Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.high-end
rtweed rtweed is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default New DAC well worth a listen

I've just had delivery of a Beresford Bushmaster DAC: Stanley
Beresford's latest and greatest.

Just to be clear - I have no commercial relationship with Stanley's
company, but I've been interested in his DACs since purchasing his
excellent and low-cost 7520 model some years ago. I heard about his
new Bushmaster model pretty much by accident and decided to give it a
try....again it's a very low cost device, at least here in the UK
where Stanley is based. Already this device is getting a lot of very
good press.

I'd assumed it would be marginally better than the 7520. I was wrong.
This thing is in another league - I've really never heard anything
like it. I have it playing directly into a Behringer A500 power amp
and PMC speakers. They have never sounded better. Clarity like I've
never heard before - it's quite stunning.

I'd recommend any reader of this group to try to get your hands on one
and try it out for yourselves. For more info on this unit:

http://www.homehifi.co.uk/main/main.html

Apologies if this sounds like a fanboi rave, but I just think this is
a piece of kit that warrants attention.

Rob

  #2   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.high-end
Audio Empire Audio Empire is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,193
Default New DAC well worth a listen

On Fri, 6 Jul 2012 05:24:09 -0700, rtweed wrote
(in article ):

I've just had delivery of a Beresford Bushmaster DAC: Stanley
Beresford's latest and greatest.

Just to be clear - I have no commercial relationship with Stanley's
company, but I've been interested in his DACs since purchasing his
excellent and low-cost 7520 model some years ago. I heard about his
new Bushmaster model pretty much by accident and decided to give it a
try....again it's a very low cost device, at least here in the UK
where Stanley is based. Already this device is getting a lot of very
good press.

I'd assumed it would be marginally better than the 7520. I was wrong.
This thing is in another league - I've really never heard anything
like it. I have it playing directly into a Behringer A500 power amp
and PMC speakers. They have never sounded better. Clarity like I've
never heard before - it's quite stunning.

I'd recommend any reader of this group to try to get your hands on one
and try it out for yourselves. For more info on this unit:

http://www.homehifi.co.uk/main/main.html

Apologies if this sounds like a fanboi rave, but I just think this is
a piece of kit that warrants attention.

Rob


Some Q's for you, if you don't mind, Rob.

1) How much, in US dollars, was the Bushmaster, as delivered to you? Did you
order it directly from Beresford in GB?

2) Is this unit, the TC-7530DC, made by TEC in China like Bereford's previous
DACs, the TC-7510 and TC-7520?

3) What DAC chip(s) does the TC7530 use? I find that most of the IC DAC chips
sound pretty much alike. The exception being the ESS SabreDAC.

4) Does it up-convert 16-bit, 44.1/48 KHz to 24/96? The website doesn't say.

And why, oh why do do many DAC manufacturers fail to provide either a light
or a digital display telling the user what actual sample rate the converter
has locked onto?

Thanks.

Audio_Empire
  #3   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.high-end
Audio Empire Audio Empire is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 1,193
Default New DAC well worth a listen

On Sat, 7 Jul 2012 12:20:00 -0700, ScottW wrote
(in article ):

On Jul 7, 8:32am, Audio Empire wrote:
On Fri, 6 Jul 2012 05:24:09 -0700, rtweed wrote
(in article ):

I've just had delivery of a Beresford Bushmaster DAC: Stanley
Beresford's latest and greatest.


Just to be clear - I have no commercial relationship with Stanley's
company, but I've been interested in his DACs since purchasing his
excellent and low-cost 7520 model some years ago. I heard about his
new Bushmaster model pretty much by accident and decided to give it a
try....again it's a very low cost device, at least here in the UK
where Stanley is based. Already this device is getting a lot of very
good press.


I'd assumed it would be marginally better than the 7520. I was wrong.
This thing is in another league - I've really never heard anything
like it. I have it playing directly into a Behringer A500 power amp
and PMC speakers. They have never sounded better. Clarity like I've
never heard before - it's quite stunning.


I'd recommend any reader of this group to try to get your hands on one
and try it out for yourselves. For more info on this unit:


http://www.homehifi.co.uk/main/main.html


Apologies if this sounds like a fanboi rave, but I just think this is
a piece of kit that warrants attention.


Rob


Some Q's for you, if you don't mind, Rob.

1) How much, in US dollars, was the Bushmaster, as delivered to you? Did you
order it directly from Beresford in GB?


According to the web site....US (and other non-EU) customers avoid
the 20% VAT tax.


Yes, That's obvious that there is no VAT on US sales. But what was the price,
from Beresford with shipping. They don't list the price of the TC-7530 on the
web-site.


2) Is this unit, the TC-7530DC, made by TEC in China like Bereford's
previous
DACs, the TC-7510 and TC-7520?

3) What DAC chip(s) does the TC7530 use? I find that most of the IC DAC
chips
sound pretty much alike. The exception being the ESS SabreDAC.

