Benchmark DAC3 vs. Denafrips Pontus II

That sounds like a very nice setup.  Those Montis are electrostatic right?  Always been impressed at how those type sound when I’ve heard ‘em, such clarity.  I can see the Dac3 being a very good source for such.  No idea what a R2R dac would do in such a setup though.  Agree with those rca inputs on the HGC, that thing is loaded with features…

audphile1… thought u might like this.  Still enjoying the D2 running Roons dsd 256 processing but trying to figure out the selectable frequency clock settings to optimize data rate inputs…

• Clock frequency: 10MHz/ 11.2896MHz/ 12.288MHz/ 16.9344MHz/ 25MHz/ 27MHz/ 33.8688MHz/ 256fs auto

@audphile1 Will the xp-12 handle the full output of the dac3? Or do you have to use the jumpers to attenuate -10db?

My Benchmark Media Systems DAC3 HGC is installed and sounds great.  I decided to move the jumpers to -20db so my Musical Fidelity integrated amp volume control goes from about 9 o’clock to 11 o’clock.  This jumper setting seems to be working okay. Based on your equipment, you might have to experiment. 

I have owned the Benchmark DAC3 HGC for several months.  After several weeks, I found it to be very musical and like it very much. 

I don’t find the Benchmark DAC3 analytical at all. I find it full and dynamic sounding with just the right amount of detail. It replaced Bryston BDA-3 and I never looked back. Hope to audition a Denafrips DAC some day.

@audphile1 , To assess the full potential of some R2R offerings....

Here are a couple of pre-requisites

1) Speakers pulled out 5 to 6 from a treated front wall.

7 or 8 feet or so behind your couch and a treated back wall..

That is, if your placement has restrictions because of room size/layout, you won’t be able to perceive the layered detail, spatial cues, etc that some R2R/multibit dacs can create in front of you, to the side of you, behind you, etc.

2) There are some lardass speakers out there that can’t image for sht...Don’t get those, get some competent speakers instead.

3) Try some 24 bit studio masters, if have them available...Or you can buy them off Qobuz for dirt cheap (7 or 8 bucks a pop at times), if you’re a subscriber.

If you don’t have the above, don’t worry so much about exploring the nitty gritty of the higher end R2R. DeltaSigma with some wonderful looking sinad numbers (ASR Amir Majidimehr approved) is good enough....