Wow, what a review. How does the Bushmaster compare to your Pioneer/Zu Jerry?
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Wow, what a review. How does the Bushmaster compare to your Pioneer/Zu Jerry?
Listening now...
Various "reference albums" all in High Resolution format, the albums so far have included Pink Floyds Dark Side Of The Moon (SACD release), Sgt Peppers (24bit 44.1KHz FLAC release) and I am now on Peter Gabriel's So (24bit 88.2KHz release).
The Bushmaster has now had around 40-50 hours run in time and it is showing, the higher mid frequencies seem to have calmed down a tad and the overall composure of the device seems to be more in control what is being thrown at it.
Have to say Sgt Peppers shocked me, I thought I had heard that album through and through but no the Bushmaster revealed very subtle nuances I had not heard previously, Pink Floyd's DSOTM disappointed me, from a recording perspective it wasn't brilliant, currently Peter Gabriel's So sounds slightly "congested, on the track Don't Give Up though there was a good sense of timing and bass extension, detail as well on Kate's voice was good, with a nice level of positioning, right now on the track Mercy Street the double tracked vocals are very apparent and a real sense of "air" about the mix as it should be, the reverse reverb after the middle eight is right there, it wasn't before, it was just a thing in the mix but now its part of all the musical experience... Question was the So album recorded at different studios? The Bushmaster seems to be reflecting that it was as tracks on the album mix wise are chalk & cheese.
Back to where I first started from, the Kate Bush tune Among Angels (24bit 96KHz FLAC release), woh what's going there, really, really musical now, reverb on the vocal now apparent a lot more, as is the piano sustain, which is now a real significant part of it all, there is that much detail you can hear the piano strings harmonics quite clearly.
String section now sat nicely in the back of it all, is that a Harp I heard then, yes there is definitely something else in that tune now I hadn't heard previous.
Back to Misty now, real depth and bass to the intro piano and the drums are more prominent with ride cymbals clearer, bass drum kicks more now, you feel it, bass coming up with the brushed snares really in the mix now, that bass is controlled and deep.
Another thing is the sense of space and absolute bottomlessness the air in mixes have, it just goes down and down into nothing, more instrumentation happening that I hadn't heard before in the tunes, even with my FiiO E17 DAC, HiFiman EF2A Beyer Dynamic DT1350 headphone set-up for work.
Thing is here...
I can improve this experience (I have some mains upgrades coming and a Squeezebox PSU upgrade from Dave), but I just don't know where to go from this point, and if my system (Leema Pulse Mark II Amp, Celestion SL6S's on Custom Design stands, home brew Belden 89259 audio Interconnect and digital Interconnect, with THE Belkin speaker cables recommended here) warrant any more significant expenditure and divorce proceeds.
And anybody wavering on the Bushmaster DAC purchase I wouldn't waver at all for £189 it's a bargain and that is only with around forty hours burning in time.
Rest the wallet Russell:). You can hear a lot more than you could before. Enjoy that experience before embarking on another spending round.Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell Turner
Ha ha!! - wot a question :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Covenant
The thing is -- Pioneer PL71/Zu103 and .... what?
With my Trichord Dino NCPSU 'stage the sense of space with the Bushmaster is a bit better. Dynamics at the LOUD end are cleaner and free-er with the DAC. Presence and vibrancy in the mids of both are very, very good.
But .... swap out the Dino/NC for a Ming Da 2006 phonostage (£1.6k rrp), like I did for a review a few weeks ago, and the ambience/soundstage just explodes in an awesomely virtuosic 3D extravaganza. :wowzer:.
Tbh - I've never heard any digital come close to that. :(
Was that realistic, a true representation of the recordings? :scratch: Dunno.
Was it marvellous? YES !! :eek:
But realistically, the analog front end, even Ming-Da-ed, was not as transparent or detailed, I was just blown away by the sheer ambience of the thing!
Russell do you have 'Scratch my back' by Peter Gabriel? I have it (but only on 16/44) and it's so well recorded it's the first thing I put on when I try new kit.
Russell, how about a review based on 16/44 files?Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell Turner
Covenant - I haven't go that album, I will endeavor to though, especially if the recording is that good.
