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Is the bomb! Just picked it up and am burning it in.
"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad"
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This is a great DAC and a significant step forward from v1, IMO. But the Alpha USB is what throws it on the top of the heap, for me. I've yet to hear a more analog-sounding DAC in my system. And I mean that there's an "ease" to the sound which is just wonderful. Totally non-fatiguing in any way. Great detail, fantastic bass -- it's my reference. But again, I always pair the two pieces (run with an AES cable from WyWires).
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Find me at: http://parttimeaudiophile.com
I demoed the unit several time and while I think it's a good sounding dac I do not believe bada2 is anything special and certainly not a giant killer. I was looking for a second dac to compliment my klimax. I ended up not picking up bada2. Instead I added a custom minimum phase filter to SD transporter which sounds close to bada2 with the custom filter.
At the price point it resides, the Alpha DAC isn't a "giant killer" so much as the "giant" people aim to "kill." Glad you found something you feel is better or the same in the transporter (that Transporter is one heck of a device!) - and at $5k it takes a "close your eyes, take a deep breath and write the check" approach. If I had a Tranporter already, I'd likely have done the same thing, declared victory and been very happy.
It is *still* breaking in - and the main thing I have found - if the SPDIF is fed with a quality cable, you get smooth unfatiguing treble out to infinity (or at least where my ears stop picking things up!). Realism in spades - and deep bass as well - the treble isn't emphasized, but it's there the way it is in a live performance. IN my opinion, that's what you get for that "giant" price.
The midrange and bass is right there with the pack - it is the treble extension, without glare, harmonics intact (triangles sound liek triangles, wood blocks have the woody resonant sounds, etc.) you are paying for.
What separates it from the dCS's of the world - is the box "is what it is" - and there is no external word clock or other ways of taking it to the next level that many of the higher priced competition have built in. It also doens't come with a USB input - you have to get the $1800 USB to SPDIF coneverter from them. Well I suppose you don't have to get it from them, but they offer one that is highly regarded.
"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad"
That's quite the review from Absolute Sound, that it would receive their highest recommendation had it cost $15,000.00, but " That it sells for $4995 qualifies as a minor miracle."
After about 24 hours of being on - it seems to have a very coherent, organic sound slightly more realistic than upon first turn on. THe box is warm to the touch, so I suspect its clocks have reached thermal equilibrium, etc The sound - it's hard to describe - it certainly isn't adding any color - but the typical "digititis" that is present to a degree or another simply isn't there - and the treble is there at natural levels and doesn't offer "excitement" of too much - it is smooth, detailed, and realistic.
I am using the SPDIF connection for my comparisons. I also have listened to th TOSLINK through a Sonos component, too.
I have compared it to informally to:
1. Rega DAC
2. Schiit Bifrost
3. TEAC UD-H01
4. Ayre C-5xeMP
5. Wadia 121
6. Esoteric K-03
7. Weiss 202
I own 1-4, I have "demoed" 5-7 for an hour or two in a local shop.
It plays closest to 6 and 7. While there is nothing in the list that sounds "bad" ... I'd say I'd rank the Berkeley Audio as slightly better than the Esoteric (though it doesn't have SACD, of course) in rhythm and drive, and slightly better than the Weiss in the treble. But they are all pretty close. The Ayre playing SACD vs. Berkeley Alpha playing HDTrack 24/96, they are a dead heat. But in the CD realm, the Alpha is better in the upper midrange and treble - more air, sense of extension, and naturalness. The Ayre isn't going anywhere as it sounds spectacular - but it isn't quite in the same league as Berkeley.
I'd say the Rega and Wadia are in the same league (but with different presentations). Where the Rega has a warmth and smoothness it seems missing the detail, treble and extension of the Berkeley. The Wadia is a bit cooler in the setup I heard (and cute as a button!) and has detail and the extension, there is a slight veiling in the treble I suspect was done to "hide" hardness in the treble. Great player, and I think you'd be hard pressed to find better in the $1-2k price range. Between the Rega and Wadia ... if you prefer Vinyl I could say to grab the Rega. If you like more neutrality and detail - and became an audiophile from a CD/SACD background, the Wadia will equal a high end SACD/CD player. But ... I'd say that with the Berkeley, Ayre, Weiss and Esoteric you won't be making that kind of trade off - you will get "it all" and the main diferences are in the realm of presenting the full treble and the detail without any sort of hardness.
