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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
kijanki's avatar
kijanki
4,428 posts
 
"If you had a very "warm" sounding system; high efficiency horns, tube pre and SET amp, the brightness might mellow"

None of the above and no brightness. Extended highs and very clean natural sibilants. Benchmark was purposely designed to sound neutral and not warm. Very low noise floor and strong jitter rejection makes Benchmark very resolving uncovering any shortcomings of the system.

Judging by some Audiogon opinions Benchmark is the worst audio component ever - being at the same time Stereophile "2004 Products of the year Editor's Choice" among many other awards. Amazing!
jsd52756
430 posts
 
I bought one & love it. Why? It pumps out awesome sound quality when I play music from my PC laptop through Itunes, internet radio stations & my CD player (Sony SCD333es). It worked first time I plugged it in with no techno work involved. Truely, plug and play. In my system the depth of the mucsic, bass estension and treble are spot on. What other people think, go figure...
Oh yeah & I like the blue light too.
Have fun, John
macdadtexas
1,794 posts
 
Shardone, I actually bought one of these a few back due to some glowing reviews on here by many, including yourself. I have a question for you though; looking at your gear, pretty much anything would sound it's best running through that rig. Have you tried any of the newer DAC's to compare them to what you currently have?

1) Wyred DAC2
2) Bryton BDA-1
3) Eastern Electic Mini DAC
4) Berkeley Alpha
5) PS Audio Perfect Wave

I would be shocked it you didn't like any one of those better.

I hated mine, tried many afterward, maybe it just didn't match well with my gear, I had the problem with the AWESOME (all caps Linds-fart) McIntosh 501's. Great amp, sounded like crap with my gear. Went to a buddies system and lit up his B & W's like nothing ever has.

Fact is though, on A'gon it seems that most comments about the Benchmark DAC's have been negative.
mlsstl
1,435 posts
 
Fact is though, on A'gon it seems that most comments about the Benchmark DAC's have been negative.
Given the non-audiophile approved gear used in your typical recording studio, I'm surprised your average audiophile has more than two albums he considers acceptable for listening.

(...ducking for cover)
;-)
lamcam
76 posts
 
I have it and I love it!
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