Berkeley Audio Alpha DAC (version 1) here for audition.

JohnVF

Lunatic Member
Well...I borrowed a Berkeley Audio Alpha DAC (the original, from 2008) for audition this weekend. I'm been toying with the idea of buying a Mytek 192/DSD DAC but this came in and I can get it for the same price. But its older...so how far have things progressed in 4 or 5 years?

It doesn't have a USB input so I'm using a Musical Fidelity V-link USB/Coax converter (asynchronous).

So far its just sort of warming up. A bit harsh at first glance but it seems to be calming down and I'll leave it on this evening. I wish I had the Mytek to compare it to.

This was one of the best reviewed DACs at any price, though there's now a supposedly improved Version 2 out. I will be doing a direct comparison to my NAD M51, which is a brand new design, and I'll be using the V-link with that just so its apples to apples, even though the NAD has an excellent USB connection. This isn't to replace the NAD (which I absolutely love), but for use in my main system. The NAD is the pre/DAC in my other system...which is actually a better system than my main one.

I'll update this as I listen over the weekend. I might get some more time in tomorrow evening, though I really don't spend much time at home these days.

Anybody have or have heard one of these? I'm really looking forward to it. Even in the 45 minutes I've had it going, its shaken its cobwebs out and really sounds good now.

The system its in is:

MacBook Air running Decibel as a server. USB to the Musical Fidelity V-link, then Vertere RCA cables to the Alpha DAC. Accuphase E-303x and Harbeth SHL-5.

I may try it out in my other system for audition, as its just better at revealing differences in things. Pass Aleph 30 into Quad 63pro.
 
Well, I'm ready to declare that, at least here, its VERY good and potentially excellent. I just need more time to get used to it, and make some comparisons. The initial harshness only lasted about 2 songs, and I have no idea how long it's been sitting. It really filled out and sounds big, bold and dynamic.
 
I find the information that the initial harshness DID smooth out is good enough without a hard and fast "why".:music:
 
JohnVF, very interested to get your impressions. Technology in DACs is moving so fast now that every 6 months it seems like there is another version or upgrade. My own M1DAC was upgraded in the middle of a model cycle to be asynchronous with very little notice but the revision of a website and an owners manual addendum. A friend of mine raves about the Berkeley, it might be one similar to the one you have on loan.
I noted your new NAD M51 is pretty sophisticated so I I think you have a very good baseline and reference.
 
Could not find any detailed specs for the Alpha but this TAS article mentions a few things about the chips but no model numbers.
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/berkeley-audio-design-alpha-dac-1/

- Analog Devices DAC's
- Analog Devices SHARC DSP with custom programming by Michael Pflaumer
- Op-amps

In general it appears to be based on sigma-delta design DAC's, an upsampling DSP and custom filters. This is similar to the approach used in something like the more recent DacMagic Plus. Upsampling, among other things, is used to reduce jitter.

The implementaion, circuit design, PS, op-amps etc., in the Alpha would be completely different from the DacMagic Plus, and the filter algorithm written by Pflaumer and programmed into the SHARC DSP could be the secret sauce that contributes to its good sonics :)
 
Ok so this is where I was going to describe in detail how it sounded but that would only invite an "all digital sounds the same" from the Dmitrys of the world so that's that. Sorry y'all, no point in continueing. Sorry to anybody interested but I've seen the light.
 
Could not find any detailed specs for the Alpha but this TAS article mentions a few things about the chips but no model numbers.
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/berkeley-audio-design-alpha-dac-1/

- Analog Devices DAC's
- Analog Devices SHARC DSP with custom programming by Michael Pflaumer
- Op-amps

In general it appears to be based on sigma-delta design DAC's, an upsampling DSP and custom filters. This is similar to the approach used in something like the more recent DacMagic Plus. Upsampling, among other things, is used to reduce jitter.

The implementaion, circuit design, PS, op-amps etc., in the Alpha would be completely different from the DacMagic Plus, and the filter algorithm written by Pflaumer and programmed into the SHARC DSP could be the secret sauce that contributes to its good sonics :)
Thank you for the additional info. I've not had much time to listen to or research this unit yet. I'm not home but will be tomorrow, I think, and have more to offer as far as a review and comparison. I really hope to get to compare it to the current Mytek DAC. As that is what it's competing against for this spot. The Mytek does DSD, which has me maybe leaning that direction.

The other digital unit in this setup is the EMM Labs CDSA, so far the best digital I've had here. It's an excellent benchmark.
 
Chill. I would expect that most quality DAC devices "sound different", even if they use the exact same chips and overall design. There are many things other than the DAC chip itself that contribute to the "sound" of the device.
 
My big decision here will be to decide what "better" is. The DAC I'm using in this setup is currently an Apogee Duet II. It's more forgiving than this unit. As such, great is not as great, but bad mastering is not as bad. The NAD is so far better at walking that line. But more to come.
 
I had to delete a thread crap in here (and reaction to it) which is pretty sad - if your contribution to this thread is nothing more than dropping a load on the floor then leaving the room, take it elsewhere.
 
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My big decision here will be to decide what "better" is. The DAC I'm using in this setup is currently an Apogee Duet II. It's more forgiving than this unit. As such, great is not as great, but bad mastering is not as bad. The NAD is so far better at walking that line. But more to come.

Thats always tough with audio devices because often several devices will sound different yet each sounds good in its own way. The Alpha looks like it has has phase and filter options on the front panel so I'll bet the sonics will be different depending on the settings.
 
