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  1. #1
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Location: http://www.homehifi.co.uk

    Posts: 6,288

    Default The Beresford Capella Headphone Amplifier

    We are in the final stages of getting my new headphone amplifier ready for launch. Here are a few pictures of the first one that was completed. It's a bit covered in fingerprint marks, so I shall take some new pics next week and update them.


    A view of the front.



    Sideways


    The back panel

  2. #2
    Join Date: Oct 2012

    Location: The Black Country

    Posts: 6,089
    I'm Alan.

    Default

    Looking great Stan
    I love Hendrix for so many reasons. He was so much more than just a blues guitarist - he played damn well any kind of guitar he wanted. In fact I'm not sure if he even played the guitar - he played music. - Stevie Ray Vaughan

  3. #3
    Join Date: Jun 2012

    Location: Normandie, France

    Posts: 18
    I'm Malcolm.

    Default

    It looks great Stan, and will no doubt sound it.

    Now you've got time to finish the design of the phono stage with built-in A-D converter...
    Malcolm (I originally trained as a chemist - it affects the way I think...)
    Primary System is (currently):
    Analogue 'Pieces':
    Opus-3 Continuo with Hadcock (VDH Silver) & Musicmaker, Korato KVP10 Valve Pre (inc Phono) and KTA100 Class A-B (NOT A/B!) Power Amp. Magnum Dynalab Tuner, Uher 'Omega' R2R - All comes out through DALI Helicon 400's
    Digital 'Bits': Arcam FMJ RingDAC CDP, DAB Tuner, Apple TV-1 (Jailbroken with HDD upgrade), Humax Freesat Recorder, Beresford Bushmaster

  4. #4
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Location: http://www.homehifi.co.uk

    Posts: 6,288

    Default

    There is a copy of the instructions on my support page at http://www.beresford.me/others/support.html

  5. #5
    Join Date: Mar 2014

    Location: Montreal, Canada

    Posts: 97
    I'm TAD.

    Default

    Magic!

    Cannot wait to get one.

    Elegant and concise. Just what the doctor ordered.

    Will have to get some more malt in for those late nights.

    T12:thumbsup

  6. #6
    Join Date: Feb 2011

    Location: Norway

    Posts: 6
    I'm Per.

    Default

    Capella, interesting set of features. Price aprox?

  7. #7
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Location: http://www.homehifi.co.uk

    Posts: 6,288

    Default

    The Capella will be offered with just the 2.1mm plug to plug DC flylead, or with the power supply and flylead. I promised to keep the price close to £150 plus VAT and shipping to EU countries. That's roughly £167 to non-EU countries. In order to keep my promise on the price I shall offer the Capella plus DC flylead at about £159.99 plus VAT, which includes delivery. The power supply, if required, will cost extra. Many people already have a battery pack or alternative power supply. So it makes no sense to add the power supply if it won't be used.

  8. #8
    Join Date: Feb 2008

    Location: http://www.homehifi.co.uk

    Posts: 6,288

    Default The new controls explained

    Some of the controls on the Capella are no doubt unfamiliar to headphone users, or even the purpose of them. So here is a quick explanation and purpose of them.

    GAIN:
    Most headphone amps have to drive headphones from say 32 to 300 Ohms, with only the volume control available to adjust the output level. Unfortunately a 32 Ohms headphone only needs a small turn of the volume control before it is loud enough. A 300 Ohms headphone will need to be turned up by a far larger amount in order to sound just as loud. So some headphone amps have a switch to select between low and high gain for different headphones. Unfortunately this is not good enough in many cases. So the Capella uses a variable gain to cover both headphone impedance and sensitivity.

    DAMPING:
    Different headphones have a different resonance frequency and bass response level. Using a bass control to iron out those differences does however also affect the low frequency extension of the headphones, and the impact of the bass response in general. So headphone designs tend no to have a bass control of any sort. The Capella uses a little circuit to provide one of four selectable current/voltage levels to control the voice coil damping. This gives a far more solid bass at its optimum setting. No two headphones are the same in the bass region, so that's why provided four settings to choose from.

    HF:
    Some headphones have a very pronounced treble, which can ruin an otherwise brilliant listening experience. Some headphone users also suffer from ringing in the ears etc. from even a modest amount of treble. the Capella uses a kind of HF flattening circuit to dampen the HF response gradually so that excessively bright headphones can be tamed to a more acceptable user requirement. The hf control won't give you more treble. It will only give you a reduced dynamic response in the high frequency range between the 12PM and 5PM position. So you'll still hear the treble in the music in that range, just that you can adjust the overall "loudness" of it. Below 12PM you start reducing the treble content, which would be useful for headphone users who suffer from HF discomforts.

    DEPTH:
    Depending on the design of some headphones, the vocals and some instruments can sound a bit detached from the rest of the music. It can sound a bit too far back, or far too forward. Once you combine that with a headphone amp that has a presentation that is already laid back or forward, the listening experience can be quickly ruined. The DEPTH control on the Capella can offer a reasonable amount of control of the apparent forward/backward position of the music.

  9. #9
    Join Date: Oct 2014

    Location: lanarkshire

    Posts: 75
    I'm jeff.

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by StanleyB View Post
    Some of the controls on the Capella are no doubt unfamiliar to headphone users, or even the purpose of them. So here is a quick explanation and purpose of them.

    GAIN:
    Most headphone amps have to drive headphones from say 32 to 300 Ohms, with only the volume control available to adjust the output level. Unfortunately a 32 Ohms headphone only needs a small turn of the volume control before it is loud enough. A 300 Ohms headphone will need to be turned up by a far larger amount in order to sound just as loud. So some headphone amps have a switch to select between low and high gain for different headphones. Unfortunately this is not good enough in many cases. So the Capella uses a variable gain to cover both headphone impedance and sensitivity.

    DAMPING:
    Different headphones have a different resonance frequency and bass response level. Using a bass control to iron out those differences does however also affect the low frequency extension of the headphones, and the impact of the bass response in general. So headphone designs tend no to have a bass control of any sort. The Capella uses a little circuit to provide one of four selectable current/voltage levels to control the voice coil damping. This gives a far more solid bass at its optimum setting. No two headphones are the same in the bass region, so that's why provided four settings to choose from.

    HF:
    Some headphones have a very pronounced treble, which can ruin an otherwise brilliant listening experience. Some headphone users also suffer from ringing in the ears etc. from even a modest amount of treble. the Capella uses a kind of HF flattening circuit to dampen the HF response gradually so that excessively bright headphones can be tamed to a more acceptable user requirement. The hf control won't give you more treble. It will only give you a reduced dynamic response in the high frequency range between the 12PM and 5PM position. So you'll still hear the treble in the music in that range, just that you can adjust the overall "loudness" of it. Below 12PM you start reducing the treble content, which would be useful for headphone users who suffer from HF discomforts.

    DEPTH:
    Depending on the design of some headphones, the vocals and some instruments can sound a bit detached from the rest of the music. It can sound a bit too far back, or far too forward. Once you combine that with a headphone amp that has a presentation that is already laid back or forward, the listening experience can be quickly ruined. The DEPTH control on the Capella can offer a reasonable amount of control of the apparent forward/backward position of the music.
    Don't need one, didn't know I wanted one...but probably gonna get one looks really well thought through

  10. #10
    Join Date: Apr 2009

    Location: Melbourne

    Posts: 166
    I'm Alex.

    Default need for outputs

    Arrggh...I have no more outputs on my amplifier.

    Looks like there will need to be a Caiman II+2 version released soon with two outputs. One output for the amp and the other to feed the Capella!

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