Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC RS - Impressions and Information

[wdw]

It's a special DAC. I've never heard better sound in my system. Period.

 

Oh dammit, Chris...I knew you'd say that!

What's a poor boy to do? Great to hear that Berkeley Audio still knows how to get it done!

Awaiting your further comments with great interest.

Cheers,

Warren

[wdw]

Hi Chris,

for state-of-the-art evaluation it will be interesting to see how the Berkeley RS reproduces hi-res and this undoubtedly will be an important part of your upcoming review. Yet when you review the DAC please also put particular emphasis on reproduction of 16/44 files. Perhaps 98 % or more of all the music or, when it comes to classical, specific interpretations of it is only available on CD, which makes it the most relevant digital medium.

I am a music lover first, and an audiophile second. On my BADA2 (love that DAC!) I listen exclusively to CD where all the music is (in view of that I honestly could not care less about the PCM vs. DSD debate either). I expect the Berkeley RS to set new standards in 16/44 reproduction and that will be the most interesting to me and the one thing relevant for my desire to purchase the unit. From what I have repeatedly heard is that the best DACs anyway sound better on 16/44 than more average DACs on hi-res, so all is relative.

Thanks and I look forward to your review

Al

 

 

+1

 

Warren

[wdw]

Yes most owners swear theirs is the best especially when they switch from what they just previously posted as the best.

Priaptor,

You are right. I had a good laugh at your comment....tis true that Absolute Sound has abused their franchise. That shot of Harley, in his room, the maniacal order, the over organized placement of some amateurish paintings of some Jazz Guys, seems a tad OCD.

Nevertheless, I do trust his opinion on these things....he lead me to purchase a BADA sight unseen: live without any dealers close by at the time. This led to some of the best music I've heard, so a valuable role. No doubt JV is the flaneur of audio...with a little bit of the queen from Alice...

wdw

[wdw]

Enough talk about the environment. It's very important but not the topic of this thread.

Chris,

I was speaking to a dealer in Santa Monica who has the RS in store and he claims the Aurender does not work well with the Alpha USB if planning to use it with a Berkeley DAC...strongly advocating that digital be balanced but that the chip set in the Alpha USB has some conflict with the chip set in the Aurender.

Did you try this combination and, if so, note any concerns?

Regards, Warren

[wdw]

Chris,

I was speaking to a dealer in Santa Monica who has the RS in store and he claims the Aurender does not work well with the Alpha USB if planning to use it with a Berkeley DAC...strongly advocating that digital be balanced but that the chip set in the Alpha USB has some conflict with the chip set in the Aurender.

Did you try this combination and, if so, note any concerns?

Regards, Warren

This just came in from Aurender support,

"Hello Warren,

 

First of all, thank you for your interest in Aurender.

 

The information is correct. At this point, Berkeley Alpha USB has the compatibility issue with Aurender and we don’t have a plan to fix this issue at this point.

Actually, it is not the chipset issue since other DACs with same issue works without this issue.

 

Best regards,

Eric Shim"

[wdw]

I've an Aurender S10 & it's working fine with my Alpha USB... I assume the compatibility issue is specific to the X100 &/or W20 USB implementation?

Hello,

Yes, may be true if both these S10 and the W20 are using direct balanced out...but if using the USB out, dunno...looking at the comments from Aurender, perhaps so.

Love to hear your comments on the sonic improvements with the S10.

WDW