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Thread: Which DAC you would choose? naim,benchmark or cyrus |
    
Bronze Member Username: Jeffbucks
Post Number: 30
Registered: Oct-06
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| Posted on Friday, November 06, 2009 - 03:58 am: |
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Hi,
I'm intending to purchase a good DAC for my hall system which is a CARY 11a processor & Cinema 5 amp +sonos streaming device, my choices so far have been:
1. Benchmark dac1-pre
2. Naim DAC
3. Cyrus dac-x+
and use the balance outputs of DACs. Since maybe later I want to upgrade my system I intend to get a good one. what do you think about mentioned dacs? Do you suggest sth else or have you experienced these three?
Please let me know your experiences.
Best Regards |
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Gold Member Username: Dmitchell
Ottawa,
Ontario
Canada
Post Number: 3254
Registered: Feb-07
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| Posted on Friday, November 13, 2009 - 07:56 am: |
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What made you narrow it down to those 3 choices? What was your criteria? |
Bronze Member Username: Jeffbucks
Post Number: 32
Registered: Oct-06
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| Posted on Friday, November 13, 2009 - 01:57 pm: |
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actually I had just read good reviews about theses three and most available ones but if you prefer anything else please let me have your idea. |
Gold Member Username: Dmitchell
Ottawa,
Ontario
Canada
Post Number: 3255
Registered: Feb-07
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| Posted on Friday, November 13, 2009 - 02:35 pm: |
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What kind of inputs do you need on the DAC?
I'd take a look at the Bryston DAC. Also, I know Nuck has recently bought the Grant Fidelity DAC, you may want to ask him about that. |
Bronze Member Username: Superc468
Post Number: 12
Registered: May-09
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| Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 09:47 pm: |
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The naim usa website has the new NAIM DAC listed at 3500$ US. 1500$ better than the Bryston DAC? $3000 better than the DAC magic from Cambridge audio - any thoughts........anyone compared the CA offering with Bryston? It might be silly to do - but is the extra cashola worth it? |
Platinum Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 13947
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 10:15 pm: |
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The CA840 stole everybody elses dance card with its connectivity and quality.
Everybody has caught up, and the Bryston has garnered nothing but roses since its release.
The Naim might be great, and I hope so, but I have not read much, let alone heard it.
If it is Naim, then there must be an outboard power supply available, several levels of power cords, various feet and assorted other ways to die the death of a thousand cuts. |
Platinum Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 13948
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 10:17 pm: |
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The Grant tube DAC is a fun toy, nothing more. |
Gold Member Username: Dmitchell
Ottawa,
Ontario
Canada
Post Number: 3277
Registered: Feb-07
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| Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 10:42 pm: |
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That's kinda what I figured. I had the GF tube buffer. Same deal. |
Gold Member Username: Mike3
Wylie,
Tx
USA
Post Number: 2226
Registered: May-06
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| Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 10:45 pm: |
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Will you bring the Grant Tube DAC with you when you come down? |
Platinum Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 13949
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 11:02 pm: |
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yep. |
Gold Member Username: Stu_pitt
Irvington,
New York
USA
Post Number: 3564
Registered: May-05
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| Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 11:32 pm: |
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"The naim usa website has the new NAIM DAC listed at 3500$ US. 1500$ better than the Bryston DAC? $3000 better than the DAC magic from Cambridge audio - any thoughts........anyone compared the CA offering with Bryston? It might be silly to do - but is the extra cashola worth it?"
Worth the money is a personal thing. To some an extra $1500 isn't a big deal. To me, its never going to happen. It all depends on your wallet.
I haven't heard the DacMagic. I've heard nothing but good things about it. I have heard the BDA-1, and everything that I've read about it has been true. Its a great product.
$2k ain't cheap by any means. $1600 better than the DacMagic that I haven't heard? Most likely not. If all I had was $400 or whatever the DacMagic costs, I'd be all about tracking one down.
Is the BDA-1 literally twice as good as the Benchmark DAC1? I don't think so. But I'd much rather the BDA-1 and wouldn't mind paying the difference. Now the only part is coming up with it.
Absolute sound quality can't really be quantified. Other things can. The BDA-1 is more versatile - it has more inputs, more connectivity options, and upsampling options. That doesn't mean the DAC1 is a slouch by any means.
More features mean more money. I don't know about Benchmark's customer service, but Bryston's is world class. That ain't free nor cheap, and nor should it be. Bryston will fix just about anything they've ever built, and for a pretty respectable price. Nick K bought an approx 20 year old Bryston amp second hand. He sent it to the factory and they updated it to better than original spec for about 3 or 4 hundred dollars. I can send my 10 year old integrated amp back and have it updated to the current model for $125. How many companies can say the same thing? Can Cambridge fix a 15 year old amp? Probably not. Bryston's amps are covered for 20 years, and its transferrable.
By all accounts, not just mine, the BDA-1 is an appreciable bit better than the DAC-1. $1k better? Depends on your wallet.
I haven't heard the Naim DAC. Its got some technology that neither of the others have. Like the Bryston and Benchmark, its built by people who make an honest wage for honest work, not a factory in a 3rd world country who doesn't care about people nor the environment. That ain't cheap either.
When you look at the whole picture, it makes far more sense why things are priced the way they are. Sound quality has very little to do with it. A BMW M3 isn't 8 times faster than a Hyundai Excel. Tell you what though, I'd take an M3 over 10 Excels. |
Platinum Member Username: Nuck
Post Number: 13950
Registered: Dec-04
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| Posted on Saturday, November 21, 2009 - 11:46 pm: |
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I hate parking my 10 Excel's at the airport... |
Bronze Member Username: Superc468
Post Number: 13
Registered: May-09
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| Posted on Sunday, November 22, 2009 - 10:59 am: |
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Well said Stu...and an M3 just might be 8 times faster than an excel..... |
Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10
Post Number: 2827
Registered: Jun-07
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| Posted on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 - 09:57 am: |
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Well said Stu. Bryston are world class IMO. When I took the lid off my 3B and it was crispy new looking inside and it sounded much better for 330 dollars. Plus they re-did my 15 year old pre amp as well like new for an extra 175. Both prices are shipping included, and new original boxes. Their service was amazing.
I have a DAC Magic in my system right now. By all means for the money it is amazing. I would say on par with my Rega Apollo, giving that you have a good source feeding it. I have heard the Bryston DAC and it by all means trumps the the DAC Magic by a good margin. My dealer sells both. Is it worth the extra money? For me it is. In time I will own a Bryston DAC and settle for a long time with it. |
Gold Member Username: Dmitchell
Ottawa,
Ontario
Canada
Post Number: 3325
Registered: Feb-07
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| Posted on Thursday, November 26, 2009 - 07:45 pm: |
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In time I'll probably own the Bryston DAC too Nick. I still gotta get around to sending in my 30 year old 3B for a bit of Bryston TLC. |
Gold Member Username: Nickelbut10
Post Number: 2832
Registered: Jun-07
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| Posted on Friday, November 27, 2009 - 11:06 am: |
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lol right on David.
Send it in!! I was thinking I would get mine back all nice and redone with the same sort of sonics. Nope!! I was wrong! The sound was clearly better. By a good margin. Its not that expensive either. My total bill was about 175 more because of the Pre Amp too. A re-haul should cost you around 350. |
