Paradisea Dac

My paradisea was very dependent on tubes- even within "identical" tubes. I recieved half a dozen tubes from Andy @ VTS including 2 Western Electric and an RCA that he thought should have been really good. Some no name tube (re branded) won. I question the low voltage that it uses on the tubes, possibly not biased up enough or too low on the plate curve. I preferred the DIYParadise USB Monica (used with 18v smps, not battery) to the Paradisea. However my Benchmark DAC1 USB handily bests both-better bass, more detail and low level resolution. Run it balanced if you can, I use a Bent tvc, preferring it to the onboard volume or active pre. Somehow (filter?)it tames the sterility that seems to be the major complaint of the Benchmark.

Suggest you venture over to the Audio Circles and look around, this DAC has been discussed quite a bit over there.

In response to 4est's impressions; I auditioned a Paradisea + against the latest Benchmark DAC1 USB pretty extensively in my system. I ended up keeping the Paradisea+ because it sounded more natural and I could listen at length with no fatigue. I found the Benchmark to be strident in the highs. Where I would agree with 4est is that it did seem to have greater resolving abilities and tighter bass, but I did find it "sterile" to use the term 4est sites. I just couldn't bear the highs...they grated on me. I was not using the balanced outputs as 4est, and I was using an active (tubed) preamp (not a TVC). Obviously systems, rooms and tastes are also different. Point is, YMMV.

Things are gonna be pretty dependant upon your tastes here. These notes on the Benchmark posted above and elsewhere excluded that DAC from my search.

The Paradasea also was considered but as both 4est and a close friend of mine said, getting the right tube match for it sometimes, can be a mite doddgy.

The Apogee too was a thought, and then the USB version of it could be had through Sam Ash music for under $900. I nearly went off for the Apogee USB too... but bought a Lavry DA 10... if the Lavry had been outfitted with a USB & remote, it would still be here.

In the end, I bought a 2 month old Bel Canto DAC 3 in 'new' condition for a touch more than your listed budget, and am very pleased with it and it's USB performance in conjunction with an ASIO driver & J River player. No fuss. No muss. Plug and play!