Hi all,
can someone, preferably with first-hand experience enlighten me on the difference in quality ánd sound between the SDR-4000 Reference and the latest CD-spinner, the SDR-4000 SL?
Thank you!
Cheers,
Wim
I currently own both players. I can try to help you if you give me the context of your question. Do you currently own a SDR-4000 Reference and are looking to upgrade? Are you looking to buy one or the other? Are you just curious? Please be patient if I do not answer immediately, as I am very time constrained.
Thank you for your response! I have been an avid dCS user for years. Still love my Elgar plus / Verdi combination but...my Verdi is seemingly that old that even dCS stopped servicing the unit. I am also a big Spectral fan (have the 360s version one and love them). So I was thinking...maybe it is time for a decent Spectral CD player. There is a second hand version on the market of the 4000 Reference. Hence my question. Again, thank you for your input.
Very enlightening comments Rob, thanks. Interestingly, I A/B'd the Berkeley Reference with the SL a while ago, using the SL as the transport for the Berkeley - the levels were matched, and A/B was easy on the preamp. My impression was that the Berkeley came 99% close to the SL's performance, but only played 16-bit HDCD (the SL's limit). What did you hear in your A/B?
Bob Harley was right. The Berkeley Reference DAC does not sound like analog, nor does it sound like digital. I believe that the lower noise floor on the Berkeley combined with the absence of any perceived jitter makes for a presentation with more information, that cannot be matched by analog, with its inherent noise limitations. The sound is DYNAMIC, smooth, articulated, organic, coherent, relaxed, and soooooooo easy to listen to.
I read Harley's review in TAS and don't recall him writing that he preferred the Berkeley to his analog. I do recall that he commented on their differences but I don't think he actually stated a preference for one or the other.
Coopersark, what analog source have you compared to the Berkeley Ref DAC to be so certain that its level of information retrieval can not be matched by any analog? That is quite a declarative opinion and mighty impressive if true.
Bring it home with an open mind. You will see! As another reviewer had commented "Game changing".Sure, I can bring it home... during my audition, the interconnects were the same MIT for both (though much lesser than your MA-X SHD), I can't recall the digital cable, and I think the power cords were the same as well; no idea about power conditioning and such, but I would think they were plugged into the same circuit. Your comments have me intrigued. I either wasn't getting the best out of the Berkeley, or you are not getting the best out of your SL (and I can't see how that could be); or else, we simply hear differently in this particular case. Very interesting and contrasting points of view... I wonder what I am missing, and it can't be the speakers (the Q7 are resolving enough)... it could be that the SL was driving both itself and the digital out, if that's indeed a bad thing to do as you say...
Keep us up to date on the Anaconda vs MA-X digital
Also, try to do some of your comparative listening on reference grade headphones, taking out the speaker/room interactions. I find headphone listening very instructive for critical equipment evaluations.Sure, I can bring it home... during my audition, the interconnects were the same MIT for both (though much lesser than your MA-X SHD), I can't recall the digital cable, and I think the power cords were the same as well; no idea about power conditioning and such, but I would think they were plugged into the same circuit. Your comments have me intrigued. I either wasn't getting the best out of the Berkeley, or you are not getting the best out of your SL (and I can't see how that could be); or else, we simply hear differently in this particular case. Very interesting and contrasting points of view... I wonder what I am missing, and it can't be the speakers (the Q7 are resolving enough)... it could be that the SL was driving both itself and the digital out, if that's indeed a bad thing to do as you say...
Keep us up to date on the Anaconda vs MA-X digital
You are right about Harley's assessment. He did say that the DAC sounds like a mike feed, and that is what I am hearing - spooky real. Currently no analogue on my setup. I ditched my Goldmund table years ago. Always found records too noisy, no matter how "quiet". There was always a small "tick" somewhere that put me on edge for the whole time that I had listened to record albums. Had to do so in the days where there was no other choice.
Hello,
Coopersark I have a question for you. When you had the Alpha DAC Reference in your system, did you remove your pre-amp from the presentation during the audition?
If you want to save money/have the ultimate sound, then bypass the preamp at your own peril, or use another brand of amplification than Spectral. There are lots of great sounding amplification electronics in the marketplace that don't have Spectral's restrictions or limitations.
Although its an owners ultimate responsibility to choose how they want listen thourgh their gear. I find that even dangerous things can be accomplished safely as long as all of the elements are understood and account for; but as you know there are no garranties in life. With respect to Berkeley's Alpha DAC Reference, you have the very best recommended interconnects & speakers cables from MIT to protect your amplifers. On the power side its very likely you have Shunyata's DCP-6 digital noise reduction filter box feeding all the appropreiate front end componets. So all the grounding & noise covered there. What's possibly missing? Huh. i would hate to think that just because someone percieves a danger in damaging there amplifers by removing the pre-amp in this situation as a safeguard, would actually take away from the ultimate experience of enjoying the music they love.
Bring it home with an open mind. You will see! As another reviewer had commented "Game changing".
Don't bring it home, and you will save money!
I will keep you up to date on two things - The Shunyata/MIT and the Shunyata/Berkeley after I have mine running in the stem for a while. (I am counting days like a kid before Christmas!)
Coopersark, are you done counting days yet and did you get your reference DAC? I am extremely close to pulling the trigger and ordering one myself (4 months wait I believe) so I'll be eagerly reading user reports during the wait.
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