weiss /Berkeley DAC

If you use a preamp and don't need the built-in volume control, and if you can live without HDCD decoding, I recommend you listen to the Bryston BDA-1. I haven't done a head to head comparison, but I'm fairly confident the Bryston is in the same ballpark for 40% the price. The BADA has, in my two auditions, a fairly strong sonic "character," which the Bryston does not (or has less of, at any rate).

looks like not many people paired either DAC with a conventional transport

Roypan,

The Weiss after the firmware upgrade to V2-0-1-2 is another machine, I had got mine with V2-0-1-0 and after upgrading it there was a HUGE difference across the spectrum!!
I hope when you auditioned it, it was updated!

Best Regards,

Satyam Bachani.

Drubin,

May I ask what "sonic character" did you hear on BADA? The 40% saving is substantial!
Does the Bryston has any drawbacks compared to the BADA?
what music and what system did you use in your audition?

I think your answers to these question will help the original poster and me understand the basis of your comparison as none of us could audition them.

Thanks

I just heard the Berkeley paired with the full recommended PC setup including Lynx sound card. Hi-rez material was out of this world. It also provided by far the best redbook playback I've ever heard. It's really a remarkable achievement.