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Thread: Benchmark DAC-1 - Need help and opinions guys!

  1. #16
    Administrator Mr. Widget's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bernard Wolf
    Hate Mail ?? Really ?
    His ex-girlfriend found out where he hangs online and has been stuffing his PM box...


    Widget

  2. #17
    Senior Seņor boputnam's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ian Mackenzie
    Hi Ken,

    It would appear that from recent hate mail my opinions are unwelcome.
    Whomever would do such a thing is clearly clueless over either their importance here (or elsewhere... :dont-know) or are themselves unwelcome - or both.

    You don't need my approval (no-one does...), but keep the tap open, pard'.
    bo

    "Indeed, not!!"

  3. #18
    Senior Member invstbiker's Avatar
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    So, Ken does that Ashly come with a 30 day MBG Just kidding dude...

    I've bought

    4412's
    4333's
    4343's
    4350's

    Mcintosh
    Phase Linear
    Audio Horizons
    Denon
    Cables, etc, etc, etc

    ALL without listening first, but all highly referred. And very happy with all of it....reward only happens with risk...
    "It only costs 80% extra to go first class"

  4. #19
    RIP 2014 Ken Pachkowsky's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by invstbiker
    So, Ken does that Ashly come with a 30 day MBG Just kidding dude...
    I think your going to be very happy with it. You will have to build your own or spend a heck of a lot more to better it. Its on the way.

    Ken

  5. #20
    RIP 2014 Ken Pachkowsky's Avatar
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    Best Digital Connection

    What is the best digital connection?

    BNC, Spdif, or XLR?

    Thanks

  6. #21
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    I prefer the AES/EBU standard on XLR. Correct cable impedance is important.

  7. #22
    House de Kris
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    Ken, I believe SPDIF is a protocal, not a connector. When SPDIF travels over copper, it is typically terminated in RCA, but BNC is also common. So, if the question is, what is the best digial connection, BNC, RCA, or XLR?, then I'd recommend the BNC.

    RCAs are rarely made as 75ohm connectors. It is no problem to find 75ohm BNCs. I've never measured XLRs, but I really wonder how close they are to 110ohms. Oh, just to qualify, I have measured lots of RCAs and BNCs.

  8. #23
    RIP 2014 Ken Pachkowsky's Avatar
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    Thanks

    Thanks guys, obviously my age shows as I know nothing about digital cables or connectors. My Benchmark Dac1 will be here Friday and I want to pick up the best type of cable for it. I am using a Sony CDP-11 and a Pioneer Sacd 578A.

    Ken

  9. #24
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    Hi Ken!

    XLR all the way- IF:
    I may be wrong, but I think XLR in a true balanced set up is only as good as it's weakest link. What I'm saying (and I'm sure everyone will rush in to correct me) is that is really does little good to have a balanced run downstream from...say RCA's. Better to go the full balanced route if you can do it. XLR's are sometimes only offered as an output/input for convenience and aren't even balanced connections at all. Look into that before going XLR.

    XLR's (non balanced) by itself does have the good advantage of being a strong, solid connection that can handle the endless swapping in/out that us audio geeks like to do. It's used in touring for a reason.

  10. #25
    Senior Seņor boputnam's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Pachkowsky
    What is the best digital connection?

    BNC, Spdif, or XLR?

    Thanks


    Keep it optical. Both the Sony CDP-D11 (and D12) and the Benchmark DAC1 have optical TOSLINK connectors. Use those.
    Attached Images Attached Images  
    bo

    "Indeed, not!!"

  11. #26
    RIP 2014 Ken Pachkowsky's Avatar
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    Bo

    Thanks for the info.

    Ken

  12. #27
    Senior Member 4343's Avatar
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    Cool

    Quote Originally Posted by boputnam


    Keep it optical. Both the Sony CDP-D11 (and D12) and the Benchmark DAC1 have optical connectors. Use those.
    I agree, optical whenever you get the choice. For short runs the optical eliminates any possible ground/hum problems. Also for REALLY LONG runs, optical is the only way. (The recording studio on the 4th floor MIGHT need optical feeds of SDI, AES and TC from the router on the first floor for instance, the theater in the next building WILL need optical convertors to get anything.)

    That said, for semi-long runs in the same building, BNC is a much better choice for AES than XLR, despite the unbalanced nature of the coax, it has lower loss and is available for a lot less $ than 110 ohm shielded pair... More and more equipment is supplied with BNCs, so the norm now in the video world is to run coax to everything, anything with XLR gets a balun right at the connector panel or sometimes a panel of 8 baluns on the rear rack rail.
    The last install I did even put A-D & D-A on any analog stuff so the only signals in the plant were SDI, AES, TC and 422. Only 2 types of wire for the long runs, different colors of course... The idea was that any analog deck/server could be swapped to a digital unit with NO downtime.
    Mike Scott in SJ, CA
    Drive 'em to the Xmax!

