Benchmark DAC3 HGC award winning DAC (Black2) - Douglas HiFi Perth
Benchmark DAC3 HGC award winning DAC (Silver) - Douglas HiFi Perth
Benchmark DAC3 HGC award winning DAC (Black1) - Douglas HiFi Perth
Benchmark DAC3 HGC award winning DAC (Rear) - Douglas HiFi Perth
Benchmark DAC3 HGC award winning DAC (Black3) - Douglas HiFi Perth
Benchmark DAC3 HGC award winning DAC (Silver2) - Douglas HiFi Perth

Benchmark DAC3 HGC HiResolution DAC

Regular price $4,599.00
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Benchmark DAC3 HGC HiResolution DAC

Benchmark Media Systems are a well known company in the profeesional audio recording and mastering world - they are engineered to the highest standards and are designed to be ultra low noise, ultra low distortion and thus deliver more of EXACTLY what is in whatever music is being played through them. In the early days of digital audio many HiFi buffs and audiophiles cottoned on to using the same technology as the professionals - so te original Benchmark DAC became quite a classic - superb engineering and sound for a reasonable price... well now in the DAC3 HGC there is a reference grade DAC with professional sound and specifications that continues the legacy.

A NEW REFERENCE DAC from Benchmark

The DAC3 is Benchmark's newest 2-channel D/A converter featuring the new ESS Technologies ES9028PRO converter chip. The DAC3 converter has lower THD and THD+N noise than Benchmark's DAC2 converter.

Benchmark's DAC1 and DAC2 D/A converter families have been the reference to which other converters have been compared. It is rare to find a converter review that does not draw comparisons to the DAC1 or the DAC2. Benchmark converters are in daily use at many of the world's finest recording studios and mastering rooms. Benchmark converters are also enjoyed by thousands of audiophiles. Benchmark has raised the bar again ... the DAC3 defines a new reference.

REFERENCE PERFORMANCE

The DAC3  delivers outstanding musical detail and precise stereo imaging. It employs an advanced high-headroom digital filter design, and a high-sample-rate Asynchronous USB Audio interface. All inputs are fully isolated from interface jitter by Benchmark's new UltraLock3™ jitter attenuation system.

Internal digital processing and conversion is 32-bits, and this processing includes 3.5 dB of headroom above 0 dBFS. This headroom prevents the DSP overloads that commonly occur in other D/A converters.

Four balanced 32-bit D/A converters are summed together to create each balanced analog output. This 4:1 summation provides a 6 dB noise reduction, and gives the DAC3 industry-leading performance.

NATIVE DSD CONVERSION

All digital inputs on the DAC3 support native 192 kHz PCM or DSD64 conversion. From any input, DSD is transported with bit accuracy over DoP 1.1. DSD and PCM are both natively converted to analog. There are no DSD to PCM or PCM to DSD conversions to compromise the quality of the music. The DAC3 conversion system seamlessly switches between native PCM and native DSD conversion. DSD over DoP 1.1 is supported by many media players, and DSD downloads are now available from several sources.

DIRECT CONNECTIVITY TO POWER AMPLIFIERS

Benchmark DAC1, DAC2, and DAC3 converters are designed to directly drive power amplifiers and speakers. Benchmark converters feature adjustable low-impedance passive attenuators at the XLR outputs that can be used to optimize the interface to the power amplifier (or powered monitor). This unique Benchmark feature optimizes the gain staging between the DAC and the power amplifier. Proper gain staging cannot be overemphasized. When audio stages are properly matched, each component in the audio chain is able to operate at its optimum signal level, and the system performance is significantly improved.

SONICALLY-NEUTRAL STUDIO MONITORING

All Benchmark converters are designed for maximum transparency. This transparency is absolutely essential in the studio monitoring chain. For this reason, DAC3 converters are ideal for critical reference-quality professional systems. Unlike many competing products, the DAC3 is not designed to add "euphonic" coloration to the audio. Instead it is designed to be as uncolored and natural as possible.

STEP INTO THE STUDIO

When Benchmark's professional converters are used in hi-fi applications, studio-quality sound can be enjoyed in a home environment. Enjoy pure music without any coloration from the electronics. Hear the music exactly the way it was heard in the studio, and exactly the way the artists intended.

Discover the natural, uncolored, analog sound of the DAC3.

SIT IN THE PERFORMANCE SPACE

Transparent sound can go beyond replicating the studio experience. Recordings that have been produced with a natural and unprocessed sound can transport you to the performance space. But, this can only happen when the entire playback chain is selected for maximum transparency.

This experience of "being there" cannot be created by systems that are designed to add "warmth" or "euphonic color" to the music. 

Benchmark DAC3HGC Specifications

AUDIO PERFORMANCE

Fs = 44.1 to 96 kHz, 20 to 20 kHz BW, 1 kHz test tone, 0 dBFS = +24 dBu (unless noted)

SNR – A-Weighted, 0 dBFS = +27 dBu

128 dB

SNR – Unweighted, 0 dBFS = +27 dBu

126 dB

THD+N, 1 kHz at 0 dBFS

-113 dBFS, -113 dB, 0.00022%

THD+N, 1 kHz at -1 dBFS

-114 dBFS, -113 dB, 0.00022%

THD+N, 1 kHz at –3 dBFS

-119 dBFS, -116 dB, 0.00016%

THD+N, 20 to 20 kHz test tone at –3 dBFS

-113 dBFS, -110 dB, 0.00032%

Frequency Response at Fs=192 kHz

+0 dB, -0.015 dB (20 to 20 kHz)

-0.015 dB at 10 Hz

-0.005 dB at 20 kHz

-0.031 dB at 40 kHz

-0.15 dB at 80 kHz

Frequency Response at Fs=48 kHz

+0 dB, -0.015 dB (20 to 20 kHz)

