Article: Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Reference Series Review

[David Hyman]

man, i sure can see the parts price has upped dramatically. Peering through the top via the supplied picture, looks like they've spent at least $60-$70 on parts now!

[kana813]

Chris,

 

Having heard the BADA Series 2 and talking with Maier, I'm not surprised by your findings.

 

I very interested in how the RS in your current system compares to the Devialet.

[Awsmone]

Hi Chris

 

Am traveling on the fast train to Seville and reading your review

 

Since there is very little technical in your review I assume this review is about how it sounds

 

I am glad for you that you enjoyed the sound

 

However for me I have some concerns from your own description

 

You mention listening to Benjamin Britten' s " Passacaglia" I assume from Peter Grimes or orchestral only version Opus 33 b

 

You mention hearing " deep horns " come in...

I am left confused what you mean by this

are you referring to a low note from the horn section or a trombone or tuba which would be on opposite sides of the sound stage usually

 

Deep horns or " Wagner " horns are not scored for in this work?

 

Were you unable to tell the difference timbrally or do you just not know how each instrument sounds quite different ?

 

Also what does your use of "memorializing" mean I personally had no clue what you meant there ...

 

Thanks Chris

[MikeJazz]

'Berkeley' believes adding a USB input compromises the sound quality so it was left out of the Reference Series product. These guys have been leading the way with computer based playback for years. I don't suspect many people use CD players with 'Berkeley' DACs. Servers like the Aurender offer AES and S/PDIF outputs and the Alpha USB can be used to connect any computer to the Alpha DAC RS.

 

Besides the Rendu, did you get the change to try it with the Aries?

I would like a comment from you if you felt there was any difference in sonic presentation...

 

Thanks!

[The Computer Audiophile]

Chris,

 

Having heard the BADA Series 2 and talking with Maier, I'm not surprised by your findings.

 

I very interested in how the RS in your current system compares to the Devialet.

I just swapped out the RS for a pair of Devialet 400 monos (for review) :~)

 

Very different all around.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Besides the Rendu, did you get the change to try it with the Aries?

I would like a comment from you if you felt there was any difference in sonic presentation...

 

Thanks!

I really didn't try it with the Aries more than for a couple minutes testing bit perfect output of the Aries.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Chris

 

Am traveling on the fast train to Seville and reading your review

 

Since there is very little technical in your review I assume this review is about how it sounds

 

I am glad for you that you enjoyed the sound

 

However for me I have some concerns from your own description

 

You mention listening to Benjamin Britten' s " Passacaglia" I assume from Peter Grimes or orchestral only version Opus 33 b

 

You mention hearing " deep horns " come in...

I am left confused what you mean by this

are you referring to a low note from the horn section or a trombone or tuba which would be on opposite sides of the sound stage usually

 

Deep horns or " Wagner " horns are not scored for in this work?

 

Were you unable to tell the difference timbrally or do you just not know how each instrument sounds quite different ?

 

Also what does your use of "memorializing" mean I personally had no clue what you meant there ...

 

Thanks Chris

Hi Awsmone - Thanks for the comments and questions. Maybe I'll get to learn something here (I love that!).

 

Benjamin Britten' s " Passacaglia" that I am referring to is the Reference Recordings version (HR-120) (Michael Stern / Kansas City Symphony). Here is a link Reference Recordings - HRx Details

 

I am far from an expert in identifying each instrument although I hear the distinctly different sounds. The specific "deep horns" I'm talking about may be the tuba. The sound comes from the right channel.

 

I hope you have a chance to listen to this version of Passacaglia and teach me a little bit about the different instruments :~)

[Audio_ELF]

Chris ... you often comment on how carefully you choose your words so I assume the statement "The Alpha DAC RS is without question the best DAC I've heard anywhere when it comes to 16/44.1 playback." is as carefully worded as ever?

 

And a question... if you can ask Berkeley - are there any plans for them to have distribution and/or dealers in Europe or will the Alpha Reference not pass CE approval like the Alpha?

[The Computer Audiophile]

Chris ... you often comment on how carefully you choose your words so I assume the statement "The Alpha DAC RS is without question the best DAC I've heard anywhere when it comes to 16/44.1 playback." is as carefully worded as ever?

 

And a question... if you can ask Berkeley - are there any plans for them to have distribution and/or dealers in Europe or will the Alpha Reference not pass CE approval like the Alpha?

Thanks for noticing. Yes the wording was selected with the utmost care.

I don't believe there are plans to be RHOS compliant with the RS.

[asindc]

For my station in life I read reviews for equipment at this level for the entertainment value only. For me it's no different that reading the automobile rags and dreaming about an Aston Martin or something else exotic, there's no chance of me acquiring either the DAC or the car. For pure entertainment value your review gets 5 stars, but my B.S. meter was pegged throughout the whole read. With such superlatives being bandied about what room have you left for the review of the equipment that beats the RS when it comes out, which will certainly happen. No comparison to vinyl which still remains the gold standard in some people's mind. Also, for $16,000 I would have expected a small level of bling, instead of the dull as dishwater design put forth.

 

Leaving aside whether or not this DAC sounds best to you or me, how does the fact that Chris says it is the best he has ever heard preclude him from finding a future DAC to be better? He didn't say it is the best he will ever hear.

[asindc]

Chris,

 

This was asked by someone else earlier in the thread but I don't know if you noticed: Did you use the BADA USB converter with the BADA RS during your review? If not, have you previously heard that particular setup in another system?

