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by Benchmark Media Systems July 12, 2010
"When Benchmark Media’s DAC1 digital to analog converter was introduced a few years ago, it not only garnered rave reviews, but those reviewers who performed rigorous laboratory tests only wound up confirming Benchmark’s claims that it was a virtually distortionless device...every now and then, word gets out about really exceptional professional products...and soon audiophiles start buying them."
"... you will have to spend a very, very great deal of money to find a better DAC and linestage than are in this unassuming but nearly perfect unit."
- Peter Seydor, TAS
by Benchmark Media Systems June 01, 2010
"The DAC1 HDR carries on Benchmark’s tradition of approaching cost-no-object performance for a very reasonable price."
"For audiophiles who can live with only one analog input... the DAC1 HDR delivers a rich feature set and top-quality sound for much less than you’d spend on three separate components."
- Doug Schneider, SoundStage! Access
by Benchmark Media Systems May 12, 2010
"If accuracy, neutrality, and a very detailed sound is what you seek from your digital music collection, the Benchmark delivers in spades."
"If you like warmed over, lush, or retro sounding source components, you may want to look elsewhere. I can conclude by telling you if I was building another system from scratch, it would more than likely include the DAC1 HDR to serve both as linestage and DAC for a music server and transport."
"I don’t believe you can do better if you are looking for a made in the USA DAC and preamplifier for $1895. Buying a separate DAC and remote controlled preamp will without a doubt set you back more, and in my opinion, with no benefit of added performance."
- Andre Marc, Audio Video Revolution
by Benchmark Media Systems March 25, 2010
"Hook up about anything that outputs up to 24/192, even your computer, and enjoy top notch performance from this truly great DAC."
"I loved the mids, highs, and bass which were all outstanding and easily outperformed the competition. I'd buy the Benchmark and forget about the many flavor of the month high priced DACs being touted today."
"The Benchmark DAC1 USB offers big-time sound at a low ball price. Highest recommendation!"
- Robert H. Levi, Positive Feedback
by Benchmark Media Systems March 01, 2010
"The studio heritage of this Benchmark preamp is quite obvious. I'd like to say the sound was lean but not thin. I expect this however is an artifact of my sonic memory, having listened to far too many tubby tubed pre-amps in my past. In fact, I believe it is merely neutral. And unlike all but the best solid state preamps or integrateds I have listened to, there was none of that solid state hash or haze heard through lesser designs. Detail was neither absent nor did it draw undue attention to itself. Highs were not rolled off, nor were they shrill. Bass was as it should be."
- Jeff Rabin, Enjoy the Music.com
by Benchmark Media Systems February 08, 2010
"I am proud to give the latest version of Benchmark’s DAC1 one of our Exceptional Value Awards for 2010."
"This is a fantastic anchor to a system in the $4,000 – $10,000 range and one that you will have to pay quite a bit more money to outgrow."
- Jeff Dorgay, Tone Audio
by Benchmark Media Systems November 09, 2009
"Fit and finish of this component is top notch. My unit came in the black finish and it was physically perfect."
"The Benchmark DAC makes for a smooth and pleasant presentation of music, even on older material like Jimi Hendrix's Blues album (MCA). On "Hear My Train A Comin'" the guitar was lively and clear, while bass of the drums was well portrayed. "Catfish Blues" had a depth and energy that made the piece so powerful to listen to, and the emotion continued through "Voodoo Chile Blues" keeping plenty of air around the instruments making for a very open presentation."
"The Benchmark DAC1 HDR is a landmark piece. Its small size and inclusion of not only a great DAC but remote controlled preamp with analog input as well as a flexible headphone amplifier make this a great piece for a top notch system at a reasonable price."
- Dr. Ken Taraszka, Home Theater Review.com
by Benchmark Media Systems August 03, 2009
"I loved what the ADC1 did for my vinyl recordings. At this point I don't want to be without it so I will look into buying this review sample (I've been upgrading my systems a lot lately so its getting kind of painful pocketbook wise)."
