I agree... this review is a total joke. Funny it was released on April 1st :). It feels like the stars for each category are automatically filled out based on the fact it has a tube - lack of bass, good highs, excellent midrange. This is not what I heard when I had this DAC at my house and listened to it. In fact this whole idea of stars per category is a complete BS in my opinion, especially when they are subjectively rated by different reviewers.
The AM is a world class Hi-Fi DAC at a Lo-Fi price.
I compared it against a Denafrips Terminator, which is another direct sale DAC compared to DACs double its price. After hearing how the Audio Mirror DAC sounded, I sold my Terminator.
Like a typical audiofool, the low price tag and small size turned me off, and I built the top of the line reference Audio Note Kits DAC with the best quality parts. It’s a 40 lbs. beast almost the size of my PS Audio Power Plant P20. After a few months of break in period I brought the Audio Mirror DAC back in my system. The ANK sounded a little better on some recordings, and the difference was indistinguishable on many. I do prefer the ANK, but they are so close. The AM with a better source sounded better than the ANK with a worse source.
The source matters A LOT with these DACs. When I switched the linear power supply on my source with another linear power supply, I heard much bigger difference overall than what I heard while I compared the ANK and AM DACs. In the past year I changed a lot of digital sources. I went from a decent source to a good source, to a better source, to an even better source. Every time I changed the source I was amazed what both of these DACs could deliver. I haven’t reached a limit yet. Those DACs have so much potential that you can reveal by improving your source... I can’t believe it was reviewed with a Sony UHP-H1 player.
Put an Innuos Statement in front of this DAC, and see what it can do. In fact I would put an excellent sounding source and an Audio Mirror DAC against ANY DAC at ANY PRICE fed by Ron’s Sony player.
I am not saying it is the best DAC at any price. Not at all! There are better DACs (my tweaked ANK DAC is a little better in my opinion but I have never heard a tweaked AM DAC either). Just disappointed to see another completely useless review!