+1 Benchmark products. My DAC 3 does NOT need special interface cables or a re-clocker. My experience is that sadly most other DACs do need band-aids - cables, re-clockers, power supply filters etc. If Benchmark can build a proper amplifier or DAC then I am sure many others can too. I have not tried everything out there but I feel sure there are other components out there that do not need band-aids like special interconnects or special power cords…
BTW I use a McIntosh C2600 and love it for the musical sound. So I really understand the dichotomy of perfection in audio reproduction from an engineering point of view (Benchmark) vs the appeal of a warm tubey coloration that improves so much of my classic rock collection!
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Paul McGowan is an entrepreneur and marketing genius. He remains as vague as possible in order to appeal to the widest possible demography of customers. You are wasting your time if you believe he is going to share any true insights or real opinions on what is a marketing blog or YouTube channel. Paul is trying to cast as wide a net as possible. Kudos to him! He plays the humble wise old man very well!
He makes absolutely excellent products but they are probably 3 times more expensive than equivalent competition - so marketing and hype and mystique are all very important to his legendary brand. To be clear, his DAC is SOTA. I love his products but I don’t buy in to all the marketing mumbo jumbo just in the same way I would trust but not totally buy in to a local hi-fi store salesman with products to move off his/her floor.
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