"This little gem provides grain free, fatigue free recordings that I crave."
"... with the Benchmark the backgrounds were deeper, blacker and the voices, instruments all had more space around them."
- Rick Schmidt, Home Theater and High Fidelity
by Benchmark Media Systems July 07, 2009
"What the Benchmark DAC1 HDR adds to or subtracts from its input signal is borderline unmeasurable, so the sonic character of its output is obviously the sonic character of its input."
"All in all, the Benchmark DAC1 HDR is damn close to a perfect piece of equipment. Neither its digital performance nor its analog performance could be meaningfully improved. That’s really all that needs to be said."
"There exist DACs and preamps at ten times the price of the Benchmark, but they aren’t any better. Let the high-end police come and take me away in handcuffs."
- Peter Aczel, The Audio Critic
by Benchmark Media Systems May 07, 2009
"Through the USB and TOSLINK ports from my MacBook or the SPDIF input from the TASCAM HDP-2, all my recordings of acoustic guitar and jazz guitar cuts from my pro rig — sounded first rate."
"There’s a reason why so many pros use Benchmark D/As — accurate rendering of the digital PCM recordings with wide, deep and detailed imaging, and a total lack of harshness."
- John Gatski, Everything Audio Network"
by Benchmark Media Systems April 22, 2009
"I have been listening to the Benchmark conversion method (in the DAC1, which I bought) for more than a year. To say that it wears well would be to understate the case. It has become for me simply the way I listen to CD when I want to hear exactly what is on it. And it seems to do the job so nearly correctly that if I am disturbed by what I am hearing, I look elsewhere for the cause without hesitation."
"To my mind, it is the beginning of a new era in audio, in which the regeneration of the recorded signal has become a solved problem."
- Robert E. Green, The Absolute Sound
by Benchmark Media Systems October 09, 2008
"You could use the DAC1 PRE in your office with your desktop or laptop, for a dramatic improvement in sound over your computer's built-in soundcard. And I do mean dramatic. You can drive a pair of powered speakers directly from the Benchmark. Or try a small power amp, maybe even a little single-ended tubed triode."
"As a headphone amp, the Benchmark DAC1 PRE really shone—even with fussy, difficult-to-drive headphones like my reference AKG K-701s, or my affordable faves, the Audio-Technica ATH-AD700s."
- Sam Tellig, Stereophile
by Benchmark Media Systems December 15, 2007
"Two years ago, I reviewed the Benchmark ADC1 A/D converter (PAR 12/05) and found it to be an excellent two-channel converter that could compete with even more highly priced converters. Now, the ADC1 has followed the course of its D/A brethren and has been upgraded to the ADC1 USB."
"You cannot review a Benchmark product without mentioning the UltraLock jitter-immune circuit, which is said to keep out the interface jitter and poor external clock performance from other sources. (Every Benchmark converter PAR has ever measured has been clean as the digital whistle.)"
"Benchmark’s ADC1 USB can be classified as accurate, with excellent imaging and bass control."
- John Gatski, Pro Audio Review
by Benchmark Media Systems July 01, 2007
"The DAC1 was created with three target users in mind: the professional studio, home use by audio professionals, and audiophiles. Indeed, the DAC1 has been well received by studios and has made inroads into the audiophile community. It is feature-laden and smartly laid out."
"It’s more than a DAC, it’s a pretty doggone good preamp too!"
"It presents hyper-nuanced, super clean sound."
"The Benchmark is a clean, lean digitizing machine. It does set the standard at its price point for pure, unadulterated digital signals coming to your nearest amp(s)."
"If you’re after the most measurably perfect CD sound and endless detail, put it on your own test bench – your audio rack."
