Cheers Bob,

I have been using the PS audio since the end of last year. And I have really liked the results.

I have it for my computer setup - FLAC -> Foobar 2000-> USB -> PSaudio DAC

I have it pretty much running at 192K all the time, with nice detail and no real artifacts.

I have also used the Optical out on my Oppo 970HD to the Psaudio DAC. It gave a great leap in the sound quality of the Oppo (using it as a transport). Was not a big fan of the COAX input on the DAC.

I really liked the Balanced out feature of the DAC as well.

Cheers,

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Do you have any plans to review this DAC? It looks like a candidate to go with my Squeezebox 3.

Not at present. Perhaps we should.

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After a little more reading, it looks like this DAC forces upsampling. I don't see a defeat switch. I can't understand why the designers would not include a means to turn upsampling off.

I suspect the designer wanted to run the DAC chip at its optimal rate. Defeating the SRC would thus degrade the DAC's behavior.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

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After a little more reading, it looks like this DAC forces upsampling.

From my experience almost all newer DACs upsample and downsample to a single conversion rate. For example, the Benchmark resamples everything to something like 110kHz.

Hi Bob B:

I have used and compared PS Audio Digital Link III and Benchmark Media DAC 1 (latest version).

In my system, both performed well and almost identical in sound. After matching the gain, when I did fast switching between two, I found Digital Link III more enjoyable. Digital Link III has more authority and bass (it is DC coupled design, no capacitor in signal path). Contrary to what PS Audio advertise, I did not find the Digital Link III warm, it was as detailed and as neutral as the DAC 1. Except this authority in music and more bass, I could not find any major difference.

However, my wife had a positive bias towards Digital Link III. She said,

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I suspect the designer wanted to run the DAC chip at its optimal rate. Defeating the SRC would thus degrade the DAC's behavior.

John Atkinson
Editor, Stereophile

I think most of the manufacturers including PS Audio and Benchmark Media do upsampling or Asynchronous Reclocking with Upsampling to reduce jitter. Check out this link http://www.lessloss.com/types.html and read the description for SETUP 5. Because after upsampling, PS Audio (not sure about Benchmark Media) also do 8x oversampling to use a gentler filter, I cannot think of any other reason for upsampling but for the sake of jitter reduction.

What

I have recently acquired Mark Levinson No. 360S DAC and in my modest system and to my modest ears it surpasses both the PS Audio Digital Link III and Benchmark Audio DAC 1.

Any comments folks!

I would be VERY interested to listen and also read what the Stereophile staff has to say about a full "DAC shootout", using top-notch system, comparing:

- Benchmark DAC1
- Bel Canto DAC3
- PS Audio Digital Link III
- Lavry Black DA10
- Music Fidelity X-DAC V8

Now that would be a battle of giants.

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I would be VERY interested to listen and also read what the Stereophile staff has to say about a full "DAC shootout", using top-notch system, comparing:

- Benchmark DAC1
- Bel Canto DAC3
- PS Audio Digital Link III
- Lavry Black DA10
- Music Fidelity X-DAC V8

Now that would be a battle of giants.

Giants if viewed from the perspective of a minature Dachshund.

That's a fine list of DACs, but not exactly top of the pile.

Dave

I, too, would find this interesting.

This is pretty much the agreed list of the best "affordable" DACs with a few omissions, such as the Grace M902.

Yes, sure, there are DAC way more expensive and better. There always will be, the sky is the limit.

This is a list of the MOST discussed "affordable DACs" around the net and among audiophiles, that's why.

I have had a Cullen Circuits Stage 3 modded PS Audio Digital Link III for a little over a week. I think it is terrific! Silent areas are dead quiet; detail retrieval is awesome, and the bass is deep & well-controlled. I am very happy w/ my purchase.

I've been using this Dac for a little over a year now with an old Sony S7000 DVD player as a transport and a Stereovox XV2 digital cable connecting the two.. My system is a little on the bright side. I have a Musical Fidelity A5 integrated amp driving Magnepan MMG speakers. The sound from the Sony/PS Audio Dac is analog like leaning towards the warm side which works well in my system.