Caiman MKII first impressions

[mkrzych]

Hello,
My CMII just arrived and already in place playing music. So far as quick as I was able to check if everything is fine here are my first impressions. BTW, thanks to Stan for perfect customer service and responsiveness.

1. I have late 2008 Macbook, but I cannot achieve anything than 24/44, 24/48 and 24/94 over the outputs. Doesn't matter if toslink or USB. However on USB Integer Mode in A+ is supported. Don't know why is that?

2. Over my speakers it sounds pretty good, but I didn't have too much time to do further listening - I will post when it's going on for a few days. Fixed output.

3. At fist quite BIG disappointment is the headphone out. It's dark so called with boomy bass and lack of the real double bass timbre when hitting the strings - it's like boom, but quite hard to distinguish what kind of instrument did this sound and is quite overwhelming. I hope it will change over time if this device really need some burn in time - if so how much? I am using Grado's 325is. Maybe I should leave them playing over few nites to see if it will develop further and open the air between the instruments? Sounds the same over TOSLINK and USB.

i know that I need more listening, but headphone out is worst than in my modified MKI 7520SEG - at least at first try.

[mkrzych]

Continuing…

The DAC has so called "tubish" sound meaning that there is not hint of the digital glassy timbres and there is something in the sound which attract so much - you can listen for hours and hours. Try for instance The Water is Wide by Charles Lloyd on redbook, sound like LP, but without any cracks and hiss.

Resolution is pretty good, but I think I need more time going through different records in different sampling rates and bit depth.

What is still disturbing me is the too much bass over the headphone out which makes the whole music presentation little bit muddy and boomy and sometimes boring without a real pitch and texture…

Regarding the sampling rates supported I don't know why is that, that the USB and TOSLINK has the same and for instance 24/88.2 is not supported. I guess the only think to get all possible resolution is using SPDIF/USB converter right?

[Werner Berghofer]

Krzysztof,

I don't know why is that, that the USB and TOSLINK has the same and for instance 24/88.2 is not supported.

this limit might be caused by the model of Macbook you’re using as well as the Mac OS X version. Did you check “Audio MIDI Setup” (usually located in the “Utilities” folder) to find out the maximum playback bit depths and sampling rates available on your laptop?

As a sidenote: Are you aware that a bit depth of 24 bit equals a S/N ratio of 144 dB and no DAC currently on the market — not to mention the other elements of a typical playback chain — offers a S/N ratio that huge? The maximum dynamic range on typical music recordings is around 60 dB.

Werner.

[Canetoad]

My CMII plays 24/88.2 from my Touch without any problems. I think it might be the MAC that is the problem.

[mkrzych]

Well, I can play 24/88.2 thanks to Audirvana upsampling, but in Midi setup I cannot see it available - neither using Toslink nor USB.

But this is minor problem.

[mkrzych]

On one of the threads I have found Stan's sentence that CMII is aimed to the music connoisseur who looks for concert hall clarity, detail and openness. Broad statement, but indeed kind of that concert hall experience it there for sure, but do you think that Venom upgrade gives that openness to the headphone out as well? It change the tonal balance of the music because more bass is presented, but maybe it is like it should be, not decided yet.

[StanleyB]

On one of the threads I have found Stan's sentence that CMII is aimed to the music connoisseur who looks for concert hall clarity, detail and openness. Broad statement, but indeed kind of that concert hall experience it there for sure, but do you think that Venom upgrade gives that openness to the headphone out as well? It change the tonal balance of the music because more bass is presented, but maybe it is like it should be, not decided yet.

I set the headphone output up on your specific order based on the headphone information that you provided. So your headphone output is not the stock output. But your overwhelming complaint about the bass is dully noted. I sent you technical information on how to reverse the changes to your specific order. If that doesn't help, by all means send the DAC back for a refund .

But in general, this type of complaint does highlight the reason why I am preparing for the sale of a new kind of headphone amp design. No two customers have the same opinion of what a headphone output should sound like. Being able to adjust it to taste will be a great advantage.

[mkrzych]

I set the headphone output up on your specific order based on the headphone information that you provided. So your headphone output is not the stock output. But your overwhelming complaint about the bass is dully noted. I sent you technical information on how to reverse the changes to your specific order. If that doesn't help, by all means send the DAC back for a refund .

But in general, this type of complaint does highlight the reason why I am preparing for the sale of a new kind of headphone amp design. No two customers have the same opinion of what a headphone output should sound like. Being able to adjust it to taste will be a great advantage.

Hello Stan,
Well, not so fast I am not going to send that DAC back for refund, since I didn't have too much time to listen to it Why my complain about the bass is dully noted? I will give it a chance, I have Grado 325is, so do you or other members could elaborate on the sound, meaning do you think (in your opinion) it should sound like this and this is realistic listening to acoustic jazz for instance? Just to have your opinion…

[mkrzych]

BTW, Grado 325 has the frequency response like this:



Setting up the headphone out with Venom mod in which region it has the effect and by what amount of dB? As general SR325is offer already a broad (18Hz-24Hz) frequency response I think.

[mkrzych]

Hello,
I had a chance to listen more and over the fixed RCA, CMII sound AMAZING! Very crisp treble, huge amount of details and vibrant, resonant deep bass. Instrument attack top class together with they timbre - I have Dali's Mentor 2 with Marantz PM6004 amp. Do not have any complaint about the RCA out. Top class and in comparison to CMI much better resolution and openness.

However, headphone out is NOT in the same league. With Venom 4 upgrade it's dark with boomy bass on Grado SR325is - it's like you put the curtain between you and the drivers - annoying and I think for that cans it needs honest modifications - I am little bit disappointed because I expected much better clarity and the same vibrant not overwhelming low end frequency response with little bit more gain. Don't know why Stan did this upgrade by default for my cans, really don't know. And yet, it sounds worst in that case than on my moded 7520SEG CMI