Berkeley Alpha vs Weiss 202 vs Ayre QB9 vs ?

In a way, Walter is also right to think that Weiss in more analogue. I guess it all depends on what you consider to be analogue like. Weiss definitely has very liquid, smooth midrange and high that is free from the usual artifact one associates with digital. Berkeley certainly is not quite as liquid and a touch coarser through the midrange. My analogue setup at that time has VPI/Dyna XV-1s which had big, bolder sound and not the last word in smoothness in comparison to my current Air Tight cartridge and I find Berkeley a little closer than Weiss to my analogue setup in that respect. I just wish Weiss would have a bit more bottom weight that would make lower chords on a piano sounds like a real 9ft concert grand rather than a baby grand.
In the end, I did not change from Berkeley to Weiss as I think it was more of a lateral move rather than a true upgrade. Btw, I was using Lynx card with Cardas Clear cable to connect to Berkeley and Weiss was connected via firewire with Oyaide firewire cable when I made the comparison. Eventually I replaced my Berkeley with Playback MPS-5.

Suteeat,

So was the PB an upgrade from the Alpha in a big way?

Interesting I had the PB and thought that it did not have a very organic midrange. If it did I would have kept it because everything else about it was top notch. My modright modded Sony 5400ES is what I am using now and like it much better than the PB. Really the only units I would be curious to hear is the new Esoteric X-1 and the new Meitner 25,000 cd player. I hear both have an organic midrange that they never had before.

Jwm

Have you heard the Lampizator?

no never heard it