Benchmark dac - why such diverging opinions?

Any component with an audiophile audience will draw a wide range of responses. You can find critical commentary on just about anything (Wilson speakers, anyone?)

Why worry about it? Either your system does what you want it to do, or it doesn't.

The reviews which are done by 'professionals' very rarely if ever criticize or give a negative review of anything they review. That is why many of us do not put much if any stock in the reviews or the resulting listening comparisons. The most glowing reviews also seem to consistently come from the publications that accept advertising and receive their income from said advertisements. Can you put two and two together? It is a symbiotic relationship. Has been and will continue to be.

The same, unfortunately, can be said for many hobbies that have trade publications that do reviews of products.(autos, computers, home improvement tools, photography, etc). Everything gets 4 or 5 stars and we all know that is a bunch of crap!

Marketing and sales keeps everyone employed...its part of the business model IMO.

I also auditioned a Benchmark HDR at home several months ago. Like a lot of people, I found it too lean in the mid-bass, and while the treble was impressivly extended, I found I didn't really like the sounds that were revealed "way up there" (I believe in a live situation that extreme treble frequencies never make it to the ears. I remember a cartoon showing two audiophiles walking out of a concert and agreeing, "Not enough treble!".) I did like the exceptionally clean and bell-like midrange. Also the sound was very immediate and "quick". I really wanted to like it more because it's such a cool piece of gear, but it's not really how I want to hear the music.

Maybe it's an issue of "you can't handle the truth!" Maybe all the other equipment I like is plump in the mid-bass and rolled off on top. Quite possible given that I gravitate towards tube gear.

It doesn't sound good. Very bright, harsh, and strindgent. There are very few positive comments I have heard about the Benchmark from people who have owned it. Especially if they have auditioned other DAC's, then it really gets thrown out with the dishwater.

If you had a very "warm" sounding system; high efficiency horns, tube pre and SET amp, the brightness might mellow that out, give you an even sound. Otherwise, it's just not a great DAC. I have never understood the positive reviews.