One huge thing to watch out for is ones perceived notion/belief of how a new piece of gear should sound because somebody else said its a great DAC or the best DAC for the money. It could very well be that for the reviewer or even a good friend, but then not end up that way for you.
One issue is what other equipment are they using? Is there room properly treated and yours isn't. Do they prefer the type sound/tone/artifacts what the reviewed component brings to the equation? Just the word 'Audiophile' brings a whole new meaning into the discussion. Also, others have made a very good point in that it takes a couple of weeks to condition ones ears/brain to a new setup. If a piece of gear is really bad it will normally stand out quickly. If it seems 'just' OK or slightly better/slightly less, then definitely take the time to do a few weeks of listening before forming impressions. -- iPhone *iPhone* Media Room: Transporter, VTL TL-6.5 Signature Pre-Amp, Ayre MX-R Mono's, VeraStarr 6.4SE 6-channel Amp, Vandersteen Speakers: Quatro Mains, VCC-5 Reference Center, four VSM-1 Signatures, Video: Runco RS 900 CineWide AutoScope 2.35:1 Living Room: Duet, ADCOM GTP-870HD, Cinepro 3K6SE III Gold, Vandersteen Model 3A Signature, Two 2Wq subs, VCC-2, Two VSM-1 Kitchen: Squeezebox BOOM Bedroom: Second Boom Bathroom: Squeezebox Radio Ford Thunderbird: Duet, Mac Mini Ford Expedition: SB Touch, USB drive ------------------------------------------------------------------------ iPhone's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=13622 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=78291 _______________________________________________ audiophiles mailing list audiophiles@lists.slimdevices.com http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/audiophiles