New Benchmark DAC-1

[MilesWonderland]

Just got finished with my first session day after installing my DAC-1 from Benchmark.

They only thing they should have included with the unit is some moist towelettes because I just about $h** on myself!

Best $800 I could have spent on my 001 setup!

[MidnightFlyer]

Same with me Miles. I got my DAC1 last week for my 001, and now I'm busy remixing my songs. [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] I am so impressed with the clarity and depth. It reminds me of when I first heard a Rosetta A/D converter and noticed the difference over the 001 converters. It's that same kind of leap again. And now when I record, it changes how I perceive the sound going in. And my plugins suddenly have another dimension to them. It seems to open up more sonic possibilites. I could go on. Yeah, I dig it!

[atticus7]

I'm glad you guys are digging the DAC1! Thanks for the kind words!

[MilesWonderland]

My pleasure David... I went from a stock 001 setup to adding a rosetta, stereo neves, and the dac-1 all within a month. I'm suffering from shell shock right now!

[img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

[MidnightFlyer]

Miles, we have the exact same setup, although mine has evolved over a period of months, rather than weeks. What do you use to monitor? I'm using Mackie HR624's and I couldn't be happier.

[MilesWonderland]

I have been using the event 20/20 bas for about 2 years now.... Liked them alright until i added a jbl pro studio 12" powered sub with a crossover and now life is good.

I also added a sytek mpx-4aii and think it's a great 4 channel pre for the money. check out one with the burr browns if you get a chance.

thanks to benchmark and the dac1 for allowing me to re-discover all of my old cd's.. I'm actually hearing mistakes and editing on some of my older discs I never knew was there...

I'm officially a gear junkie now!

[img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img]

[nutshell]

Hey guys:
pardon my ignorance...
BUT
What is this piece of equipment useful for?
I guess i would like to hear specifics...
Do you all mix down with this "kid" to a CD recorder?
Do you use it for individual tracks?
all comments would be appreciated!

Mix+ 1622-C24
thanks
dan

[atticus7]

Well I can't speak as to how the other guys are using it (but I'm pretty sure) but we designed the DAC1 to give you absolute clarity in your monitoring enviounment. Recording and mixing music is all about making decisions and if your D/A converter suffers from jitter and other types of poor performance you cannot make accurate decisions. The DAC1 was designed to be very flat with a very natural stereo image, and to be free of jitter induced artifacts. When using it with a Pro Tools setup there are several ways in which it is useful. First, if you are a "mix it in the box" guy, you simply use it as an accurate monitor source for both your mains and headphones. If you mix in the box but print to analog tape, the DAC1 offers you a clear path from digital to analog. If you record to Pro Tools but mix analog, you can use multiple DAC1's to feed an analog mixer. In this scenario all of the DAC1's will be perfectly phase accurate when fed from the same source. I hope that I was able to answer some of your questions. Thanks.

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If you record to Pro Tools but mix analog, you can use multiple DAC1's to feed an analog mixer. In this scenario all of the DAC1's will be perfectly phase accurate when fed from the same source.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial">Been considering this approach to help with the mix bus issues... Yikes multiple DAC1's for 8 channels or so would really add up, but I've been thinking about one or two DAC1 for critical tracks, plus the digi's HD192 I/O 8 channel out into a summing box would be cool.

[nutshell]

David:
thanks for your time and information...
dan