Any insight with the Berkeley Alpha DAC ..??

Steve,

Thanks for your response to my question. I haven't been back to this thread for a few days, but if your still around maybe you can clarify something for me.

You said:

There is no direct S/PDIF from a computer.

I take that to mean that you cannot extract digital information from a hard drive in S/PDIF format - it is first extracted in a different digital format and then converted to S/PDIF. My question is, where does that conversion take place and does it require a sound card? If you are saying that the conversion to S/PDIF must occur inside the computer, with the assistance of a sound card, then what does a USB DAC do that is different from a normal DAC? I was under the impression that a USB DAC converts the computer's digital format to S/PDIF as well as convert S/PDIF to analog, but I'm not really sure. Even if my impression is correct, maybe the sound card "sets up" the conversion to S/PDIF by performing some necessary preliminaries, like clocking.

I want to get the basic steps straight before tackling the details of implementation.

Update to my last post. Just read some other computer audio threads that suggest that the designation "USB DAC" refers to the way digital information moves from the computer to an external DAC, not any extra conversion that takes place in the DAC. Does that mean that the conversion to S/PDIF must take place inside the computer or could the computer's digital information be transported outside the computer in a format other than S/PDIF and then converted? Hope the other readers of this thread will excuse these plodding questions, but there's very little information available that spells out the basics in a clear, step-by-step way.

Hello Steve,

Sorry, two questions, can I use one EMM labs DAC2 , that have USB input, directly from the USB output of my Mac? and second if I want 24/192 what I need Thanks in advance

A bump to Waltersalas -- how's it going with the Berkeley?

Drubin,
It is going swimmingly. I was really struggling with making a decision between the Berkeley/Computer-based music server, the Marantz SA-7S1, or the Abbingdon CD-77. I couldn't really arrange any auditions in my own system--which is really the only kind of audition that would tell me much (in someone else's system, how does one sort out the characteristics of the digital player from those of the preamp, or the speakers?).

I decided to take a chance on the Berkeley, primarily because I have a fairly large CD collection (4,000 or so), and I liked the idea of putting it all on a hard drive and having it available at my fingertips. I figured I could always punt and sell it if the Berkeley did not meet my expectations.

I would still love to hear those other players, but it is really hard for me to imagine that they would deliver more than the Berkeley is delivering. It really is astonishing, even on redbook recordings. The sound is just so liquid, yet detailed and spacious. The separation and layering of instruments is excellent, without being exagerrated. Images are the size and shape they should be, and the timber and texture of the music--the harmonics--sounds just right to me. Unlike other players I have had, it excels on all types of music, which is very important to me, as I have wide-ranging taste and need a player that can do Joni Mitchell, John Coltrane, Nickel Creek, or the New York Dolls, and sound equally adept with all of the above. I guess you could say it is equally capable of finesse and impact, grit and subtlety.

I'm certainly no reviewer, and lack the audiophile vocabulary to accurately describe its attributes. I just can't think of anything the Berkeley is not doing that I wish it would or could do.

By the way, I really love the computer-based approach as well. Being able to change albums instantly, or being able to play a couple of particular tracks I may be in the mood to hear while getting ready for work in the morning has really been amazing. I am really an album guy at heart, and tend to listen to albums all the way through, but it is really nice to just have it all right there in front of you when you are feeling impulsive. I've played a lot of music I haven't heard in years due only to the convenience factor.

Sorry for rambling. If you get a chance to try the Berkeley, I would be surprised if you weren't impressed with it. It is exactly the digital upgrade I've hoped for for the past several years (and there have been a few disappointments in there, believe me).

I hope this has been somewhat helpful. It would be great to hear updates from others who have some experience with the Berkeley.