Berkeley Audio Alpha DAC Series 3P

Description

MY TAKE: The Alpha 3P is yet another remarkable achievement from Berkeley Audio. It takes realism to a new level, and its detail retrieval is almost uncanny, without any hint of hardness, harshness, grain, or glare. Those qualities give the Alpha 3P a naturalness we usually associate only with analog playback, and that's what sets this DAC apart from many of the so-called state-of-the-art, hyper-priced competitors. Buy it. You can't go wrong! - Galen Carol

“The Alpha DAC 3P is stunningly great sounding by any measure.
The fact that it costs under $20k is nothing short of miraculous.”
 

Excerpt from Robert Harley’s review of the Alpha DAC Series 3P in the September 2026 issue of The Absolute Sound

The Alpha DAC Series 3P uses Perfected Technology introduced in the Alpha DAC Reference Series 3P to achieve a new level of musical realism made possible because of extremely high time domain Accuracy. Time domain Distortion erases subtle spatial and timbral audio information essential to the experience of live music. Perfected Technology goes beyond sounding excellent to simply sounding real.

Alpha DAC Series 3P - A New Level of Audio Quality and Value -

• New proprietary RF waveguide technology, new ultra-low noise reclocking and new extremely low noise software all dramatically increase musical reality. Berkeley Audio Design Perfected Technology achieves a level of time domain accuracy never available before in an audio D to A converter.
• The result is profound musical realism. Time domain distortion erases subtle spatial and timbral audio information essential to the experience of live music. Perfected Technology goes beyond sounding excellent to simply sounding real.
• Compare the audio quality of an Alpha DAC Series 3P used with an Alpha USB reclocking noise isolator to any DAC at any price and you will be amazed.
• Excellent PCM audio quality from 32kHz to 192kHz
• Excellent MQA Rendering quality to beyond 384kHz
• Ultra-low phase noise conversion clocking
• Outputs can connect directly to power amplifiers
• All metal Series 3P IR Remote Control
• Available with a Silver or Black front panel
• The Alpha DAC Series 3 will continue to be available and can be factory upgraded to an Alpha DAC Series 3P

Controls & Indicators -

• Input selects AES, SPDIF1, SPDIF2 or Toslink inputs 
• Lock LED indicates input signal lock
• HDCD LED indicates HDCD code detected
• Phase sets absolute phase
• Invert LED indicates absolute phase inverted
• 3 digit LED display of Stereo/L/R attenuation, Sampling Rate and Filter type
• ± controls set attenuation level and select Filter type
• Mode selects Stereo/L/R attenuation, Sampling Rate and Filter type display modes
• Dim selects multiple display brightness levels

Specifications -

• Input sampling rate: 32kHz to 192kHz
• Input word length: 24-bit
• Ultra-low phase noise Precision Clocking at 44.1kHz, 48kHz, 88.2kHz, 96kHz, 176.4kHz and 192kHz sampling rates ± 100 ppm
• Two channel analog stereo outputs: XLR balanced with pin 2 positive and RCA unbalanced
• Digital Inputs: AES - XLR, 110Ω; SPDIF1 - BNC, 75Ω; SPDIF2 - BNC, 75Ω; TOSLINK - Toslink optical connector
• MQA rendering automatically detects MQA Core decoded signals and performs MQA rendering to 384kHz and above
• HDCD decoding capability to detect 16-bit flag at 44.1kHz or 24-bit flag at all sampling rates
• Multiple digital filter options
• Balanced analog output level: +18dBu (6.15Vrms) maximum, +12dBu (3.1Vrms) or lower recommended
• Unbalanced analog output level: 3.25Vrms maximum, 2Vrms or lower recommended
• Digital volume & balance control: 0.1dB/step with .05dB/step L/R gain trim, 60dB range
• Frequency response at ≥ 88.2kHz sampling rates: ± 0.1dB from < 0.1Hz to 35 kHz, - 3dB at 59kHz for 176.4kHz and 192kHz sampling rates
  Distortion at recommended levels: all products ≤ -120dBFS
• THD+N at maximum level: < -110dBFS
• Firmware is upgradeable through signal inputs
• Enclosure dimensions: 2.3”H X 16.7”W x 10.6”D
• Weight: 11.6 lbs.
• Mains power: 100/120/240VAC, 50/60Hz
• Power consumption: 25W

Price $16995