Cambridge 840c or Pioneer PD-65/Benchmark DAC 1

Kijanki,

My DAC1 is the newest version with the Texas Instument opamps, the 30 ohm optical input, and improved pcbs.

I'm using DAC1 directly to a tube power amp w/ outstanding results. Some say cabling makes a difference but I use only what I had on hand(XLO-ER2 RG6 digital cable, Dynamic Design Platinum interconnects).

The DAC1 is a real shock when you use it. If you have never heard digital playback w/o digititus it is almost impossible to explain. The highs are so detailed, clear and pure it sounds smooth. Not coloration smoothness but lack of harshness smoothness. It's crazy!

The DAC1 does not emphesis one audio frequency or one type of instrument over another. They are all presented fairly and honestly. No coloration that highlights a certain type of music. You can choose what you want to listen to in a recording, it doesn't tell you to listen to this or listen to that. I know why pros like theis piece, it tells it like it is.

This DAC is an eye opener to digital playback. It reminds me of my Consonance CD120 Linear w/ non-oversampling DAC in digital playback, but with added pristine and accurate sound.

For an unfair comparison, my Oppo was crude, closed in, harsh, emphisising dynamics of percusion over sweetness. It was inaccurate and all over the place. I couln't get involved with the sound as a stand alone player but as a transport with the Benchmark DAC 1 doing the duties of convertiong digital to analogue I'm very satisfied now. Especially with the built in preamp/volume control of the Benchmark directly to a tube power amp.

Mjcmt - I also enjoy DAC1 as a preamp but connected to class D amp (Rowland 102). Amp is cleaner (less brassy) than my previous integrated SS but when I connected DAC1 first time I had impression that there are missing instruments on recordings I know very well. Everything is so clean and transparent that it takes time to get used to (learn to listen?). People often perceive sound with a little bit of distortion as more lively (like distorted guitar vs. clean guitar) and call DAC1's sound sterile or uninvolving. I think that sound is very dynamic with great bass control and great transparency/clarity.

Many people don't like well defined bass or even clean sound - they like sound they got used to and there is nothing wrong with it. I even found opinion that instruments should sound together (sound blob) and not separately.

I was a little bit concerned connecting non-forgiving (neutral) DAC to non-forgiving amp (class D) but Rowland while having bright speakers but Rowland tech guy explained that sybillants are more function of distortion than energy in high frequencies (and he was right).

I wondered what makes DAC1 so much better than my old Cambridge CD4SE - one of the better Cambridge CD players.
It could be jitter removal, good components, smart clean design (-140dB S/N) or all of the above.

I have seriously considered a class D amp. Some recommend the Nuforce. I will use my tube amp for a while more until a really get a feel for the combo, as I really don't want to sell it yet. I may wait until I can afford a D amp to add to my system, and store the tube amp for later (or use for the winter months and swap between the 2 amps)... Or until I get tired of it - which ever comes first.

Mjcmt - DAC1 with tube gear is a great combination according to many but I'm not in the "warm sound camp". Class D offers a lot for the money. My Rowland is very basic but there is a lot of great ones. Rowland Continuum integrated is very good bargain since it is equivalent of CAPRI preamp combined with high power Icepowers (1kW/4 ohm - I think) and power factor correction unit. Nuforce has mixed reviews - some people like it for its speed and clarity others prefere Icepower.