Beresford Bushmaster DAC Reviews

[magiccarpetride]

I don't have that problem Alex
Maybe you have just become accustomed to a more digital harsh sound?

Definitely, that's certainly the case Hamish. Still, the metallic sound one gets when hitting the bell or a chime made from a metal alloy is not the result of digital harsh sound, because it's happening in real life, in an 'analog' situation. My confusion is why am I not getting similar rendition from the Bushmaster, i.e., why is the Bushmaster reproducing these metal chimes as if they're bamboo chimes?

[StanleyB]

You have become accustomed to the typical bright metallic sound of digital audio and lost the ability to recognize a more analogue sound I reckon.

[synsei]

This is a slight worry for me because I love the way the Caiman renders percussion in my system, it has oodles of attack and sounds so, so natural. I'd really miss this if it turns out to be a global trait of the Bushmaster and not just a minor niggle with the occasional unit. It would be nice to hear a Bushmaster in my system before I pull the trigger...

[MartinT]

Does anyone else feel as if the highs from the Bushmaster are quite rolled off?

No, not getting that at all. It's anything but muffled. Are you using correct cables and inputs into the next stage? A low impedance input in the next stage could slug the BM's output too much and sound like that.

[magiccarpetride]

This is a slight worry for me because I love the way the Caiman renders percussion in my system, it has oodles of attack and sounds so, so natural. I'd really miss this if it turns out to be a global trait of the Bushmaster and not just a minor niggle with the occasional unit...

It bothered me last night while listening to Santana's "Oye Como Va". Oodles of ingenious percussion attacks (that are frankly driving the entire song) seemed buried way deep inside the mix. I was really perking my ears hunting for the familiar cues. Switching over to Caiman, these percussive cues were out there shining in their full glory (I almost wanted to add "the way god intended them").

My hope is that with burn-in this will eventually get corrected... If not, I guess it would be a good thing I haven't sold the little reptilian

[synsei]

I gotta agree with you there Alex, and lets face it, Santana without percussion is a bit of a lost cause. I hope very much that it is a problem that resolves itself during burn in because everything else I'm reading about the BM is right up my street

[StanleyB]

This is a slight worry for me because I love the way the Caiman renders percussion in my system, it has oodles of attack and sounds so, so natural. I'd really miss this if it turns out to be a global trait of the Bushmaster and not just a minor niggle with the occasional unit. It would be nice to hear a Bushmaster in my system before I pull the trigger...

Don't worry Dave . There are other DACs on the market so you won't be stuck for choice.
I haven't heard anyone mentioning similar issues. Maybe it is the 110V US mains supply?

[magiccarpetride]

No, not getting that at all. It's anything but muffled. Are you using correct cables and inputs into the next stage? A low impedance input in the next stage could slug the BM's output too much and sound like that.

I'm feeding the Bushmaster from SBT using Stan's digital coax. From the DAC into the preamp I'm using the much ballyhooed Belkin 8ft cables, which sound quite stunning with the Caiman.

Anything else I'd need to check?

[magiccarpetride]

Don't worry Dave . There are other DACs on the market so you won't be stuck for choice.
I haven't heard anyone mentioning similar issues. Maybe it is the 110V US mains supply?

Perhaps I should switch to the 12V battery?

[StanleyB]

Have you got anything else than the SBT to try?