Webby - When I get back from the Gt Harwood Charter Fair for the Jubilee, I will try some standard red book specification music, you any specific things you want me to try (if I have them)
Russell,
since you mentioned it: If you listen really closely and attentively to “Within you without you”, what do you hear in the right channel between the 3:44 and 3:47 time marks? Guess you really need the ears of a cat and a very revealing headphone, but I remember the first time I heard this detail, I really thought the ghost of George Harrison was standing directly behind my right shoulder.Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell Turner
I used to think I knew this song and the whole album quite good, but I had not realized this detail until I heard it for the first time via the Bifrost DAC, a matching headphone amplifier and good headphones. Guess it would not be discoverable at all with loudspeakers.
Werner.
Does Werner have shares in Schiit? ;)
How about another pic of some Schiit gear, Werner? You haven't posted one on this Beresford review thread for ages. :(
EDIT: ... oops, my mistake. That was a pic of a Weiss DAC.
... no, I don't have any shares in Beresford Inc. :lol:
[QUOTE=Russell Turner;334887]Covenant - I haven't go that album, I will endeavor to though, especially if the recording is that good.
Just a word of warning, it's just P.G singing with an orchestra in the background so very different to his usual stuff.
Jerry,
certainly not. I’m just curious if a detail I’ve never noticed before also is audible with the Bushmaster. Is this kind of question not allowed in this thread?Quote:
Originally Posted by jandl100
Werner.
No, anything. It's just that it's sounding like a hi res only DAC at the moment ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell Turner
It's very different alright.Quote:
Originally Posted by CovenantJust a word of warning, it's just P.G singing with an orchestra in the background so very different to his usual stuff.Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell Turner
To say that the songs have been "rearranged" would be understating things just a tiny little bit.
These songs have been rearranged so that the tune bears little resemblance to the original.
Still, if it floats your boat....:eyebrows:
All my listening is to 16/44.1 as this is all that the Airport Express outputs.
Val
All my comments are based on 16/44 Red Book CD. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by webby
If you were using the Bushmaster, I don't see how you could have been listening to an SACD in hi-res. You most probably were listening to the red book 16/44 layer.Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell Turner
Quote:
Originally Posted by Val33
Excellent.Quote:
Originally Posted by jandl100
It's very audible on my Neco Soundlab V3 with KRK8400's,but can't say i heard it before you mentioned it . CheersQuote:
Originally Posted by Werner Berghofer
Stan - would using the Touch volume control be good enough without the need for a dedicated pre-amp between the Touch and a power amp? Again I don't want to 'stifle' the ultimate SQ from the BM.
I ask this because your DAC does not include a pre section anymore more (which is fair enough) - and I would like to make the most of simplifying the connection by drilling direct into a power amp using just the one interconnect and use the Touch volume control.
Some might say that's very bad, but I am only listening to redbook quality CD rips and not at all interested in hi-res stuff.
Day two of listening to the Bushmaster and I'm liking it more and more. The detail it presents is wonderful and precise, whilst the bottom end seems to have tightened up on many of my favourite tracks...especially as my living room has a suspended wooden floor which does sometimes lead to a slight boomyness to tracks...
Stan - I mentioned about the auto switching yesterday and have the culprit down to the Sonos ZP90 - on both coax and spdif... What reference level did you settle at for the switching selection? I would have thought that digital outputs would be roughly a standard...I wonder if in your work you had looked into (you must have) the levels that different products output at....mainly I'm thinking if there would be a way of 'Trimming' the output level of the sonos to play nicely with everything else as without the Sonos plugged in it all works great!!
Nope definitely 24bit 88.2KHz FLAC files ripped directly from the SACD two channel layer, streaming from my Squeezebox Touch into the Bushmaster DAC... I have got a 24bit 96KHz MFSL vinyl rip here that I might compare to see any notable differences.Quote:
Originally Posted by MartinT
You mean the countdown aye I can hear it, admittedly not as well as my headphone set-up but it's there, I prefer the background "details" on Day in the Life, now they are difficult to hear and my Hifi doesn't pick them out, but it does a good job with the saturated tape and creaking chair on the piano ending.Quote:
Originally Posted by Werner Berghofer
;-)
I'm intrigued by this - how did you do it?Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell Turner
Modified Oppo DV-980H player that offers pure DSD output over HDMI 1.2 but also gives the option for PCM output, the Oppo internally converts the DSD to PCM at 24-bit/88.2kHz and the "mod" captures this PCM signal and outputs it through three stereo S/PDIF (coaxial) jacks (if it is multichannel).
