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What's nice is that the voltage for the XLR voltage output can be varied via jumpers while the RCAs stay constant. So I use the Benchmark as my pre-amp running my main amps off the XLR outputs and a sub off the RCAs.

If you can figure out the menu system. Seriously, I'm pretty adept with computers, but the menu system on that thing is like repairing a watch wearing oven mitts.

I upsample to 192 but can't tell any difference in sound beyond that. Anything higher than that does make my computer hotter though. So, the music must be flowing more easily from the USB port because it's heated, right? ;)

Yes, I'd choose the Benchmark, especially for integration with a home theater. But under different circumstances, I'd choose the RME. They're both good and do what they're supposed to do without a lot of pretense or audiophile skulduggery. Plus, both of them come with excellent manuals.

I have both an RME ADI-2 and a Benchmark DAC3 L. Indeed, it’s a no lose situation. Both units are excellent, but I prefer the Benchmark overall for its usability. I find the 12V trigger feature of the Benchmark to be a clear winner for convenience, as it saves me the laborious work of pushing...

Not quite 5 seconds later, but 56 minutes instead. I have B&W 801 S2s and am now using them with March Audio P701s (Hypex NC1200 based). I was using them prior with a BAT VK-500 Class A amp, which also served as a source of radiant heat for the house. The March Audios make a fine combo with the...

So far, I'm loving the Rythmik L12. The bass is very tight and subtle. Lots of depth without annoying boom. The Dynaudio monitors (BM6 Mk3) are near field monitors for my home office setup, so I wasn't looking for the last word in authoritative bass or musical fidelity. Just something that can...

Yes, I had an old 8” energy sub that I took out of the system. I didn’t miss it at all. REL subs I think do well on the secondary market.

I just went through a similar situation in a home office where I can’t play at music at high levels but just wanted more depth to the sound. I thought about the SVS SB2000 Pro but ultimately went with a Rythmik L12, which is about $150 cheaper and by reputation has tighter bass for music due to...

I came within an inch of purchasing a pair of NC1200s from VTV. But VTV seemed to not understand my questions re: input buffer bypass. March Audio understood right away, and though it was a long six week wait thanks to COVID-era supply chains and shipping, the results have been worth it and well...

Here’s what the Benchmark manual has to say about HT mode: The HT mode sets the volume control to a calibrated level that is near its maximum setting. The HT mode has three distinct applications: Volume Control Bypass - useful when the system has an upstream digital volume control or a...

The Benchmark is a brilliant piece but pricey. It’s a quality piece of engineering. Home Theater Bypass sends its outputs at a fixed volume level. I am not sure but don’t believe AD/DA conversion is occurring. The DAC2 could answer your needs as well and often comes up on the secondary market...

The Benchmark DAC3 models with home theater bypass would work well. (DAC3 L or HGC) They offer USB input for the PC and unbalanced inputs for analog sources. XLR outputs can connect directly with your Genelecs. I’m sure there are cheaper alternatives, but Benchmark makes a mean piece of kit.

KEF LS50Ws have a software adjustment for near-wall placement. For the used market, Revel M20s also have an adjustment for near-wall placement.

I’m surprised to read that. I had a ground loop issue when I hooked up my Marantz 6012 to a balanced class A amp (BAT VK500) via RCA to XLR cables. Now I have the Marantz AVR feeding a Benchmark DAC3 via its unbalanced input. The Benchmark is hooked up to NC1200 monoblocks (March Audio P701) via...

The big and obvious jumps in audio quality go from mp3 to FLAC. In my experience, I don't think there are any reliably discernable audible differences in sound beyond 24 bit/192 kHz. And there's good evidence that the difference stops at 16 bits. So, any investment in DACs or computing power...

That kind of budget is more than adequate for a terrific set-up. Regarding active speakers, the KEF LS50W should be within your price range and has a subwoofer out to help with the bottom end. Then it’s a matter of getting a streaming source. If Roon is a given, you could stream directly from a...

Oh, I hadn’t seen that review. The numbers for the DAC speak for themselves. Oh well....

I’ve moved away from a tube pre-amp toward using a Benchmark DAC3 as the pre-amp, as it has easily changed jumpers to modify its voltage output. With that, it can pretty much drive any amp directly and bypass amp input buffers. It also has a remote control. I do sometimes miss the tube glow.

My streaming system at home is based around Roon running off an old PC, so I’m using mainly Raspberry Pis running Roopiee as streamers. Roon can also do room correction via REW and a calibrated mic (UMIK-1 <$100), so that’s a definite bonus. I’ve been thinking about alternatives to Roon, as...