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View Full Version : Caiman SEG - a few questions re PS, cables, FW upgrade...


Giovanni68
02-10-2018, 11:02
Hello everybody,

I am finally evaluating to get a DAC whose use would be to convert and play FLAC off of my Mac (either a MacBookAir or a MacMini), AppleTV4, Sony TV and Sony CD-player, given price, input options and, above all, quality I am onto the Caiman SEG whose reviews are very good even here in Italy :)

Questions wise, I read here and there about the problem when switching bitrates, so far seems like it needs an upgraded FW chip, is this correct? Since there is an used one I am awaiting a reply for I suppose I have to go the upgrade route while, probably but not sure, bought new off of Beresford it could be already updated, which is which?

PS, the one on sale might come either with the standard wall PS or with an upgraded one, since the owner hasn't reply yet I am wondering, should I get it somewhere else, which are the voltage and current requested off the Seg to get the best out of it? I read 12v standard up to 15v for increased quality :scratch: would anybody tell me, again, which is which and sources to buy a good quality linear one here in the old EU? I own a switching one which I use once in a while on my HAM equipment but I hate the slight noise it does and I regret the times in which there were only linear ones, a 12-15v 5-10A one should not cost that much, I don't like whistle and bells, just on-off switch, black face to match the DAC and that's it, input appreciated.

Cables wise, I would need two optical ones to connect both the ATV4 and TV to the DAC (oooops, I just found out ATV4 has no optical output so it gotta go through HDMi-TV-DAC), which are the parameters to care about for a good working one (I don't trust in cables magic, just a decent construction one with no gold or diamond connectors...); would be fun to try also to play CDs through both the old Sony CD-P X505ES (with an upgraded output stage) converter and the SEG just for the sake of it, which is better, optical or coaxial for the purpose? Least, USB wise, same as above, to stream from the Mac to the DAC what should I look forward at?

Thank you all for reading and for your input

Giovanni

p.s. the DAC would be connected to an AR SP-9 preamp which drives a twin KT88 Aeron AP890 power amp which then fires my old JBL4311B, the GyroDec is awaiting restoration but hopefully soon spinning again!!!
StanleyB
02-10-2018, 18:13
Hi Giovanni,

the bitrate switching noise is now corrected in the latest production firmware. I also have my own power supply design that has just come out, and already sold out to people on the waiting list. I should have some more next week. The details of the new power supply should be on my website in the next few days.

Stan
Giovanni68
03-10-2018, 11:44
Hello Stanley,

thank you for your quick reply, there is one for sale here in Italy and that would be much easier for me shipping wise, should that not work I'll be glad to order an update one through you straight away but should I get the used one I seem having read you can supply an updated eprom to update to your last settings, is that correct?

Can't see the PSU on your website, looking forward!

grazie


Giovanni
AndrewR
03-10-2018, 13:31
Hi Giovanni,

the bitrate switching noise is now corrected in the latest production firmware. I also have my own power supply design that has just come out, and already sold out to people on the waiting list. I should have some more next week. The details of the new power supply should be on my website in the next few days.

Stan

Hi Stan,

Assuming it is the Supercap, I didn't know there was a waiting list. Really looking forward to being able to buy one for my Caiman II.

Andrew
StanleyB
03-10-2018, 14:58
Hi Stan,

Assuming it is the Supercap, I didn't know there was a waiting list. Really looking forward to being able to buy one for my Caiman II.

Andrew
I have been using one on my Caiman MKII to develop the firmware that goes with it. I didn't even realize that the MKII could sound that good.
And with my no nonsense money back guarantee if it doesn't do what it says on the tin, you don't have to be worried that it is all foo. The improvements are clearly audible within seconds of the start of the first music track that you play. Burn in improves things, but you don't have to wait for even as much as a minute to make your mind up if it was money well spent, or wasted. That's the kind of amazing difference the Dorado PSU makes.
AndrewR
03-10-2018, 21:40
Really looking forward to ordering the Dorado. What will the price be?

