DAC/Pre's Digital attenuation vs. analog

Mr tennis - The "analog" volume control on the DAC that I am referring to is not analog at all. It does not suffer from the gain issues. This allows the digital volume to be at or close to max, which is optimum.

Volume control using analog "gain" adjustment is one of my least favorite methods. Best to avoid. My own modded ML preamp is a dust-gathering boat anchor now.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

"my next project may well be a shootout of your DAC against the Perfectwave MKII."

No problem, we can do that. Looking forward to it. It will probably be after Newport Beach show June 1 however.

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

a better test would be a comparison between the original zanden dac steve's latest dac.

i consider the first zanden dac as my favorite dac.

MRtennis - No need to do this. My older discontinued DAC the Spoiler, which is not as good and used Adaptive USB reclocked, was compared to the Zanden5000 here:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?icomp&1211443920&read&keyw&zzspoiler

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?icomp&1228141324&read&keyw&zzspoiler

Steve N.
Empirical Audio

Audiofreak32 - In stating several times that you recommend the W4SDAC2 - you finally admit that YOU HAVE NEVER EVEN HEARD THE BENCHMARK DAC1!

And, further, you contradict your own statements in which you strongly state that "I am sick and tired of all this talk about what sounds better...I prefer to try it and determine for myself."

Really? I therefore recommend you follow your own advice and listen to the DAC1 in a good system and then decide.

I have heard BOTH and prefer the Benchmark DAC1, as have others.

I'm tired of vocal naysayers who diss something without even hearing it, esp. re the DAC1.