- Doug Schroeder, dagogo
by Benchmark Media Systems July 01, 2006
"The ADC1 is expensive in comparison to typical mid-market converters such as those from RME, Lynx and Apogee (the Apogee Rosetta 200 is similarly priced but includes a stereo D-A stage as well, for example). However, I feel justified in suggesting that the ADC1 performs at a significantly higher level and compares more naturally with serious high-end products from the likes of Lavry, Prism Sound and dCS. In that context, the ADC1 represents substantial value for money, giving only a little away in terms of ultimate resolution."
"The ADC1 is highly recommended for serious applications."
- Hugh Robjohns, Sound On Sound
by Benchmark Media Systems March 01, 2006
"Many people I respect had lauded the DAC1, and I was interested to hear it in my home. Many reviews of the DAC1 had mentioned its headphone amplifier but had said little about it. Being an avid headphone listener, I wanted to see how well the DAC1 would stand up against my usual headphone amplifiers."
"Since then, months have passed during which I've used both the DAC1 and ADC1, and I can say with confidence that Benchmark’s reputation is well deserved. The three most important elements of any product -- build quality, sound quality, and customer support -- are all present in their designs."
"The ADC1 is the most powerful recording tool I've ever used, and is probably overkill for the casual recorder. But if you have a serious vinyl collection to archive, or are setting up a small digital recording studio, it should flawlessly perform to high standards."
"The DAC1 will have a wider audience and can serve many functions: headphone amp, digital preamp, and, of course, D/A processing."
- Eric Hetherington, GoodSound!
by Benchmark Media Systems March 01, 2006
"The Benchmark Media ADC1's superior down-conversion design — made possible in part by the latest chip technology, the unique UltraLock low-jitter clock, optimized analog input circuitry and the four multiformat digital outputs — makes it a worthy studio tool that will sound great for years to come."
"I highly recommend it as a way to instantly upgrade the recording quality of any studio."
- Barry Rudolph, Mix
by Benchmark Media Systems December 01, 2005
"On original recordings of acoustic guitars, including a new Taylor concert-sized 712, the ADC1 transferred all the shimmer of the guitar and sound of the room space that could be heard during the performance, and there was no hint of harshness. The finger squeak decay from the guitar playing to the gradual fadeout of room reverb, this converter relayed all the information that was there. Stereo imaging at these high sampling rates is stunningly open. If you have the caliber of mics and preamps to make the best recordings, the ADC1 captures it in all its glory!"
"The Benchmark ADC1's sonic qualities are stunning; the converter has the ability to realistically reproduce all the fine inner detail and presence subtitles that only the best high-resolution converters can. Impressive. Put a set of these in your Pro Tools rig."
- John Gatski, Pro Audio Review
by Benchmark Media Systems December 01, 2005
"When I reviewed the DAC1 ... the DAC1's transparency and veracity pleasantly surprised me. It remains high on my 'wanted' list."
"Benchmark thoughtfully provided a DAC1 to complete the set so I was able to experiment and compare the ADC1 using both the DAC1 and my own everyday convertors. In the relatively short time available my earlier conclusions about the virtues of the DAC1 were confirmed. The ADC1 comfortably outperformed my console convertors, exhibiting similar clarity and surgical precision to the D-A."
"The astonishingly solid imaging I know the DAC1 to be capable of was maintained along with the impressive transparency and transient response. Again, I heard things I've not heard before."
- Rob James, Resolution
by Benchmark Media Systems September 23, 2005
"On playback of the bass recording, it was striking how the ADC1 not only reproduced the full frequency range accurately, it preserved astonishing tonal details and character."
"The sound was clean, but it didn't become sterile in the conversion from analog to digital. A similar richness was evident with every source I tried through the ADC1, including voice, synthesizer and acoustic guitar. Chords on the Martin acoustic maintained the clarity and presence of the original source, which was recorded through a SoundDelux U195 condenser microphone into a Grace Design 101 preamp connected to the ADC1."
"No matter what analog source I ran through it, the ADC1 showed a remarkable ability to deliver the true characteristics of that source in digital form."
- Frank Moldstad, Digital Pro Sound