Any Digital Impressions of the Caiman yet?

[StanleyB]

It's all a question of taste. A DAC1 dealer loaned me a a HDR to compare against the Caiman and I found the HDR inferior in the bass region, whilst having an exaggerated top end. As for expectation of miracles: on a 1 to 7 price ration, it is saying something when we are comparing the two. That doesn't mean that I can't do better. It's a case a perspective, and budget of the potential customers. This side of £1000 you'll be hard pressed to find anything that can convincingly match the Caiman, let alone out perform it. I reckon that for another £200 I could develop the perfect DAC, but most customers budget has a cut off point of £200. The more expensive the product is, the lower the sales are.

[Covenant]

It's all a question of taste. A DAC1 dealer loaned me a a HDR to compare against the Caiman and I found the HDR inferior in the bass region, whilst having an exaggerated top end. As for expectation of miracles: on a 1 to 7 price ration, it is saying something when we are comparing the two. That doesn't mean that I can't do better. It's a case a perspective, and budget of the potential customers. This side of £1000 you'll be hard pressed to find anything that can convincingly match the Caiman, let alone out perform it. I reckon that for another £200 I could develop the perfect DAC, but most customers budget has a cut off point of £200. The more expensive the product is, the lower the sales are.

Doesn't that mean Stan that you should develop other products? A Beresford amplifier would be on my christmas wish list!

[StanleyB]

Hi Jerry, I only started my own business about three years ago, so it will take time to add more items. I did develop a small amp using the Tripath chip. JLAND100 actually saw it. But Tripath folded and I lost my source for the chips. My German distributor has been selling the few that we built. Look for TC-820 on www.beresford.de . I didn't bring it into the UK since we only managed to make 200 pieces before the bad news with the chips got to us.

[Covenant]

Hi Jerry, I only started my own business about three years ago, so it will take time to add more items. I did develop a small amp using the Tripath chip. JLAND100 actually saw it. But Tripath folded and I lost my source for the chips. My German distributor has been selling the few that we built. Look for TC-820 on www.beresford.de . I didn't bring it into the UK since we only managed to make 200 pieces before the bad news with the chips got to us.

Thats really interesting Stan. I seem to remember you commenting unfavourably once about Class D amplification but it may have been that you think its often badly implemented. A pair of Beresford monoblock power amps would be a dream come true.

[Labarum]

An absolutely straightforward audio power amp in a simple box would match well with a Caiman or 7520. Those who have already abandoned analogue sources would need nothing else. I guess next to the power supply components and the case is the most expensive bit, but a cheap black brick to hide in some convenient corner would be domestically acceptable.

For me - at least 70w and 100w would be better. I have looked at kits to throw in any old box, but you never know what you are buying.

[Labarum]

Alternative view: where does this take you?

http://www.m-audio.ca/products/en_ca...phileDSM1.html

[technobear]

Cheap brick power amps that are worthy of the Caiman?

One might consider:

Rotel RB-06

Audiolab 8000P

I too have looked at DIYing something - the BK modules look interesting - but by the time you have sourced a nice case and appropriate modules and power suppllies you end up very close to the retail price of the above two.

The Rotel would be my choice. Plenty of reports of problems with the chinese-built Audiolabs.

[Labarum]

Cheap brick power amps that are worthy of the Caiman?

The 'cheap' referred to the case. no Standac needs a fancy case to prove its worth, and nor would a matching power amp, all the more so because it could be hidden.

[leo]

Well, imho, it's even significantly worse, considering the price. But Chippy was talking about the HDR, which is another design alltogether (if I understood properly).

The one I heard was the pre amp version, I was told the actual dac part is the same, If spending this sort of money on a dac I choose diy mainly because I know the higher expense goes on the parts which matter to me

I know for 200 quid I'd be struggling to build something to better the Caiman but for the Dac1 price makes things a lot different

[Alex_UK]

What Hi-fi give the Caiman 5 Stars in their First Test in the Awards edition which I got today - well done Stan (and presumably that was a pre-PSU model they tested too?)