Is there any such thing as a bad sounding DAC these days?

I am not strictly an ASR measurement guy—I value the listening experience much more than the measurements.  However, for an (R2R) DAC that measures as poorly as any I’ve ever seen and yet sounds good in your system, I would say there is no single DAC on the market that sounds bad.

Audiogoners have become more civilized. Regarding the sound quality of the Benchmark DAC3, I recall making no negative comments myself. I simply referenced GoldenSound’s review, which also made no negative comments—just described it as ’fine.’ Let’s be honest, ’fine’ simply means ’not great’ but still ’good.’

Oh my god, you wouldn’t believe how much backlash I received from forum members who like the DAC.

But now, look at the numerous negative comments describing the Dac ’bad’ from so many people here—yet there’s no pushback from those who own / like the Dac.

The only explanation I can think of is that Audiogoners have become more civilized. But what caused such a cultural shift in such a short time? Very interesting. Honestly, I don’t believe that’s the case, and I think those who attacked me owe me a sincere apology.

@jetter I do understand why people don’t care about diminishing returns when buying expensive DACs.

Not only DACs, but also other components—such as streamers and cables. Dealers need to make a living and sustain their businesses. Many audiophiles have disposable income or retirement funds to support their hobby.

There are those who may not be able to afford such gears, yet still make a fuss—several of whom are present in this forum.