DAC group purchase? Tell me your thoughts

[steveinaz]

*** DISREGARD***

I've had an idea for about a year. The idea would be of interest to those who want to try a DAC in their system, without putting up alot of money, and then deciding wether it would be an upgrade you'd be interested in.

Stay with me on this...

Let me tell you what I'm looking at, and how I can accomplish this...I think.

First, I need a list of people who would be committed to the project. My plan is to buy a Benchmark DAC1, with the cost split between all participants. As an example, if we got 50 people involved, it would be approx $20 a person to get in.

Stay with me...

I would then purchase the DAC1 and it would be shipped to each contributor for a period (TBD) of listening time, and they would ship it on to the next person. A list would be posted here of the order of march---that's "when it's your turn" for you non-combatants. You simply ship the DAC to the person following you on the list. After this is all accomplished, the DAC will be returned to me by the last tester and we then would raffle off the DAC1--meaning your investment not only gives you an opportunity to check a DAC out, but you may win the thing as well. The raffle would ONLY include the contributors, at no cost.

I would NOT be included in the raffle, I would simply be the "escrow" guy in the scenario.

NOW...

There are some intrinsic risks of course. If a member decides to display some poor karma and simply keep the thing, we're all out some bucks. If someone tells me "I'm in" then they stiff me, well, I'm out some bucks--so the list will be scrutinized...extensively. If you are uncomfortable with the risk involved, do not participate.

OK. Right now I just want a feeler of how many people would be interested in this. This will determine how much we'll each need to contribute to make it happen. We'll do this step-by-step, and all agreements must be 100% accepted by all contributors across the board or you can deal me out. It's going to take alot of cooperation and a little bit of effort, but I think it can be done.

DO NOT....I REPEAT..DO NOT SEND ME ANY MONEY. We've got tons of logistics to figure out and agree upon long before we get to that point.

Please keep all communication in this thread, no PM's, no emails. This will lessen the confusion, and keep everything a matter of public record.

The logistics (in order):
1. Interest check
2. If all agree on a buy-in amount (qty of people/$975), I'll do a poll for color preference (black or silver) majority rules on the color selected
3. Purchase the unit (in the background you scrubs better be sending me good checks)
4. I'll compile a random list for shipping order and post it here
5. I'll send the puppy out to the first recipient
6. Upon completion of the list, the raffle will be done upon receipt of the unit by me. I'll ship it out to the winner of the raffle.

[wingnut4772]

Save your money. I will just tell you it's worth it and a definite improvement!:p


Obviously I am not in as I have one but this is a cool idea.50 people may be a bit too thin though....

[steveinaz]

We could do it with less, if people are willing to pony-up more bucks. It's $975 for the DAC1 (non USB model) direct from Benchmark Media. If we go forward, this is the route I will use for purchase, this way warranty will be honored, authorized dealer, yada-yada, etc. I'll eat the shipping cost from Benchmark.

[Ricardo]

Good idea, but I agree with Darla, 50 people would mean that it would take roughly 2 years for the last one to get it.

I think you will find 10 members that have thought of getting a DAC and are willing to pay $100 for a chance to try it and maybe win it. You've got one already.

[wingnut4772]

Good idea, but I agree with Darla, 50 people would mean that it would take roughly 2 years for the last one to get it.

I think you will find 10 members that have thought of getting a DAC and are willing to pay $100 for a chance to try it and maybe win it. You've got one already.

Yes. 10 or 20. Cathy should definitely try this. Get a used one maybe and the money will go farther.

[steveinaz]

That would work too. Whatever everyone is willing pay equally will work. The 2 week audition time could be lessened as well--it all depends on what everyone wants to agree to.

As far as getting a used unit, that again would be up to all the contributors. But a 100% agreement for a used unit would be needed, otherwise it's brand new.

[treitz3]

I'd be interested in this, but could we possibly upgrade the DAC?

50 people is stretching it a bit thin, though.

[steveinaz]

If you can get numerous people to all agree on 1 DAC...you got it. Good luck.

I picked the Benchmark for 3 reasons:
1. Very highly respected/well and extensively reviewed
2. High Bang-to-buck ratio
3. Very flexible interfaces/uses (toslink/xlr/coax; can be used as a preamp; headphone section)

The participant count is irrelevant, provided whomever is involved agrees to split the cost.

[sucks2beme]

A couple of days too late for me!
I just got a Monica II USB DAC. I'd like to try the benchmark,
but unlikey I'll be buying one anytime soon.
The concept is great. How often do you ever see, much less hear a DAC
before plunking down your money?

[dorokusai]

Bad idea.

[WilliamM2]

Even with 20 people, when you include shipping times, it would be a long trip. And you might as well go used, after being hooked up, unhooked, and shipped 20 times, that will be one very used DAC, if it still works at all.

[Yashu]

Needs to be USB... dude, think of the dells!

[heiney9]

I'd be interested in this, but could we possibly upgrade the DAC?

What upgrade do you mean? The Benchmark is quite good and to upgrade add 3X the $$$.

