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Benchmark dac - why such diverging opinions?

I'm puzzled.
Audiophile sites and magazines continue to rave about the benchmark dac (HDR, USB, pre,...). Perfect rendition, studio quality, unbeatable value,...

Yet criticism stacks up high on many blogs. Too harsh, not musical enough,...

Why such divergence? Does its popularity make it the one one loves to hate? Are magazines just biased in their reviews? Are audiophile bloggers not good judges of quality. Are those considering buying a dac at that price having sub-par components whose imperfections the benchmark dac amplifies, while those going higher end don't consider the dac adequate vs a berkeley or weiss? Where is the catch?

I ended up buying a w4s dac. I considered the benchmark yet never had the chance to audition it.
mizuno
lindisfarne
511 posts
 
Macdad-What does "strindgent" mean? I'm puzzled. Let me check The American Heritage Dictionary.
marakanetz's avatar
marakanetz
5,473 posts
 
Very simple: Stereo magazines are commercial and being paid to advertise the product from the good side. The bad side is usually found on discusussions and blogs.
mapman's avatar
mapman
22,172 posts
 
Like any decent/good component it will sound really good in some systems and leave something to be desired in others.

Plus different listeners like different things.

So, like any piece, the best you can discern from reviews and opinions is whether or not any certain piece sounds good sometimes and maybe why or sometimes bad and why.

Then you assess how it is likely to sound in your system and room based on your best analysis including value judgements, etc. Then you try it. If your analysis was good, it will likely sound good. Then you assess in your system, determine whetehr satisfied or not. if not, then you repeat the process a little smarter than when you started so better chance for good results next time.

That's basically how it works.

Generally, if you stick with well known products that have received multiple positive reviews, even if there are also some negative ones, the quality of the product will not be the issue, rather how good a job you did with your analysis and decision making process.

There are very few things in the world everyone agrees is good much less outstanding. There are some who do not find Cameron Diaz attractive even for example. SO "that's jsut the way it is. Some things will never change....".
macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
Lindisfarne, maybe you should check the Oxford Dictionary, it's usually more inclusive.
2chnlben
595 posts
 
06-20-11: Lindisfarne
Macdad-What does "strindgent" mean? I'm puzzled. Let me check The American Heritage Dictionary.

Professor Lindisfarne, I bet your pupil meant to use the word “stringent” and mistakenly typed a “d.” Of course, the word “strident” would be better used. Shall we go back through your threads and posts professor?

I believe that most of us understood what Mac meant….I know I did.

Doh!
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