Andrew
wee tee cee
04-10-2018, 04:32
Giovanni,
For no nonsense cables both optical and co-ax Stan is your man.

My son runs optical out his MAC into his SEG sounds bellisimo!!

regards

Tony
StanleyB
04-10-2018, 07:21
Really looking forward to ordering the Dorado. What will the price be?

Andrew
It's less than £75 delivered in the UK. It's mainly my manufacturing and R&D costs, plus UK VAT and corporation tax. I don't expect a copy cat version to hit the market at less than £99.99 once other designers have stripped mine down to see the circuit layout. Mind you, I understand that one UK based company has used my research to build a copy of some sorts that costs a lot more. But that's to be expected.
Giovanni68
04-10-2018, 10:28
I think it would make sense to buy the SEG new off of Stanley straight away along with cables and the PSU when he releases it, this would mean a little more wait to get down to the required budget but I guess that on the long term it will pay back, new firmware already installed (saving the money to buy a new one and have it delivered if I get a non last batch here in Italy) and the pleasure to be the first to turn it on :eek:

@stanley where can we see the PSU you are working at and when do you plan to release it?

Grazie
StanleyB
04-10-2018, 12:45
The power supply is already on the market. But the first batch already sold out. As a matter of fact it went so quick I just about managed to take a few pictures that I am editing to put on my website. There are a couple of people on this forum who have one. Maybe one of them would be willing enough to post a picture of theirs for now.
AndrewR
04-10-2018, 12:56
It's less than £75 delivered in the UK. It's mainly my manufacturing and R&D costs, plus UK VAT and corporation tax. I don't expect a copy cat version to hit the market at less than £99.99 once other designers have stripped mine down to see the circuit layout. Mind you, I understand that one UK based company has used my research to build a copy of some sorts that costs a lot more. But that's to be expected.

I am throwing money at my screen, but it keeps bouncing off.

Andrew
Getgaff
04-10-2018, 16:45
The power supply is already on the market. But the first batch already sold out. As a matter of fact it went so quick I just about managed to take a few pictures that I am editing to put on my website. There are a couple of people on this forum who have one. Maybe one of them would be willing enough to post a picture of theirs for now.

Happy to oblige:

http://i67.tinypic.com/1217ipg.jpg

http://i66.tinypic.com/9u9i7s.jpg

http://i64.tinypic.com/ztw082.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/2dbozdf.jpg
Alp
04-10-2018, 17:25
Looks great. Am I right in thinking that if I feed it from a 12V battery I will only get 12V out, so for 15V I would need to feed 15-18V?
Theadmans
04-10-2018, 17:27
Cool - what colour is the LED - Blue?
Getgaff
04-10-2018, 17:36
Cool - what colour is the LED - Blue?
Red, then green
Getgaff
04-10-2018, 17:42
Looks great. Am I right in thinking that if I feed it from a 12V battery I will only get 12V out, so for 15V I would need to feed 15-18V?
I believe so, yes. You can use Stan’s “optional 12V PSU as a continuous charger for the Dorado. In that scenario the Dorado is charged up to 15Volt even though the PSU is 12V” (quote taken from the manual).
twotone
04-10-2018, 22:24
Hi Stan, I'm up for one of those PSUs for my Seg.

Thanks

Tony
StanleyB
04-10-2018, 23:46
Looks great. Am I right in thinking that if I feed it from a 12V battery I will only get 12V out, so for 15V I would need to feed 15-18V?
The instructions are at http://www.beresford.me/downloads/TC-7320%20DORADO.pdf
Basically, you get 12V out with a regulated 12V power supply.
You get 15V out with a regulated 15V power supply.
But you can get 12V or 15V out with the optional 12V unregulated power supply that can be used to power the Dorado. You can of course use your own 12V unregulated power supply instead if you have one.

It is possible to use it at 15V on all of my DACs and phono preamps that I sold from TCC. But you can't use it at 15V on a 12V Capella headphone amp. The Capella would have to be updated to 15V.

