Q on connecting Benchmark DAC3HGC to AHB2
So I finally got my components for my setup, im a newbie and don’t want to fry anything and out of the gate I’m lost.
my setup consists of :
Benchmark AHB2
Benchmark DAC3 HGC
Totem 1 bookshelf speakers
Cambridge Audio Azur 840C CD player
Bluesound Node
For now I’m just impatient and curious to get sound, so I will hook up the CD player first as I know I will have some head wrecking setting up the Node.
So, to get the DAC3 connected to the amp I have a left and a right socket on the DAC. On the amp there is no “left” or “right”, only “2 in” and “1 in/mono in”, so not sure which of these the left and the right DAC should plug into.
This should be very basic but I don’t want to damage anything.
Next, on the CD player I’m guessing I use an RCA type cable to plug into the digital outs (SP Dif, coaxial)? If so would that cable then plug into the “D3 or D4” input socket on the DAC?
Sorry to be so naive but I have read the manuals but no mention as I guess they assume everybody isn’t as stupid as me.
cheers
Thanks Audiophile1, just connecting the amp to preamp was my worry and the rest you said I see in the manuals. So, I will be using the DAC3 as a preamp (in preamp mode) but I still want to use the DAC in the DAC3….will preamp mode bypass the DAC3 DAC then. I basically want to use both the preamp and the DAC in the DAC3 if that makes sense. |
Audiphile1, I’m reading up on the difference between RCA cables and digital coaxial cable for my CD player and the article states that it depends on what you are using it for. For video (I don’t need video) it says you must use the digital coaxial cable but for audio you can use RCA cable. I’ve managed to dig around old boxes of cables in the garage and found many that I can’t tell if they are RCA or digital coaxial as there is no mention on the cables I probably have them but I went out and bought a digital coaxial cable. it’s the weekend now so I thought I’d ask here rather than wait for Monday to contact Benchmark support but….I just realized I have a pair of Kimber speaker cables with spade connectors and went to connect them but - on the amp there is a single prong type connected insert, so that won’t work. However, there is a clear plastic case and I think if I can get that off I can connect the spade connectors, it’s difficult to see if this can work….any ideas. I’ll put another post up regarding this. |
Question…have you tried loosening the binding posts? Just unscrew them by hand and see if you can connect spades. They will go in from the bottom. Watch this video at about 5:20 mark he talks about binding posts. |
