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  3. 138060-3787

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
grey9hound
1,112 posts
 
Because those two are only a hair worse then the Benchmark DAC3
So many people mess this up for some reason ... 

Than

Than is a conjunction used in comparisons:

Tom is smarter than Bill.

It’s warmer in Florida than in North Dakota.

Is she taller than you?

Yes, she is taller than I..

Then

Then has numerous meanings.

 At that point in time I wasn’t ready then.

Will you be home at noon? I’ll call you then.

Next, afterward I went to the store, and then to the bank

Do your homework and then go to bed



facten
2,874 posts
 
@mzkmxcv

" Because those two are only a hair worse then the Benchmark DAC3, and the Benchmark " - based upon what?
" and likely more accurate than the Pagoda. " - sounds like you actually haven't heard one to really know one way or the other


mzkmxcv
777 posts
 
@facten  
 
I am 98% certain the Pagoda is not more accurate than the Benchmark. If you have proof otherwise (as the company selling it sure doesn’t state anything meaningful), I would like to see it. I have proof that the <$300 DACs mentioned are pretty much audibly transparent.
lordcloud
155 posts
 
I don't understand statements like this: "I am 98% certain the Pagoda is not more accurate than the Benchmark. If you have proof otherwise (as the company selling it sure doesn’t state anything meaningful), I would like to see it. I have proof that the <$300 DACs mentioned are pretty much audibly transparent."

If you are this certain, you should be the one with the proof. YOU'RE the one that made the claim of one thing being more accurate or better sounding than the other, yet you think it makes sense to then ask for proof of a claim that you made. 

I would love to see this proof of any DAC being audibly transparent. I imagine you must have recordings you've made, along with a transport, cables, line stage, amplifiers, speakers, and a room that are also audibly transparent.

It would seem to impossible without these things to say that one piece of equipment is audibly transparent. But maybe I'm incorrect. I would very much like a way to know if a component is truly transparent, as that is what I'm looking for.

And I'm 98% certain that you have to no idea exactly how transparent the Pagoda is, if you have no experience with it. Not that there was a claim made of it being transparent.
lordcloud
155 posts
 
My problem with the Benchmark DACs, is all of the extra things in them. I don't need a preamp or headphone amplifier, I just want a purist's DAC that is transparent, neutral, and information rich. I also wish they had an i2s input, as I'm dying to take advantage of that output of my Jay's transport.
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