Benchmark DAC3 Teardown

John Siau tears down a DAC3 HGC and compares it to a DAC3 L and a DAC3 B. He highlights the key components and shows the similarities between the three models. All three are built on a common platform and all three deliver identical audio performance. The purchasing decision should be based upon the required feature set and not upon an expectation of any difference in sound quality among the members of the DAC3 family. The DAC3 converter is popular in studios due to its accuracy and musicality. Benchmark A/D and D/A converters are specifically designed to accurately preserve the analog waveshape through cascaded A/D and D/A conversions. This is achieved using high-headroom digital processing, linear-phase non-aliasing lowpass filters, and low distortion analog output stages. This topology has created a family of converters that are trusted by many of the world's finest recording and mastering studios. They are also enjoyed in many home hi-fi systems.