All Benchmark System Question

@mrpsync The Topping pre90 sounds good with the DAC3B and the Gustard X26 Pro. If you can swing it keep both. They sound different. In my case, with the RAAL SR1a headphones the Gustard X26 Pro was a must. However, that gap has closed recently with a Convolution filter for the SR1a. I totally agree with the comments you 2 guys above have made about the DAC3 and the Gustard X26 Pro. I hear it the same way.

I sold the DAC3B 2x before and regretted it both times (I moved, had kid, etc...). I am never selling the DAC3B. Not sure how long the Gustard X26 Pro will last (it runs warm), but I will enjoy until then.

I am not sure about what you are referring to with the $1200. If it is the Gustard buy it from the Chinese retailer
GUSTARD X26 PRO Full Decoding ES9038Pro*2 Chip DSD512 Bluetooth 5.0 X (shenzhenaudio.com)

If anything goes wrong they will replace it. 

@yyzsantabarbara I wish I could keep both but $3400 invested in Dacs is a little too steep for my blood.

The $1200 I referred to what I was offered for my used Benchmark Dac3L, which I paid $1999 w/remote 2yrs ago (I have all the original boxes and extras). I Mentioned that because in your previous post you mentioned getting a very good price for your HPA4. Since I don't think $1200 is a great deal for the DAC3L I was hoping you would shed some light on what you think it could fetch; and how you sold your equipment in the past...ie through audiomart, audiogon, or word of mouth, etc.

Sorry for all the questions/ guidance requests, but I'm new at this.

Thanks

Guys, I have come to the conclusion that i do get “tired” periodically with whatever I am hearing and want something different. For years I used a Conrad Johnson amp and preamp and I remember hearing it for the first time after living with a Tandberg amp and PS Audio pre and I thought it was a revelation-tubes is the way to go I thought. Then a dear friend convinced me to try all Benchmark and when I first heard it I thought it was a revelation. Now, after reading @yyzsantabarbara’s comments I want a Coda 07x! I do believe I will never sell any of my Benchmark though. @mrpsync, whichever DAC you pick between the two will be a winner. And a year from now there will be a new flavor we all want and we will go through it all again!

The CODA 07x is pretty amazing. It is at the level of the Luxman c900u preamp at $15K.  I think I would take the CODA over the c900u. I am comparing these 2 because they are sort of similar sonically. A little warm for the CODA a bit warmer still for the Luxman.

As I write this I am playing some music via my Sony SCD-1 SACD player into my Topping pre90 and then to a D-Sonic Class D amp which then goes to my RAAL SR1a headphones. This is the first time in a long time I have heard the RAAL SR1a naked (no DSP). It sounds great with the 20 year old disk player. The Topping really gets out of the way and lets me hear the SACD player. The Sony SCD-1 does not sound as nice with the CODA 07x preamp, both are warmish components.

The $1500 D-Sonic amp has a switch to select between RCA and XLR inputs. So I have the CODA and Topping preamps hooked up to it at the same time. The speaker outputs from the D-Sonic go into my RAAL SR1a headphones. I recently got an RCA cable to make this Topping to D-Sonic connection possible. So another listening option.

I do not plan on buying more gear after I get some speakers for my living room. I am pretty sure I will stick to what I have now built. This system setup was a long time in the making for me (about 10 years of saving).

A new update on my finalized office system. I now have the CODA #8 to pair with the CODA 07x or Topping pre90. The CODA #8 is incredible with the Thiel CS3.7. Better than the Benchmark AHB2, though I like the sonic signature of the AHB2 a little more. The AHB2 does not have the required power at 2 Ohm. I can see it makes a massive difference. I had to lower a Convolution filter I use in my small office to be ruler flat as opposed to the slight bass bump I was using with the AHB2 monos. These DSP files were professionally created for me and are of incredible quality.

The Benchmark stack is also super quiet while the CODA stack has a tiny bit of hiss with ear against tweeter (like most gear). This is not a deal breaker since the CODA pair sounds so good with the Thiel CS3.7.

I moved my AHB2’s to be the mono amps to my RAAL SR1a. It sounds incredible via the CODA 07x preamp and another RAAL SR1a Convolution file. It is not really overkill because these headphones can use the power.

Now everything is not unicorns and rainbows. My Topping pre90 and the CODA #8 sounds like crap, very disappointing on that. The Topping pre90 and AHB2 sounded great but I do not use that combo anymore to the Thiel CS 3.7. I need to figure out what to do there. I will likely have an orphaned KEF LS50 in the future so that is an option for the Topping pre90.

I was testing the Topping pre90 today with RCA sources, but XLR output to the CODA #8. Maybe that makes a difference because I compared the all CODA setup using all XLR’s.

I wonder how the Benchmark HPA4/LA4 + CODA #8 would have sounded (won’t know now). The AHB2 and CODA 07x are amazing together.

BTW - I only have the Benchmark DAC3B in the office. I had to move the Gustard X26 Pro downstairs to do preamp/DAC duties for a month or so while I get some cosmetic repairs done on an integrated amp. The DAC3B is great with the CODA stack.