Small DAC With Balanced Outs

From the manual: "While in Standby Mode, the DAC1 USB continues to monitor the selected digital input and will immediately resume normal operation when an error-free signal is restored."

http://www.benchmarkmedia.com/sites/default/files/documents/DAC1-USB-Manual-RevG_0.pdf

Srosenberg - Standby is good and bad. It will extend life of the unit by lowering average temperature by few degrees but it does it by cutting power to most of circuitry. It will take time again to sound 100%. DAC1 takes about 10W and can get really warm only if you place it in enclosed space.

Standby is perhaps more valid with tube gear. Sound of the DAC is more important than features like that IMHO. My DAC1 is powered all the time (no standby) in open space on the shelf and it is lukewarm. Standby could extend it's life from let say 20 to 30 years but unfortunately cannot extend my life. The fact alone that you are posting here almost guarantees that in 20 years you will buy another DAC (or perhaps audio implant?).

Kijanki... thanks for the link and the additional information. my interest in this feature (standby) is of convenience, not to extend the service life of the component. since i am planning on placing the dac behind other components, not having to physically turn it off and on is a plus. that is to say i would prefer to find a small dac that i can leave on and forget about without having to reach around other components to turn on.

Srosenberg - You can leave ON Benchmark DAC1 (no standby). Power consumption of 10W is nothing.

If USB is an option and you only need the DAC to have one input, then I'd go for the HRT Pro. Fabulous sound, balanced output, powered by USB, so even less cable/plug hassle. Check out the 6moons review. Although it is worth noting that the Pro was not run through a truly balanced set-up, the Esoteric pre isn't a fully balanced pre IIRC. So even in that review, the Pro may not have been heard at its best. But it is tiny, balances and a stunner of a performer. No one will even know it is there unless you tell them...