Benchmark Media Systems, Inc.
Benchmark just announced the next version of its DAC1, the DAC1 Pre. This is now the top of the DAC1 line and it interfaces not only with digital equipment, but with traditional analog equipment while still retaining all the features of the original DAC1 USB series. Benchmark created this DAC to interface directly with music servers among other equipment. I wish I wouldn't have purchased my DAC1 USB a month ago! Read more for the official press release from Benchmark. 
The January 2008 issue of The Perfect Vision, the sister publication of The Abso!ute Sound, will be the magazine's last issue. The January 2008 issue of Playback will be the first issue to incorporate the content that would have previously been published in The Perfect Vision. If you're note familiar with Playback, it is a newer online magazine focusing on music almost 100%. Here is a link to the free online magazine. Over the last couple years it was clear The Perfect Vision was floundering. The publishers says the changes in format over that time to include more consumer electronics coverage were met with positive feedback. I'm not jumping onboard with that statement, but you can take if for whatever you want.
According to Stereophile Olive Media Products will be announcing a new product at CES in January with a larger hard drive and 24 bit / 96 KHz playback capability. In addition Olive owners will be able to purchase music directly from MusicGiants using their Olive music server starting in the first quarter of 2008. In other MusicGiants news, Stereophile reports the site will be offering much more content originating from SACD and DVD-Audio albums, downloadable as WMA or FLAC files. DRM-free music appears to be continuing its momentum and will allow MusicGiants to release even more content. Possibly the best news from MusicGiants is that their service is going to be available to Mac users in the near future. I have been debating on whether or not to bite the bullet and setup Windows Vista using Boot Camp on my Mac, but hopefully I won't need to with this development.
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The December 2007 Benchmark Media Systems newsletter is out. It discusses some real technical details about sample rates, word lengths, volume control, and DSP functions. In addition the newsletter provides yet another rehashing of "How To Setup iTunes" to playback music with the highest quality. Readers of the site know we have covered this a few times, but for those requiring proof from a very "nerdy" source Benchmark engineers have it all on their site. Benchmark is proving to be a leader in the area of operating system optimization for computer based audiophile playback and information dissemination. Everything I read from Benchmark suggest that its Wiki page has all the details of their testing, but I find the page rather primitive and awkward to use for a Wiki. Here are some clips from the newsletter.
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Acoustic Arts has released a new reference DAC called the Tube-DAC II. This is a hybrid DAC in their reference series. Acoustic Arts boasts about this DAC having the advantages of the solid state technology with the advantages of the tube principle, however without the specific disadvantages of tubes. This is of course marketing material. It would be a fabulous product if it does what it says, we'll have to wait and see. Anyway, just thought I would point you in the direction if you're interested. FYI - No USB.
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