Benchmark DAC3

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http://hifipig.com/scv-announce-benchmark-dac-3/

Implementing the latest ESS Technologies ES9028PRO DAC chip, Benchmark is once more raising the bar for the performance DAC market says the company’s recent press release. The DAC3 retains the form factor of the DAC2, including HGC, L and DX versions in sliver or black, but achieves some considerable performance improvements.

In the DAC3, Benchmark uses the following techniques to maximise the performance of the ES9028PRO:

• 4:1 channel summing – improves the SNR by 6 dB
• External I-V converters – lower noise and lower distortion
• Precision differential amplifier – removes common-mode distortion
• Very low noise voltage regulator – Benchmark discrete design reduces noise and distortion
• UtraLock3™jitter attenuation – virtually perfect jitter rejection
• 211 kHz Upsampling – eliminates time-domain errors caused by the D/A conversion chip
• High-headroom DSP – eliminates clipping of intersample peaks
• 6-layer circuit board with external ground planes – reduces noise and provides RF shielding

RRP prices in the UK will be as follows.

DAC3L (no headphone amp) – RRP £2099 inc VAT

DAC3DX (no preamp, pro features) – RRP £2199 inc VAT

DAC3HGC (headphone amp and pre) – RRP £2349 inc VAT

https://benchmarkmedia.com/collecti...rk-dac3-hgc-digital-to-analog-audio-converter

 

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DAC3 VS. DAC2

The DAC3 builds upon Benchmark’s highly successful DAC2 product family. The DAC3 maintains the familiar DAC2 form factor and feature set, but adds the higher performance available from the new ES9028PRO D/A converter. The DAC3 offers the following improvements over the DAC2:

• Active 2nd Harmonic Compensation
• Active 3rd Harmonic Compensation
• Lower THD+N
• Lower passband ripple
• Improved frequency response
• Faster PLL lock times
• Faster switching between input signals

DAC3 VS. DAC1

The DAC3 and DAC2 added these features that were not found on the DAC1:

• Asynchronous 192kHz USB Audio 2.0
• 32-bit D/A conversion system
• Word Length Display
• Sample Rate Display
• Polarity Control
• Direct DSD D/A Conversion
• -20 dB DIM
• Bi-Directional 12V Trigger
• Power Switch with Auto-On Function
• Home Theater Bypass
• Digital Pass-Through
• High-Headroom DSP
• Dual-Domain Hybrid Gain Control
• Additional I/O