Berkeley Audio Design Alpha DAC Reference Series 1 MQA

On offer is a Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference, Series 1, with Berkeley's MQA upgrade. When this DAC was new it was (arguably) the finest in the world--see Robert Harley's review in The Absolute Sound (excerpted below)--and it is still in the very top echelon of audiophile DACs. Besides being one of the most important audio products of the past decade, it is a visual stunner--flawless casework and a chassis milled from a solid aluminum block.

I can't find any cosmetic flaws with the unit, though, as I am the second owner, I have rated the unit's condition very conservatively. The photos will give an accurate idea of what the unit looks like. It has seen light daily use in a child-, pet-, and smoke-free environment.

Buyer pays for shipping.

From The Absolute Sound Review

The Berkeley Alpha DAC Reference Series is not only the absolute state of the art in digital-to-analog conversion, it also goes far beyond even this superlative to redefine what’s possible in digital playback. This is a landmark product in that it crosses a threshold of sound quality and musical expressiveness that renders moot the idea that digital can only aspire to mimic analog rather than offer its own set of virtues.

I won’t reiterate the Alpha Reference’s merits, but can guarantee that you’ve never heard digital audio sound like this. This is a product that you have to hear for yourself to believe just how far digital has traveled. I’m also heartened by the Reference’s price. Although not inexpensive, $16,000 for the unquestioned state of the art in digital playback makes it seem like a bargain.

On a personal level, I can’t tell you how thrilled I am to experience an entirely new and unexpected level of musical involvement from my library of standard-resolution CDs and files. After one particularly rewarding session, I reflected on how Berkeley Audio Design epitomizes the highest ideals of high-end audio.

Ritter and Pflaumer toiled for years, researching the finest minutia of design details that affect sound quality to create a product that has allowed me to experience a deeper level of musical involvement and appreciation. Their single-minded pursuit of performance above all else exemplifies the ethos behind the landmark breakthroughs in the history of high-end audio.

And breakthrough the Alpha Reference is. I’m confident in saying that the Alpha Reference will be remembered decades from now as a turning point in digital audio sound quality.