I think next on down would be Schiit and Teac. Teac tonally is fantastic, but lacks detail - but does not have hardness in the treble. The Schiit has all the detail, but lets a touch of that hardness come through which means you have to do all kinds of system matching to do. Also ... both are very sensitive to the type of SPDIF cable - and you will need a high quality cable especially as much here as a poor choice will make the sound simply awful - the people that knock the Schiit I am thinking that they haven't used a true 75 Ohm cable or a poorly designed one.
Now, a "knock" on the Berkeley is it does not offer a USB interface out of the box. They have "fixed" this by offering an outboard box for $1800. I understand it is probably one of the best out there - and since I tend to use SPDIF it doens't matter so much to me, but it might mater to someone else.
Having said that if you get both the total cost is under $7k, and the Weiss 202 is $7k appx, the Esoteric is $9-10k, and the Ayre is $6k (and only plays discs, you'd need to get the QB-9 for $2.5k and it "only" offers a USB interface), so it isn't a rip off or anything compared to its competition in its price class - just something to note.
"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad"
I appreciate the comparison. I have been thinking about adding one to my setup, just need to hear it at my local AD first
THANK YOU for this comparative summary. These are extremely valuable.
Happy listening.
Regards,
JerryS
I have a Schiit Bifrost (in fact, another is on its way--should be here tomorrow--so I'll have one for the main system, and one for the computer system). With the computer, the only option is USB (I'm thinking a "hiFace" USB/SPDIF converter won't be worth the bother for this primarily portable/casual listening computer speaker system). I have a DH labs Silver Sonic USB cable for the computer's Bifrost (1.5 meters):DH Labs Silver Sonic USB cable
For my main system however, I do want the best 75 ohm SPDIF cable I can get for it, but here too, I have my limits on what I'm willing to spend ($100 or less, thereabouts). Currently, I have two SPDIF digital cables:
1) Belden 1694A cable with Canare RCA connectors (on the system currently). This one was from Blue Jeans Cable (1.5 meters):
Blue Jeans' Belden-Canare digital SPDIF
2) A "home brew" cable made from Canare L-4CFB cable, and Canare RCA connectors (haven't yet tried this one). This one is also 1.5 meters.
I've also been told that the DH Labs "D-75" cable is very good, so I might be interested enough to give it a try. This one is also pretty much at the limit of what I want to spend on a digital SPDIF cable. Does anyone here have experience with this particular cable?
Thanks!
Edits: 06/03/12
I had good luck with Black Cat Silver Star at $150. It punches well above its weight - I am not sure you'd do better.
But I also made my own cable with 75 Ohm BNC's and 75 Ohm RG302 with 75 Ohm BNC to RCA adapters. Well I had a friend make it with some tools he had.
"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad"
Uh, okay. How about providing a bit more information about what you hear to provoke that initial reaction? You can later provide a complete and final assessment after completion of the unit burn-in cycle.
_
Ken Newton
Good point - a post in a moment of exuberance!
I hooked it driving my Ayre V-5xe directly - using the DAC's volume control. It was being driven by the Squeezebox Touch via SPDIF (Black Cat Silver STar and a Home Brew cable I am in the midst of developing)
First impression is the midrange is perfect, and the upper midrange and treble - which has always been an issue for me in hardness or glare - is crystal clear but without an ounce of harshness or glare. The treble is perfect and clear!
There is plenty of bass with tons of detail from as low as I can reproduce (around 35Hz) to the limits of my hearing! (I beleive it is about 15kHz given my age).
The stereo image is large and deep - and given my Thiels 2.4's are not great imagers - this is quite a feat!
I'll have more later, of course.
As it has 4 digital inputs: AES/EBU, SPDIF(BNC), TOSLINK and BADA(RG45?) - I'll be able to try out at least the SPDIF and TOSLINK...
Initial impressions are very positive.
I'll do some more listening over the next week - and will also try it going through my preamp.
"Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad"
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