Beresford Bushmaster DAC Reviews

[StanleyB]

I just noticed that the boomy bass is reported with respect to certain Sennheiser headphones. Having done a search on sites like head-fi it seems that boomy bass is not an uncommon experience with Sennheiser headphones, and many reports go back many years.

[Mike g]

Stan quick question- are you building any of the Bushmasters which don't have a headphone/variable line out (ie just a dac with fixed out). I like using a separate pre amp with my caiman and rarely if ever use headphones. If such a dac was available, would there be an increase in SQ as there would be fewer electronics to power?

Cheers

[StanleyB]

Stan quick question- are you building any of the Bushmasters which don't have a headphone/variable line out (ie just a dac with fixed out).

No I am not. There are enough DACs out there without a headphone output to choose from.

[loonytunes]

Stan quick question- are you building any of the Bushmasters which don't have a headphone/variable line out (ie just a dac with fixed out). I like using a separate pre amp with my caiman and rarely if ever use headphones. If such a dac was available, would there be an increase in SQ as there would be fewer electronics to power?
Cheers

I believe the DAC is a fixed out, and the variable control is for the headphones only...

[Jamtoast]

Arrived today. Can confirm that the Bushmaster still works hanging upside-down in the Southern Hemisphere.

This evening have been running comparisons against my (ungatorised) Caiman.

You'll have to take my word for it when I say I'm not usually one to gush about new gear - I'm very wary of the psychology of a new box purchase colouring initial opinions. I also don't profess to be an expert. But straight out of the box I'm so bowled over by this DAC I can't resist writing something now.

Mine is not a remotely high end system compared to many here (see below) but fair to say that it loves the Bushmaster. In fact given some of the more reserved comments above I feel I might be getting more out of it than some folk here with really high end systems - perhaps because there is significantly more room for improvement in my set up than those. Who knows?

By far the most compelling thing about the Bushmaster is how analogue it sounds to my ears. The digital sibilance, quite noticeable in my system previously, is all but gone. An understated warmth and presence that not at all fatiguing. Really very nice.

Other improvements: depth of the soundstage is significantly up as is stereo separation. Bottom end tighter, better controlled. More detail revealed in the music.

I'm looking forward to hearing how it evolves as it burns in and also to try the headphone amp.

I debated whether to make this purchase given I have a Caiman. I also worried, given my modest system, that I wouldn't notice any improvement. Absolutely worth it. A few hours in and I'm already recommending to my brother than he get one immediately. Call me a fan boy if you wish, I could not care less. This thing sounds unbelievably expensive and is as cheap as chips. Buy one.

Well done Stan.

Test tracks: All 16/44.1 CD rips.
Tord Gustavsen Trio - Blessed Feet
Codex - Radiohead
By this River - Alva Noto & Ryuichi Sakamoto
Red Right Hand (2011 Remaster) - Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
Lover's Leap - Bela Fleck & the Flecktones
Ragmuffin - Michael Hedges
Invisible Riverside - Ryan Adams
Hoochie Woman - Tori Amos

[Russell Turner]

Russell, how about a review based on 16/44 files?

OK listened to a series of sources now at 16bit 44.1KHz, these being either FLAC on the Squeezebox Touch or CD's being played on the crappy LG DVD player acting as a CD Transport connected to TOSLINK2 using some optical lead I have had knocking around for years...

All I can say is that it doesn't seem to have any issues with your standard Redbook type files, has the same level of competence sound wise it does with your higher resolution files. Like for instance I am listening to The Art of Noise's The Seduction of Claude Debussy in CD, I am hearing excellent detail, soundstage and bass, in-fact I am uncertain if CD's still have the edge on the Squeezebox as a source and I will endeavour to do a analysis of this at some stage when everything beds in.

One thing though I am considering now... Is looking for a good 2nd hand CD Transport, instead of using this LG DVD Player for CD playback and upgrading my digital cables to something a bit more worthy of the set-up I have now.

p.s. I haven't had the time to really consider the Mains Cables R Us PSU upgrade I have just fitted today, but I guess this will be a good comparison as well with CD sources (if this makes sense).

[loonytunes]

One thing though I am considering now... Is looking for a good 2nd hand CD Transport

Why bother using any CD Transport at all when Stan replied to me that the full potential of his DAC is realised through the Squeezebox Touch which you already own? It was specifically designed for media players in mind.

[MartinT]

Why bother using any CD Transport at all

Because round shiny things can sound very good and are nice to have?

[wee tee cee]

A few hours on the headamp....its very good.
More bass than I am used to. Certainly worthy of direct comparison with my mf m1 headamp. Its continually improving.....my foot has been tapping an awful lot.
Given a couple of hundred hours I think it may turn out to something really special.

[Werner Berghofer]

Tony,

A few hours on the headamp....its very good.

which headphones are you using, and what’s their impedance?

Werner.