John Siau tears down a DAC3 HGC and compares it to a DAC3 L and a DAC3 B. He highlight the key components and shows the similarities between the three models. All three are built on a common platform and all three deliver identical audio performance. The purchasing decision should be based upon the required feature set and not upon an expectation of any difference in sound quality among the members of the DAC3 family.
The DAC3 converter is popular in studios due to its accuracy and musicality. Benchmark A/D and D/A converters are specifically designed to accurately preserve the analog waveshape through cascaded A/D and D/A conversions. This is achieved using high-headroom digital processing, linear-phase non-aliasing lowpass filters, and low distortion analog output stages. This topology has created a family of converters that are trusted by many of the world's finest recording and mastering studios. They are also enjoyed in many home hi-fi systems.
The Benchmark DAC3 D/A Converter
- Digital headroom extends to +3 dBFS to prevent digital overloads
- Switch mode AC/DC power supply eliminates AC line-frequency magnetic fields.
- Switch mode DC/DC converters deliver lower noise than linear supplies.
- XMOS USB audio input.
- Optical and coaxial digital inputs.
- Burr-Brown digital input receiver, volume control and ASRC upsampler.
- ESS converter using 4:1 output summing.
- Benchmark voltage regulator for ESS converter.
- I-V converters at output of ESS.
- Differential amplifiers following I-V converters.
- Relay-controlled analog signal routing.
- Motor driven pot for analog control of analog inputs.
- A/D converter senses pot position for digital control of digital inputs.
- High power HPA2 headphone amplifier.
- Analog output buffers.
- Much more.
3 comments
I treated myself to a DAC3 HGC a few years ago and don’t even think of upgrades. I had bought a DAC1 Pre many years ago and felt it “solved” the deficiencies of PCM sources.
I lost interest in “high resolution” and SACD sources with the DAC3 as its conversion of 44.1/16 audio is outstanding.
Nice, informative video and thanks for taking the trouble!
I have a DAC3 HGC and it is the center of my playback system for speakers feeding a Benchmark AHB2 Power Amplifier. It is probably overkill for the speakers I own, but frankly, it is how I would have designed my own DAC if I could. I did many ADC and DAC designs for professional and semi-pro applications during my career, but am now retired. I had to have a playback system that was done correctly and these two devices are those choices. Being retired I could never afford another system and this will be my permanent system for life!
Really well done…!!! Great presentation!