Steve, I'm aware of changes you made to DAC1. These changes, as I remember eliminated jitter reduction ability of DAC1.
Effects of jitter are not even detectable buried deep in -130dB noise floor according to many different reviews. PLL on DAC1 is used only for the syncing while main reduction of the jitter is obtain by reclocking in asynchronous sample rate converter. Perhaps I don't have as good hearing as you but my Benchmark sounds identical with different sources. It sounds a little better with different op-amps (tried few) but even original NE5532 (TI) sounds pretty good, unless you had earlier version of this amp (thin sounding) made by Signetics before their factory burned down in 2001. TI version has different (larger) die.
Original question was about choice between upgrading amp or DAC. Choice is quite easy since AE has 2400ns peak to peak jitter on analog output and respectable 258ps peak to peak jitter on digital out.
According to Benchmark Media technical director John Siau DAC1 was not designed to sound warm but natural. He stated that warm sound (enhanced even harmonics) does nasty job on instruments (like piano or percussion) with harmonic structure more complex than simple overtones. Piano might even sound, on overly warm gear, like out of tune.
Benchmark DAC1 is very clean and revealing making many systems sound bright. That was the case with my previous speakers that had aluminum dome tweeter. Hyperion HPS-938 I use now are perfect match for the Benchmark and Rowland class D amp. Not only that it sounds perfect to me with extremely clean sibilants and amazing details but also because of AE I don't have to play games with expensive playback programs, computer speed, amount of RAM memory etc.
Effects of jitter are not even detectable buried deep in -130dB noise floor according to many different reviews. PLL on DAC1 is used only for the syncing while main reduction of the jitter is obtain by reclocking in asynchronous sample rate converter. Perhaps I don't have as good hearing as you but my Benchmark sounds identical with different sources. It sounds a little better with different op-amps (tried few) but even original NE5532 (TI) sounds pretty good, unless you had earlier version of this amp (thin sounding) made by Signetics before their factory burned down in 2001. TI version has different (larger) die.
Original question was about choice between upgrading amp or DAC. Choice is quite easy since AE has 2400ns peak to peak jitter on analog output and respectable 258ps peak to peak jitter on digital out.
According to Benchmark Media technical director John Siau DAC1 was not designed to sound warm but natural. He stated that warm sound (enhanced even harmonics) does nasty job on instruments (like piano or percussion) with harmonic structure more complex than simple overtones. Piano might even sound, on overly warm gear, like out of tune.
Benchmark DAC1 is very clean and revealing making many systems sound bright. That was the case with my previous speakers that had aluminum dome tweeter. Hyperion HPS-938 I use now are perfect match for the Benchmark and Rowland class D amp. Not only that it sounds perfect to me with extremely clean sibilants and amazing details but also because of AE I don't have to play games with expensive playback programs, computer speed, amount of RAM memory etc.