Beresford Bushmaster DAC Reviews

[rxjr]

I've had the Beresford Bushmaster for quite some time and have accidentally discovered a weakness or discrepancy in its otherwise great sounding armor.

I purchased from Amazon an admittedly cheap Ace deal branded Analog to Digital converter (ADC), with both coax and optical outputs, to digitize my cassette collection, using my Nakamichi Dragon cassette deck as source and my custom Modified Pioneer Tangential Straight line Tracking turntable for my vinyl collection.

Source used for testing was my Optimus CD 3400, powered by a custom Dick Sequerra PS1 battery Operated power supply, into the Ace deal ADC, then into the Bushmaster coax or optical inputs for playback. For those interested, or may have questions about this set-up, Stereophile has highly reviewed and commended the Optimus CD 3400 and Dick Sequerra PS1 combination as an arguably excellent, if not great input source for CD playback. For those who may or may not know, Dick Sequerra is the famous manufacturer of the best rated FM tuner on the planet. Period.

When I first used the Ace deal ADC, into the Bushmaster, I got no sound from its coax input and some distortion from its digital input. So I ordered a replacement unit and also purchased an additional Okeba ADC with coax and optical outputs feeding the coax and optical inputs of the Bushmaster.

RESULTS: Good sounds from both ADC units using their Optical outputs into the Bushmaster Optical inputs. However, NO sound when using their coax outs into the Bushmaster coax inputs. Numerous times I tried, still NO sound from the Bushmaster coax inputs.

I then pulled out and tried these combinations with my old trusty Audio Alchemy DAC in a box and the french made Battery NOS (non-oversampling) DAC. Both units played and sounded good with no problems, using both their coax and optical inputs with the two ADC's.

ANALYSIS: There may some anomaly or weakness in the Bushmaster coax input (either hardware or software related) that causes it not to lock onto the 48khz outputs of the 2 ADC's. The Bushmaster Optical inputs, on the other hand, works perfectly fine and sounds great, with no issues. This has placed a damper, on my desire or fantasy of converting my over 40 yr old vinyl and cassette collection into the digital realm.

RESULTS: The Bushmaster is still a great sounding product, and will remain in my system, as my favorite DAC for digital playback. But this anomaly or incompatibility has also led me to look at other ADC/DAC combinations for digitizing my vinyl and cassette collections, which would possibly take the Bushmaster out of the equation.

Namely the NAD PP3i and the Furutech ADL GT40 and Furutech Esprit. All of which contain ADC/DAC within one unit. Owner or users of the above products, your comments and reviews of the above, would be greatly appreciated by one and all. Thanks.

Rex

[MartinT]

If optical works and co-ax doesn't, it suggests to me that an earth loop may exist.

[rxjr]

As suggested by member MartinT, tried various grounding schemes, such as grounding the ADC's and Bushmaster,grounding the Coax RCA to the Bushmaster, all of which is easy, since the Bushmaster has a ground connector.

RESULTS: Still NO sound from the 2 ADC's coax outputs into the Bushmaster coax inputs. The 2 ADC's optical outs into the Bushmaster optical inputs works with no issues and sound quite good. So, I still hold my original thesis that there may be an anomaly and/or incompatibility in the Bushmaster coax inputs that may be software of hardware related, that prevents it from locking onto the 48 khz signal from these 2 ADC's. As previously stated, these incompatibility does not occur when using my other 2 DAC's.

I still consider the Bushmaster an excellent DAC, dead silent, highly versatile, dynamic and great sounding. It will always be my preferred DAC for CD playback.

However, to convert my vinyl and cassette collections to digital, I am now looking at various alternatives. Any owners and or users of these units - NAD PP3i, Furutech ADL GT40 or Furutech ESPRIT, your review and comments would be highly appreciated. Thanks.

To: StanleyB - if you are reading this, any thoughts on the Bushmaster incompatibility with the the 2 ADC's which only affect the Coax connections? By the way, the Bushmaster Coax inputs work and sound great with my CD setup. It is only with these 2 ADC's that I encountered the no sound issue. Thanks.

Rex

[Peter Galbavy]

Sorry if I missed this but do the coax inputs work with any other source without issue?

[rxjr]

To Peter Galvany: Yes. The Bushmaster Coax and Optical inputs work with my normal CD sources. The No sound issue only comes up when using the the 2 ADC's coax outputs into the Bushmaster coax inputs. This is the only issue I have run across. Otherwise, everything works fine and sounds great.

Still waiting for StanleyB and others to share some thoughts on this issue.

Rex

[rxjr]

To Peter Galvaby: my apologies for misspelling your last name. comments, anyone?

Rex

[rxjr]

Mr. Stanley Beresford, thou art a genius. Based on your email, i tried your suggestion of just letting the center pin of the coax cable touch the Beresford DAC coax input. However, this produced no sound. As a last resort, I tried both ends of the coax cable center pin just go into both the ADC's coax output and the Bushmaster coax input. The skies opened, the seas parted, and then there was glorious sound. Thanks for the quick reply and the great advise. Will try to post this whole email exhange between us, so others may utilize this info in the future. thanks again.