[heiney9]

Needs to be USB... dude, think of the dells!

Not nec.

[Face]

Not nec.

Not that I'm interested, but you'd definitely be leaving people out if you don't go for the USB option.

[danger boy]

I have interest in it.. as long as it's not a USB DAC. I can't use it otherwise and have no interest if you all decide to go with a USB one.

How about 12 to 15 people tops
2 week demo per participant MAXIMUM (if you can't demo something within two weeks, you should not participate then)
Benchmark DAC 1 is fine with me
raffle it at the end is a great idea
the list of participants should be very selective (only members in good standing, sorry if this ticks someone off, but this is a big venture that SteveinAz is going out on a limb for)

participants should give name, address and phone number(s) ahead of time before the DAC is shipped to them. So it doesn't arrive to someone while they are in Mexico sunning their ass for those two weeks.. then it gets delayed and so forth.

If a person feels that they can't live by the rules then they are automatically disqualified from participating.

these are just some ideas to toss around of course.. but I am showing interest as long as we can keep the cost reasonable.

P.S. would that DAC have optical or coax inputs?

[wingnut4772]

It has both inputs. There is a little switch to choose which you want to use at the moment.

[janmike]

I would think that shipping a device around that much would increase the odds of some form of damage.

[steveinaz]

I'll try to answer some questions:

1. The USB model is $1225
2. All DAC1's have Toslink/XLR/Coax (usb, on the usb model) inputs
3. The box is quite sturdy that it ships in, as long as people handle it carfefully, it should remain in very good condition.
4. The idea here isn't to buy someone a DAC--the idea is to have a chance to hear one in your system at a low cost.
5. Like I mentioned, there will be risks involved---personally, I don't think anyone is gonna screw us if they are a well known member.
6. Everyone will end up providing name/address/phone anyway for shipping purposes.

It looks as though we probably won't have enough participants to do this at a reasonable cost. I've only seen 1 "definite maybe" so far.

I realize that this IS a bad idea, in that it's gonna be a pain in the ass for me. I figured if enough people were interested, we'd give it a go...

[heiney9]

I think it's a plauseable idea, but as usual getting people to commit and then follow through on a larger scale is ALWAYS difficult. I have a couple dac's already and really have no need for this, but if the price were around $25 I'd love to compare to what I have, but for me personally, beyond that I can't commit 100%.

This is however a great deal for someone who is interested on taking their system to the next level. It would seem like a no brainer even for the most skeptical, none upgrading, "I'm perfectly happy with what I have" audio person.

Hang with it Steve as people sometimes are slow to respond and need lots of encouragement.

H9

[beardog03]

I think it would be cool to check out a DAC, but like it was stated before...

and no offence to the newbs, or anyone else, but they would have to be upstanding , long term polkies to make it happen without joe shmuck keeping it and going back into his hole....

I think 12 people is a good number




I need coffee.....back in a few...
head is pounding

[steveinaz]

I'll let the thread run it's course, and if at some point we have enough people, we'll follow through with the plan. Personally, I'd prefer a smaller group as well, it makes everything easier--but would require more money from everyone. It would be $81.25/per person for a group of twelve (non-usb DAC1).

[Yashu]

Just because if has USB support does not mean it doesn't accept s/pdif.

[RuSsMaN]

Relax Steve, Audioadvisor should have one on sale soon.

[Ricardo]

I think that the best is to move this to PM or email; people that are really interested will contact you. We did like this when we bought the LP flattener, and it worked smoothly.

[Yashu]

I would be more interested in an MHDT Paradisea+ DAC... those are harder to get a hold of, are hand made, and would be awesome to try. We could go in for the DAC and then the NOS tubes that sound the best for it, then, it would be a great way for some of us to experience tube rolling, and tubes in general.

[danger boy]

since it was SteveinAz's idea. he gets to choose the DAC.. if you don't like the DAC that is choose, don't participate, and don't whine.

I am in if we can keep the price to the $81 price

we cant' move this to PM's, no one will know about it that way.. once we have enough participants, then it should go PM, but not till then.

[Lasareath]

Not that I'm interested, but you'd definitely be leaving people out if you don't go for the USB option.

Why would we need one with a USB connection?

I'd like to be included, I'd spend $100 towards a $1000 DAC to try it out for a month. We should be able to get 10 people together and then raffle off who gets it when.

The only problem I see is the waiting, who wants to send $100 in and wait 7 months to hear the DAC? I don't, that's for sure.

[dorokusai]

Steve, with all due respect, this simply isn't a good idea. I applaud you for the effort but it won't payoff, participant wise, no matter how noble the concept.

The Cable Swap Program failed due to a $60 cable, and you want to "invest" folks into a DAC? The used market is flush with DAC's, buy one, experience and move on....how hard is that?

There are alot of external DAC's available, at every price level, and folks can....at will, choose to buy it, or not. Welcome to Club Polk.

[treitz3]

I'd be interested in this, but could we possibly upgrade the DAC?

50 people is stretching it a bit thin, though.

I'm out. Too much heat for just a question. Peace.