And I didn't do it...
:)
I have no idea at this stage if the Touch volume control will work OK without killing SQ. I use the digital volume control in Mediamonkey myself and all sounds OK to me in my case.Quote:
Originally Posted by loonytunes
I don't use any output level for the auto switching. The DAC detects the audio presence signal that is part of the audio data transmission. That audio presence signal is generally used in DACs and CD/DVD players to mute or on-mute the audio from the DAC.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rubberdog
However some equipment manufacturers do not appear to have implemented that audio presence command. The Sonos and (some of)the SKY box)es seem to have ignored that rule and transmit a continuous code to say that their box is in operation oven though it is not.
The Bushmaster's operation is partly software controlled. So I shall see if there is any command that I can add to the software so that you can get the Bushmaster to ignore the Sonos altogether when in search mode.
If I do manage to figure one out you'll have to remove the current firmware chip and insert the modified one. Then send back to me the old firmware chip so that I can recycle it.
If that would be possible stan you could solve all my issues and make this the perfect dac!
Please don't think by any means that I'm moaning! the switching would be a bonus to an already great dac.
See post #336 HERE for discussion on the SKY signal issue, which your Sonos also seems to suffer from.
Russell,
exactly! I remember it was a quite spooky moment when I heard it for the first time. Now I know that one does not always hear all the details present in a song at once. The perception is very different, depending on what aspects of a song the attention is focussed: The lyrics, the melody, the rhythm — whatever.Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell Turner
I’m glad to read that this tender detail is revealed by Stan’s Bushmaster. Must be a great DAC!
Werner.
I'll see if I can find an excuse to put the price up :D.Quote:
Originally Posted by Werner Berghofer
Stan,
If the polling of the inputs is controlled via software, rather than looking it as a single case for my self....would it be possible to tweak the software?
If all users were to use the first input of the dac for their problem input and then the ones with the correct signal makeup in the other positions...if there were no valid signal to input 2, the dac would default back to input 1? So basically the dac ignores the first input if any of the other 3 had valid inputs? Does that make sense to you??
I'd happily pay for an upgrade to this and Im pretty sure many other users would too if it got their switching to work with these annoying inputs.
I was intending to keep to using a laptop into an asynchronous DAC which theoretically is superior to spdif, but I am so glad that spdif from a Touch is giving perhaps better results than some async DACs mentioned here (example MDAC). Sometimes I wonder if all this async USB stuff is nonsense - I am no engineer - but ultimately the ears do tell.
To me, having an SBT as source is so much more convenient and easy to use - rather than chasing the async USB crowd connected to an ugly computer which I have to admit, did bug me for a while.
First impressions:
Build quality is a step up from the Caimen, I like the front panel and the sleep mode LED’s
Streaming from a heavily modified Squeezebox with 16/44.1 the sound is very clean and detailed. There’s no harshness that I can detect, the balance is just right from top to bottom. Bass is very good, it’s a very engaging DAC to listen to, tone is spot on.
Compared to my modified passive Caimen it brings detail to the fore that the Caimen sort of masks…its there but just not that well defined. The Caimen is a little lean in comparison and doesn’t have the same bounce or drive as the Bushmaster. On some tracks the difference can be quite small but the Bushmaster is never second best.
Not noticed any burn in change, its as good 30hrs later as it was 20mins in…its very good Stan well done….
One question: I take it the Caimen PSU is compatible with the Bushmaster @15v? I might try it later…
I am not the greatest and quickest coder in the world so don't expect a speedy modified code solution. It took me two years just to get the basic Bushmaster code written.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rubberdog
I have been saying that for some time now, but some people have accused me of playing spoil sport. So I have given up trying to get them to understand that the science behind async USB doesn't add up. Lousy designers have been blaming SMPS, adaptive USB, etc for all sorts of failings, when in fact it is the designer who is coming up short. If you look at all the outrageous claims I made about the Bushmaster and its performance many people considered it to be pure BS and sales hype or impossible to achieve without spending a fortune on a DAC. I genuinely feel sorry for the poor punter who has nothing else to go by than a big price tag. I did say the Bushmaster will set a new standard of expectation for any potential DAC buyer, and I am glad to see that it does.Quote:
Originally Posted by loonytunes
The pug is different, but Mark Grant mentioned that he is selling an adapter plug.Quote:
Originally Posted by NRG
So you can extract the DSD stream from the hi-res layer of SACDs and convert them to PCM? Cool - what software do you use?Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell Turner
DVDAexplorerQuote:
Originally Posted by MartinT
And I didn't do it.
