A DAC that crushes price vs. performance ratio


I felt strongly that I wanted to inform the Gon members about a new DAC that ranks with the very best on the market regarding performance, but costs around $2,000.00.  The Lab12 DAC1 SE was compared to three reference level DACS that retail for over $12.000.00 in my review for hometheaterreview.com and was at least on the same level sonicly, if not better.  This DAC from Greece is not just "good for the money" but competes with virtually anything on the market regardless of price!

For all the details about the Lab12 DAC1 SE performance and what other DACS it was compared to take a look at the review.  If you are shopping/looking for a new digital front end to drive your system, you owe it to yourself to check this DAC out, unless you like to spend tons of more $ without getting better performance.
teajay
I have no doubt that it is indeed a good piece.... BUT .....my skepticism and resulting resistance for any reliance on such a review for me on this mag review is profound.

(1) Since everything in this crazy hobby is built to a level commensurate with its price-point, I have never yet seen ANY $2K DAC match -- much less "crush" -- a $10K-$12K DAC....full stop. And I’ve attended numerous audio fest paloozas with their A-B bake-offs and comparison shootouts.

(2) This particular mag review is a very select and restricted comparison sample of just three "reference level " (an ill-defined term...) DACs. Since it’s been around since 2014 ... a significant wave of new and technologically improved contenders and pretenders have been ignored. If is indeed the Goliath-killer purported in THIS review (note: Terry London is a staff writer and not independent in its purist form) then why (as just one example among the many) ...do other mags ignore it in their "Best Buys" published lists?
e,g:https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/hi-fi/best-dacs/2#section-under-1500

(3) Reviewer comments such as this posted article term of "crushes" is an exaggerated value judgement and a heavily biased personal opinion at best, and flat-out hyperbole at worst. Challengeable extremes such as this term should be avoided.

There are other reviews out there that present a much more balanced opinion such as:
https://www.monoandstereo.com/2013/04/lab12-dac1-special-edition-test-and.html

There is a recent prior FYI smoke signal post on AGON that precedes you
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/lab-12-dac1-special-edition

I read the major mag reviews for new equipment news and technological improvements, but I always do an in-store or audio fest demo at a minimum; and preferably an in-home audition before a purchase...the mag review is just a first a pedantic first step in the long Yellow Brick Road to Audio Oz.




Audio-GD Master 7 at $2400 is as good if not better then any +$10000 dac I have ever heard. Even more shocking is I am enjoying the LitedacAH as much as my Master 7 and this dac is under $200. Both of these dacs are based on old multibit chips and the master 7 is a R2R dac Both are operating NOS with no digital filters
Alan
@akg_ca
Really ?
WTF ? Dude.
At least hear it before you comment on anyone else’s review of it .I doubt you will find any other reviews of any equipment comparing it to more than 3 other pieces. Why do you consider the comparisons to be selective and restrictive ? 

I find it extremely odd that a reviewer for a magazine, even an e-zine, would find it necessary or ethically appropriate to "push" a piece of equipment he reviewed--along, of course, with "pushing" the review itself. Many similar boards would not tolerate this.

This is not at all a comment on the component under review; I had never heard of it before.  Moreover I am an advocate of small foreign companies that are pushing the boundaries of performance/price ratios especially in the digital arena.  But the reviewer does his component no favor by making it appear that something "fishy" is going on.