Instruction Manual for DAC2 DX with 2.X Firmware - Rev. B Page 6
Low-Noise Power Supplies
The DAC2 DX uses high-efficiency low-noise
power supplies. Each critical subsystem also
has at least one dedicated low-noise
regulator. The high-efficiency supplies deliver
the substantial power required by the low-
impedance circuits, the headphone amplifier,
and the output line drivers. A power switch is
included. The standby power consumption is
less than 0.5 W when the unit is off.
Low Magnetic Emissions
The magnetic components in the DAC2 DX
power supplies operate at over 800 kHz. This
allows the use of very small magnetic
components that emit correspondingly small
magnetic fields. This virtually eliminates all
traces of line-frequency components in the
output spectrum of the DAC2 DX. This also
means that the DAC2 DX can be placed in
close proximity to any audio component
without causing interference with the other
component.
UltraLock2™Clock System
UltraLock2™provides the outstanding jitter
attenuation of Benchmark's UltraLock™
system while providing an improved SNR.
Dual-Mode USB Input
The DAC2 DX has a USB input that can be
operated in two modes; driverless USB
Audio 1.1, and a high sample rate USB
Audio 2.0. Both use asynchronous clocking
to eliminate the USB interface as a source of
clock jitter.
Note: To provide full backward and forward
compatibility, the DAC2 DX uses the DAC2
USB drivers. This prevents the need to install
two different sets of drivers. Please note that
the DAC2 DX USB input will be identified as
"Benchmark DAC2" in your computer control
panels. This is intentional.
Asynchronous USB Audio 2.0
The USB Audio 2.0 interface supports DSD
and 192 kHz, 24-bit PCM. No drivers are
required for Apple operating systems. Drivers
are provided for older Windows operating
systems at: BenchmarkMedia.com/drivers
Native Asynchronous USB 1.1
The DAC2 DX has a driverless USB Audio 1.1
mode that supports 96 kHz, 24-bit PCM with
all operating systems. This mode provides a
quick and easy connection to a wide variety of
computers and tablets without installing a
driver.
32-bit Digital Gain Control
The DAC2 DX uses the digital section of
Benchmark's dual-domain HGC™ system
(used in the DAC2 HGC).
Benchmark’s unique motor-driven volume
control sets the gain of a 32-bit dithered
digital gain control. The 32-bit digital output
feeds the 32-bit D/A conversion system.
The 32-bit digital gain control delivers low
distortion, accuracy, and precise left-right
gain matching. The noise-free 32-bit dithered
system preserves musical details over a very
wide range of output levels.
The XLR outputs leverage the low-impedance
passive analog attenuation system. When
properly configured, the entire dynamic range
of the DAC2 DX can be lined up with the
dynamic range of the power amplifier. This
matching can provide a dramatic
improvement in the system-level signal to
noise ratio.
The volume control is a servo-driven analog
potentiometer. This control rotates in
response to commands from the remote
control while providing the convenience of
manual adjustments with a physical knob.
The potentiometer produces a DC voltage that
controls the gain of a dithered 32-bit