As a side note, the Dorado has a special firmware code in the SEG-30 firmware that is usable on the Caiman MKII and SEG. I am trying to add that bit of code to an updated Bushmaster MKI and MKII firmware. I am not there yet, so I don't know if it will work, and if it will sound better or worse than the existing firmware. But let's hope that doesn't take me too long to find out one way or the other.

As for what the firmware does: I'll come back to that in a separate thread. But basically the Dorado can produce a wider soundstage, which produces a better separation within sections of a recording. This in turn has opened up an area for me to experiment with to improve the accuracy of the newly audible sound. i.e. say you had before a vocal section that sounded like just one voice. An example of that is ADELE - 'Make You Feel My Love'. The Dorado can separate the vocals quite clearly. But once it is separated, it is possible to even hear better detail in the newly discovered sound. It's harder to explain than it is to hear in person. I don't know the science behind it, but it is an observation that I made. It's the one main reason why you can hear a difference within seconds between having the Dorado in or out of the loop.
StanleyB
04-10-2018, 23:48
Cool - what colour is the LED - Blue?

Green unfortunately. That's the only dual colour LED the factory could get from their local component supplier.
StanleyB
04-10-2018, 23:51
Hi Stan, I'm up for one of those PSUs for my Seg.

Thanks

Tony

Do me a favour and send me an email. I know two people called Tony, and both are in Glasgow, and both are members of AoS...
hidalgo
05-10-2018, 01:23
It is possible to use it at 15V on all of my DACs and phono preamps that I sold from TCC. But you can't use it at 15V on a 12V Capella headphone amp. The Capella would have to be updated to 15V.

Hi Stan, exciting times - can't wait!

I have a first production Capella that has DC 12-15V printed on the case, should I not be using it at 15V? Could that cause damage over time? It has a slightly higher noise floor at 15V but sounds much more dynamic overall.
StanleyB
05-10-2018, 09:14
Hi Stan, exciting times - can't wait!

I have a first production Capella that has DC 12-15V printed on the case, should I not be using it at 15V? Could that cause damage over time? It has a slightly higher noise floor at 15V but sounds much more dynamic overall.
You can use the 1st production Capella at 15V, but the noise from the voltage regulator in the Capella is an issue. On the 2nd production the regulator has been removed, which is why it cannot be used above 12V. It's a pity that you are all the way at the other side of the globe, otherwise I would have suggested that you had the Capella modified to 15V by me.
Jerry B
05-10-2018, 09:40
Is the Dorado an upgrade on an Anker battery for my Bushmaster II?
StanleyB
05-10-2018, 10:03
Is the Dorado an upgrade on an Anker battery for my Bushmaster II?
The Dorado can be plugged between the DAC and the Anker, or used without the Anker.
twotone
05-10-2018, 20:12
Do me a favour and send me an email. I know two people called Tony, and both are in Glasgow, and both are members of AoS...

Will do Stan however am I correct in thinking that this replaces the Caiman Seg wall wart PSU or is it used with the wall wart and then into the Caiman Seg?

Thanks


Tony
StanleyB
06-10-2018, 08:06
It replaces the stock power supply, or it can be used together with a 12V battery or a linear power supply.
twotone
06-10-2018, 14:01
It replaces the stock power supply, or it can be used together with a 12V battery or a linear power supply.

Thanks Stan.

PM sent.
Jerry B
18-10-2018, 22:28
The Dorado can be plugged between the DAC and the Anker, or used without the Anker.

So I can power the Dorado with your PSU that came with the Bushmaster II, or the one that came with the SEG?
StanleyB
18-10-2018, 23:23
The only power supply that I sell that is compatible with the Dorado is the one that is sold with the Dorado. I don't sell that power supply with anything else.
Jerry B
19-10-2018, 00:26
Okay, thanks Stan.

Can you please send one with the Dorado I bought a few days ago?
I'm not sure I included that in my purchase.
StanleyB
19-10-2018, 05:52
Your order left ages ago.
Jerry B
19-10-2018, 07:34
Your order left ages ago.

Cool...