Review and Measurements of Benchmark DAC3

[THW]

i'd say there is so far no proper evidence to suggest that burn-in is even a relevant factor for the majority of electronic components, therefore there is no reason to believe that burn-in is in any way real.

for one, my DX3 Pro frankly doesn't sound significantly better after about nearly a year of use. not particularly scientific though so as always feel free to ignore

 

[Shangri-La]

Benchmark told me no burn-in was needed, although some customers said 2hours to 2 days. I believed. I was also in the process of evaluating the M700 mono block, which PS audio told me 200 hours was needed. So I let the pair run for 200 hours. I was then blown away by the DAC performance difference.

To me personally, the result was pretty enlightening.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Benchmark told me no burn-in was needed, although some customers said 2hours to 2 days.

Now, pick your poison: Manufacturer/engineers who design gears able to reach the AP limit measurable... or some random customer?

To me personally, the result was pretty enlightening.

The problem is, the rise of popularity of ASR brought here more and more subjectivists... The answer is still the same: No reason to believe your subjective impressions once you bring no proof to the table... DBT, measurements etc... If you don't, this is psychoacoustic. Period.

 

[Shangri-La]

Now, pick your poison: Manufacturer/engineers who design gears able to reach the AP limit measurable... or some random customer?

The problem is, the rise of popularity of ASR brought here more and more subjectivists... The answer is still the same: No reason to believe your subjective impressions once you bring no proof to the table... DBT, measurements etc... If you don't, this is psychoacoustic. Period.

Have you never seen incapable sales rep dont know well enough about their own product?

Have you listened to the DAC3 before/after burn-in?

Have you measured the DAC3 before/after burn-in?

What have you done to support your position?

 

[THW]

Have you never seen incapable sales rep dont know well enough about their own product?

Have you listened to the DAC3 before/after burn-in?

Have you measured the DAC3 before/after burn-in?

What have you done to support your position?

your position isn't particularly well-supported though, no reason to believe your position either. also based on my own experience with electronics, the majority of them don't improve after a certain amount of time, they actually degrade over time for any number of reasons.

"not scientific" you say, fair, but its not like you're willing to provide any scientific evidence of any sort. i'm also not foolish enough to go all out against someone arguing in bad faith.

 

[Sal1950]

Have you never seen incapable sales rep dont know well enough about their own product?

Have you listened to the DAC3 before/after burn-in?

Have you measured the DAC3 before/after burn-in?

What have you done to support your position?

Buy a new DAC3
Set up a proper bias controlled DBT for yourself and all your friends comparing the new against the old.
After you have the data to present, return here with the results.
End of subject.

 

[VintageFlanker]

Have you never seen incapable sales rep dont know well enough about their own product?

I did. Benchmark is not one of them.

What have you done to support your position?

I don't have to support my position. You claimed something very questionable, you need to prove it. That's how science works.

What @Sal1950 said. End of subject.

 

[Thomas savage]

@Shangri-La iv issued you with a thread reply ban , thread crapping with non supported claims of ' burn in' and insisting on being proven wrong.

You made the claim , it's up to you to bring evidence beyond ' I say so ' . Your somewhat juvenile inane argument is of no interest to us.

 

[ayane]

Ffs, thanks for stepping in. It's like every good dac thread gets turned into a "muh subjectivity" tantrum.

 

[AudioSceptic]

So, I've tried in a non-scientific way that leads me to believe burn-in makes a difference.

What scientific tests have you guys done to prove burn-in makes no difference?

I'll try to think of one after I've finished with the one proving that I can't fly no matter how hard I flap my arms.

 

[VintageFlanker]

What??? How does this have anything to do with "burn-in"?

Just give up. Seems like @Shangri-La is thread-banned. He wouldn't intend to bring any scientific or relevant fact anyway...

 

[AudioSceptic]

Just give up. Seems like @Shangri-La is thread-banned. He wouldn't intend to bring any scientific or relevant fact anyway...

Sorry, but I've since deleted that. Others have this covered.

 

[restorer-john]

Back when I was a tech it was not the blown amplifiers that were hard to fix; it was the ones measuring 0.05% THD instead of 0.005% that were a bear to debug.

And old post by Don, but very true.

 

[MysterE]

So I'm after some advice: a friend of mine is selling his DAC3 HGC for 900 AUD. Do I get that or a brand new Topping DX7 pro?

 

[gvl]

Not sure about AU resale values, but 900 AUD is a pretty good deal for a DAC3 in the US. I'd grab it over the Topping, if nothing else it will be easier to sell it later.

 

[anmpr1]

So I'm after some advice: a friend of mine is selling his DAC3 HGC for 900 AUD. Do I get that or a brand new Topping DX7 pro?

They provide different features for different purposes. Here in the US, support-wise, Benchmark is a no-brainer. Not that I've ever needed support, but if I did... I don't know the Australian scene. If my converter is correct, you're talking 616 USD? That is an excellent, really unheard of price for a DAC3 preamp. At least around these parts. Topping looks nice but I've not seen one up close and personal. Benchmark are impressively built.

 

[pozz]

The problem is, the rise of popularity of ASR brought here more and more subjectivists...

I hope even more join. There's incentive to, since we have better answers than just "it's amazing" with every new piece of gear being reviewed.

 

[Sal1950]

I hope even more join. There's incentive to, since we have better answers than just "it's amazing" with every new piece of gear being reviewed.

There can be the problem that many are just like they were on the subjective sites they came from. They just refuse to learn and insist that they hear it and that's the end of the discussion. "Beleive in your ears only" is their bible.

 

[pozz]

There can be the problem that many are just like they were on the subjective sites they came from. They just refuse to learn and insist that they hear it and that's the end of the discussion. "Beleive in your ears only" is their bible.

We're pretty good at arguing the point. A few verbose positions and the Robert Harley book vs. all the research assembled here doesn't amount to much.

 

[tobes]

So I'm after some advice: a friend of mine is selling his DAC3 HGC for 900 AUD. Do I get that or a brand new Topping DX7 pro?

That's a bargain price for a DAC3.
Don't know about the DX7 but I own the DAC3 and Topping D70 - I'd take the DAC3 in a heartbeat.