What’s this topic doing here, you ask? I read through Robert Harley’s review of the Alpha DAC Reference and even before I read the interview with Michael Ritter, I thought - “this things sounds like it’s a $16,000 DS!”.
In terms of the sonic description, at least. I know it’s not a FPGA based solution, but the way Harley described the sound struck me as being very much like what Ted and Paul achieved with the DS. Hopefully I’ll get to hear this at RMAF. When I read the interview it further struck me how there were at least one or two concept (if not exact execution) similarities to the DS. The care with clock implementation in particular.
There is a new review by Chris on CA that is every bit as glowing, ’ game changer’ is only one of his many bravos.
Thanks Roger. I’ll take a look. Funny how he got this review out and we’re still waiting for his review of the DS.
True, could be he started it earlier I guess. Would love to hear one sometime, alas a lot if bucks though.
rogerdn said There is a new review by Chris on CA that is every bit as glowing . . .A hideously written review. But it is clear he likes it.
tony22 said Thanks Roger. I'll take a look. Funny how he got this review out and we're still waiting for his review of the DS.+1 !
tony22 said What's this topic doing here, you ask? I read through Robert Harley's review of the Alpha DAC Reference and even before I read the interview with Michael Ritter, I thought - "this things sounds like it's a $16,000 DS!".In terms of the sonic description, at least. I know it's not a FPGA based solution, but the way Harley described the sound struck me as being very much like what Ted and Paul achieved with the DS. Hopefully I'll get to hear this at RMAF. When I read the interview it further struck me how there were at least one or two concept (if not exact execution) similarities to the DS. The care with clock implementation in particular.Sorry this is just way too subjective for me. Going by two different people's perceptions of two different dacs and infering they sound alike because the perceptions of each dac's sound is similar is a bit hard to take seriously.
crabby, I didn’t say I presumed they sounded alike. Rather, the language used by Harley to describe the sonic impressions seemed very much like the language that would be used in line describing the DS (seemed that way to me, anyway). That’s what I meant when I said “In terms of the sonic description, at least”. Sorry if it wasn’t clear.
Berkley DAC a “Game Changer” at $16K? Well, if it is it must be REALLY something…
It’s a game changer because he has not even unboxed the DS yet because it is too cheap to be that good and/or comes from a well known but “nothing special” company. 
J.P.
Is it Chris that is going to do the DS review?
This is not to my understanding.
I’m not sure. I thought it was.
ted_b has the unit (and has had it for a while now.)
No joke on the “for a while now” part. I’m curious what the delay of his review is about. Though he’s been nice enough to chat DS vs Chord with me - he was spot on with all his notes in that brief conversation. I didn’t want to pester him with another “where’s the review” question.
I thought he posted at one point early on that he was surprised how bright it sounded. That implied to me he wasn’t too thrilled. But i’m just going from memory.
ted_b included the following in a post on another forum last week:
"…(and then need to get my DirectStream review out before RMAF). Figured if I put this out there it would motivate me…"
That’s encouraging. Given how long he’s had the DS I hope he’s been doing some listening with the latest FW - or at least 1.1.5.