constraint issue.  A mac mini only has the ability to go digital out via a mini-to-toslink fiber optic cable or via USB.   I am assuming the differences between all of the other non USB inputs would offer minute changes in sound quality as it is essentially the same bits and processing path.

[konut]

   I am assuming the differences between all of the other non USB inputs would offer minute changes in sound quality as it is essentially the same bits and processing path.

Thats what I was assuming as well, until you posted your review vis a vis the USB/toslink comparison. If the proof of the DACing is in the hearing, then it would be interesting to get a comparo of the different inputs. It would not surprise me in the least if the perception of "quality" changes from system to system regarding the different inputs. The important thing to note is that us BDA-1 owners have the superior kit compared to those suckers that went for the Benchmark!   

[Jon L]

   
   Given this large gain in performance, I had to reconsider my decision made 30 minutes earlier.  If I had only the option of USB, I would have gone with the Benchmark without much of a thought. 

It's not surprising Benchmark's USB outperforms Bryston's USB since Benchmark is licensing the 24bit/96kHz-capable CEntrance USB firmware.  Bryston's USB connection uses conventional USB chip and stock drivers, limited to 48kHz max.  Most "USB DAC's" also sound much better via spdif than USB.

When and if Bryston adapts a great USB solution, be it CEntrance, or even better, Asynch USB solution from Wavelength Audio (which Ayre recently licensed for its USB DAC), we will have a killer USB DAC on our hands 

BTW.  Mac's mini-toslink connection does the job OK, but computer audio will sound tons better using a dedicated, tweaked, transformer-coupled spdif pro card IME...

[BobM]

Why do you guys say RCA is better than toslink?  Both are S/PDIF (and likely inferior to AES/EBU), and unless you use a BNC connector on the coax you may not be getting a good 75 ohm connection.  A good toslink cable (glass is better than plastic IMO) provides an electrical isolation from ground loop issues, etc.  Personally, I think the real world differences are likely a nit, but AES/EBU, now we're onto something.  But you guys seem very convinced of RCA superiority, so I'd love to learn why.  Improvement is a good thing. 

I have found this to be true by experimenting with each. Best I can offer you is to try it yourself and see if you hear a difference/improvement. I think you might (as I did).

Bob

[ted_b]

Why do you guys say RCA is better than toslink?  Both are S/PDIF (and likely inferior to AES/EBU), and unless you use a BNC connector on the coax you may not be getting a good 75 ohm connection.  A good toslink cable (glass is better than plastic IMO) provides an electrical isolation from ground loop issues, etc.  Personally, I think the real world differences are likely a nit, but AES/EBU, now we're onto something.  But you guys seem very convinced of RCA superiority, so I'd love to learn why.  Improvement is a good thing. 

I have found this to be true by experimenting with each. Best I can offer you is to try it yourself and see if you hear a difference/improvement. I think you might (as I did).

Bob

Bob, as I stated, I have, many times over the years, and like the (glass) toslink better than simple RCA, but like BNC (75 ohm) and AES/EBU slightly better still (all via MW Transporter).  I'm very interested in the BDA-1, but am first going to demo the firewire DAC from Weiss, the Minerva.  They write their own firewire drivers for it (similar to the reference of what Gordon is doing on USB for himself and Ayre).

BTW, great review Wes.  Welcome to AC. .     This one should go in the Review Circle (Critics Circle, source component review).

[wkatzir]

Jon-L

     What card are you referring to that would work with the mac mini?

-Wes

[NewBuyer]

Hello - Since time was somewhat limited for the session, we compensated for the volume adjustment on the board - wkatzir

Hi Wes,

Could you please clarify what you mean by "on the board" - do you mean that by-ear, you used the onboard volume controller of the DAC1 USB? 

[Jon L]

Jon-L

     What card are you referring to that would work with the mac mini?

-Wes

I'm referring to the likes of Lynx, RME, ESI Juli@ (with stock breakout box/cables bypassed), but since Mac Mini doesn't have any PCI slots, you would need a bigger Mac or a PC. 

[Watson]

Jon-L

     What card are you referring to that would work with the mac mini?

-Wes

I'm referring to the likes of Lynx, RME, ESI Juli@ (with stock breakout box/cables bypassed), but since Mac Mini doesn't have any PCI slots, you would need a bigger Mac or a PC. 

You can also go with any pro audio Firewire device. Audio-over-Firewire is inherently asynchronous and thus most such solutions are low jitter. Hopefully the next generation of the Mac Mini won't get rid of Firewire.

[wkatzir]

They got rid of Firewire 400