Capella Headphone amp paired with the Caiman MKII Dac

**Michaelz** · 09-01-2015, 14:31

I used 2g Anker battery pack with BM2, Caiman2 separately and it never shuts down. I am using it now to power both Caiman2 and Capella headphone amp.

I have to turn on the dac before I turn on the battery pack in all cases.

**CADCAM** · 09-01-2015, 17:17

Awesome, the battery should be here today. I hope it stays on.

**CADCAM** · 10-01-2015, 02:23

So...got the battery (2nd Gen) in and first off it uses a different cable that did not fit the Beresford! I tried the cable from the original Anker and it did work but with an adaptor from the original battery which I did plan on returning. I tried the new 2nd gen and it did power up but then shut right down, ended up you need to hit the power button twice as once is 9V and the second puts it into 12V operation. Took a quick listen and something was different, it sounded good but my memory told me it used to sound better. I switched back and forth a few times and I can't put my finger on it but the original (1st gen) battery sounded better to me. The bass seemed to have a bit more authority and it had an inky blackness to the background with delicate delicious detail. The 2nd gen sounded really good but something was missing. Maybe I'm just loosing my mind but I have the old battery on now listening and unfortunately the 2nd gen is going back. Never even tried to see if it would shut down after 20 min. Looks like I'll be needed that grain of wheat bulb...
Does anyone know if I purchased the new Capella amp with the fly head (I have no idea what that is) and powered it and the Bushmaster off the Anker if it would stay on.

**Theadmans** · 10-01-2015, 19:24

Originally Posted by CADCAM

So...got the battery (2nd Gen) in and first off it uses a different cable that did not fit the Beresford! I tried the cable from the original Anker and it did work but with an adaptor from the original battery which I did plan on returning. I tried the new 2nd gen and it did power up but then shut right down, ended up you need to hit the power button twice as once is 9V and the second puts it into 12V operation. Took a quick listen and something was different, it sounded good but my memory told me it used to sound better. I switched back and forth a few times and I can't put my finger on it but the original (1st gen) battery sounded better to me. The bass seemed to have a bit more authority and it had an inky blackness to the background with delicate delicious detail. The 2nd gen sounded really good but something was missing. Maybe I'm just loosing my mind but I have the old battery on now listening and unfortunately the 2nd gen is going back. Never even tried to see if it would shut down after 20 min. Looks like I'll be needed that grain of wheat bulb...
Does anyone know if I purchased the new Capella amp with the fly head (I have no idea what that is) and powered it and the Bushmaster off the Anker if it would stay on.

Well I use the 1st Gen Anker with my Bushmaster MKII and Capella (attached with fly lead) and inexplicably still need the grain of wheat bulb!

To be honest - after using the bulb for around the last year - it is something I have just got used to (I tuck the bulb behind my Hi-Fi rig). I have never been disappointed with the sound of the 1st Gen battery. In my setup it actually powers the Capella, BM2, Squeezebox Touch and the bloody bulb ! I just recharge it every night and still have plenty of juice for a listening session of several hours the next day.

**StanleyB** · 10-01-2015, 20:18

The main reason why the BM, CM, and Capella draw so little current is because the external power source is primarily used as a charger to top up the VirtualCD circuit inside the DACs and headphone amp. Unlike "conventional" designs that use an external power supply, I use the VirtualDC design of mine to do the power driving part of things, and then sort of trickle charge it to top it back up. But that trickle charge current can be so low that it falls below the holding current of many of these battery packs that are used to recharge iPads etc. The Ankaka battery recharging pack is the only one that I knew of that didn't employ a cut off circuit if it didn't detect a load. But the inexpensive 12V batteries that I linked to are in my opinion worth trying out in preference to the Anker. They don't switch off, but they do need recharging a bit more often since they are of a lower capacity.

**CADCAM** · 10-01-2015, 20:47

Originally Posted by Theadmans

Well I use the 1st Gen Anker with my Bushmaster MKII and Capella (attached with fly lead) and inexplicably still need the grain of wheat bulb!

To be honest - after using the bulb for around the last year - it is something I have just got used to (I tuck the bulb behind my Hi-Fi rig). I have never been disappointed with the sound of the 1st Gen battery. In my setup it actually powers the Capella, BM2, Squeezebox Touch and the bloody bulb ! I just recharge it every night and still have plenty of juice for a listening session of several hours the next day.

How does the grain of wheat bulb get sliced in? Is there a picture? I work behind a computer all day and don't have a lot of experience splicing cables and wiring in a bulb. Does anyone have a quick detail on how you do this. Sorry I love music and equipment but don't have much experience making or slicing cables.

**StanleyB** · 10-01-2015, 21:22

The simplest and quickest way is to get one of http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Way-DC-P...09733905&rt=nc
Cut off one of the plug and strip that end till you have the bare positive and negative wires. Solder, crimp, or wrap together each side of the lead of a grain of wheat bulb on that end. Then plug the Anker battery into the socket on the 2-way power splitter, and the plug end goes into the socket of the BM.

I'll order one of those leads and take some pics of the procedure. I don't have a grain of wheat bulb though. I gave away all the ones that I had. So anyone who bought a packet full and has one to spare, please let me know.

**CADCAM** · 11-01-2015, 02:35

Originally Posted by StanleyB

The simplest and quickest way is to get one of http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-Way-DC-P...09733905&rt=nc
Cut off one of the plug and strip that end till you have the bare positive and negative wires. Solder, crimp, or wrap together each side of the lead of a grain of wheat bulb on that end. Then plug the Anker battery into the socket on the 2-way power splitter, and the plug end goes into the socket of the BM.

I'll order one of those leads and take some pics of the procedure. I don't have a grain of wheat bulb though. I gave away all the ones that I had. So anyone who bought a packet full and has one to spare, please let me know.

Could you confirm this is the correct one from Amamzon in USA?

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0050H9A18/...=IS1SRD0B6DIIJ

**StanleyB** · 11-01-2015, 16:42

It looks the same. So it is most probably from the same Chinese manufacturer.

**Covenant** · 11-01-2015, 17:21

The annoying thing that I find with the first generation Anker battery is that you need to unplug it and plug it back in for every listening session.

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