-0.015 dB at 10 Hz

-0.005 dB at 20 kHz

Crosstalk

-137 dB at 20 Hz

-130 dB at 1 kHz

-116 dB at 20 kHz

Maximum Amplitude of Jitter Induced Sidebands (10 kHz 0 dBFS test tone, 12.75 UI sinusoidal jitter at 1 kHz)

< -144 dB

Maximum Amplitude of Spurious Tones with 0 dBFS test signal

< -138 dB

Maximum Amplitude of Idle Tones

< -147 dB

Maximum Amplitude of AC line related Hum & Noise

< -133 dB

Inter-channel Differential Phase (Stereo Pair – any sample rate)

+/- 0.25 degrees at 20 kHz

Inter-channel Differential Phase (Between DAC3 Units Fs<110 kHz) Any sample rate.

+/- 0.25 degrees at 20 kHz

Maximum Lock Time after Fs change

6 ms

Soft Mute Ramp Up/Down Time

9.6 ms

Mute on Receive Error

Yes

Mute on Lock Error

Yes

Mute on Idle Channel

No

50/15 us De-Emphasis Enable

Automatic in Consumer Mode

De-Emphasis Method

Digital IIR

De-Emphasis Supported at

Fs = 32, 44.1, 48 kHz

 

GROUP DELAY (LATENCY)

Delay – Digital Input to Analog Output (function of sample rate)

 

 

 

1.36 ms at 44.1 kHz

1.27 ms at 48 kHz

0.90 ms at 88.2 kHz

0.82 ms at 96 kHz

0.51 ms at 176.4 kHz

0.47 ms at 192 kHz

 

DIGITAL AUDIO INPUTS

Number of Digital Inputs (switch selected)

5 (1 USB, 2 Optical, 2 Coaxial)

Number of Channels

2

Input Sample Frequency Range

28 to 210 kHz (Coaxial Inputs)

28 to 96 kHz (Optical Inputs)

44.1, 48, 88.2, 96, 176.4, 192 kHz (USB Input)

Maximum Input Word Length

24 bits

 

Digital Input Impedance

75 Ohms (Coaxial Inputs)

DC Blocking Capacitors on Digital Inputs

Yes (Coaxial Inputs)

Transient and Over-Voltage Protection on Digital Inputs

Yes (Coaxial Inputs)

Minimum Digital Input Level

250 mVpp (Coaxial Inputs)

Jitter Tolerance

(With no Measurable Change in Performance)

 

>12.75 UI sine, 100 Hz to 3 kHz

>1.5 UI sine at 20 kHz

>1.5 UI sine at 40 kHz

>1.5 UI sine at 80 kHz

>1.5 UI sine at 90 kHz

>0.25 UI sine above 160 kHz

Jitter Attenuation Method

Benchmark UltraLock3™ - all inputs

 

BALANCED ANALOG OUTPUTS

Number of Balanced Analog Outputs

2

Output Connector

Gold-Pin Neutrik™ male XLR

Output Impedance

60 Ohms (Attenuator off)

425 Ohms (Attenuator = 10 dB)

135 Ohms (Attenuator = 20 dB)

Analog Output Clip Point

+30 dBu

Factory Set Bypass Level (at 0 dBFS)

+24 dBu (Attenuator = 0 dB)

Output Level Range (at 0 dBFS) In ‘Variable’ Mode

Off to +27.5 dBu (Attenuator off)

Off to +17.5 dBu (Attenuator = 10 dB)

Off to +7.5 dBu (Attenuator = 20 dB)

Output Level Variation with Sample Rate (44.1 kHz vs. 96 kHz)

< +/- 0.006 dB

 

UNBALANCED ANALOG OUTPUTS

Number of Unbalanced Analog Outputs

4

Output Connector

RCA

Output Impedance

30 Ohms

Analog Output Clip Point

+13.5 dBu (3.7 Vrms)

Factory Set Home Theater Bypass Output Level (at 0 dBFS)

+8.2 dBu (2 Vrms)

Output Level Range (with 0 dBFS digital input)

Off to +11.7 dBu (3 Vrms)

Output Level Variation with Sample Rate

< +/- 0.006 dB

 

HPA2TM HEADPHONE OUTPUTS

Number of Headphone Outputs

2

Output Connectors

¼” TRS with switch on left-hand jack

Output Impedance

< 0.11 Ohms

Output Level Control

Stereo Control on Front Panel

Output Level Range (at 0 dBFS) into 60-Ohm Load

Off to +21.5 dBu (9.2 Vrms)

Output Power 1.25 W into 30 Ohms

Maximum Output Current

250 mA

Overload Protection (independent per channel)

Current limited at 300 mA, Thermal

Bandwidth

> 500 kHz, -0.35 dB at 200 kHz

THD+N at 20 mW

-108 dB (0.0004%) into 300 Ohms, -100 dB (0.0010%) into 30 Ohms

 

STATUS DISPLAY

Indicators - Type and Location

16 LED’s on Front Panel

Selection/Status Indication

1 – Dim/Mute

1 - Polarity
6 – Input
2 – Bypass/Calibrated Output
2 – Word length
4 – Sample Rate

 



AC POWER REQUIREMENTS

Nominal Input Operating Voltage Range (VAC RMS)

100 – 240V

Frequency

50-60 Hz

Power

< 0.5 Watts Idle
12 Watts Typical Program
15 Watts Maximum

Fuses

5 x 20 mm (2 required)
0.5 A 250 V Slo-Blo® Type

Min/Max Operating range (VAC RMS)

90 – 260 VAC
47 – 63 Hz