I have a Berkeley Ref (1st gen) in my system currently. It is so outclassed by my AMR DP 777 SE and my AMR CD 77.1 I simply can’t understand any adulation for the unit. My AMR gear sounds like my turntable, the Berkeley sounds like hard digital. The Berkeley is certainly not terrible but there is absolutely nothing that would draw me to its presentation. The dealer also told me (great dealer by the way) that they (manufacturers) always claim that the difference with the mk2 is huge, but that in reality (in this case at least) it is subtle.
I have experience with the Vivaldi stack and it is far far beyond the Berkeley. The Berkeley is the type of sound that has analog only people still believing digital can’t compete. I have two turntables and a fully sorted R2R system so I know that digital when done right can get very close to pure analog.
My Museatex Bidat is far better than the Berkeley Ref. I honestly don’t understand some of these online reviewers, unless they are on the take, and a LOT of them are on the take, I would say my former Metrum Acoustics Hex would easily upstage the Berkeley.
I have experience with the Vivaldi stack and it is far far beyond the Berkeley. The Berkeley is the type of sound that has analog only people still believing digital can’t compete. I have two turntables and a fully sorted R2R system so I know that digital when done right can get very close to pure analog.
My Museatex Bidat is far better than the Berkeley Ref. I honestly don’t understand some of these online reviewers, unless they are on the take, and a LOT of them are on the take, I would say my former Metrum Acoustics Hex would easily upstage the Berkeley.