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Benchmark DAC 1 or Musical Fidelity Tri Vista?

Should I get a Benchmark DAC 1 or a Musical Fidelity Tri Vista? Front end is Onkyo Integra DPC 8.5 universal player, Rotel RC 995 preamp, Odyssey Mono Extreme amps (awesome, just awsome amps), Paradigm Studio 100 V 3 speakers with Rel Storm 3 sub-bass unit. Good cables throughout with Audioparts Mas Signature Reference bi-wire speaker cables and Audioparts Mas Signature Reference interconnects, and Signal Cable Speakon for the Rel. Clean power to front end with Powervar power conditioner.

May replace preamp and speakers but first would like to try a DAC to correct system's perceived mild to occasionally moderate harshness on the upper end. It sounds great but could be better. Dakiom feedback stabilizers throughout have helped greatly and I've done pretty careful testing with and without the stabilizers, but I still want it to sound smoother with no loss of detail.

So......which DAC should I buy? Thanks.

ps If I go with the Tri Vista, how often do the tubes go bad?
mdhoover
kenn39
75 posts
 
Thanks for sharing your experience.

In the ideal world, we should all have a shoot-out among some finalists before buying. In reality, this is often an intelligence gathering and analysis exercise and buying components unheard.
apmaher
29 posts
 
Why not also look at the RME ADI-2, Apogee Mini-Dac, or the Lavry DA10. All offers great sound quality for the price.

Alan
mdhoover OP
695 posts
 
Apmaher,
Thanks for the input. I don't doubt that the DAC's you mention are fine units. However, I am now "done", and am extremely pleased with the Dodson. No changes for the forseeable future in anything anywhere in my system. Others may want to consider auditioning those units, however.
warnerwh
539 posts
 
"No changes for the forseeable future in anything anywhere in my system."

Yeah, you say this now but wait til next month! We know the disease around here well.
mdhoover OP
695 posts
 
This Dodson is just a GREAT unit, and it's a vital link in the chain leading to the fabulous Intuitive Design Summit loudspeakers. Here's a link to a review of the Summits, in which there's a (not very good) picture of the Dodson, and in which I stress the importance of the Dodson's presence in the signal path:

Review of Intuitive Design Summit PSL 624, including references to the Dodson 217 Mark II D DAC with its ugraded, 218-like software
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