Just wondering,
I have a British DAC, a little Beresford Caiman SEG towards which I grew an antipathy, I don't need the headphone amp, don't like the external brick called Dorado nor I like the power brick, nor the led lights which make it look like a xmas tree, insomma, I don't like it any longer if not for the versatility of inputs, two SPDIFs, one USB and one Coax.
Now, given I need no high-end nor whistles and bells, one box fitting it all with a decent number of inputs, unbalanced outputs, will feed signal through a MacMini for LossLess music via USB and a TV and AppleTV through SPDIF, very basic.
Is there anything which can be built at home with decent sound quality and meeting the above requirements?
Grazie
Giovanni
I have a British DAC, a little Beresford Caiman SEG towards which I grew an antipathy, I don't need the headphone amp, don't like the external brick called Dorado nor I like the power brick, nor the led lights which make it look like a xmas tree, insomma, I don't like it any longer if not for the versatility of inputs, two SPDIFs, one USB and one Coax.
Now, given I need no high-end nor whistles and bells, one box fitting it all with a decent number of inputs, unbalanced outputs, will feed signal through a MacMini for LossLess music via USB and a TV and AppleTV through SPDIF, very basic.
Is there anything which can be built at home with decent sound quality and meeting the above requirements?
Grazie
Giovanni
Beresford was unknown to me but I recently discovered them to to speak. I own 2 of their DACs and must say these are simply very good. One of them was defective and Stanley Beresford himself was kind in the email exchange. There are some slight modifications in hardware and software to make them even better though. I upgraded both units with hardware and firmware mods. It is strange that these are so unknown outside the UK but I suspect the low piece is what sets them apart. At least I never noticed the brand or the products but they are quality products.
What you are saying is that you don't like good sound quality (if I understand your post correctly) and put your focus on features that don't have anything to do with sound quality so maybe a 10 Euro DAC from Aliexpress will satisfy you?! It is exactly the opposite what many pursue there but I guess the cheapest will be bad enough for your likings
What you are saying is that you don't like good sound quality (if I understand your post correctly) and put your focus on features that don't have anything to do with sound quality so maybe a 10 Euro DAC from Aliexpress will satisfy you?! It is exactly the opposite what many pursue there but I guess the cheapest will be bad enough for your likings
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I am not complaining about sound quality even tho I like better my old Sony ES CD player (with improved output stage) analog stage than the Caiman's when I compare the sound but that's my liking, I have no other DACs to compare quality to but I don't like separate boxes, no need for the headphone amp (and it's knob!) and, sound wise, every time a playlist has music with different bitrates there is a noticeable click when switching from a tune to another that bothers me and how nice as the builder/seller can be he didn't solve my problem by telling me that he could do something to get rid of this issue, I even asked about firmware update and he never got back to me and, always to my liking, support is an important part of the quality of a product.
This said I never wrote about "10 Euro DAC fRom Aliexpress" so dunno where you got that, I am simply asking if there is some good sounding DIY DAC with the inputs I need to have (USB and SPDIF) where I can have it all in a single enclosure and the fun of doing it myself which could also carry a good sound.
I have no clue what "high end" means, if there are parameters besides price to mark something as high-end or other numbers, I just find those labels a bit snobbish, if my post doesn't fit because I am not asking about "high-end" please feel free to delete it
Grazie
This said I never wrote about "10 Euro DAC fRom Aliexpress" so dunno where you got that, I am simply asking if there is some good sounding DIY DAC with the inputs I need to have (USB and SPDIF) where I can have it all in a single enclosure and the fun of doing it myself which could also carry a good sound.
I have no clue what "high end" means, if there are parameters besides price to mark something as high-end or other numbers, I just find those labels a bit snobbish, if my post doesn't fit because I am not asking about "high-end" please feel free to delete it
Grazie
You probably also don't like useless knobs in your car Many products have features that are sometimes not wanted or used but such is life. The moment you buy a single input DAC your partner may ask if the TV can be connected to the stereo...You ask for a good sounding DAC while already having a possibly excellent sounding DAC with slight modifications as explained at the website. Being a DAC madman I can tell finding a DAC that is as good as the Caiman for about the same price is no easy task. Maybe you shouldn't look at knobs but listen to devices.
