Berkeley Alpha DAC: cabling and breaking-in time

I got mine used so it was already broken in. I wouldn't doubt at least 200 hrs. I use the aes/ebu input (purist audio anniversary) and balanced outs (Tara labs the one) with a shunyata python ac cord. My source is a squeezebox touch into an esoteric g25u upsampler/clock, feeding the dac a 176.2 signal (1.24 filter)and it absolutely sings. The dac sits on herbie audio tender feet and 2component top weights. The dac really hums. The herbs really did reduce the transformer noise. Enjoy the dac. It is awesome. My bass frequencies are articulated, deep and very well defined. The dac is capable of it. Try the 1.24 filter.

Gladly. The Berkeley replaced a benchmark dac. The Berkeley is more resolving and threw a wider and deeper soundstage. The biggest difference was that the music through the bada just sounded right. The touch into the dac sounds great but up sampling the touch with the g25u (replaced a monarchy combo which up sampled to 96k) brought it to a fascinating level. Increased air, detail and resolution. Picth black backgrounds and an absolute ease in listening. No fatigue at all. I can hear deeper into the music and have more tonal colors (the reeds, vocals, cymbals, bass strings). They sound much more like the real thing. Eerie, actually. I use 172k instead of 196k as it is a natural multiplier of 44.1. I will experiment with the 196k again in future.

Dennis

Have you tried the different filters in the BADA?

Great to hear. Mine does sound amazing. I found the Herbie footers do a good job at reducing the transformer hum. I use the 1.24 filer as well. I also found the power conditioner made a difference on sound. My Shunyata Hydra sounds much better than the Richard Gray 1200S (with the BADA plugged into it).