Benchmark VS Mark levinson 36 DAC ?????????

Shadorne, I think the opposite is true if it's overdriving the next device in the audio chain ... sound will be bright, edgy, hard ... It's just didn't sounded very good soft or loud.

In the PCX mod, Chris Johnson replaces/voices the whole analog output stage with much higher quality parts especially the op-amps. I don't chase the latest and greatest digital gear and was very happy with it for several years.

overdriving the next device in the audio chain ... sound will be bright, edgy, hard

No. What happens is that the signal completely saturates the input of the next stage. This usually causes instability as the amp oscillates in and out of complete saturation. Usually it sounds all muffled and blurred. The more the signal is saturated the more you get dropouts. Eventually total saturation of the input often produces no output at all as the device just sits on one of the power rails (flat lines).

Severely overdriving a device can also damage it permanently.

Anyway, I think that my explanation fits your observations. And let's face it, your observation do run counter to what almost everyone reports about the DAC1. (Never heard it called muffled. Too bright. Too clinical. Too harsh and other comments along these lines but never muffled.)

Perhaps your DAC1 was faulty?

"Perhaps your DAC1 was faulty?" - or it was one of the first Benchmarks with very high output impedance on unbalanced (RCA) outputs?

Shadorne and Kijanki, Anything is possible ... my friend and my unit were purchased ~1.5 years apart from different dealers, ran XLR ... It's also very possible we are not as impressed with the stock units as you guys. Take Care!