[jhm731]

Berkeley Audio Design is extremely pleased to announce the availability of the new Alpha DAC Reference Series.

The Alpha DAC Reference Series embodies everything we know about digital to analogue conversion taken to an unprecedented level – a level that requires new design concepts & new components at the edge of what is possible. The result is an immediacy and presence of music reproduction that is simply real.

We literally designed the Reference Series before is was possible to built it. Almost three years in development, the Alpha DAC Reference Series uses components designed to our specifications that were not commercially available. Several suppliers were not able to meet our requirements which delayed the release of the Reference Series by more than one year. But those obstacles were overcome and now the Alpha DAC Reference Series is a reality.

The presence & sonic reality of the Reference Series is the result of digital to analogue conversion at a new level of accuracy made possible by tremendous electrical & mechanical noise isolation coupled with extreme time domain stability. Ceramic circuit board materials are used in all critical areas and the enclosure is carefully engineered to minimize electrical noise while maximizing mechanical stability. The Reference Series weighs over 40 pounds and the entire enclosure is precision machined from a a solid billet of 6061 – T aluminum alloy.

A new high output, all metal IR remote control with direct input source selection is provided with the Reference Series.

Careful consideration was given to providing the highest possible reproduction of DSD files by the Alpha DAC Reference Series. 99% of modern DAC’s, including the Alpha Reference Series use mult-bit D/A converters because they provide better performance than 1-bit converters – even those who advertise “native” DSD compatibility. So, at some point, the 1-bit DSD stream must be converted to multi-bit for all of those DAC’s.

We could, like many other manufacturers, convert 1-bit DSD to multi-bit within the Alpha DAC Reference Series and show “DSD” in the front panel display. That would be the easiest approach from a marketing perspective. But that would also mean increasing the amount of processing in the DAC during playback which would degrade audio quality, and audio quality is the reason the Alpha Reference Series exists.

Fortunately, virtually all reproduction of DSD files using external DAC’s occurs with a computer based music server as the source. If the 1-bit DSD to multi-bit conversion is done first in the computer it can be performed with extremely high precision and superior filtering that preserves all of the content of the DSD file. Computer DSD to multi-bit conversion can be at least as good as that performed in a DAC and without adding processing noise near or in the D/A converter chip. Another advantage of computer based DSD to PCM conversion is that if higher performance DSD versions such as DSD 4x appear in the future they can easily be supported with a software upgrade.

For all of those reasons, DSD capability for the Alpha DAC Reference Series is provided by an included state of the art software application that provides either real time conversion of DSD 1x and DSD 2x to 176.4 kHz 24 bit PCM during playback or conversion to 176.4 kHz 24 bit AIFF or WAV files. The software application is included in the price of the Alpha DAC Reference Series and is compatible with either Windows OS or Mac OS based music servers.

The Alpha DAC Reference Series supports 32 kHz to 192 kHz 24-bit PCM through four input; Balanced AES, Coaxial SPDIF 1, Coaxial SPDIF 2 and Toslink Optical. Independent, single-ended and true balanced analogue outputs are provided. Dimensions are 17.5 inches Wide X 12.5 inches Deep X 3.5 inches High.

$14K

[jtwrace]

Meh

[planet10]

four input; Balanced AES, Coaxial SPDIF 1, Coaxial SPDIF 2 and Toslink Optical

You still need the external box for USB in?

dave

[jhm731]

You still need the external box for USB in?

dave

Yes, you still need to convert USB to Spdif or AES outside the box.

[mr_bill]

I'll take two.....

[poseidonsvoice]

Meh

Exactly. A lot of audiophile jargon, pixie dust, etc...measurements would be nice. And the need for a USB to SPDIF converter?

Pass.

Best,
Anand.

[jhm731]

Exactly. A lot of audiophile jargon, pixie dust, etc...measurements would be nice. And the need for a USB to SPDIF converter?

Pass.

Best,
Anand.

Berkeley Audio believes that having the converter in a separate box produces superior results.

I'm sure they'll be heartbroken that you don't want one.

[srb]

Berkeley Audio believes that having the converter in a separate box produces superior results.

Can't see how an external converter with a needless intermediary conversion to S/PDIF or AES/EBU would be preferable to an internal USB input directly connected to the DAC chip via I2S bus.

Steve

[audioseduction]

Can't see how an external converter with a needless intermediary conversion to S/PDIF or AES/EBU would be preferable to an internal USB input directly connected to the DAC chip via I2S bus.

Steve

To better isolate the sensitive DAC electronics from the PC noise. I myself am a believer in this setup.  This is the path my digital takes. (JRMC Music Server >> Bel Canto REFLink Asynchronous USB Converter >> ST Fiber >> Bel Canto DAC3.5VB MKII/REF VB Cable/VBS1 External Power Supply ) I also transcode DSD with JRMC v19.

[k6davis]

Berkeley has a solid history, so I'll keep my eyes open, but there's lots about this that seems strange to me.

Putting aside the peculiarities about external conversion of DSD to PCM and lack of a USB input, $14k is a huge price for a DAC. Especially these days, when there's so much innovation in the $5k and under market. And I find it to be an extremely odd price too. I'm drawn to value for the dollar, even if it's a lot of dollars. I look at most modern DACs in the $1k range, the $2k range and the $4-5k range as offering a very high level of performance that many people can afford, or aspire to afford. IMO, $14k is too high for the vast majority and yet much less than the most affluent are willing to pay.

Of course, its performance is the key unknown, but will it actually run rings around the Auralic Vegas, LampizatOrs, Metrums, (insert your quality DAC here) of the world? Time will tell.

P.S. At this price, they should at least include the separate USB to SPDIF box...

[barrows]

No matter what you do, the SPDIF step will add jitter: both the SPDIF transmitter and receiver add jitter.  Internal USB direct to I2S, results in actual jitter levels at the DAC chip equal to that of the intrinsic clock jitter, plus a couple of pS more for PCB trace imperfections, etc.

BAD appears to believe that isolation of the processing noise of the USB interface is more important than the added jitter of SPDIF.  Or, perhaps, they just like to sell folks two components instead of just one.
Processing noise of USB may be significant, but it could be fairly easily isolated (especially considering a machined from block enclosure) by providing a separate internal compartment for the USB interface with 0.5" walls. 
I must admit i am a little disappointed that BAD did not do an internal USB receiver.  Additionally, I find it curious that they have not really talked about what/how they are doing the actual conversion, is it a SDM design, or R2R?  What about volume control, does it include a digital VC like the Alpha DAC?  What about asynchronous up sampling, does it do that as the Alpha does?  Still lots of things to find out about this new DAC.

[poseidonsvoice]

Berkeley has a solid history, so I'll keep my eyes open, but there's lots about this that seems strange to me.

Putting aside the peculiarities about external conversion of DSD to PCM and lack of a USB input, $14k is a huge price for a DAC. Especially these days, when there's so much innovation in the $5k and under market. And I find it to be an extremely odd price too. I'm drawn to value for the dollar, even if it's a lot of dollars. I look at most modern DACs in the $1k range, the $2k range and the $4-5k range as offering a very high level of performance that many people can afford, or aspire to afford. IMO, $14k is too high for the vast majority and yet much less than the most affluent are willing to pay.

Of course, its performance is the key unknown, but will it actually run rings around the Auralic Vegas, LampizatOrs, Metrums, (insert your quality DAC here) of the world? Time will tell.

P.S. At this price, they should at least include the separate USB to SPDIF box...

+1. Well said. I guess for $14k you get 40 lbs of 6061 so it is clearly aiming for the DCS/Burmester/Boulder crowd...

Best,

Anand.