  13. #28
    Senior Seņor boputnam's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ken Pachkowsky
    I am using a Sony CDP-11 and a Pioneer Sacd 578A.


    Then, you will need to use two of the three (switchable) inputs. Most convenient between your sources and the DAC1 would likely be the TOSLINK and the coaxial. You might use the TOSLINK with the SACD, but whatever...
    bo

    "Indeed, not!!"

  14. #29
    Senior Seņor boputnam's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by speakerdave
    As far as I know there still is no digital output of SACD from any licensed player (certainly not the 578 mentioned--isn't that a Pioneer?).
    Hell, Dave - This ain't my thread and I don't know those devices at all!


    The DV-578A-S brochure on Pioneer's site is a mere one-pager, but does mention "Digital Outputs (Optical x 1, Coaxial x 1 for DTS/Dolby Digital/L. PCM)", so maybe this one does? :dont-know

    Quote Originally Posted by speakerdave
    The scuttlebutt was that it was not a true DSD player. I've noticed that it is absent from the latest Audio Advisor Cat. and its successor in that price pocket is not even a nominal SACD player.
    It's certainly inexpensive at MSRP $199...
    bo

    "Indeed, not!!"

  15. #30
    RIP 2014 Ken Pachkowsky's Avatar
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    578A Pioneer Sacd Player

    Here are some things from the manual.

    Features

    • DVD-Audio and SACD compatible
    Experience the super high-quality audio performance of DVD-Audio and Super Audio CD (SACD).

    • Super VCD compatible
    This player supports the IEC’s Super VCD standard. Compared to the Video CD standard, Super VCD offers superior picture quality, and allows two stereo soundtracks to be recorded. Super VCD also supports the widescreen size.

    • 24-bit/192kHz compatible DAC
    The on-board 24-bit/192kHz DAC means that this player is fully compatible with high sampling-rate discs, capable of delivering exceptional sound quality in terms of dynamic range, low-level resolution and high-frequency detail.

    • Built-in Dolby
    Digital and DTS decoding with multichannel outputs Linear PCM Out

    Down Sample On 96kHz digital audio is converted to 48kHz for digital output.

    Note that High sampling rate DVD-Audio discs (192kHz or 176.4kHz) automatically output down-sampled audio through the digital outputs.

    Down Sample Off
    96kHz digital audio is output as is at 96kHz.

    Digital Audio Out settings

    Initial Settings on What it means

    Digital Out On

    Digital audio is output from the digital outputs.

    Note that there is no digital output when playing SACDs and
    some DVD-Audio discs regardless of this setting.


    Off
    No digital audio output.

    Dolby Digital Out Dolby Digital
    Dolby Digital encoded digital audio is output when playing a Dolby Digital DVD disc.

    Dolby Digital > PCM
    Dolby Digital audio is converted to PCM audio before being output.

    DTS Out DTS
    DTS encoded digital audio is output when playing a DTS disc.
    (Noise will be output if your amplifier/receiver is not compatible with DTS audio.)

    DTS > PCM
    DTS audio is converted to PCM audio before being output.

    SACD Playback 2ch Area
    Selects the 2 channel (strereo) SACD audio area of the disc for playback.

    Multi-ch Area
    Selects the multi-channel SACD audio area of the disc for playback.

    CD Area
    Selects the standard CD audio area of an SACD/CD hybrid disc for playback.

    DTS Downmix Stereo
    Downmixes DTS for 2 channel output to regular stereo. (See also DTS Downmix on page 41.)

    Lt/Rt
    Downmixes DTS for 2 channel output to be compatible with Dolby Surround matrix decoders. (See also DTS Downmix on page 41

    • Why can’t I hear SACD audio through the
    digital outputs?

    SACD audio is only available through the analog outputs. This is not a malfunction. Some DVD-Audio discs too only output audio through the analog outputs.


    • Is it better to listen to DVD-Audio discs through the analog outputs?
    Some DVD-Audio discs do not output anything through the digital outputs, and multichannel discs are downmixed to stereo for the digital output. In addition, a high sampling rate DVD-Audio discs (higher than 96kHz) automatically downsample audio output from the digital outputs. Using the multichannel analog audio outputs for DVD-Audio have none of these limitations.




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