Alex Explorer
New Head-Fier
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2015
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Beresford Capella TC-7110 – general complete review
that is just first general complete review dedicated only to Beresford Capella. As I think, I must report my audio impressions with my headphones separately from this general complete review – otherwise it would be to long.
For to be in touch with much more experienced people as my self, please follow this thread:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/754346/beresford-capella-impressions-discussion-thread
Members like DreamKing and CADCAM will be much more able to answer some of your questions.
Disclosure
it’s my first review on HEAD-FI. I am taking distance from producer of this headphone amplifier, as I’m not paid to make this review. I just have the passion for music and hi-fi gear is slowly becoming my some sort of hobby.
Therefore I would like to stay “romantic” in my relation towards hi-fi equipment.
In this sense my review is just my personal point of view – that’s why we are sharing our thoughts here, to see, if we can with our subjectivity come together to something what can be call as objective.
Why I become interested in Beresford Capella
1. Sturdy build, ‘radiating’ serious quality.
2. Expectation of high quality sound (because it looks “that much serious”).
3. Unusual, but reasonable control buttons, which make sense (I didn’t noticed something like this until now, amongst at least 200 headphone amps, which I checked online).
4. Acceptable price for what is offering (although it’s not exactly cheap compared to a lot of other existing gear, which is also not at all bad, as for example NwAvGuy's Objective2 O2 Headphone Amp). I paid exactly £173.20.
How much I was satisfied in my expectations
1. In relation to how is build, 100% - it looks outstandingly well build. If I exclude, that input-1 on front is not on that much high standard as RCA’s on back and that the 12V power supply unit looks cheap compared to the headphone amplifier.
2. In relation to sound quality, 100% - actually I was totally positively surprised by extend of neutrality. Therefore I will need to write separate review of audio impressions with my headphones.
3. In relation to front buttons, 75% - I wasn’t satisfied, as my expectations were a little bit higher for damping, hf and depth buttons. But I agree, as stated from one head-fi forum member, that changes are very much recordings depended. Meaning that will take time to come to 100% satisfaction. As well I must say that the gain button is very superb. It enables total fine tuning of gain needed for different headphones, although I can hear a slight presence of hum. And the feel of main volume button is excellent.
4. In relation to price I really can’t say, if it was “too much” or is “very little”, as I don’t have enough my own listening experiences with headphone amplifiers. But still I think, you really must want him (as I did) as well “knowing why”, because on the market today is a lot of really enough good gear for price around £173 or less. Please, don’t put in equation headphone amplifiers like Ray Samuels Audio Dark Star, as then everything else “down below” becomes extremely cheap.
How it looks
I’m attaching a lot of photos, where I tried to make as much close to “real look” as I was able to, as online are simply not existing enough photos of Beresford Capella.
What I connect to Beresford Capella
Cables and DAC:
- Epiphany Acoustics E-DAC
- AudioQuest Pearl USB Cable Type A to Type Mini B for connecting to computer
- QED Performance J2P - 3.5mm to 3.5mm mini-jack (at the moment, before I get QED Performance J2P - 3.5mm mini-jack to 2x RCA (the red one) as is for my ears audible better than QED Performance J2P Graphite 3.5mm mini-jack to 2x RCA).
But I’m warming up for Dynamique Audio NEO 2 - 3.5mm to 2x RCA.
Headphones
- AKG K 240 MKII (55 ohms), my favourite old ones
- Philips Fidelio X1 (30 ohms), my new favourite.
Software
I always use JRiver Media Center in WASAPI mode. Everything set on 24bit and 96kHz.
What music do I listen
I have pretty much “eclectic” music taste, as I listen to almost everything (what is “good”), as music is really my passion.
The Sound of the Beresford Capella
What is most noticeable:
- Excellent transparency and neutrality
- Obviously subtle power. Although it’s very strong headphone amp (4W or 4000mW of max. power), his power is extraordinary subtle, like by very gentle tiger.
- