Benchmark DAC1 PRE Preamp / DAC / Headphone Amp

Filed under: Home Audio > DAC - Digital to Analog Converters



The latest evolution of Benchmark's popular DAC1 series is the new DAC1 Pre. Features carried over from the DAC1 USB are the "UltraLock" clocking system which dramatically reduces jitter by isolating the D/A conversion-clock from the source clock, the HPA2 high-current, 0-Ohm "reference grade" headphone amplifier, and Benchmark's "AdvancedUSB technology", which supports 24-bit/96kHz audio over USB and responds automatically to sample-rate changes to bypass the operating system's sample-rate conversion.

On the rear panel, the DAC1 Pre has one optical and three coaxial digital inputs (it loses the USB's AES/EBU digital input), and a pair of single-ended analog inputs which allow the DAC1 Pre to act as an analog preamp. The new analog section is driven by LM4562 opamps and controlled by an analog master volume control. The DAC1 Pre is now available, priced at $1,575.00.