Harmony / Benchmark DAC

[admin_exported]

Hi all,

Currently in the market to upgrade my Bereford dac. Due to the difficulties in testing dac's I'm trying here first to see if anyone has any first hand experience. Has anyone compared the Benchmark DA1 and the Harmony DA9? I'm pretty sure the Benchmark will be a more accurate presentation with a better soundstage, and doesn't care how poor it's source is.

Thanks in advance...

 

[fr0g]

Octopo:
Hi all,

Currently in the market to upgrade my Bereford dac. Due to the difficulties in testing dac's I'm trying here first to see if anyone has any first hand experience. Has anyone compared the Benchmark DA1 and the Harmony DA9? I'm pretty sure the Benchmark will be a more accurate presentation with a better soundstage, and doesn't care how poor it's source is.

Thanks in advance...

Ok.
I have not tested the Benchmark, but have had the latest harmony on trial for a couple of weeks...
Its gone back now, and I am eagerly awaiting its arrival...Yes, I bought one. At around £430 its a complete no brainer for me. With a squeezebox, it sounds as good as any CD player I have heard.

My HiFi dealer is one of the few who actually stocks it, and I know that the price he charges, is the price on the website...so he aint making a lot of money...
Anyway, according to his sources, it beats the Benchmark.

I find it simply addictive to listen to. I haven't the buzzwords to describe it properly, but since I gave my loan unit back, the hifi hasn't been used...

As for your final statement...The one thing that amazed me about the Harmony... A 190 Kbps MP3 version of Airs 'Premier Symptoomes' sounds better through that DAC, than the CD.

...and I am also upgrading from Beresford.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks fr0g,

That's pretty hopeful for the Harmony! I've just emailed both Harmony and Benchmark to see if I can get any test units, although due to their few UK stockists I have my doubts.

I wasn't sure if the Harmony would be a significant difference from the Beresford, but you seem to have cleared that up!

I fear the £250 price difference between the two units will be the deciding factor before I get to hear either.

Many thanks though.