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

The saving grace of these debates is that while the thread rages on, most of us privately and quietly make up our minds concerning whose opinions are actually useful (whether we agree with them or not). Some members have, over a long period of time, demonstrated that they not only listen to lots of gear but can describe what they hear
1) with precision (not "A blows B away" or even--sorry--"A was much more musical than B"),
2) comparatively across competing products, so we readers have a better chance of actually having a reference point based on our own listening, and
3) in reference to their own tastes, so we have a better chance of factoring in/out some of the copious amount of subjectivity that goes into such opinions.

These criteria are not easy to meet, and they add up to a degree of authenticity of opinion that makes the opinion useful.

Opinions that rely heavily on appeals to outside, "expert" opinions simply don't have this authenticity. Stereophile only costs $10/year and has lots of slick pictures to boot. I don't have to come here to read S'phile's opinions.

Fortunately, in the end it doesn't matter who shouts loudest or gets the last word or invokes the most "experts", except to those for whom that's what the hobby is mostly about.

Sheesh.

Redkiwi, PERSONAL NAME-CALLING ATTACKS HAVE NO PLACE HERE. You owe an APOLOGY to Uva-hifi and me. We will see if you post one.

You just called Uva-hifi a "small-minded twerp" and made certain sexual allusions. And, as I said earlier, about me you put forth some psycho-babble about my alleged "self-delusions" and "need to reduce anxiety", in an exagerrated and overly-defensive response to a post submitted by me in good faith.

Redkiwi, here's the way it works: In this forum, if you want to take issue with a post, you can do so objectively and in a civil manner. You don't get personal here--get it?

If you objected to my methodology in citing a reviewer (sin of sins!), you could have, and should have, said something like: "Dne, I disagree with your methodology in citing a reviewer. I think it is flawed because..."

Instead, you chose to start flinging around personal recriminations and resort to calling names. As I said in my post above, this is unwarranted and overly-defensive. Why are you so defensive? You try to give the impression of a high-minded expert but instead you get down in the gutter. One would not expect this from an apparent industy person, nor from your cosy coterie of associates who post with you.

I thought I was through here but I cannot stand idly by when I see comments like these.

I look forward to reading your posts (only) when they are objective and focus on the product and not on the poster personally. That's what I try to do.

Now I, and presumably, Uva, are ready to accept your apology.

Indeed! Well said Jayboard.

Let's get back to discussing what each of us hear, without petulant reprisals for failing to toe the party line. I was beginning to wonder if this was Audiogon or the Benchmark Evangelist Church.

One last time - I really really like the Benchmark. AND, I have heard DACs that I prefer to it, all of which cost more money. That is what I hear, and I do not claim it to mean anything more than that. If that is unacceptable here, then I will happily go elsewhere.

DNE, our posts crossed.

The behaviour of both yourself and Uva in attacking my posts, where I did none of the things Uva accused me of, and where your post in reply on 26 January was about the most mindless set of arguments I have ever seen posted, in pursuit of proving the unprovable caused me to think you guys were a bunch of ...(expletive deleted)... Read my post of 25 January again and see if you can quote me in reasonable context to have done anything other than report my honest opinion based on what I have heard.

Yes I have slapped you two around for your inappropriate posts. You claim your post of 26 January was merely quoting a reviewer. Go read it again DNE - it was a ridiculous argument directed at me, whereupon I believed the best cause of action was to point out how ridiculous it was. That does not strike me as inappropriate.

What then ensued, was merely an escalation. My apology is to Audiogon for once again falling for being baited by unwarranted attackes from DNE and Uva. If anyone was upset by my derogatory references to DNE and Uva, then I do apologise.

As for DNE and Uva. Go read these posts again and tell me you believe I started this. I can't see that at all. If you cannot tolerate opinions about a product that are different from your opinions without attacking, then it is you who is posting inappropriately here. If you still cannot see how you started this, then lets just be grown ups and let it go.

"here's the way it works: In this forum, if you want to take issue with a post, you can do so objectively and in a civil manner."

Dne, you really need to take your own advice. Your initial post set the entire negative tone of this thread...

"Midrange and mid-bass a bit thin? I don't think so".

Where's there room for discussion here? This statement eliminated any and all friendly and objective sharing of experiences.

I'd heard great things about this DAC so I popped in here to hopefully gain some insight, information and an idea of what type of sonic character the Benchmark imparted.

Instead what I read was infantile knee jerk reactions to anyone who disagreed with you and your daddy John.

Hey kid, we all have different ears, different equipment and different tastes. Why is it so important that anyone who doesn't see things the way you do has to come around to your view?

You've got good feedback here, so it seems you're an honorable person. So why do you find it necessary to post a rebuttal to anyone with a different opinion and list everyone from Abe Lincoln to Bette Midler who agree with you? As some of the posters here have mentioned, that has very little relevance. Audiogon members are interested in "sharing" experiences and discussing why certain differences might exist. Associated equipment? Room acoustics? Cabling? Different priorities?

I had read the other thread a week ago you referred to, and I thought Redkiwi was quite complimentary of the Benchmark. IN FACT, HE'S ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS I EVEN CONSIDERED GETTING THE DAMN THING!

Redkiwi, Benchmark Evangelist Church is right. Or maybe more like Sunday school.