welcome from Sheffield, UK

[Bonky]

Hi all,

I'm a retired Biology lecturer, always keen on music/hi-fi, but have been 'out of the loop' for the last 15 years or so. I've just changed my speakers from B&W 602 so some very expensive (and good) LivingVoice Avatars. For general listening I use my iMac linked via Apple airport to my amp. I was very pleased with this -but my new speakers seemed to have shown a few deficiencies in this set-up and I'm wondering about a Beresford Caiman (or a new Audiolab DAC - when it comes out). Neither my CD player or amp have digital in/outputs. Advice badly needed here...!

I would also like advice on the best settings for itunes/coreaudio etc (there's a very informative forum on this issue but the results are somewhat inconclusive).

My 'stuff':
Sugden A21a amp + Linn axis deck+ Linn Mimik CD player + LivingVoice Avatars + Apple airport express + Apple i5 iMac + good quality interconnects.

My username ("Bonky")? - My late Father's nickname for me when I was a toddler.

How pleasant to come across a civilised and knowledgeable forum.

BW

Richard

[The Grand Wazoo]

Hi Richard,
Welcome to the Art of Sound!
There are lots of very experienced folks here who can help you with your system. I'd expect the Sugden & the Living Voices to work well together.
What sort of thing is your musical cup of tea then?

[YNWaN]

Hello Richard, I also live in Sheffield (quite near the city centre) - where abouts are you?

I'm afraid I don't involve myself much with the evils of digital - but a friend of mine does. To be honest, your system strikes me as being a bit of a mullet, if you know what I mean?

[Bonky]

Hi, sorry, I forgot to mention my musical tastes: rather broad: Bach, Mozart, Pink Floyd, Arcade Fire, Clapton, Mayall, Show of Hands.

A 'mullet'? Isn't that a hair-job? Please explain.

Bw

Rich

[Bonky]

Sorry, i forgot to say that I live in Lodge Moor, Sheffield - way above the snow-line!

BW

R

[Jonboy]

Hello Richard and welcome, i went over to a caiman after getting fed up with my airport dropping out, lots here on upgrades for it as well, nice broad taste in music :)

[YNWaN]

Lodge Moor - near the Sportsman pub - I used to go there all the time :).

A mullet in hi-fi terms means a system where the speakers are the primary component, followed by the amp and lastly by the source; it's a bit of a 'flat earth' term. Your speakers are often partnered with low powered valve amps and a high quality record player (but I'm sure you know that).

[Rare Bird]

Hi Richard
Welcome..another good looking bloke no doubt as all us are from S.Yorkshire :)

[chrism]

Hi Richard,

I live in Fulwood just off Tom Lane - small world. I use a modded Squeezebox and Caiman into a Avondale A260 / JM Lab Electra 926's. Very very happy with the sound quality for the cost.

Regards

Chris

[Bonky]

Hi Richard
Welcome..another good looking bloke no doubt as all us are from S.Yorkshire :)

Well... yep..I'd like to think so.. but .... AD...

[Bonky]

Hi Richard,

I live in Fulwood just off Tom Lane - small world. I use a modded Squeezebox and Caiman into a Avondale A260 / JM Lab Electra 926's. Very very happy with the sound quality for the cost.

Regards

Chris

Thanks. Interesting ... do you ever visit the Rising Sun? We're at Moorside.

How do you find the Caiman? I'm tempted to buy but also wonder about waiting for the new Audiolab DAC. I also use iTunes/airport Express so perhaps there would be an upgrade here (?)

BW

Richard

[Alex_UK]

How do you find the Caiman? I'm tempted to buy but also wonder about waiting for the new Audiolab DAC. I also use iTunes/airport Express so perhaps there would be an upgrade here (?)

'Scuse me throwing in my tuppence, but much as I love the Caiman, one plus on the Audiolab is that the remote can be used to control itunes, although if you've already got some other method (iphone/ipod touch) then it would be immaterial. Not seen a direct comparison yet on sound quality, which is of course the most important thing...

[chrism]

Thanks. Interesting ... do you ever visit the Rising Sun? We're at Moorside.

How do you find the Caiman? I'm tempted to buy but also wonder about waiting for the new Audiolab DAC. I also use iTunes/airport Express so perhaps there would be an upgrade here (?)

BW

Richard

Hi Richard,

Don't go to the Rising sun much but have a few friends that do.

The Caiman at the asking price is a gem and it is great fun modding it too. Good place to try the easy to do mods and then move onto building a linear power supply as I did. I suspect that the Caiman will easily compete with just about any DAC and you can use it as a capable preamp as well for any digital source!

Regards

Chris

[The Black Adder]

Good to see another Sheffielder on here... I'm a Sheffield lad too, lived all over the city until 2006.

Welcome Richard, enjoy!
Joe

[Bonky]

Thanks everyone,

One of the nice things about this forum is how friendly and knowledgable everyone is!

Thanks to this forum(1) I now have a new 'Touch' and am awaiting the caiman+gato in the morning.

Thanks again,

Richard.

(1) ..and AVforums.

[Rare Bird]

Thanks everyone,

One of the nice things about this forum is how friendly and knowledgable everyone is!



No worries Richard that'll be a pint when i'm up Sheffield this Friday :lolsign: