Benchmark dac - why such diverging opinions?

"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!

"Fact is though, on A'gon it seems that most comments about the Benchmark DAC's have been negative."

Perhaps because most of people seek very warm sounding gear. Let see what Benchmark's Technical Director John Siau said about it:

"We designed the DAC1 for maximum transparency. If you want to add warmth, you can't add it with a DAC1. Personally, I do not like what warm sounding equipment does to the sound of a piano. Warmth is wonderful on vocals, guitars and certain instruments, but it beats against the stretched overtones of a piano. The overtones in a piano occur at slightly higher than harmonic ratios, and these create beat notes with the exact integer ratios produced by electronic equipment (and speakers). Too much harmonic distortion will
make a piano sound out of tune."

That would suggest to me that warmth is not a virtue and more experienced listeners, including professional reviewers prefer neutral sound. It is also likely that rest of the equipment they use don't have many faults that Benchmark ruthlessly reveals.

"you can't handle the truth!"

That's very accurate observation. One person even expressed opinion that Benchmark is too resolving making each instrument sound independently while he got used to all instruments mushed together. My experience was similar. Sound was so clean that I thought some instruments must be missing. Now I enjoy clarity of Benchmark and can see why it became a benchmark in audio.

Mrtennis,

Arguments are extremely vulgar, for everyone in good society holds exactly the same opinion.

Oscar Wilde

"what is the connotation of the quote you have cited ?"

Diversity of opinions is good.

Yingtonggao - I found most vivid and detailed sound at 0dB jumper position. It is the same finding as in the following review:

http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue26/benchmark_dac1.htm

I use volume control directly driving power amp from XLR outputs but according to Benchmark signal path with or without volume control is identical. The only issue, I suspect, might be quality of the volume pot itself.