Newbie
Newbie
Submitted by rubbersoul on Sat, 2011-01-15 10:42I recently have been to the CES show in Las Vegas and was very impressed with Benchmark. The company that I work for is responsible for the actual construction of Home Theater rooms....dedicated rooms as well as family rooms.
We have no responsibilty for any of the electronics or there installation.
Hence, I myself am a little confused from what I seened at the show and what I have read in the manuals for the DAC 1 PRE/DAC 1 HDR not to say that is Benchmark's fault but more that I am not electronic or computer savvy.
My apologies.
I have recently become interested in two channel stereo.
Simply put I am interested in purchasing one of the above products but I have read for instance that if I am using the Benchmark with my Mac I should make some changes on the Mac itself to reproduce a high qualitly music. My desktop is on the on the second floor while my dedicated Home Theater is located in what use to be the basement. I surely would need a 70'-75' USB cable.
So here are my questions: First, should I set my Mac to the settings you suggest? Is it an absolute?
Second, where can I purchase a 75' USB cable that I can connect to my Mac and then to the DAC?
Third, can I use the Benchmark with a CD player, iPhone, or iPad and what would I need to do so.
I was interested in the package deal with the Dynaudio Active speakers.
How long are the power cords? Can I purchase longer ones (if necessary) or perhaps use a surge protector to obtain more length?
Do you have a dealer locator for my area? Pennsylvania
Thank you, Frank
Newbie
Hello Frank,
I'm glad you had a chance to see us at CES/THE Show, Las Vegas. There's really too much going on at that event. Hopefully, if it works out for you, you should attend the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in October. A great 3 day event exclusively dealing with 2 channel stereo.
Concerning your questions, USB can be run longer distance than the 5 meter spec, but not all "extension cables" are equal. We have tested one up to 100' that worked perfectly and was priced around $60. You can check it out here: http://www.usbdesigns.com/ . Of course, you might want to consider some of the remote wired or wireless solutions such as Sonos or Squeezebox, taking the digital out from these units into the Benchmark for digital conversion.
For computer audio setup, please see the setup guide at our website: http://www.benchmarkmedia.com/wiki/index.php/Main_Page. It will take you through the process, step by step. You can use the "i" products with the Benchmark via the analog input of the DAC1Pre or HDR. However, for the best playback you will want to retrieve the digital stream, avoiding the converters built into the "i" products. A doock such as the Wadia iTransport takes the digital output which can then be routed to the Benchmark for the digital to analog conversion.
The Dynaudios, I believe, come with approx 8 foot power cords which could be replaced with longer ones (we don't offer them). You could also use a good quality extension cord if a longer length is required.
Our list of dealers, by state, can be found here. http://www.benchmarkmedia.com/locate-dealers-distributors
Keep in mind that if you cannot find a local dealer, we do sell direct, and offer a 30 day money back policy so you can hear our products on your system.
Frank, if you have any other questions concerning our products or how best to integrate them into your system, feel free to give us a call at 800-262-4675 or email at sales@benchmarkmedia.com.
Best regards,
Rory Rall
Sales Mgr.