Quadrangulum Posted June 19, 2009 Report Posted June 19, 2009 Pardon the mess; I'm moving next week so I don't have a nice table to put everything on. I knew I had to buy it as soon as I heard Voltron's set up at CanJam. I got it about three hours ago and it's terrific like I remembered it. So far, I'm using the AES input on my Primare DVD30 to compare the DACs between the two devices. It's my very first piece of individual equipment that costs this much so I'm experiencing a whole new level of sound. For example, I always discounted one recording as flawed because of strange background noises but the higher resolution of this DAC makes it very clear that it's just sound from the audience. Apparently, I'll get even more mileage out of it when I acquire a Mac with Amarra software. I was wondering if there are any other owners here. What's the reasoning behind the recommendation of using a Lynx AES output card from a computer? Also, any impressions/explanations of the Amarra software alone or feeding the Berkeley would be nice.
Azazel Posted June 19, 2009 Report Posted June 19, 2009 Wow, and there is one important detail here: it is the black one (they were only doing it white/grey until very recently and at an extra charge). I was trying to get this thing out of my head and you put it again...
Quadrangulum Posted June 19, 2009 Author Report Posted June 19, 2009 Thanks for the compliments guys. I love the look myself. To Azazel: From what I understand, Maier Shadi, from The Audio Salon in Los Angeles convinced Berkeley Audio to make some units in black. If you want one, I think he still has a few left.
blessingx Posted June 20, 2009 Report Posted June 20, 2009 Other owners? There's Voltron, of course, and ahh ... well ...
Voltron Posted June 20, 2009 Report Posted June 20, 2009 Nice work on the setup so far! The black Alpha DAC is killer looking and Meier really did a good thing for those guys if he was indeed the inspiration (which he told me as well). Glad you bought from him because it makes it worthwhile that he went to the trouble to bring two Alpha DACs to the meet and hang out there, etc. If you are going to buy a Mac and Amarra, then you should decide whether you are going to get Mini and some means to get FireWire converted to AES or you are going to have to get a tower and use a card like the Lynx to convert directly from the CPU. There are people on ComputerAudiophile.com who suggest that the tower/Lynx card combo is better for purest digital signal out of the CPU but I have a Mac Mini with FireWire into the Amarra Model Four and I am very happy with it. I have heard the Alpha DAC in two situations. First at a dealer with a CD transport feeding the DAC and second at the meet in LA with the Model Four's digital output into the Alpha DAC. Both times it sounded great and I think you would get similar results with the Amarra software directly into the Alpha. Enjoy the rig, and make sure you get some hi-rez audio pumping through that beautiful Alpha DAC because that is when it is supposed to shine its most... Other owners? There's Voltron, of course, and ahh ... well ... What does that last little text imply? Are you considering something, or just that I am alone out here so far?
socrates63 Posted June 20, 2009 Report Posted June 20, 2009 Wow, nice </drool> Al, you're a bad influence.
Quadrangulum Posted June 20, 2009 Author Report Posted June 20, 2009 Thanks/curses for the advice and the opportunity, Voltron. The Berkeley itself costs more than I wanted to spend on my whole headphone set up but every time I listen to it, I'm glad I jumped. You're absolutely right about its performance with high resolution audio. The few DVD-As I've tried gave me one of those "wow" moments in audio made doubly more potent as I actually own the gear producing the sound. I can't wait to try the Reference Recordings sample disk when I settle on a suitable computer. I think I'm going to splurge with an Amarra set up as well but I want to know how it works first. The raves about Amarra feeding the Berkeley are enough to convince me to commit but it all sounds like witchcraft right now even after reading the documentation on the website. I'm also a bit iffy on Mac hardware. I can only justify a single desktop computer but nothing in Apple's line up fits my needs. I think I might build a hackintosh for this though I don't know if that's going to affect Amarra or the Lynx card.
