Benchmark DAC3 vs. Denafrips Pontus II

I’ve the Dac3 HGC for several years as my primary ‘hub’, running Roon Roc on an intel nuc.  Super flexible unit, (but u know this).  Only unit I know of that has two additional analog rca inputs and the voltage to perform as its own preamp with myriad digital input features.  Clean, clear, powerful sound.  ESS chips hold their own and the unit is a workhorse.  I’ve a Denafrips Athena/Hestia, Hyperion, but instead of purchasing a Pontus I went for the newly available SMSL VMV-D2 with the AKM 4499 dacs.  About the same $$$.  Would love to compare the two.  The D2 is smooth, spacious and layered with great frequency extension.  The mids are beautiful.  Of course I’m using Roons upsampling features.  DSD 512 w/smooth, minimum phase seems a current favorite.  It’s a different animal than the Dac3 listening to Qobuz or other ssd stored local music.  There is a lot of easily available functionality at one’s fingertips to suit one’s mood or musical priorities.  Of course it’s all filtered and sampled so no R2R.  The unit has the best Bluetooth receiver if that matters and a very nice remote.  It works great with Roons dsp settings and goes way past what the Dac3 can do as far as custom processing of its input.  It’s got an I2S which I’ve no current way of using.  Overall the unit sounds more refined than the Dac3.  The Dac3 outputs more voltage (and is configurable).  The D2 doesn’t seem to have anything of that nature.  The D2 uses 2 Noratel transformers and I believe a type of hybrid output stage, it’s warmer and probably a bit sweet, not as brutally honest as the Dac3.  Well recorded music sounds beautiful.  It’s a great dac, but so is the Benchmark, it just sounds a tad more one dimensional in comparison.  Totally different feature sets yet both are quality products.  Great remotes operate both & the Benchmark manual is in a league of its own.  With Roon, the SMSL is super easy to try out dsp filters and such w/high sampling rates, so the differences are easy to hear, but you may have to decide what is best for your particular setup, or you can skip it all and stream from your device.  I am really liking the new D2 and upsampling to DSD 512 is for me, a good thing.  My trip to R2R land is gonna have to wait…

Just one other thing.  Run direct the D2 has a more pleasant bottom end than the Dac3, it has a better foundation to match its warmth, or maybe because of it, it’s warmer.  Pushing the Hyperion direct into some small floor standing Elacs, the DFR52’s really shows what the Andrew Jones design is capable of.  What a great, modest priced, pairing.  The kinda thing you can listen to for hours.  Clear, taut, easy to follow base in a way the Dac3 never managed, very musical.  Direct into a Mystere PA11 with 6L6’s and some 1sc ProAcs, listening to George Bensons Nat King Cole covers was just so nice, richly detailed, and again beautiful, but only hints at the bottom extension on tap thru the Hyperion, D2.  Wish it had at least one rca input so I could hook up my turntable.  It’s a pretty special dac, warm, oh so smooth and detailed.  Musical as all ‘get out’, really sounding quite special through the small Elacs.

@regismc thanks for your reply!

sounds like you’re running your DACs as preamps?

if that’s the case then yes this isn’t Benchmark’s strength. I tried it and can confirm it’s just OK. 

I run my DAC3 into Pass Labs XP-12 preamplifier via XLR. Much better.