You can buy the software directly at the website and you should if you want the Caiman to function as it should. It pays off to do so as functionality will be better. Some bugs are gone and the LEDs now dim (they didn't do that with the old firmware).
Beresford Electronics
I agree with the blue LEDs though. Worst LED color in the world but replacing them and their series resistors is a simple job. Thankfully the new firmware dims them when the DAC locks.
Many products have features that are sometimes not wanted or used but such is life. The moment you buy a single input DAC your partner may ask if the TV can be connected to the stereo...You ask for a good sounding DAC while already having a possibly excellent sounding DAC with slight modifications as explained at the website. Being a DAC madman I can tell finding a DAC that is as good as the Caiman for about the same price is no easy task. Maybe you shouldn't look at knobs but listen to devices. You can buy the software directly at the website and you should if you want the Caiman to function as it should. It pays off to do so as functionality will be better. Some bugs are gone and the LEDs now dim (they didn't do that with the old firmware).
Beresford Electronics
I agree with the blue LEDs though. Worst LED color in the world but replacing them and their series resistors is a simple job. Thankfully the new firmware dims them when the DAC locks.
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Believe you me, Stan replies, it is not the quickest to do so but when I asked about if the new FW would fix my issue he didn't get back to me any longer and, yes, those LEDs are simply awful.
I have read tons of reviews before deciding to buy it along with the Dorado and I am pretty sure those who reviewed and compared it with other DACs know their business, I would just like to get one box which fits it all, too many cables...
Yesterday I started the removal of my stereo system to move it to another side of the room, sure wasn't the DAC to be trouble but you have no clue the amount of cables, one box with direct AC cable (and one less knob) won't probably add to the sound but sure to my liking ;-)
What about the modifications you are talking about, just the FW chip or some soldering work?
I have read tons of reviews before deciding to buy it along with the Dorado and I am pretty sure those who reviewed and compared it with other DACs know their business, I would just like to get one box which fits it all, too many cables...
Yesterday I started the removal of my stereo system to move it to another side of the room, sure wasn't the DAC to be trouble but you have no clue the amount of cables, one box with direct AC cable (and one less knob) won't probably add to the sound but sure to my liking ;-)
What about the modifications you are talking about, just the FW chip or some soldering work?
It is a 1 minute affair to find out. I already gave the link. Get that knob and cable reasoning out of your head, it is about results. It is a very simple job to do, way less work than growing antipathy. Contrary to the advices I used 100 µF 6.3V tantalum caps with 40 mOhm ESR. Since it is SMD I used C0G caps for the filtering in the same value as the original ones in one of the DACs and the recommended film caps and resistors in the other. I still have to compare them.
If cables bother you (I have the same handicap) you could move over to FDA. I did and don't regret that, it is only that DACs and their technology have my attention.
If cables bother you (I have the same handicap) you could move over to FDA. I did and don't regret that, it is only that DACs and their technology have my attention.
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I knew about the FW upgrade and emailed Stan that I would try to check if it solves the click issue, he never got back to me...
Mine carries 2.9FW
The antipathy is for the mess of cables, twin box, too dim LEDs (which I know being fixed with FW update for the DAC but not for the Dorado) and the knob :-D
Mine carries 2.9FW
The antipathy is for the mess of cables, twin box, too dim LEDs (which I know being fixed with FW update for the DAC but not for the Dorado) and the knob :-D
Sometimes dac clicks are caused by player software and or by the computer operating system. For USB, there should be a mute function in the dac that gets activated while switching between clock frequencies.
The Beresford Caiman DAC is pretty low priced if its something one can be happy with the sound of. If better sound is the goal, then perhaps one of the USB Allo DACs could be a good choice, say, Revolution DAC with the optional Shanti power supply. Going to end up costing more than a Caiman though.
The Beresford Caiman DAC is pretty low priced if its something one can be happy with the sound of. If better sound is the goal, then perhaps one of the USB Allo DACs could be a good choice, say, Revolution DAC with the optional Shanti power supply. Going to end up costing more than a Caiman though.
IMHO opinion sales price and quality are quite different matters. The connection between price and sound quality is a very thin one In this case it is safe to say that these products offer way more than they should but maybe that is because I listen to them. In my experience the reverse is more often true.
In this case it is safe to say that these products offer way more than they should but maybe that is because I listen to them. In my experience the reverse is more often true.
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