DAC3 Review - Michael Zisserson, Future Audiophile

"At 37 years strong, Benchmark has been making studio-grade electronics that are as transparent and neutral as one could ever ask for."

"The DAC3 series has amazing measurements that Benchmark is thrilled to boast about on their product page. And they should be proud. Signal preservation is the name of the game if you want absolute sonic transparency, and they hit their design goals, hard. Much of this is thanks to the new ESS ES9028PRO chip."

Hybrid Gain Control

"Analog inputs are handled analog, and all digital inputs are handled digitally. Approaching attenuation this way preserves each type of signal in the best way possible."

"All volume in the digital realm is handled by a 32-bit active gain control that plays to the end game of preserving all the dynamic information in the music."

High Headroom Digital Processing

"Commercial digital recordings can contain information that causes clipping in audiophile DACs. Typically, these distortions can be attributed to the top-end sparkle in the sound some audiophiles like, but in reality, it is distortion. The DAC3 HGC’s High Headroom DSP eliminates clipping artifacts that are inherent in the conversion process, mitigating this problem."

HPA2 Headphone Amplifier

"Do you need to use a pair of wired, audiophile headphones now and again? The HPA2 headphone amplifier drove the snot out of my Grado SR80’s. The HPA2 headphone amplifier in the DAC3 HGC is designed to deliver the full rated performance of the DAC, even with dual, power-hungry headphones connected."

Built in the USA

"Designed, built, and tested in the USA. Precision, consistency and quality require production control. Benchmark keeps a tight grip on their product through the manufacturing process which assures nothing but the best quality possible."

Uncolored

"The DAC3 HGC does not color the sound of your audio. It is a studio-grade piece of audiophile equipment that can be used by recording engineers and mastering artists alike to flesh out all the musical detail they wish without having to worry about the sonic signature of their equipment."

Professional Audio Component

"The DAC3 HGC is a professional audio component used to make, monitor, and engineer the very recordings we love. All of what is prioritized in the DAC3 HGC has been developed with laser-like focus for this purpose."

Listening to the Benchmark DAC3 HGC

"When listening to digital recordings with odd-ball spatial queues intentionally built into the music, such as “Sail” by Awolnation, the soundstage extended WAY beyond the loudspeakers in both the vertical and horizontal planes. It was very cool because those hard to reproduce queues were so locked-in by the DAC3 HGC, they were presented nearly as good as my $10,000 Bricasti M1."

"If the space is engineered into the recording, it’s there, if it is not engineered in, it is not there with the DAC3 HGC."

Final Thoughts

"The Benchmark DAC3 HGC is a pro audio DAC with audiophile appeal that allows a look into your music as a recording/mastering engineer would hear it. While there is a lack of romance in that statement, there is a huge up-side to the DAC3 HGC. This up-side comes in the form of music appreciation on a very honest, and deep level that would appeal to musicians and those who listen to and work with live instruments. The ability of the DAC3 HGC to keep the integrity of instruments, and the recording, make the listening experience one of honesty, rather than an experience that is euphonic and romantic."

- Michael Zisserson, Future Audiophile

Read the full review at FutureAudiophile.com