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Choice between Weiss Minerva & Berkley Alpha DAC

Hi all,
I am looking to purchase a DAC and would ask for feedback on the Weiss Minerva vs the Berkley Alpha. Other interesting DAC's in the running are the Bryston and the PS Audio Perfect Wave DAC. I listen to a broad variety of music (jazz, rock, classic). All of my other electronics are tube. I would put a digital source through the DAC as well as a CD transport.
Thanks!
memac
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Memac, I certainly think the Berkeley and Weiss dacs are ahead of the other two. I personally think the Minerva is clearly the best of these two. But I would only use the Firewire connection to my Mac and the Berkeley has no Firewire port. The review mentioned above as comparing the two, says that the Minerva has a more focused (ie. narrower) soundstage. I entirely disagree finding it the most encompassing dac I have ever heard, but this is using Firewire, which could not be used by the reviewer.

As always, it is a matter of tastes, but I am convinced that were you to use Firewire and the Minerva you would be amazed at the sound.
dracule1
1,085 posts
 
tbg, did actually do a side by side comparison between berkley and minerva?
tbg
5,263 posts
 
Dracule1, no I did not. It would be difficult to do except to disadvantage the Minerva by using S/P DIF. What I heard was in two systems but with the same recordings used, both from Mac server.
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