Beresford Bushmaster DAC

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Originally Posted by Covenant

I would love to volunteer BUT need the variable output :(

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I am waiting for some special 3 core wire that I used for modding to the variable output. If it arrives in the post this morning then maybe I can sort things out with you.
You'll need to do a before and after test to confirm the results. I shall PM you about how to go about that.

That's great Stan, many thanks

The asynchronous TOSLINK/Coax sounds interesting if it can reduce jitter but I currently have no need for USB.

24 bit/192 khz capability would be good as I have been reading quite a bit lately regarding output of Computer based systems ie Macbook pro and toslink is not best output, USB/spdif allows output of 24 bit/192khz into DAC,s capable of processing this.

When outputting 24 bit/192 khz downloads however from HD tracks and the like USB/spdif asynchronous transfer has been delivering superb results. Even CD 16 bit recordings via USB sound a lot better than toslink with reduction in jitter much better.

I also don't need USB input on the DAC as I do room correction in the digital domain between my hiFace EVO and Bushmaster but I'd be interested in trying any potential improvements to the coax/toslink inputs on the Bushmaster. I'd also be very interested in trying a Beresford async USB to coax/toslink transport if should a thing ever got produced. Hint hint. :eyebrows:

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Originally Posted by StanleyB

So what has this got to do with the USB DAC? Well I can't afford to invest in the production of a USB DAC now, whilst sitting on such important information. I feel that since I am still in the preproduction stage of the USB DAC I can take a gamble and take a financial hit on the costs of the R&D of the current USB DAC development, and switch to building a new DAC with the new technical specs. I try to innovate instead of copy. If I wait till I design a next DAC range after the existing or planned one, my competitors might already be using the latest process. But scrapping the existing USB production plan and starting all over again will mean additional delays. It could be an expensive gamble, with no certainty of commercial success afterwards. So any input from other AoS members would be very helpful.

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If it were me I would take a hit on the current version and move to the new one - I can only see demand for USB dacs growing in the short term but its a competitive and fast moving market and in my opinion new technology sells.

I would love to try a Beresford USB dac - right now - but the lack of USB didn't stop me buying a Bushmaster - if the USB version is delayed I might keep my variable out bushmaster and close my for sale thread. I was sort of hoping but if there is something better on the horizon I would rather wait or bag an alpha model short term

What I am looking to do is to add to the range. The BM can produce even better results with a few mods. )That reminds me to start a new thread on some mods as requested by a many people.) It can also already process in asynch mode based on the test FW that I have been trying out. More about that another time. I refer to it as the firmware, but in reality it is the whole operating system run by a MCU. At the moment I am running it at 20MHz, but I am looking to see if it is possible to upgrade it to a higher speed with a more powerful central core.

As for the additions to the range: it has more parts and would have to be wider than the BM in order fit in all the extra bits. I am considering using the new info to make two DACs. One would be just optical and coax inputs, whilst the other would have a USB socket as well. The plan is to keep the retail price (excluding VAT etc.) below £250, without compromising the performance.

Sounds reasonable. As a happy user of a HiFace Evo USB/SPDIF converter (except its incompatibility with my SOtM PCIe USB card), I would be very happy to see a good value Beresford DAC with a USB interface of equivalent performance built-in, thereby saving another box and associated PSU. The DAC market is getting pretty crowded, so I don't think there's much point in producing a USB DAC at the proposed price unless it is a real "giant killer", for which you have more than a bit of form. I do feel that a USB DAC will not be taken seriously in the wider marketplace unless it has an asynchronous USB interface, and support for sampling frequencies in excess of 96kHz. I know that the latter criterion is marketing BS, but that's what people expect to see in the specs.

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Originally Posted by StanleyB

What I am looking to do is to add to the range. The BM can produce even better results with a few mods. )That reminds me to start a new thread on some mods as requested by a many people.) It can also already process in asynch mode based on the test FW that I have been trying out. More about that another time. I refer to it as the firmware, but in reality it is the whole operating system run by a MCU. At the moment I am running it at 20MHz, but I am looking to see if it is possible to upgrade it to a higher speed with a more powerful central core.

As for the additions to the range: it has more parts and would have to be wider than the BM in order fit in all the extra bits. I am considering using the new info to make two DACs. One would be just optical and coax inputs, whilst the other would have a USB socket as well. The plan is to keep the retail price (excluding VAT etc.) below £250, without compromising the performance.

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I am all for async mode in the BM to improve sound quality and that is much more important to me than a USB interface, for which I have no use in my system. Since most material I play is either 16/44 or 16/48, it's these formats and the improvement thereof that matter more than playback of the paltry selection of hi-res files available.

I have started fitting the asynch code in some DACs for people to try out and report back. What I did notice whilst testing it is that the biggest improvements are with my playback from the PC. My Touch doesn't show any difference with or without it. But I know a few people who have problems with the Toucj and the BM at high bitrates. I'll dig up a few emails and see if they still got their BM and are willing to be guinea pigs.
My interest is particularly aimed at 192KHz playback with Toslink. The asynch code "seems" to produce a near identical performance compared to coax at 192KHz. Many say that optical is patchy above 96KHz. So I reckon that is a good starting point to test the validity and robustness of the system. I wished that I could get the code to run at a higher speed than 20MHz though. It's something I have to look into. Luckily the MCU is in a socket. So an adapter board with a faster chip and oscillator would be a nice little mod.

By the way Brutus get in touch. I got a few updates to the Venom mod :eyebrows:. Just return postage and the cost of a beer required in your case if you want to give the mods a go.