I must hear the Bryston -maybe even as a CD-Player (yup still use the discs), I just get the feeling it is a real sleeper (though it has had good reviews)at a very competive price given its performance, and needless to say, Bryston reliability - would love to hear it against the "Kings of the Hill". |
What difference does that make? He still chose to pay something and keep it in his system. Hard to deal with fine shadings of "levels on implied endorsement". Buying it says something positive - no more, no less. How much one is willing to spend says more about the ability to spend then anything inherently about the quality of the sound when most differences at this level are way beyond the point of diminishing returns financially. |
He would not spend a $100 if he did not like it, of course he might give a better review to a fella offering a steep discount, other than Atkinson's measurements and "between the lines" I take all reviews with a grain of salt. But as far as the DAC, there a lot of evidence that it is very good indeed. |
Would you buy 20 DACs at 50% off? Or one, maybe two you like? (unless you were planning on going into the wholesale business) The discount is distorting, but to bother buying any particular piece still says something -- the reviewer liked it and though it worth having. Now the "rave", yes, that is certainly more problematic, especially when [if?} it is a means to an end. |
Yup, there is something corrosive to the process when there is a deal between manufacturer and reviewer - hard to knock your "friends", but I think Knghifi captures the spirit of my comment, if I was a reviewer with access to most any piece of equipment, the fact I choose to buy something and make it my own says something, maybe not what it says if I paid full price, but still....
Anyway, I guess the Berkeley DAC is pretty darn good:) |
No he might not, but he would not have bought it at all if he did not like it, he gets the opportunity to buy most anything at 50% off, but he does not in fact do so, only the stuff he actually likes. He passes up many opportunities in the course of his job, and some he does not pass up, those are the ones that he actually likes, and therefore in buying them it is meaningful as an aside to the review. |
It is not just an endorsement, it is a genuine act by the reviewer - he could, if he chose, by many, many things at 50% off, but he doesn't, and when he does buy something, it is telling; now if you choose to dismiss that, well so be it; I find it meaningful, you do not - so be it. It is turning into a dead horse --- but yes, the B DAC is worthy of audition and just might be better sounding than a Bryston CD player, though I would listen to both before making any conclusions. I suspect a blind A/B would speak well for the Bryston. |
If you don't find it meaningful, than don't - but it is meaningful to me since buying something has meaning to me, especially when I have the opportunity to buy anything and from that I choose to buy something in particular. Perhaps reviewers function differently, but I doubt it. Unless they are buying at a discount to sell at a profit, but I suspect that is not their motive, no, they may actually like the piece of gear, and happy to have gotten a good price on it, or they could just buy it used on Audiogon. I do agree though, that if he paid $10 for a $5000 DAC it might questionable, but I suspect they are getting a wholesale price, nice savings, but not a giveaway either. |
So, how many actually own the Berkeley and how does it compare with the
likes of DCS, Esoteric, and EMM Labs? Are these the top brands today? Do they
really distance themselves from what seems like a really well regarded effort
by Bryston on the player and DAC fronts? They do hit a much more
reasonable price point. I would love to put it up against my EMM Labs player.
By the way, to this day I really regret selling my Audio Logic 24XL (I think that
was the model) that unit is a bit old today, but I thought it was a very nice
sounding DAC and not really sure things got better since then. I would surely
recommend it if you can find one used - of course, no USB input. |