4) Does it up-convert 16-bit, 44.1/48 KHz to 24/96? The website doesn't say.

And why, oh why do do many DAC manufacturers fail to provide either a light
or a digital display telling the user what actual sample rate the converter
has locked onto?


I'd like to know what drive capability the DAC has. Having no
output buffer stage may make my passive volume control unsuitable.


That's a distinct possibility.

The other question raised is in recommending an external DC supply
filter.
Is the internal supply filters inadequate?


Looks to me like the device takes a 12 volt wall-wart. Those can be marginal.
But single-ended power supplies do open-up the possibility of using a better
supply than the stock one. I have a phono-preamp that used a 12- volt
wall-wart (but would work on any DC supply from 12-18 volts) and I converted
it to run on 18 volt rechargeable gel-cells. It was visibly quieter on an
oscilloscope after that. Not sure I could actually hear any difference
though. I liked to think I could. The lowering of ripple and noise on the
output kind-of gave me peace of mind. 8^)

ScottW


  #4   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.high-end
Andrew Haley Andrew Haley is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 155
Default New DAC well worth a listen

rtweed wrote:
I've just had delivery of a Beresford Bushmaster DAC: Stanley
Beresford's latest and greatest.

Just to be clear - I have no commercial relationship with Stanley's
company, but I've been interested in his DACs since purchasing his
excellent and low-cost 7520 model some years ago.


Do you know what's in there? I looked at the web site but couldn't
find any technical info.

Andrew.

  #5   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.high-end
rtweed rtweed is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default New DAC well worth a listen

Some Q's for you, if you don't mind, Rob.

1) How much, in US dollars, was the Bushmaster, as delivered to you? Did you
order it directly from Beresford in GB?


Just under 200 UK pounds incl VAT and delivery. Current exchange rate
is about 1.55 USD to the UKP


2) Is this unit, the TC-7530DC, made by TEC in China like Bereford's previous
DACs, the TC-7510 and TC-7520?


Dunno. I do believe it is manufactured to Stanley's designs offshore.


3) What DAC chip(s) does the TC7530 use? I find that most of the IC DAC chips
sound pretty much alike. The exception being the ESS SabreDAC.

4) Does it up-convert 16-bit, 44.1/48 KHz to 24/96? The website doesn't say.


Again dunno - you may find answers at the Art of Sound forum, eg
http://theartofsound.net/forum/showt...ght=bushmaster

Stanley seems to hang out there so you may be able to get answers
straight from the horse's mouth.

And why, oh why do do many DAC manufacturers fail to provide either a light
or a digital display telling the user what actual sample rate the converter
has locked onto?


Dunno, sorry :-)

Rob


  #6   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.high-end
rtweed rtweed is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default New DAC well worth a listen

On Jul 8, 4:50pm, Andrew Haley
wrote:
rtweed wrote:
I've just had delivery of a Beresford Bushmaster DAC: Stanley
Beresford's latest and greatest.


Just to be clear - I have no commercial relationship with Stanley's
company, but I've been interested in his DACs since purchasing his
excellent and low-cost 7520 model some years ago.


Do you know what's in there? I looked at the web site but couldn't
find any technical info.

Andrew.


Apparently the DAC chip is a WM8524

Here's some info Stanley provided on the Art of Sound forum, cut and
pasted verbatim which may help answer your question:

"As mentioned in an earlier post, the Bushmster is based on all the
good ideas and mods of the previous designs, plus some new ones. There
are no muting relays and their driver circuits. There is also no line
output output stage. So no line output opamps and associated caps.
It's a DC line output after all so no caps in the signal path to the
output RCA sockets. There is also no variable output. The input
selector circuit has also been simplified from a multi transistor,
latching circuit, and selector diodes, to a microcontroller . And yes,
I have used SMD where possible. They proved to be far less noisy in
the TC-7510. The power supply is also far more compact due to the use
of the latest generation LDO regulators. Those things are a mere
fraction in size to the 78XX regulators that they replace.
The receiver and DAC chips are also far smaller in footprint. The
board has also been laid out so that each section is as far away as
possible from any other section. This helps to reduce the possibility
of noise bleeding into adjacent circuitry."



  #7   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.high-end
rtweed rtweed is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default New DAC well worth a listen

On Jul 7, 8:20=A0pm, ScottW wrote:
On Jul 7, 8:32am, Audio Empire wrote:









On Fri, 6 Jul 2012 05:24:09 -0700, rtweed wrote
(in article ):


I've just had delivery of a Beresford Bushmaster DAC: Stanley
Beresford's latest and greatest.


Just to be clear - I have no commercial relationship with Stanley's
company, but I've been interested in his DACs since purchasing his
excellent and low-cost 7520 model some years ago. I heard about his
new Bushmaster model pretty much by accident and decided to give it a
try....again it's a very low cost device, at least here in the UK
where Stanley is based. Already this device is getting a lot of very
good press.