:-)
Thanks, checking it out now.Quote:
Originally Posted by Russell Turner
Stan,Quote:
Originally Posted by StanleyB
Just a thought: -
Given the amount of help and advice that was forthcoming from the forum on the design of the front panel, is there anyone you could trust with the software code on here to help you with modding that also? Any volunteers?
Dave.
Nope.Quote:
Originally Posted by DaveK
Thanks for taking the time to write that Jerry! Very informative.Quote:
Originally Posted by jandl100
And Stan says he has ideas for better 3D too for a super version..
Hmm... I'm not one for buying new nor acting on a wave of other's enthusiasm but the Bushmaster is sounding very intreaging indeed.
Yes Stan, and I am glad the simplicity of spdif can still be engineered to make digital sound at its very best. I had been toying around with async not helped by all the 'hype' and this Computer Audiophile YouTube video about Pocket Server v.2 from Chris Connaker...Quote:
Originally Posted by StanleyB
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iORZDo_Bh8
Just got mine....hooked it up.....Its very good without any reservations.
First impressions are that it does low frequencies better than I have heard (rega dac/ mf m1/ CA dac magik/ a couple of chinese jobbies ). Great soundstage, detail and pace. Slight sibilance to the treble but its not even at room temperature yet.
Report back once its had a couple of days to settle down....will give it a whirl in comparison with my m1 head amp with the hd 650s and various superluxes I have.
A great machine Stan, well done.
Regards Tony.
Please Note - you may want to ignore this post as I will be using my DIY dac to compare to the Bushmaster - I am doing this partly in response to the comments about USB async dacs - be warned! :D
I have been running the Bushmaster for a couple of days now using both the headphone outputs (into Sennheiser HD280 Pro's) and line outputs into Sony TA-VA777ES / Geddes Abbey clones. I will report on how this performed in a later post.
My setup for the comparison in this post is a Mac Mini (2009) via Kimber USB cable into a Balanced-output asynchronous USB Dac (exau2i/EUVL built ESS9022 dac) into Stax SRM T1S/ Lambda Nova Signature headphones. Optical out goes via vdH cable to the Bushmaster and to the Stax via Grover Huffman cables. The BM is running on the supplied psu - I am awaiting a replacement 12v battery. I am using the Stax as it has both Balanced and Single-Ended inputs.
I am running PureMusic on the Mac with no upsampling, all music is in AIFF format.
I have used two albums for most of the listening - 'Deleted Scenes from the Cutting Room Floor' by Caro Emerald and 'The Girl in the Other Room' by Diane Krall. The listening was done after about 20 hours running in on the Bushmaster - the USB dac has been running for many months.
The output from both USB and Bushmaster is very good - each with its own strengths - USB has more attack(!) than the Bushmaster, the BM has more space round instruments and the bass-lines are clearer / possibly a little deeper, brush strokes on drums (on the Diane Krall tracks) come over very cleanly on both Dacs. Voices on both units come over very clearly with no trace of sibilence or harshness.
It is difficult to comment on soundstage depth/width via headphones - what I would say is that the BM is very capable at separating instruments and musical themes - after Caro/Diane I listened to some piano music - Beethoven/Debussy and the interweaving threads of the music are clearly presented.
From an Intellectual point of view (i.e. using my brain analytically) I would say the the Bushmaster had the edge in that I could hear more detail through it - HOWEVER - listening to Caro Emerald / 'Just One Dance' on the Bushmaster I could hear her saying she 'could make my dreams come true' - on the USB dac I knew she could. Both dacs made my feet tap - the USB dac makes me want to get up and dance.
From a Financial point of view the Bushmaster makes a great deal of sense - although my USB dac is DIY there is a similar / commercial version available at $2000.
From an End User perspective I have a couple of minor niggles with the Bushmaster; firstly with my Sennheisers(64 ohms) I barely have to move the control to get full volume - note that I have not reduced the volume settings in PureMusic - I will try this and see if there is any loss in sound quality.
Secondly if I change setting on the computer software (e.g. to try upsampling) I seem to lose connection and I have to power the Bushmaster off/on - I do not know whether this is the Mac or the BM. When the Mac comes to the end of the selected music there is a 10-15 second gap and then a beep - I guess it has something to do with the BM not seeing a signal anymore.
