Just got the new issue of the mag. There's a pretty extensive DAC round-up, which is a good read. However, I was left wondering why the well regarded Benchmark DAC-1 USB didn't make it into the line-up. It sits in the £1000 price range before the Bryston so would have made a good middleman for people with a bit of cash to splash.
DAC Round Up - Why no Benchmark DAC?
- Thread starter VoodooDoctor
- Start date
I was interested to see how it compared with the more highly priced DACs. I do own a Benchmark but it's sitting unused as the Leema Pyxis has a built in USB DAC. Reviews elsewhere have been very complimentary of the Benchmark so it would be interesting to see how it compares with DACs twice its price.
gregvet
Well-known member
I know you guys cant test everything, but I thought it was a shame more high end ones werent included. The Naim and Chord DACs spring to mind.
nice to see DACs all the same though.
Can i request something similar with low and high end headphone amps please?
nice to see DACs all the same though.
Can i request something similar with low and high end headphone amps please?
Andrew Everard:Any test will leave out someone's favourite...
While I agree that it is not possible to alwasy cover everything, I think the statement above should not be used as a basis for lining up the kit for tests or as an explanation why smth did not make it. I hope WHF team always does it's best to line up as many as possible candidates, especially ones that are "definately on the radar".
It is not nice to see in the reviews interesting kit not mentioned as if it does not exist or brushed off with a very light comment as an excuse for not having it included. Please do not do it (not that I say WHF do it often or at all - I had several years gap in reading WHF but review magazines do do that now and then).
Anyhow, a test is beter than no test as long as it does not make a new test less likely in the near future. Still have to buy the May issue.
While I agree that it is not possible to alwasy cover everything, I think the statement above should not be used as a basis for lining up the kit for tests or as an explanation why smth did not make it. I hope WHF team always does it's best to line up as many as possible candidates, especially ones that are "definately on the radar".
It is not nice to see in the reviews interesting kit not mentioned as if it does not exist or brushed off with a very light comment as an excuse for not having it included. Please do not do it (not that I say WHF do it often or at all - I had several years gap in reading WHF but review magazines do do that now and then).
Anyhow, a test is beter than no test as long as it does not make a new test less likely in the near future. Still have to buy the May issue.
I'm surprised something like the Benchmark didn't feature in the lineup and indeed has never been reviewed by the mag (to my knowledge).
yup, esp. given it's reputation as a giant killer. also a lavry, stello, weiss, etc. lots that would be new to the mag, rather then the usual suspects. how about it whf? i think Clare recently posted that there hadn't been much hifi in the mag of late, due to lack of new products. given the increasing interest in dacs, there's loads out there you haven't looked at, at least enough for a super test.
As ever, if we can get the kit in, we'll review it. That includes companies big and small - for example, Stan kindly sent us Beresford kit - both of which DACs have received five-star ratings.
We can and do buy kit (spent @£1000 in the past month), but don't have bottomless funds - especially when there's so many other products to test we can just borrow rather than buy!
We can and do buy kit (spent @£1000 in the past month), but don't have bottomless funds - especially when there's so many other products to test we can just borrow rather than buy!
Grace m902 is another example of a strong candidate with extensive functionality and available for home demo from the distributor.
Is there merit in having a nomination and voting function on the site for the kit most interesting to help identify candidtes for reviews, gauge inerest and maybe even use as an extra point to support a request for a demo copy to the distributor/manufacturer?
Is it possible to set-up a fund maintained by WHF and interested readers to fund purchases of items for review? I would certainly chip in a tenner or something as long as I have a way to nominate and influence what kit gets purchased and reviewed (via e.g. an online vote).
Is there merit in having a nomination and voting function on the site for the kit most interesting to help identify candidtes for reviews, gauge inerest and maybe even use as an extra point to support a request for a demo copy to the distributor/manufacturer?
Is it possible to set-up a fund maintained by WHF and interested readers to fund purchases of items for review? I would certainly chip in a tenner or something as long as I have a way to nominate and influence what kit gets purchased and reviewed (via e.g. an online vote).
chebby
Well-known member
AlmaataKZ:Is it possible to set-up a fund maintained by WHF and interested readers to fund purchases of items for review? I would certainly chip in a tenner or something as long as I have a way to nominate and influence what kit gets purchased and reviewed (via e.g. an online vote).
Then 'raffle' the review goods to the contributors?
Trouble is that people would only want to give their tenners towards stuff they wanted to own.
Then 'raffle' the review goods to the contributors?
Trouble is that people would only want to give their tenners towards stuff they wanted to own.
Clare Newsome:
As ever, if we can get the kit in, we'll review it. That includes companies big and small - for example, Stan kindly sent us Beresford kit - both of which DACs have received five-star ratings.
We can and do buy kit (spent @£1000 in the past month), but don't have bottomless funds - especially when there's so many other products to test we can just borrow rather than buy!
Has Benchmark, Stello and others been approached and asked for a review product? Or does the distributor need to approach WHFSV?
As ever, if we can get the kit in, we'll review it. That includes companies big and small - for example, Stan kindly sent us Beresford kit - both of which DACs have received five-star ratings.
We can and do buy kit (spent @£1000 in the past month), but don't have bottomless funds - especially when there's so many other products to test we can just borrow rather than buy!
Has Benchmark, Stello and others been approached and asked for a review product? Or does the distributor need to approach WHFSV?
The acquisition of review products works both ways: we request equipment, and are also offered it for review...
Personally, no. And on a Sunday afternoon I really can't tell you whether a specific company was approached for a specific test
Then reply on Monday instead.
What is the process you use for deciding which products/manufacturers should be included in a comparative "round up" test like this?
What is the process you use for deciding which products/manufacturers should be included in a comparative "round up" test like this?
You are being rather aggressive about this, aren't you?
I think we have explained many times how these tests are put together, but there is no cover-up, no conspiracy - it's just that a couple of products weren't included in a group test. It happens all the time - or at least it will until someone invents infinite paper and we have infinite resources to test a thousand products in each issue - and i really don't see why you are getting so het up about it.
I think we have explained many times how these tests are put together, but there is no cover-up, no conspiracy - it's just that a couple of products weren't included in a group test. It happens all the time - or at least it will until someone invents infinite paper and we have infinite resources to test a thousand products in each issue - and i really don't see why you are getting so het up about it.
Absolutely no aggression intented, I'm sorry if it came across in that way.
Where should I go to find the answer to this question, if it has been answered/explained many times? I am genuinely curious about this.
EDIT: Oh, you edited your post. So let me add - I am not accusing anyone of conspiracy. Just genuinely curious as to how you make the decision on what to include and what not. Market share / general retail availabilty / retailer/distributor relationships with WHF / something else.. ?
Where should I go to find the answer to this question, if it has been answered/explained many times? I am genuinely curious about this.
EDIT: Oh, you edited your post. So let me add - I am not accusing anyone of conspiracy. Just genuinely curious as to how you make the decision on what to include and what not. Market share / general retail availabilty / retailer/distributor relationships with WHF / something else.. ?
OK here's the answer again: tests are put together by our team of reviewers based on market awareness, their feeling for what will be of most interest to the greatest number of readers, their knowledge of interesting features which may make for meaningful comparisons and, as Clare has said, the availability of review samples. Yes, we have a limited budget to buy products for review, but we use that sparingly, and only when all the resources for loaning a sample have been exhausted.
No round-up is intended to be a comprehensive market overview, but rather a snapshot of some interesting products available at the moment, and as I have said, some models will get left out for whatever reason.
There's no manifesto for such tests, no peer-review of what's included, nor any statistical analysis of forum requests or anything else. The review team, with its extensive experience and market knowledge, simply puts together a bunch of products it thinks will interest the largest possible number of readers, even when it's a test of something as esoteric as DACs.
And let's face it, in a mass-market magazine as likely to be bought by someone buying a new TV or mini-system as a turntable, having a review of half a dozen DACs is taking a bit of a flyer, since most readers won't even have a clue what a DAC is, let alone ever consider buying one.
No round-up is intended to be a comprehensive market overview, but rather a snapshot of some interesting products available at the moment, and as I have said, some models will get left out for whatever reason.
There's no manifesto for such tests, no peer-review of what's included, nor any statistical analysis of forum requests or anything else. The review team, with its extensive experience and market knowledge, simply puts together a bunch of products it thinks will interest the largest possible number of readers, even when it's a test of something as esoteric as DACs.
And let's face it, in a mass-market magazine as likely to be bought by someone buying a new TV or mini-system as a turntable, having a review of half a dozen DACs is taking a bit of a flyer, since most readers won't even have a clue what a DAC is, let alone ever consider buying one.
Thanks for clearing that up. I like your comment about d/a converters being esoteric compared to a turntable by the way.
Is there any point answering you when you can't be bothered to read the reply properly? I said nothing of the sort.
VoodooDoctor:Just got the new issue of the mag. There's a pretty extensive DAC round-up, which is a good read. However, I was left wondering why the well regarded Benchmark DAC-1 USB didn't make it into the line-up. It sits in the £1000 price range before the Bryston so would have made a good middleman for people with a bit of cash to splash. I would have thought the Benchmark would be the standard 1st choice for a DAC test, based on the tremendous amount of critical acclaim it has received for all 4 models over the last 8 years...
I'm sure there is no conspiracy here, but I sometimes wonder how the DAC1 seems to have been overlooked for a review in WHF all these years (especially now that the mag is seriously reviewing DACs)...
I'm sure there is no conspiracy here, but I sometimes wonder how the DAC1 seems to have been overlooked for a review in WHF all these years (especially now that the mag is seriously reviewing DACs)...
The_Lhc
Well-known member
Ajani, read the thread. It's because they've never been sent one.
Why do people have such a hard time understanding this point? It's pretty much the answer every time someone asks "Why didn't you review xyz?", surely this is common knowledge by now?
Why do people have such a hard time understanding this point? It's pretty much the answer every time someone asks "Why didn't you review xyz?", surely this is common knowledge by now?
I wonder how long it will take for the big guys to start making dac's Sony, yamaha, onkyo, pioneer etc etc. I have noticed that more people around me that are not hifi nuts at all are getting dac's rather than cd players and i have a feeling that this trend is not just something i have noticed.
The_Lhc
Well-known member
They all include them in their AV amps of course. I guess it depends on how big the market gets.
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