Hello fellow slutz, I own an RME multiface and am about to upgrade my monitoring chain. I am seriously considering a Benchmark DAC-1. The only problem is that it doesn't have enough control for my liking. Since I am working on a DAW I like the idea of a controller that gives me 2 track returns, mono, etc etc. I am on a pretty serious budget

Would it void the purpose of the benchmark if I fed into the SPL 2381 Controller? Will the SPL colour the sound too much or should I just stick with the Benchmark and cope with just a volume knob?

Thanks people :-)

No and No. You can achieve mono with a software plugin or setting. Talkback can be achieved seperately - doesn't have to involve extra hardware necessarily. I use a dedicated mixer in the vocal room, so I can't imagine needing more features than the DAC-1 provides.

I've just got a DAC-1 and love it. I'll have it right at my workstation, and drive my monitors with the unbalanced outputs. The cable lengths for near field are short enough, and I was pleased to learn that high end mastering suites use unbalanced hookup. I like minimal short path hookups where possible.

What about degradation of the signal quality going from the DAC-1 to the SPL. Is the circuitry of the SPL clean enough to not spoil the good effects of the DAC-1.

Also from your experience, can you use the other output of the DAC-1 to go back into the DAW to record the Mix? Once again it would be travelling through the multiface's AD'S. Would that be a pointless exercise. Should I be recording to another medium? or better still get a seperate AD to go back in?

Cheers

I don't have any experience with the SPL, but magazine reviews suggest it's about the cleanest you can get. I'm just happy to do without - because I hate unnecessary connections or circuitry on principle. But if you need the features, and especially if those features will save you time and money, I would say go for it.

I chose the DAC-1 specifically for getting sounds out of the box and back in again. I have no hesitation in recommending it for that.

I track with Lucid converters. (I would have bought Lucid D/A if NZ and Australian agents weren't completely useless. It's very frustrating when the authorised agents simply don't want to sell you stuff - incomprehensible).

That sucks Kiwi Burger. Australia has to be one of the most difficult countries to buy stuff sometimes. I live in Sydney and I have not really found a music store that I feel comfortable with. I find Sound Devices to be the most unhelpful arogant people EVER!! Sorry guys but I'm not the only one that feels that way.

They have a hire department, but when I rang and told them I was waiting for some pre's and I wanted to hire some stuff for a session, which by the way cannot be bought in Aus, I was told I couldn't hire stuff because I didn't buy it from them. "Uh you don't stock it!!" Go figure.

In my humble opinion it's false advertising. They are a waste of time. The rest of the good gear as far as I know is sold in Melbourne etc etc.

Anyway. Do you think that going back into the multiface's analouge ins will ruin all that good da conversion that the DAC-1 is doing. I just can't wait to hear whats really going on.

Thanks for the replies guys. :-)

In my view every link in the chain counts. But there seems to be some hostility in this forum about converters. Seems the common consensus is that "it doesn't matter so shut the fk up".

It seems obvious to me that the more you pay, the better they get. So it's probably a matter of buying the best you can afford, and then stick your fingers in your ears and sing la la la if somebody talks about something better than what you've got.

I feel sorry for Lucid, who I think is a good company making good products at a good price. They can't sell to me over the net, so I am forced to deal with they authorised gate keepers. I tried both NZ Lucid agents, and they gave up and refered me to the Australian Lucid agent (because neither NZ agent held stock, and depended on the Australian agent). The Australian agent basically didn't respond to emails quickly, if at all.

When they finally responded when I used a slightly different email address, they offered me a shop soiled DA9624 - but from the correspondance below, I could see that they couldn't find a power supply for it. I asked them to confirm if the price offered included a working power supply, and they have never responded since.

I would have bought a Lavry Black, but I like to pay by VISA, and that wasn't an option.

Our NZ Benchmark agent is totally excellent - I can recommend Lew Wells to all NZ slutz.

Kiwi, there are plenty of USA Lucid dealers who ship worldwide. For 230v units simply ask in advance and anyone could have helped you.

War

That's OK, the Benchmark is plenty fine...