Unusual TAS bomb

At first I was skeptical, too, of the reviewer's conclusions. However, as an owner of a DAC7, I can attest that the reviewer's description of the DAC7's sonic qualities is spot-on. Therefore if he can get the DAC7 right, then the reviewer is at least capable of getting the DAC8 right. Not saying he is right, because I haven't heard the DAC8, but I believe there is enough evidence not to discredit his opinion altogether.

It makes no sense that he was fired for writing that unfavorable review. A negative review such as that would never have been published without crossing the desk of the editor-in-chief, Robert Harley, or at the very least, the desk of the executive editor, Jonathan Valin. One of those guys had to have read, discussed and approved that review before it went to print. Even Audio Research had an opportunity to see the review before it went to print, as evidenced by their response on page 152. Unless there was someone higher than Harley (such as ownership) who saw the review for the very first time only after it was published, and and decided he'd have the reviewer's head. But then again, as Sarcher said, Harley should have been fired too.