Audiogeek45

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Price Paid:  $1800.00 from website

Summary:
This DAC is a trial to see how good vintage DACs stack up against new highly rated DACs. I too compared it to the new Benchmark DAC and it simply blew it away...much more real sounding, bigger soundstage, more liquid, better realistic detail... just simply a far superior product.

Strengths:
Detail, imaging, purity and $$$ value vs. the 20K DACs I've heard.

Weaknesses:
none, for a strandard DAC. Its not as connective as todays DACs but it sounds fab and real. What more can I say!!! If you see one of these rare beauties for sale...don't hesitate, buy it! Did I mention its beatutiful!!! It looks like a 10K piece of gear.

Haicube

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $2300.00 from Second hand

Summary:
This DAC is simply one of the best ever produced. Comparing to things like the Benchmark DAC 1 it simply blows its performance out of the water despite being several years older.

The Air Reference is very "analogue" in it's sound and it's built to match it's vinyl counterpart.

From my experience it really makes the music feel alive and brings a huge soundstage to it. While comparing to modern DACs it feels a lot more reliable, both in bass and in the highs.

Strengths:
Soundstage, Clarity and the "live feeling" and let's not forget it's gorgeous!

Weaknesses:
Price?

Similar Products Used:
benchmark Dac 1, Squeezebox V3