[The Computer Audiophile]

Chris,

 

This was asked by someone else earlier in the thread but I don't know if you noticed: Did you use the BADA USB converter with the BADA RS during your review? If not, have you previously heard that particular setup in another system?

Thanks for raising the question again. Yes, I used the Alpha USB converter with the Alpha DAC RS for some of the review period. The combination is stellar.

[Geardaddy]

Strong stuff Chris. What has been your digital frame of reference to date?

[mav52]

So Chris are you keeping this or you sending it back after your review ?

[Boris75]

So Chris are you keeping this or you sending it back after your review ?

 

Our generous host wrote at the end of his review:

If I could afford it and my job allowed it, the Alpha DAC RS is the only DAC I'd use for the foreseeable future.

 

I guess this means that unit seems poised to ship back to Berkeley.

[The Computer Audiophile]

So Chris are you keeping this or you sending it back after your review ?

I'll keep it as long as 'Berkeley' allows :~)

[mav52]

I'll keep it as long as 'Berkeley' allows :~)

 

If they make ya send it back tell them you need to do some further testing and then send it to me for a few days and we can then pass it around CA until it makes a full circle back to you, by then Berkeley would have updated it or forgot about it.

[mac_and_dac]

Chris,

 

Do you have any information on the RS's op amps?

 

I spent about 25% of the cost of my DAC on op amp upgrades (plug 'n' play, thank goodness) and it made a significant difference, to the point where I now don't feel the need to listen to anything other than 16/44.1 PCM, which is exactly what you reported feeling with the RS.

[dmgbat]

I used the Sonore Signature Series Rendu for much of the review. This allowed me to use JRiver as the DLNA server and JRemote for control. I have a copy of all my DSD material in both native DSD and converted 176.4 kHz (converted with JRiver offline). I played plenty of the 176.4 PCM stuff through the RS and it sounded better than the native through other DACs. The RS is a game changer.

 

Hi Chris,

 

Great review. Any plans to review the new Sonore signature series Rendu? While I can't afford the DAC, I may be able to afford the renderer that provided the assist. Thanks.

[The Computer Audiophile]

Hi Chris,

 

Great review. Any plans to review the new Sonore signature series Rendu? While I can't afford the DAC, I may be able to afford the renderer that provided the assist. Thanks.

Yes, a full Sonore Signature Series Rendu review is on the way.

[astrotoy]

Chris,

 

Do you have any information on the RS's op amps?

 

I spent about 25% of the cost of my DAC on op amp upgrades (plug 'n' play, thank goodness) and it made a significant difference, to the point where I now don't feel the need to listen to anything other than 16/44.1 PCM, which is exactly what you reported feeling with the RS.

 

My reading of Chris' review wasn't exactly the same as yours. I didn't read that he doesn't feel the need to listen to anything other than 16/44.1 PCM. A few paragraphs downs he talks about the RS playing one of the Ref Recording 24/176 files in similar superlatives.

 

Larry

[pga]

Thanks for raising the question again. Yes, I used the Alpha USB converter with the Alpha DAC RS for some of the review period. The combination is stellar.

 

Chris,

 

I also am using an Alpha DAC RS with a BADA USB, having recently upgraded from the Alpha Ser 2. It's the best sound I've had in my home, and I agree with all your comments. Some seem upset with how clear you were in stating your opinions, but instead in applaud you, not because i agree, but instead because it's refreshing in these times so see someone just calling it like they see it, even at the risk of later being proven wrong or upsetting some friends or sponsors. Keep up the good work.

 

I'm still using the old Mac Pro I bought in 2008 after consulting with you. This was way back when the Lynx card was the preferred way to get data into an Alpha DAC. There probably is room now to improve on the Mac Pro, but with the BADA USB, the old 2008 Mac does not sound bad at all. Perhaps at some point you can share some though on this topic with me.

 

The improvement from the Ser 2 to the RS is shocking. Even my TV playing through Toslink is so realistic on the RS that it makes one disconnect the home theater processor, and instead just listen to TV in stereo. I suspect the jitter reduction strategies and noise isolation in the RS are much improved. You recall experiments done by a friend in common where an Alpha Ser 1 or 2 was fed by a Pacific Microsonics AES output, and this made the humble Ser 1 or 2 sound much better.

 

Anyways, the RS is like nothing I've seen or hear before. Surely worth the wait and the money.

[Stereo]

Originally Posted by Stereo

Hi Chris,

 

Waiting for your review of Berkeley Audio Design's Alpha RS DAC. Can you also look into reviewing the Trinity DAC and compare it to this Alpha RS and the Vivaldi and the MSB Diamond. Trinity's link is here: DAC

 

Some talk can be found here about it with some comments from the designer as well: Trinity DAC

 

Hopefully you can acquire a test unit ASAP. Thank you.

Hi Stereo - I will look into this.

Chris Connaker

 

Founder

Computer Audiophile

 

jt10 said:

Today 07:25 AM

Originally Posted by The Computer Audiophile

Hi Stereo - I will look into this.

Hi Chris - thank you please do!!

Especially the Reference vs. Trinity

[Rexp]

I'll keep it as long as 'Berkeley' allows :~)

 

If this DAC is that good, would you consider downgrading your speakers or amps to pay for it, assuming no additional budget available?

[miguelito]

I read your review of the EmmLabs Dac2x. Have you updated the firmware to MDAT2? Any opinions?

Thx.