Benchmark,Berkeley Alpha, Weiss 202 Shootout!

We had an interesting dac shootout last evening, contenders were Benchmark dac ( preamp version ) Berkeley 'Alpha' dac and Weiss 202.
It was the first time I had heard the Berkeley as it isn't imported into Europe, because of ROHS and CE compliance issues.
We connected the Benchmark and the Berkeley through a Weiss INT202 firewire interface and listened to mostly 44.1 but also some 176/24 material, and the results were extremey interesting, dacs do not all sound the same!
Keith.

 

Thanks Keith but "and the results were extremey interesting" isn't much of a review. You'll need to do better, like a fuller review, even if you are a dealer .

 

Dev Hi, I am hopeful that maybe the other two panelists ( who aren't dealers ) might chip in.
I will say that to those that believe that the Benchmark is 'perfect' it isn't, relatively quite poor in fact, with a comparatively grey, dull sound .
Keith.

 

Thanks Keith, let's hope they do. Price-wise, were all three DACs in the same ballpark?

 

D Hi, no the Benchmark is what around £1200ish the Berkeley is £3200 ( plus import tax ) and the 202 is a bit more £4000.

 

The new Arcam rDAC

Please Keith give the new Arcam rDAC also a go Vs the Benchmark and possibily the Cambridge DAC magic,

Thank you
Hicham - Sydney

 

Hicham, borrow those dacs from your local retailers and post a review,I would be interested to hear your thoughts,
Keith.

 

The new Arcam rDAC

Sure Keith, I shall hopefully do this exercise sometime in July-August.
This rDAC wouldn't be available sooner than the end of this June.

 

Would you not expect dacs that are three times the price to be better? I can't see what the review has achieved.

 

I never really set out to write a review, I just thought some might be interested to hear a few thoughts on a comparison between three dacs, one of which ( the Berkeley Alpha ) is not readily available in the UK.
I have read that the Benchmark dac is 'perfect' ,clearly it is not and better sound quality is available, at a price.
The Berkeley has been widely praised, and while it is a decent dac, it is simply not in the same class as the ( slightly more expensive )Weiss, vfm judgements are of course best left to the individual.
Keith.