Bryston BDA-1 used V/S Wyred 4 Sound DAC 2

"Maybe the Benchmark has a much better optical input than my dac."

This is possible and I will not argue with what you heard, you heard it not me. I actually have both connections (USB/toslink) hooked up and can switch between the two from my chair using the apples MIDI setup.

On the benchmark the USB is much brighter and forward. I use a cheap $20 IXSO optical cable. I had a Peachtree Audio Nova (returned it) I tried as a DAC that also had both USB and optical input and had the same result. All in all the optical was much more refined. I have not tried a "highend" USB cable though.

Both the Peachtree Nova and the Benchmark do not have exactly what I would consider "good" USB inputs. The Benchmark is better than what Bryston implemented, but still far away from the async USB configurations of the Ayre, Wanvelength, Wyred, or Firewire implementations such as the Weiss DACs (Note: I did own the Benchmark DAC1 USB for 2 years).

Restock,

Fair enough both sort of sucked with USB.

I just don't see why people go though all the effort to use USB. There are a lot more options if you use one of the other digital conections. Not to mention that optical electrically seperates the computer from the DAC.With jitter being a none issue for most DACs, optial is still a good option. But I have not heard the other brands you mentioned.

At the end of the day there are a lot of good cheap DACs out there today.

the usb dac's that you talk about aren't the asynchronous type nor are they the 192/24 type either. there is a big difference in these dac's nd the wyred for sound dac2. i thought all of the prior usb dacs that i have demoed (except the ayre) sucked. using their usb ports. the wyred for sound dac 2 has changed my opinion.

my system uses every single input available on the wyred dac 2 save for the i2s. usb from imac as main listening of redbook cd's as well as coax from an older proceed cdp used as transport only. other stuff used is sonos via coax, with apple tv and request music server connectedvia toslink. all run thru a mcintosh 7000 ss integrated or the mc pre out into cary six pack tube mono's. the sum of my experience is twofold: wyred dac 2 ease of use and differences in sound are as follows:

everything so far works and was easy to set up (that seems to be a plus and an important thing). all the bells and whistles about fixed vrs variable and settings, ect. are way to advanced for an average dummy like me to figure out, so i have probably not used or set it to it's ultimate best use. but my ears do not lie, and what i heard came not from the sound of the system but from the words of my 60 yr old wife, who said just last nite when i played the same song from the computer vrs the older proceed: "that first one sounded a lot different and better than that second one."

two different sources with the same exact pressing/files (redbook cd) running into the same dac with one major exception: one via usb and the other via standard coax. neither one via toslink.

my only logical conclusion is that the transport made a difference, as in HUGE. could this in fact be true? or have i taken the term "dummy" to yet another level?