DAC Measurements vs Actual Experience

But even your ears can trick you. An audiophile bought a pair of well reviewed speakers and loved them at the store and initially when he got them home. But over time he just felt there was something "wrong". Some music sounded amazing, some not so much. I was able to tell him in 15 minutes with a laptop and microphone that the crossover frequency was too high, hurting dispersion and it looked like some cone breakup. Sounded awesome on vocals, guitar, even most pianos as it was in the sweet spot of what was a very good driver, but used wrong at a system level.

I have tremendous respect for the good people at Benchmark. If you want 2+2 to equal exactly 4, they're your guys.  But to audiophiles 2+2 can equal  4.3 if you pick the right 2's.  If we like 4.3 better, that's our issue and not theirs. 

I had my Benchmark DAC2 HGC going into a VAC amp and thought the system sounded really good.  I tried their Benchmark HPA4 but for me it was uninvolving.   Then tried a used Modwright 36.5 with NOS Mullard and really loved the sound.  But I came into some mad money so madly bought the Denafrips Terminator out of curiosity.  My first impression was that the Benchmark was better, but after going the Windows Driivers Hell, and realizing I needed to increase the volume two clicks to correct the sense of receded voice, I find the Terminator to be a wonderful instrument that often puts me on stage with the performers, and the bass, percussion, guitar are no longer somewhere behind lead singer.  Everything is there, clearly heard.  Was listening to early REM, (Murmur)and I'm in the garage with all the limitations of what four guys can do, but in a wonderful way.  Each instrument, note and vocal cord there to clearly perceive. Oh, and it's clear when those recording engineers and mastering engineers create an over-processed, over-compressed sonic turd.  Sad when an upright bass of a folk group has more dynamic range than a Marshall stack.

The measurement that impresses me is that I have been measured as an active, involved listener every single day since getting the Denafrips dialed/burnt in.   In an odd way, streaming has changed the equation for me.  Once I achieved the quality I now have, I'm just thrilled to have a pretty good seat at the theater for all the high-quality (and ancient treasures) that are easily accessible, and my audio-nervosa over cabling and product-of-the-month seems to have disappeared.

I expect that only the assembled product is "hand built" by Ben, much like every other product in a chassis that is not built in high volume. I certainly hope he does not hand build his PCB boards. "Hand Built" and electronics are two things you really never want to hear in the same sentence. It is not a good combination.

HPA4 / DAC3 HGC / Audeze LCD-4 owner.

I'm  done. 

Well, almost, my Audio Sensibility signature XLR (which Benchmark recommends, XLR connection not the specific cable) arrives next week.

My Sennheiser 800Ss were too sterile and lacked bass.  Swapped for the LCD-4.  Then, to fully take control of them, the HPA4.  Perfection.  

Many of the harder to listen to and skipped tracks from earlier I now listen to.

My own 2 cents.