Beresford Bushmaster DAC Reviews

[RoboCopper]

The trick in any design is how you go about using the parts. A lot of people get blinkered by manufacturers specification sheets instead of physically putting a component in a circuit and testing it for themselves. Then design a circuit that can make optimal use of it. A lot of people strongly believe that having this or that DAC chip on a PCB will deliver the goods. Dream on. If I started working with the top end chipsets just imagine what I could produce for say £499.99. But how many people would be able to justify that sort of expenditure? Not all my customers are in well paid jobs and well to do countries. For many of them even £200 is a year's savings perhaps. And I sure don't want them to fork out that much if it doesn't put a mighty big grin on their face. And that's the one thing I have frequently promised my customers, but no other DAC manufacturer dare to commit to with their DAC. The grin factor has become an almost exclusive synonym for my DACs and with the Bushmaster even more so.

[StanleyB]

You can't be serious?

I am perfectly serious. Just imagine the commercial damage your findings are doing to my reputation. I have already had some potential customers sending me PM to say they are getting cold feet from it all. It's best that I take the DAC back and have someone else try it out so that we can confirm if it is the DAC or not. After that I shall probably give it way if it works fine.

[jandl100]

That's a damn shame, Stan -- it's one of the very best DACs on the planet, I suspect. Certainly the best of many that I have heard at up to around £4k.

Note, folks, the "return if not satisfied" policy. ... that's the law of the land anyway in the UK for mail-order sales.

Just buy one - very likely you will be as amazed as the many positive reviewers here. If not, send it back.

[magiccarpetride]

I am perfectly serious. Just imagine the commercial damage your findings are doing to my reputation. I have already had some potential customers sending me PM to say they are getting cold feet from it all. It's best that I take the DAC back and have someone else try it out so that we can confirm if it is the DAC or not. After that I shall probably give it way if it works fine.

Sorry, didn't mean to cause any damage. I though you were asking for open feedback from those of us who happily purchased your DAC. As I've repeatedly mentioned in this thread, I'm absolutely blown away by this product, and I'm only discussing certain issues at the fringes, hoping to get to the bottom of it. Perhaps it's the interconnects capacitance, perhaps it needs a bit more burn in time. I've already received some useful suggestions from the members here. Sorry, but I don't feel that 'just return it for a refund' is a useful suggestion, nor is it necessarily a stand up and applaud exemplary customer service.

Please recognize that an audio component may exhibit different symptoms depending on the particular audio chain where you plug it in. I'm sure there is a way to get this sorted out, and even if not, the rest of the benefits this product offers colossally outweigh any minor misgivings (perceived or not).

[The Vinyl Adventure]

Yeah, muffled highs is certainly not something im getting ... There must be some other issues at play!

[StanleyB]

The kind of problems you reported with the DAC changing the speed are impossible for a DAC to do. But the customer is always right they say so it is best that I don't leave you underwhelmed with your new purchase, or stuck with a piece of kit in which you have lost faith. I am sure I can find a good home for it on its return. And you'll be able to continue enjoying the Caiman with the Bushmaster soon being just a distant memory .

[MartinT]

Alex - as well as changing the interconnect cables, compare what you hear from the headphone output. If the highs are not rolled off, there's unlikely to be anything wrong with the BM.

[Covenant]

Alex-treat yourself to a digital interconnect cable from Mike Homar, they are the dogs danglies.

[Canetoad]

I can honestly say that cymbals, chimes etc haven't sounded better in my system with the Bushmaster. I was particularly impressed with how realistic they now sound. And just for the record, I have a hot rodded Caiman as well to compare it with.

I am particularly enjoying playing songs I know well and hearing new depths of detail, some good, some bad, depending on the recording. The BM definitely tells it like it is.

[magiccarpetride]

I can honestly say that cymbals, chimes etc haven't sounded better in my system with the Bushmaster.

So, if they haven't sounded better then they sounded the same, I'm presuming. In my case, they sound different with the Bushmaster.