Rex

From: "Stanley Beresford" <Stanley@homehifi.co.uk>
To: rxjr22@comcast.net
Sent: Saturday, March 9, 2013 12:49:48 PM
Subject: Re: Beresford Bushmaster question

Hi Rex,

from your test results it appears that the ADC is probably using a virtual earth internally. The Bushmaster has an isolated earth. When you connect the ADC and Bushmaster you are technically shorting out the virtual earth in the ADC to the isolated earth in the Bushmaster. So the signal from the ADC drops to below the level required for proper detection by the DAC's input receiver.

Try just getting the center pin on your coax cable to go into the Bushmaster coax socket. So the outer section of the coax cable RAC plug should not touch the RCA socket on the Bushmaster. Now try the ADC to see if it works.

As for technical question on issue with any product of mine: it is always best to email me. I am a member of loads of forums, but don't have the luxury of being able to surf the net all the time and read through all the topics. Otherwise I won't have time to develop new stuff, answer emails, and pack and post out orders.

Regards,

Stan

On 09/03/2013 17:15, rxjr22@comcast.net wrote:

To: Mr. Stanley Beresford,

The questions I have are all contained in my posts in The Art of sound forum, page 104 of the Beresford Banter section. Specifically, that when using the 2 ADC's described therein, I get no sound when using these ADC's coax outputs into the Bushmaster coax inputs. These ADC's optical outputs into the Bushmaster optical inputs work fine with no issues and sound great. Coax outputs from my CD players into the Bushmaster coax inputs also work fine, sounding excellent.

Because of the above, my curiosity as to the above anomaly has been aroused. Other forum members have given me advise, but all of which have not resolved the no sound issue. These ADC's output a standard 48khz output via coax. As also stated in the forum post, I have tried these ADC's with my other 2 DACs, they lock onto the signal via coax and optical and play with no problems.

Please understand that I am not in anyway denigrating the Bushmaster. My great admiration, respect for your design prowess, and high regard for the Bushmaster still remains undiminished, as it still is, and will remain, my current all time favorite DAC for digital playback. Any ideas or thoughts from you, about the above issue, would be most greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,

Rex

[MartinT]

Heh, heh, glad it's sorted Rex.

[jfs]

I will never understand electronics or the life of its component parts.
23 days ago, the Bushmaster arrived and being a DAC virgin a) didn't know what to expect and b) had nothing to compare its performance against except previous cd players.
After set up, it sounded ok, warm bottom end and lower midrange, higher frequencies were less exaggerated and harsh sounding than with the Sony 930e being used on its own. Texture of instruments was quite pleasing, timbral quality, well it seemed better but that could have been imagination. It made me smile. After a few days, things improved, the top end opened out and the bottom lost some of its warmth and sounded more textured and all in all more layered. I could imagine now the studio set up and actually hear some of the recording techniques ( if that makes sense ). A nice sound, but not the revelation I was hoping for, although better than the Sony on its own. For £200 or so including a coax lead what should I expect ?.
23 days on, playing minimally 8 hours a day ( just to see if this ' burn in ' phenomena is fallacy ), Well what can I say.
A difference in sound greeted me this evening on switch on, and after 10 minutes warm up, the top end for whatever reason has opened out I would say fully, cymbals, high hats snare, breath tones, instrument decay and resonance absolutely incredible. The bottom end is tight, well defined and well controlled, no euphonics, just pure as it should be lower and lower midrange frequencies, any 'bloom' is down to room resonance. Vocals and acoustic instruments, incredible. Even my wife (happy with a transistor radio) asked if I'd been fiddling again, ' it sounds clear and I can hear things better' (whatever that means).
All this after probably 200 hours of 'burn in' (what is this ?). Pleased you bet I am, and far more than I ever expected, but why all at once and after so long.?
The volume setting is the same, nothing has been 'fiddled' with, the recordings I have played are all well known to me, no components have been changed and yet I now have a sound that betters (to my ears) equipment costing many times more than my own for a relatively small outlay and three weeks of running at 8 hours a day. Incredible.
I've been into hifi since 1972, I don't believe in snake oil, fancy cables or sheets of A4 placed strategically around the room, didn't believe in 'burn in' of electronic components, oh and I still have the same pair of ears that I've always had (although with less acute hearing).
Equipment in use :- Sony cdp930e, Bushmaster, Sugden A21a, JR149 speakers and a BK Gemini mk1 subwoofer (x/over at 51hz).
None of it is high end but what an incredible and involving improvement in sound quality and seemingly all down to the Bushmaster - a new system for £200 !.
I'm very happy with my new toy.

[MartinT]

Nice write-up, John. Burn-in is real, of that I have no doubt.