Benchmark DAC 3 HGC or RME ADI-2 DAC

The DAC3 volume did not have enough granularity for me to be happy with it. It was rather coarse in the steps available.

This was with the digital inputs? I guess this is the penalty of using a pot. The RME doesn't have this problem as it uses a precise rotary encoder for VC which works in 0.5dB steps and the display also shows you the volume level.

Thank you for this seigen. You have effectively explained what I could not determine in two weeks of searching.

Here is what Lavry says about attenuation in their DACs. From the Lavry Engineering site:

" Like the highly acclaimed LavryBlack DA10, the DA11 offers extreme transparency and musicality in DA conversion with the ability to control speaker volume using digitally controlled ANALOG volume circuitry. This allows the DA11 to be connected directly to a power amp or powered monitors without a preamp for the ultimate in “straight-wire” listening. With unparalleled precision in channel matching throughout the volume range, this feature allows the listener to easily reset the volume to a known level for consistent enjoyment with minimal signal degradation. "

Does any other company produce a dac with the similar layout of a digitally controlled analog volume circuit?    And ---- does it matter, in the event that it ever did?

Digitally controlled analog volume control just means there's a microprocessor or FPGA that controls the discreet resistor network or ICs used to attenuate the volume in the analog domain.

Other DACs with analog volume controls would be the Teac NT-505 and the T+A DAC 8 DSD.

The Benchmark has a slight edge in pure sonics, but the DSP capabilities of the RME trump all that (5-band PEQ, Bass/Treble adjustment, Crossfeed, and Loudness).

Yes PEQ is very interesting to me because while I typically avoid eq for pleasure listening, I also do alot of transcribing, and I suspect that the PEQ could really help me highlight the individual parts that I need to hear.

Also, I have no need for analog inputs, and the price point is certainly better so the RME seems like the clear choice. The only downside I see is it does not have a trigger to turn the amp on.