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2023 Golden Ear: Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference Series 3 and Alpha DAC Series 3 Digital-to-Analog Converter

2023 Golden Ear: Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference Series 3 and Alpha DAC Series 3 Digital-to-Analog Converter

$28,000/$10,995

Magazines naturally concentrate on presenting to their readers what’s new, nevertheless it’s additionally necessary that we don’t overlook these beforehand reviewed merchandise that spectacular over-perform at their value level. The Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference Series 3 is such a product. I’ve reviewed all three generations of the DAC and used it as my reference for a few years.

If you might be out there for a top-shelf DAC, it’s essential to contemplate the Reference DAC 3. Compare it head-to-head with any DAC extant, and also you’ll be stunned by the way it holds its personal or beats extremely regarded rivals with six-figure value tags. The Reference 3 is extraordinarily musical and interesting, with an incredible means to succeed in down and current the best of musical particulars with precision and readability. This additionally applies to spatial micro-cues, opening up a gloriously huge and deep soundstage with exact picture placement. “Refined” is an effective description of the Berkeley’s general sound. Despite its excessive decision, the Berkeley has an uncharacteristic ease and lack of glare within the treble—an exciting mixture. The draw back: The Reference 3 is a high-performance machine stripped right down to the naked efficiency necessities, that means it has no DSD, no Roon functionality, no networking, and no USB enter (you’ll want Berkeley USB converter for that). But in the event you can forego the bells and whistles and need by far one of the best sound for the cash, there’s no better discount in DACs right now than the Reference 3. If the worth of entry is simply too excessive, the corporate’s Alpha DAC 3 brings you a lot of the efficiency for lower than half the worth. (298, 320)

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January 23, 2024 at 04:44PM

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