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The Berkeley Alpha DAC is just about as good as it gets. I've listened to them for many, many hours a number of times and think they're excellent.

You can spend more money for a dCS Scarlatti (about $24,000) and it may be better...maybe.

The Pacific Microsonics Model 2 has been out of production for several years, but is said to be "the best DAC ever made, or will ever be made!" One of them was offered for sale this last year for $15,000 (which is what they had cost new). It had been nearly four years when one had previously been offered for sale.

For what it's worth, both the Pacific Microsonics and the Berkeley Alpha DAC were designed by pretty much the same design team.

Best Regards,
TerryO
 
Never heard one myself but the Berkeley is supposed to be a great piece - it will be interesting to hear your further thoughts on it when you have such nice stuff already to compare it to.

I sure hope you get a chance to compare it to the Mytek and let us in on the experience - especially how it stands up with PCM decoding. The Mytek (and several others) seen to be getting a lot of positive mention with regards to what they can do with DSD but at the end of the day, they are probably going to be decoding regular redbook the majority of the time for most people.

Having said that though, I just listened to a bunch of DSD rips (slowly working through my SACD stash) that I 'dumbed down' to hi-res PCM and you know, they just aren't up to what I hear from the SACDs on the Sony 777.

I really want to hear DSD streaming...
 
I've heard DSD streaming through a pair of Audeze LCD-3 headphones and it really didn't take much more than a song to sell me on it. It was fantastic. But I also really think highly of high-res PCM. I asked my friend and audio dealer what he thought of the options, and he said the Berkeley would probably be his choice if he was doing mostly redbook and high-res, non DSD stuff. He doesn't have one in stock for a direct comparison but could probably get one. The Series 2 Alpha DAC is supposed to be even better but for what I could get this one for, its really not an option. I don't think this one is recent enough to be upgraded (some later series 1s can be upgraded but the earliest ones can not.).

Either way, it sounds good now. I've done nothing but a rudimentary plug-in and listen so far. I have a few cable options to play with and I may try running it directly into the amp section of the Accuphase, as it has volume control and can act like a digital preamp.
 
Earlier this year, I had considered picking up an Alpha DAC 2 blind because of all the buzz about them. Couldn't quite pull the trigger.

In the meantime I found an Ayre QB-9 for a great price used. Ayre just announced a DSD upgrade coming in a few months that may include some analog output upgrades, clock chip upgrades and maybe even a switch to the sabre dac chip. Quite looking forward to the reviews and maybe sending mine in for the upgrade.
 
I'm now listening to it as a digital preamp, directly into the amp section of the Accuphase. If the Accuphase unit has a fault, it is that the pre section is not as transparent as more current units I've heard. The amplifier section is exceptional, however.

The sound here, playing FLAC files from CD (Currently Antony and the Johnson's wonderfully recorded The Crying Light) is phenomenal. Detailed but not the kind of detail that quickly irritates me and annoys after the first "wow" moment. I think it might have to do with the fact that there just seems to be more there than with the previous DAC I've been using here, the Apogee Duet II.

I made a direct comparison to the Duet II about a 1/2 hour ago and the comparison proved that the Apogee was no slouch, its sins were sins of omission. It simply didn't have as much musical information as the Alpha. Better lower bass performance on the Alpha DAC and most importantly a better handling of the subtleties that make or break digital units for me. The way they handle reverb, ambient sound, the tone of an instrument trailing off completely. These are the things that have sold high quality digital to me as a replacement for my vinyl setup, which I play less and less and less these days. Its not worth the hassle when I'm routinely getting better sound from a music server.

Some non ideal things still in the chain here are the older 24/92 V-link, and that I have to use a BNC-Coax adaptor as the Alpha DAC does not have a COAX input, but rather a BNC input. The adaptor seems to work fine, FWIW. I have no reference yet for any difference that would result by going into a different input. I've been meaning to get the V-link 192, which has an AES output, or if I really bite the bullet a Wavelength USB interface. They're supposed to be among the best.
 
I'm trying lower res on it now, streaming MOG, and.....

not bad! There's a drop in quality but not by the introduction of annoying artifacts, etc. It just "isn't all there", but what is, is handled well. I love MOG>

And this is streaming indie with questionable recording quality (though not terrible..currently listening to Perfume Genius' incredibly sad "Put your back n 2 it" and Dusted's "Total Dust"... a DAC here must handle everything, not just the best recordings).

I have to say...the sound quality of this DAC dealing with MOG is a big selling point. I'm often impressed more by how gear handles non-ideal source information than whether or not it can shine when given every possible chance at success.

One thing I'm noticing is that there are a lot more recordings with obvious tape-hiss than I was aware of yesterday :). The Mytek DAC has a tough challenge ahead for it. The Alpha DAC is fantastic.
 
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Thats always tough with audio devices because often several devices will sound different yet each sounds good in its own way. The Alpha looks like it has has phase and filter options on the front panel so I'll bet the sonics will be different depending on the settings.

The filters are a mixture of consumer and pro options. The first one is "highly recommended" in the manual for best sound. The others are for mastering engineers to hear how something will sound on different types of home CD players, like the DAC equivalent of control monitors. Interesting! I haven't tried them yet, beyond a very quick run through.
 
John, you are pretty fortunate to be able to audition some of this really nice gear at home. On the same token, if I was in such a fortunate position, I would probably buy a lot more gear than I do now. Keep the reviews on this stuff coming, it's nice to hear about it from a fellow enthusiast.
 
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