How good is Benchmark DAC1 comparing to......

But that is not what I hear or what many others hear. You are entitled to John Atkinson's opinion DNE. I suggest you get your own opinion one day. Get a Lavry Gold and try it in your system then tell me it is equivalent to the DAC1. I would expect you to more likely find how laughable the 'equivalent' suggestion really is. The DAC1 is a great value DAC. That is why I could not resist buying one. But give us your opinion of its relative merits based on what you have actually listened to.

I am telling you that I own the DAC1 and the Lavry Blue and prefer the Lavry Blue in my system, and have found other similarly priced DACs that perform at a similar level. You have told me what you have read. Thanks - I can read too. I also read opinions from pro audio guys who almost without exception agree the Lavry Blue is superior to the DAC1. I also read opinions that the Lavry Gold and the DAC1 are not in the same ballpark. What I have done about it is heard each of them in my system, bought the two I could afford, and posted my findings here. Your response is that John Atkinson's words can be read as saying that the DAC1 is superior to the Lavry Blue, based on your selective editing of his various comments, and claim a QED?

By all means, accept John Atkinson's opinion over mine. I am here to share opinions and findings, not win some contest to prove who is right. Just don't tell me John Atkinson's opinion invalidates mine and proves me wrong. We could all just skip coming here and read Stereophile instead. With your reasoning John could select our purchases for us - he seems to have selected yours.

With your case irrefutably proven, I should now say to you 'DNE, I must be wrong after all. I say I prefer the Lavry Blue but there must be something wrong with my hearing. Because the selected words of John Atkinson do not lie. You have indeed bought a perfect DAC and I was wrong to ever cast any doubt on that based on my inadequate opinion. I will now box up my Lavry Blue and unbox my DAC1 and never listen to another DAC again - unless of course John Atkinson tells me to.' Sorry to disappoint, but I like my music too much. And find your QED to prove only one thing - and its got nothing to do with DACs.

Dne's juvenile defensiveness over the DAC1 reminds me a lot of Natalie and his/her treasured Coincidence CSTs.

I can understand the seductiveness of being able to believe that something I have purchased is the best there is. What a comfortable and anxiety free place to be. I have no doubt I indulge in self-delusion as much as or more than anyone else. I just don't see why I should have to support another's self delusion, or why DNE or anyone else should require me to do so. It suggests I am either really selfish or am self sufficient in my own self delusion and intolerant of DNE's lack of self sufficiency.

I think those of us involved in audiophilia are searching for our own sonic self-delusions. Our personal nirvana. The need to convince others that our way is the correct one, is pointless.

Nice post "Redkiwi". I too fail to understand the philosophy behind judgemental type decisions based on someone else's ears and a bit of vodoo math. Geeshh....

A quality debate and/or dialog is beneficial to everyone - and fun. And, for the most part, with perhaps the exception of a few posts, this thread has been enlightening. I have pretty much learned from experience how to riffle through posts concentrating on those of merit while at the same time riffling through those that go off course merely for the purpose of cooking up some innuendo. Fact is, in most internet chat type threads there is always quality dialog and, unfortunately there is usually always a dose of inappositeness.