Quote Originally Posted by Werner Berghofer View Post
I just listen to ”Bare Bones“ in ALAC file format, streamed wirelessly from a Macbook Pro to an Airport Express which is connected via optical cable to a gatorized Caiman. The Caiman’s fixed line-out feeds my ancient Yahama AX-592 amplifier with Triangle Esprit floor-standing loudspeakers. Everything sounds just fine, I cannot hear any distortion.

However, two weeks ago I noticed an incredible level of distortion on any track of ”Feels like home“ from Norah Jones, again when played through a gatorized Caiman. I even re-ripped the whole CD, but this didn’t change anything. The distortion is stronger with headphones directly connected to the DAC, but it also can be heard from the loudspeakers.

The distortion also is there when listening via a gatorized TC-7520, although not that strong as in the Caiman. Before my DACs were gatorized (using Gator Mk1), I didn’t notice any distortion.
This sounds worrying. Is your headphone volume set at zero while listening to music via the fixed line outputs? Which opamp do you have on the Gator?

Perhaps it would be useful to gather some statistics. A design characteristic of the Beresford dacs is single ended power (+12V or +15V) on the analog section, whereas many others have +/-12V or +/-15V, providing more headroom.

FYI I am using a Gator with LM4562, and I find that distortion on loud, high frequency music (in my case massed strings in classical music, usually quite demanding) is subjectively as low or lower compared to other dacs. The challenge is that I'm not sure if my dac has Mk1 or Mk2 Gator, *and* I've done enough mods on my Gator that any one of a dozen mods to power or signal coupling may have affected things.