I'd assumed it would be marginally better than the 7520. I was wrong.
This thing is in another league - I've really never heard anything
like it. I have it playing directly into a Behringer A500 power amp
and PMC speakers. They have never sounded better. Clarity like I've
never heard before - it's quite stunning.


I'd recommend any reader of this group to try to get your hands on on=

e
and try it out for yourselves. For more info on this unit:


http://www.homehifi.co.uk/main/main.html


Apologies if this sounds like a fanboi rave, but I just think this is
a piece of kit that warrants attention.


Rob


Some Q's for you, if you don't mind, Rob.


1) How much, in US dollars, was the Bushmaster, as delivered to you? Di=

d you
order it directly from Beresford in GB?


=A0 According to the web site....US (and other non-EU) customers avoid
the 20% VAT tax.



2) Is this unit, the TC-7530DC, made by TEC in China like Bereford's pr=

evious
DACs, the TC-7510 and TC-7520?


3) What DAC chip(s) does the TC7530 use? I find that most of the IC DAC=

chips
sound pretty much alike. The exception being the ESS SabreDAC.


4) Does it up-convert 16-bit, 44.1/48 KHz to 24/96? The website doesn't=

say.

And why, oh why do do many DAC manufacturers fail to provide either a l=

ight
or a digital display telling the user what actual sample rate the conve=

rter
has locked onto?


=A0I'd like to know what drive capability the DAC has. =A0 Having no
output buffer stage may make my passive volume control unsuitable.

The other question raised is in recommending an external DC supply
filter.
Is the internal supply filters inadequate?

ScottW


I'm using it with iTunes and Apple Lossless copies ripped from my CD
collection. Connection via optical SP/DIF from Windows 7 PC, files
stored on USB2-connected 1Tb hard drive.

Bushmaster is connected directly to the RCA inputs of a Behringer A500
power amp. I use the Behringer's potentiometers to control the output
volume - the iTunes feed to the Bushmaster is turned full up, so no
digital volume control used.

I consulted Stanley Beresford about this setup, and he uses something
similar (not a Behringer amp however), and confirmed it would work
very satisfactorily. I have had no stability problems, or problems
playing back any of my music files.

I think there is another optional power supply available from a third
party - I've seen discussions about this on the Art of Sound forum
where Stanley participates.

I think you're right about your passive power control - again I've
seen Stanley's remarks that such devices would be problematic. I also
believe he's considering a version that allows variable output.

That's about as much as I know, sorry. Perhaps I should see if
Stanley would like to participate in a discussion here, so he can
answer your questions?

Rob


  #8   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.high-end
rtweed rtweed is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 10
Default New DAC well worth a listen

1) How much, in US dollars, was the Bushmaster, as delivered to you? Did you
order it directly from Beresford in GB?


Missed the 2nd question - yes I ordered it directly via the Beresford
web site store. I'm also in the UK so shipping wasn't much. Dunno
how much international shipping costs. He is very responsive - I
ordered last Sunday and it arrived Tuesday morning.

Rob

  #9   Report Post  
Posted to rec.audio.high-end
Rockinghorse Winner[_8_] Rockinghorse Winner[_8_] is offline
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 6
Default New DAC well worth a listen

* It may have been the liquor talking, but
rtweed wrote:

1) How much, in US dollars, was the Bushmaster, as delivered to you? Did you
order it directly from Beresford in GB?


Missed the 2nd question - yes I ordered it directly via the Beresford
web site store. I'm also in the UK so shipping wasn't much. Dunno
how much international shipping costs. He is very responsive - I
ordered last Sunday and it arrived Tuesday morning.

Rob


According to the literature on the web site it was designed with streaming
audio in mind. As a general purpose DAC, it probably suffices well enough,
but personally I can't see paying 40.00 shipping for a 250.00 DAC.

Terry
--
"Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls |/
drop by drop upon the heart until, in our own |/ Gentoo Linux
despair, against our will, comes wisdom through |/
the awful grace of God." -Aeschylus |/
Reply
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules

Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
test vs listen [email protected] Vacuum Tubes 26 August 23rd 06 08:55 PM
Why listen JimC Audio Opinions 36 August 10th 06 09:19 PM
Anybody have Grado SR-60 or SR-80 in Fort Worth, TX that I can listen to? [email protected] Audio Opinions 10 August 10th 06 10:58 AM
Anyone who is willing to listen to a mix.... chris wollard Pro Audio 25 March 5th 04 11:18 AM
Trotsky, please listen to me. Lionel Chapuis Audio Opinions 109 September 12th 03 07:43 PM


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 09:45 AM.

Powered by: vBulletin
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright ©2004-2024 AudioBanter.com.
The comments are property of their posters.
 

About Us

"It's about Audio and hi-fi"