Bushmaster Mk. II (TC-7533)

[wee tee cee]

Aye , spent a very nice afternoon round at Tonys listening to his system . Had a short listen to his headphone setup using HD 650s and very nice it was too. I'm not a big headphone fan but I could easily have lived with this combination . Also got the chance to listen to his system using his laptop / ITunes into Temple Audio monoblocks feeding his Quad electrostatics and Spendor SP1s . Really enjoyed listening to this system and I was particularly taken with the big Spendors . Really enjoyable and informative afternoon.

Thanks,
Really enjoyed no bullshit session, for two guys that build cables and servers to be so positive about my basic laptop set up at least let me know I was on the right path.
Without being funny you guys set a time that suits next week and gie this beastie a swatch......I canny get ma head round what its doing with tracks I thought a knew backwards........be interested to get yer take on the cans again-without rippin the pish its in a different league!!!!!

[brian2957]

Sounds very interesting mate . I'm in the market for a new DAC and I've been hanging fire for the new Bushmaster before making a decision . I've had a couple of Stans DACs in the past and they've all been excellent . Looks like it will be going to the top of the list .

[icehockeyboy]

Sounds very interesting mate . I'm in the market for a new DAC and I've been hanging fire for the new Bushmaster before making a decision . I've had a couple of Stans DACs in the past and they've all been excellent . Looks like it will be going to the top of the list .

Good call!

[Yomanze]

So we have "in a different league" and "no comparison" views on the BM2? This suggests a very significant difference.

[John]

I not really heard the MK1 so cannot compare, what I can say the performance is very high. I think the biggest suprise is just the increase in dynamics. Bass is now up with my Salvation and I never heard any DAC get near that kind of performance. The sound is digital but in a good way, its not trying to warm or seduce you, its trying to get you closer to the performance.

[wee tee cee]

shite in shite out......for me having less than 12 hrs on it,headphones/cables/amps......FTF!

[Lee]

I want to thank Stan for creating something wonderful. I picked up the Bushmaster MkII from Stan in London last week. I live in Edinburgh, so I had to wait until I could get back home to give it a listen. I took the train back home Friday evening and arrived around midnight. I unhooked the Bushmaster MkI and slipped the new DAC into my system. .... Immediately I knew this was a different animal altogether. 4 1/2 hours later, I forced myself to go to bed, only to wake up at 7:30 and immediately switch the music back on. Needless to say, I'm a 60 year old kid with his new best of the best toy. It's the sort of feeling where you want to call all your friends over to have a listen. Not to show off, but just to share the amazement of how it sounds.

How does it sound? Emotional! Dynamic. Articulate. Detailed. Moving. Foot tapping timing. Definded, precise soundstage. All this, without a hint of fatique or edginess. The original Bushmaster had plenty of all of these qualities, but the MkII is in a different league altogether. Bass is deep and moving. I'm hearing the movement of acoustic strings, the reverb of live recordings, the breath (in and out) of singers, the foot taps, the sounds of the audience giving a real sense of the venue where it recorded. I've never been one to pay too much attention to lyrics, not that I don't like the poetry of a song, but until now, the words were always difficult to distinguish. With the MkII every word is articulated with precision and emotion. Listening to Tom Jones and Seasick Steve performing together on the BBC Sessions I recorded last week is a thing of beauty. Of course badly produced music is still badly produced, but even with those I can reach closer to the performance. With well produced titles, the sounds are GLORIOUS!

I have played the MKII mostly through my speaker system, but also had a bit of time to listen through my Grado 1000's. Both are excellent. But the sense of it being live, having the performers in place in my room, having the room melt away and the recording venue appear is something that keeps me listening through the speakers.

I just have one "complaint." I have two systems. One in the living room and one in the bedroom. Both were set up identically with Bushmaster MkI's. Now I'm going to have to buy another MKII to replace the remaining MKI. ... I can't even say this is a complaint, because in all honesty, Stan deserves to be compensated in spades for his genius and willingness to sell his creations to those of us that don't have tens of thousands to build their systems. And for anyone in doubt, Stan is the real deal. I've met him several times and every time I do, I leave impressed that he is evidences that good men, honest and with integrity and good humour do still exist in our world.

MOST HiGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

[icehockeyboy]

I want to thank Stan for creating something wonderful. I picked up the Bushmaster MkII from Stan in London last week. I live in Edinburgh, so I had to wait until i could get back home to give it a listen. I took the train back home Friday evening and arrived around midnight. I unhooked the Bushmaster MkI and slipped the new DAC into my system. .... Immediately I knew this was a different animal altogether. 4 1/2 hours later, I forced myself to go to bed, only to wake up at 7:30 and immediately switch the music back on. Needless to say, I'm a 60 year old kid with his new best of the best toy. It's the sort of feeling where you want to call all your friends over to have a listen. Not to show off, but just to share the amazement of how it sounds.

How does it sound? Emotional! Articulate. Detailed. Moving. Foot tapping timing. Definded, precise soundstage. All this, without a hint of fatique or edginess. The original Bushmaster had plenty of all of these qualities, but the MkII is in a different league altogether. Bass is deep and moving. I'm hearing the movement of acoustic strings, the reverb of live recordings, the breath (in and out) of singers, the foot taps, the sounds of the audience giving a real sense of the venue where it recorded. I've never been one to pay too much attention to lyrics, not that I don't like the poetry of a song, but until now, the words were always difficult to distinguish. With the MkII every word is articulated with precision and emotion. Listening to Tom Jones and Seasick Steve performing together on the BBC Sessions I recorded last week was a thing of beauty. Of course badly produced music is still badly produced, but even with those I can reach closer to the performance. With well produced titles, the sounds are GLORIOUS!

I have played the MKII mostly through my speaker system, but also had a bit of time to listen through my Grado 1000's. Both are excellent. But the sense of it being live, having the performers in place in my room, having the room melt away and the recording venue appear is something that keeps me listening through the speakers.

I just have one "complaint." I have two systems. One in the living room and one in the bedroom. Both were set up identically with Bushmaster MkI's. Now I'm going to have to buy another MKII to replace the remaining MKI. ... I can't even say this is a complaint, because in all honesty, Stan deserves to be recommenced for his genius and willingness to sell his creations to those of us that don't have tens of thousands to build their systems. And for anyone in doubt, Stan is the real deal. I've met him several times and every time I do, I leave impressed that he is evidences that good men, honest and with integrity do still exist in our world.

MOST HiGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

I already said all of what is written above didn't i?


'Kin great Dac!

Well it was very similar wasn't it!

[Lee]

Yes, you did. And your words were the confirmation I needed to hear to get me to upgrade from the MKI. Just thought I'd add another voice, with a different system, a different room and different ears. I don't post often, but Stan deserves all the accolades he can get here.

[NRG]

I had a good session with the BM last night, rest of the family was out...I was all ready to write a detailed post but Lee has saved me the bother! It's excellent, really really good, I agree totally.