W4S DAC2 vs Benchmark DAC1 my observation

Hi James - I did have the Benchmark wired via TOSLINK at one point, but it was a while ago, and my system has changed around since. Originally I had been running it from the output of an Airport Express, which I thought was pretty bad relative to running it direct from my laptop via USB. BUT I never tried running it directly into my laptop via TOSLINK - I honesty never even though of it!

Nowadays I don't use the laptop at all, but use dedicated Mac Minis (2 - one in my living room speaker setup and another in my bedroom headphone rig), both direct via USB.

One of these days I'll dig out my TOSLINK cables and swap around a bit.

How many hours do you have on your W4S? I found mine needed a good amount to open up - I'm probably at around 150-175 hours and it has become very pleasant to listen to.

I should have the Brick in a week or so!

As a side note, I think a lot of what type of sound you like comes from listening volume. The balance and detail of the Benchmark is great for anything south of 80db but as I push the volume it becomes hard/bright with a hint of midrange glare. Where the W4S is a little dull (less bass slam, highs don’t snap) at low volume and comes to life at the 80db and up levels.

James, another good observation. Remember the Loud button on your 1990s mid-fi receiver? It was intended to to enhance low-volume listening by slightly boosting both the low and high ends of the spectrum. It's clear that the Benchmark excels on ~30 Hz extension as well as the very high end -- and its sonic signature may, in effect, be like a Loud button (relative to the rich-and-meaty mid excellence of the Wyred.)

Jerico,

I have never tried an airport express so I can not comment. I only have about 60 hours on my DAC2 but I have not heard much of a change in the sound yet, I am however getting more accustom to its sound.

Please post some comments after you hear "The Brick".

Cymbop,

Tonight I defiantly like the softer highs of the Wyred 4 Sound. My wife went out to a Backstreet Boys concert so I am at home listening much louder than my typical volume (just cause I can..) and my ears would have given up long ago on the Benchmark.

As I listen to my DAC2 I like it better and better but I really do not think it is any better than the benchmark, just a little different. I do not think the Benchmark has the best synergy with the Thiel line however. Thiels can get a little hard anyway so they do not need a hard front-end.

I recently added a Benchmark DAC1 to my system with Wyred STP-SE preamp, Wyred amp, PS Audio PPP and Legacy Focus SE speakers. My other digital source component is a Denon 3800 BDCI player.

My observations are improved focus to sound - greater delineation of voices and instruments, increased airiness and ambiance, increased precision to bass, deeper soundstage. Basically, everything top-to-bottom is more resolved. When I go back and listen to the Denon, it sounds a little thicker with softer edges to individual sounds. Here's a thought: sharp edges are represented as high frequency content (Fourier analysis tells us this). Perhaps one cannot have superior resolution without what may be perceived as "brightness" relatively speaking.

Also, I haven't experienced anything that I would describe as "glare" to the Benchmark sound. I'm not sure what configuration others are using, but I have found that setting the internal jumpers to 0dB attenuation and using balanced outputs to give a superior and purer sound quality compared to the other default settings.

Cheers,
Matt