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Benchmark DAC1USB vs PRE1 vs Transporter

as a 2 channels pre/pro in a 2nd system:

It will be used to drive a power amp (Ayre V3, I think the load is 10k) and will be connected via USB directly to a PC.

Pros? Cons?

- One big pro for transporter is the remote volume control
- One pro for PRE1 is the analog-in for SACD player
- DAC1USB is of course, the cheapest. (or use the $ for a good 2nd hand preamp?)

Benchmark PRE1 seems to have newer Op-amp compared to DAC1, is it true?

cheers,
kschiu
saunderse
8 posts
 
Forget the transport with the volume control. I guarantee
you, that the pot in the transport, is in the signal path
and is probably of very poor quality. It will end up being the weakest link, in your signal path!
kschiu OP
73 posts
 
I definitely prefer to have a preamp for sound quality, but this is the 2nd system in the family room and having one fewer box (and interconnect) is preferred due to real estate reasons.

Does anyone have the first hand experience with the latest Benchmark PRE1? (which is a DAC1USB with a analogy pre)

Another option is the BelCanto Dac3...
clbeanz
192 posts
 
Since the Transporter has no usb in I'm guessing you mean ethernet in, or add an USB to SPDIF converter.

For the price of a Transporter you could get a Squeezebox Duet and Dac1 Pre combo.
That would give you cheap multiroom expansion capability and a handheld GUI rf remote. You would have both a digital remote volume and Dac1's analog volume. Set the Dac1 at close to the listening sweet spot and do minor digital volume adjustment remotely. When feeling purist do so manually.
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