Wayde, I'm sorry to report that I found this review severely lacking.
For example, claiming that the DAC80 is "more flexible" than if it offered all of the same abilities AND a headphone jack is absurd. That claim would be laughable if it came from a marketing department. How can a reviewer justify it? The following detail that the DAC80 "can be used with any headphone amp or as a pre-amp to a stereo system" certainly doesn't, because the same would be true even if it had a headphone feature. You might sell "less compromised," but "more flexible" this ain't.
Moving on to the listening, we get a few specifics that essentially distill to a more "open" sound & "a beautiful sonic effect." Yet, you seem hesitant to commit to a fully subjective review, describing that effect as "what some audio reviewers might call 'airy highs'." This is YOUR review, Wayde; let's not worry about what other writers might say & see your personal description of what you heard. You wrote a review because you had something to say about this product, and your audience deserves more meat than "I liked it a lot."
I can't make much of the subjective judgment either, because the other DACs' identities are not disclosed. This again seems like a desire not to present a woo-woo subjective review, which I understand AND appreciate. (There are plenty of other sites with those reviews.) But "one guy enjoyed this DAC more than some other products" does not make a compelling subjective review.
Unfortunately, this review also has no measurements, so I can't even attempt to determine if the sonic effects you enjoyed resulted from distortions which euphonically flatter certain recordings or if this DAC truly "has perfected one job." So we don't have an objective review either...
Audioholics has presented better, more complete work many times in the past, and this review's lack of substance provides a striking contrast to something such as the recent piece by Floyd Toole. Finally, readers are promised more by the site's motto: "Pursuing the truth in audio & video..."
Being so negative is not much fun, and I hope Wayde & Audioholics can take this as constructive criticism.
