All Benchmark System Question

@regg You should try the Gustard X26 Pro on the home trial.  Having that Gustard even as a backup DAC is a big win.

The reviewer I referenced actually compares the AudioByte to the Gustard. He loved both with the AudioByte slightly preferred. The AudioByte does have great potential to become great with the firmware updates and also the HUB. With the Gustard you are set with the existing sound unless you get the external clock which may make things better or worse.

I must say that this tread has got me a bit annoyed with that hiss I reported with the Class D amp and the CODA07x. It was much lower wit the HPA4. It did not bother me until I paid attention when I made that post. I was going to buy the AudioByte tomorrow and then the CODA #8 later in the year (close to 2022) but I may flip that around.

The Benchmark DAC3B is pretty good in the current setup. It is also great with the CODA 07x.

I am surprised that you also have FrontRow with SpeakON. I thought I was the only person that did that. On my RAAL SR1a the FrontRow cables was more noticeable than on my floorstanders. Seems crazy to have $4K speaker cables on a $3.5K headphones but spending 4K on cables is also kind of crazy.

@yyzsantabarbara, I received the cables from a friend of mine who needed a longer run for his set up. The run in my apartment is much shorter. I paid a fraction of retail to him-he was going to give them to me for free! A big win for me but he felt he owed me because years ago I gave him my Conrad Johnson Amp and Sumo preamp and he loved them. Anyway, I digress! Am absolutely going to order the Gustard and maybe towards the end of the year start thinking about Coda again.

I previously had the Benchmark cables, then I tried Analysis Plus midrange cables which I liked slightly better than the Benchmark cables. When I swapped in the FrontRow they were better with the P3SER’s than the Analysis Plus but it wasn’t dramatic. The Benchmark System stayed dead quiet with any cables, which is why the Benchmark stuff is so addicting once you get used to it.

@regg I hope you can post your opinion on the Gustard on this thread.

I am going to get that CODA #8. I cleared up my IRS tax payments yesterday was going to use the money for food, but I think I will get the CODA #8 instead.

BTW - I am going to move my silver D-Sonic amp to the downstairs to play with the silver Gustard I have. So I am not going to switch to a Black Gustard. The CODA will replace the D-Sonic on the office system.

@regg Well this thread got me spending some money on gear a bit faster than anticipated.

After my rearranging of my gear last night, I am now listening to the floor standers with my CODA 07x connected to a single AHB2 and DAC3B streamed by fibre optical. This sound is killer. The single AHB2 is not powerful enough for my speakers but damn it sounds great. A little warmer than the HPA4, both are great.

I decided to get the CODA #8 today and made the purchase. I am still waiting on word whether I get SpeakON terminations on the #8. I want a switch on the amp to toggle between the duplicate speaker connectors. That way I can use my RAAL SR1a with the adapter box. My floor standers can also work from the CODA #8 without additional electronic circuitry to the floor standers (RAAL adapter box).

I am not sure about getting the AudioByte now. I may just get another Gustard X26 Pro next month. Due to costs.

My D-Sonic amp and the silver Gustard are working great together with KEF LS50s downstairs entertaining the family as I write this. I returned my first Gustard because it had an intermittent issue when used as a preamp. I have not had this reappear with the replacement DAC.