I have no doubt that it is indeed a good piece.... BUT .....my skepticism and resulting resistance for any reliance on such a review for me on this mag review is profound.
(1) Since everything in this crazy hobby is built to a level commensurate with its price-point, I have never yet seen ANY $2K DAC match -- much less "crush" -- a $10K-$12K DAC....full stop. And I’ve attended numerous audio fest paloozas with their A-B bake-offs and comparison shootouts.
(2) This particular mag review is a very select and restricted comparison sample of just three "reference level " (an ill-defined term...) DACs. Since it’s been around since 2014 ... a significant wave of new and technologically improved contenders and pretenders have been ignored. If is indeed the Goliath-killer purported in THIS review (note: Terry London is a staff writer and not independent in its purist form) then why (as just one example among the many) ...do other mags ignore it in their "Best Buys" published lists?
e,g:https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/hi-fi/best-dacs/2#section-under-1500
(3) Reviewer comments such as this posted article term of "crushes" is an exaggerated value judgement and a heavily biased personal opinion at best, and flat-out hyperbole at worst. Challengeable extremes such as this term should be avoided.
There are other reviews out there that present a much more balanced opinion such as:
https://www.monoandstereo.com/2013/04/lab12-dac1-special-edition-test-and.html
There is a recent prior FYI smoke signal post on AGON that precedes you
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/lab-12-dac1-special-edition
I read the major mag reviews for new equipment news and technological improvements, but I always do an in-store or audio fest demo at a minimum; and preferably an in-home audition before a purchase...the mag review is just a first a pedantic first step in the long Yellow Brick Road to Audio Oz.
(1) Since everything in this crazy hobby is built to a level commensurate with its price-point, I have never yet seen ANY $2K DAC match -- much less "crush" -- a $10K-$12K DAC....full stop. And I’ve attended numerous audio fest paloozas with their A-B bake-offs and comparison shootouts.
(2) This particular mag review is a very select and restricted comparison sample of just three "reference level " (an ill-defined term...) DACs. Since it’s been around since 2014 ... a significant wave of new and technologically improved contenders and pretenders have been ignored. If is indeed the Goliath-killer purported in THIS review (note: Terry London is a staff writer and not independent in its purist form) then why (as just one example among the many) ...do other mags ignore it in their "Best Buys" published lists?
e,g:https://www.whathifi.com/best-buys/hi-fi/best-dacs/2#section-under-1500
(3) Reviewer comments such as this posted article term of "crushes" is an exaggerated value judgement and a heavily biased personal opinion at best, and flat-out hyperbole at worst. Challengeable extremes such as this term should be avoided.
There are other reviews out there that present a much more balanced opinion such as:
https://www.monoandstereo.com/2013/04/lab12-dac1-special-edition-test-and.html
There is a recent prior FYI smoke signal post on AGON that precedes you
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/lab-12-dac1-special-edition
I read the major mag reviews for new equipment news and technological improvements, but I always do an in-store or audio fest demo at a minimum; and preferably an in-home audition before a purchase...the mag review is just a first a pedantic first step in the long Yellow Brick Road to Audio Oz.