CarlSeibert Posted June 22, 2009 Report Posted June 22, 2009 >>>>envy<<<<< I heard the Berkeley this week on a very nice speaker setup. It sounded superb. A little ways beyond superb, actually. The rig sounded like very good analog, like really good tape. It was driven by a very generic Dell desktop that couldn't have cost much more than half what the Lynx card that was in it did. Now, that's kind of like one hand clapping, since I haven't heard the Berkeley with any other computer to compare. What's worse is that there are those who say the PCI Lynx sounds better than the PCIe one. Which means you either buy the Lynx with less street cred, OR the one that will fit in either PCs or Macs. Damn. But disclaimers aside, the cheapie PC/Lynx arrangement sure did play tunes through that DAC. -Carl
feckn_eejit Posted June 22, 2009 Report Posted June 22, 2009 *snip*I'm also a bit iffy on Mac hardware. I can only justify a single desktop computer but nothing in Apple's line up fits my needs. I think I might build a hackintosh for this though I don't know if that's going to affect Amarra or the Lynx card.this was my solution to getting a RME card into a machine that ran MacOS without dropping for a Mac Pro... PM me if you want more info on this sorta thing.
jimmyjames8 Posted June 22, 2009 Report Posted June 22, 2009 Can't afford the Alpha Dac right now and not sure I need it's horsepower (yet) but I want the Luxman P-1 jones bad. I just emailed AQII to see if they really have it in stock.
seacard Posted June 22, 2009 Report Posted June 22, 2009 Can't afford the Alpha Dac right now and not sure I need it's horsepower (yet) but I want the Luxman P-1 jones bad. I just emailed AQII to see if they really have it in stock. There is one currently in the FS forum.
grawk Posted June 22, 2009 Report Posted June 22, 2009 No need to get uppity, jimmy, you're a newbie too.
spritzer Posted June 22, 2009 Report Posted June 22, 2009 I'm sure you can get the P-1 cheaper through the deputy services then AQ2. Almost anything is cheaper then AQ2...
jimmyjames8 Posted June 22, 2009 Report Posted June 22, 2009 No need to get uppity, jimmy, you're a newbie too. The thanks was sincere and I am no longer a newbie. I am a "limited edition bronze participant" thank you (and old enough to be most of you guys dad).
Quadrangulum Posted June 22, 2009 Author Report Posted June 22, 2009 >>>>envy<<<<< I heard the Berkeley this week on a very nice speaker setup. It sounded superb. A little ways beyond superb, actually. The rig sounded like very good analog, like really good tape. It was driven by a very generic Dell desktop that couldn't have cost much more than half what the Lynx card that was in it did. Now, that's kind of like one hand clapping, since I haven't heard the Berkeley with any other computer to compare. What's worse is that there are those who say the PCI Lynx sounds better than the PCIe one. Which means you either buy the Lynx with less street cred, OR the one that will fit in either PCs or Macs. Damn. But disclaimers aside, the cheapie PC/Lynx arrangement sure did play tunes through that DAC. -Carl Thanks for sharing your impressions. I think I might try the sound with my existing PC and see if I'm satisfied enough to pass on a Mac set up. My only experience so far is with a Mac Mini at CanJam which sounded absolutely delightful. If I can approximate that at home with what I have already, I might be able put an end to this runaway spending. It's interesting that some people say there differences between PCI and PCIe. I suppose that's because the PCI bus is separated from PCIe?
deepak Posted June 22, 2009 Report Posted June 22, 2009 Thanks for sharing your impressions. I think I might try the sound with my existing PC and see if I'm satisfied enough to pass on a Mac set up. My only experience so far is with a Mac Mini at CanJam which sounded absolutely delightful. If I can approximate that at home with what I have already, I might be able put an end to this runaway spending. It's interesting that some people say there differences between PCI and PCIe. I suppose that's because the PCI bus is separated from PCIe? The PCI bus is shared. PCI-E is separate.
aardvark baguette Posted June 22, 2009 Report Posted June 22, 2009 The PCI bus is shared. PCI-E is separate.
CarlSeibert Posted June 22, 2009 Report Posted June 22, 2009 or because people are full of shit. either way. That, or the design of the two products is actually a little different apart from just the bus that they go on. Who knows. Personally, I think I should be entitled to a bit-perfect, jitter-free, totally wonderful stream from my $12 piece of crap soundcard. But I think all kinds of crazy stuff. -Carl
Currawong Posted June 25, 2009 Report Posted June 25, 2009 Mate of mine who is a long-time hi-fi nut and lives in Berkeley has one, never failing to tell me how good it is.
rogue Posted June 26, 2009 Report Posted June 26, 2009 /me wants. I realize its a manner of diminishing returns of course, but I do wonder if its twice as good as something like an Ayre QB-9. Plus, $699 for the Lynx AES card =(
aardvark baguette Posted June 26, 2009 Report Posted June 26, 2009 Lynx AES card =( That right there is the deal breaker imo. 2 sound cards? Pass.
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