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To simplify or go old school... Looking at the new Benchmark Dac 3

My current dilemma is as follow. I have a love my Audio Research equipment (VT100 amp and LS8 pre amp) but due to the cost of re-tubing the amp I recently purchased a PS Audio stereo Stellar amp. I still have the VT100 and one day I do hope to re-tube it. I've put in some new tubes in my Audio Research LS8 pre-amp. Currently I am using a PS Audio Nu Wave DSD dac for my computer using J River with my Flac collection. I also have a Cambridge CXC CD transport that also plugs into my PS Audio dac. The pre-amp is the LS8 and my amp is now the PS Audio Stellar stereo amp. My speaker are Martin Logan Prodigy.

The question is,do I simplify and just by a Benchmark DAC 3 and run it into my PS Audio Stellar and just get rid of all my tube equipment? 

Thanks

gtamara
ddude003
161 posts
 
My guess is that you will miss that tubed sugar... I would keep the tubed preamp and add the Benchmark DAC 3... What did you re-tube your LS8 pre with given your ML Prodigys?  I put CIFTEs in my Prima Luna pre and damn my ML ESLs sing...

You could run a tubed pre or the SS Benchmark pre and have the best of both worlds...

That Benchmark DAC 3 might need some tubed sugar to knock the digital edges off... ;^)
ianrmack
227 posts
 
This thread involves 100% guesswork.

my cynical suggestion: buy a DAC3 used for $1600 or so.
if you like it, then Keep it, if you don’t, then sell it for $1500 in under 24 hours.
gtamara OP
1 posts
 

I Re_Tube my AR LS8 with tubes from Audio Research.
rego
378 posts
 
Forget the  DAC 3 because you are already at Simplified and check with AR support for recommendations.
The current AR gear has more modern function. (VT 80)
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