Your thoughts on J. Atkinsons Chord DAC review...?

It is interesting to note that Andrew Harrson in the July 2002 edition of HiFi News (British HiFi magazine) said this about the DAC 64: “In conclusion, I’d put the Chord DAC 64 into a reference class for its decoding style and subsequent treatment of music. It’s not its lushness and smooth ride that make it a winner, but the way it threads the route of musicality and natural timing.”

I don’t know about you, but, I get the impression the HiFi News review of the Chord 64 DAC is very favorable. The Stereophile review is definitely not. Makes you wonder who is right?

I'd agree with Kthomas. Audiophiles are funny, as sometimes they critisizes those reviews "biased by ad revenue", and sometimes (read: now) "should write more rosy review about X".
Review is just review, not your parents or teacher/mentor or GOD. Just read it as info source. It is always your ears to decide. I don't take it seriously even when the review does not say well about my system with which I happen to be very happy. Those who claim that they can't audition (due to location, etc.), good luck. Ken

I agree with Kurt and Ken. If anything, I far prefer a review like Atkinson's where the strengths and flaws of a product are all reported. I remember years ago when JA would review Thiel speakers and put them under a microscope-- they were and still are fine speakers, but Atkinson's reviews would let you know their shortcomings and were done with a far more critical eye than most others I've seen in that magazine in recent years. Ultimately, if you like the sound of the Chord, who cares what a reviewer says, it's your ears and your system, trust your senses!

Everything is in the way you say it. Using the term "bloated bass" sounds much more drastic than saying that the bass was a "little soft", or "not as tight as", etc. I haven't heard the Chord and can't say whether this is accurate or not, but he used this term several times to describe the bass of the Chord.

"...Review is just review, not your parents or teacher/mentor or GOD..." Ken, i wish that is thrue. Stereophile unfortunately, is THE most influential magazine in the U.S.! I will quote David Solomon VP Sales & Marketing
Musical Fidelity USA, from Manufacturers Comments in July issue: "...due to the UNPRECEDENTED DEMAND, we were actually out of stock for some time,..." Can Richard Gray say the same thing?
I DO NOT own any of the CHORD products, but i am familiar with past products designed by Rob Watts, who in fact designed DAC64 for Chord (see my Audiogon post in "dCS or Chord64")I also raised the question ( Letter to Stereophile) regarding "unfavorable" reviews being reserved
for companies out of "circle of friends and FAVORS". And Stereophile reviewers have been consistant in that regard.
Past year I've been in sort of, shopping spree for a new DAC and i auditioned countless of products including products of lower spectrum as Musical Fidelity and Chord, that is not as cheap as MF, but still reasonable. Chord DAC64 does not reproduce or make bloated bass! Musical Fidelity performers are 3' tall, Chord performers are realisticaly portrayed! I ask anyone who have chance to listen Chord to do so, and not to compare it with MF but with the Mark Levinson 360 and dCS Purcell. If sounds good, it must be good! Right?