Reading the above you may wonder why I bought the Bushmaster - the main reason is that software is needed on the computer to drive the USB to I2S convertor and this is not always compatible with other music software running on the Mac. The Bushmaster is plug'n'play - simple!
I have some SLA batteries I can probably use whilst I wait for the Li-Po battery to arrive.
Tony (Wee Tee Cee) in Glasgows ordered one.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ali Tait
Be interested in hearing it myself..gimme a shout if you organise a visit Ali?
(assuming thats ok Tony!)
sounds like a plan, I'm working conventional hours mon-fri just now so a weekend would be fine. Best get a few hours on the beast to let it have a fair fight. Straight out of the blocks it has passed everything else I have heard. Might even give Ali's audio note that I really liked a square go. Let me know how you two are fixed and we can get together and have a wee session.
Regards Tony.
As I "swapped" my Gatorized Caiman (with which I had been very happy) for a REGA DAC some months ago, and as I have not found any other AoS members post on a comparison between the 2 I felt honour bound to pay my dollar to Stan and order one - that's my excuse if anyone at home asks and I'm sticking to it :)
So, just placed and paid Stan - looking forward to hearing your new DAC.
Steve
Cheers chaps, Bernie has kindly offered to let me borrow his. I'm interested in how it compares to the valve dac as I've now fitted O'Netics output transformers to it, which are rather special.Quote:
Originally Posted by wee tee cee
Still up for a get together sometime soon though, be good to meet up with you gents again. Can't do this coming weekend as we've a wedding on. how about the following one?
Quote:
Originally Posted by worrasf
This will be interesting Steve, know you love the Rega Dac in your system and the improvements it had over the Caiman.
That's the one problem with headamp. With impedances from 12 Ohms to 600 Ohms, it is a hard job picking the right gain for every type of can. Maybe a variable preset gain control would be a good addition in a future upgrade of the Bushmaster?Quote:
Originally Posted by sondale
The Bushmaster's anti-jitter circuit (don't mention it too loud or those Far Eastern guys will be poking around inside to see how it is designed ;)) doesn't mess about. If it thinks that the incoming digital circuit is way out of spec the data receiver will drop the signal. You should be able to recover by just advancing the input selector. Or if you leave it in auto mode the DAC would normally try to find a better signal from a different input.Quote:
Secondly if I change setting on the computer software (e.g. to try upsampling) I seem to lose connection and I have to power the Bushmaster off/on - I do not know whether this is the Mac or the BM. When the Mac comes to the end of the selected music there is a 10-15 second gap and then a beep - I guess it has something to do with the BM not seeing a signal anymore.
Please keep us posted Steve, I'd be interested in hearing how the BM compares to the Rega (as a self confessed Rega fan).Quote:
Originally Posted by worrasf
For a while I've been considering a sideways move from my Arcam to Rega Brio/Dac combo to match my RS3s, the bonus of a decent phono stage perhaps being the enticement i need to go beyond dipping my toes into vinyls.
If similar, or better performance could be achieved at lower cost with the BM then I could be persuaded to make the switch.
Stan - from the Squeezebox should I use the s/pdif or toslink connection to your DAC? Or is there no audible difference between the two (apart from complete electrical isolation using toslink from the SBT if that matters).
Are the interconnect cables that you sell on your website high enough up the audiophile food chain to deliver the musical goods, or do I need to buy some 'bling' or invest in some rare earth metal such as palladium :)?
Have you considered the deleterious affects (if any) of vibrations making there merry way through your DAC? Or do you use some super duper highly expensive isolation platform/feet (such as Vertex) when you assess your own equipment? You might already have damping material within the confines of you box.
Will do. Already had an email from Stan and my BM is on it's way - now that's what I call customer service :)Quote:
Originally Posted by RichB
I'm also really keen to check out the headphone amp in the BM. Since getting the REGA I have been using my self-build SOHA II headphone amp.
I've just moved from 12v to 6v valves with good effect and have upgraded the PCB with a few tweaks as suggested by the designer. Even managed to find a NOS Nobel 100K pot to replace the vanilla Alps blue - this is still in transit so not installed yet. The SOHA drives my 600 ohm Beyerdynamics with ease so it will be interesting to see how the BM performs with them.
Steve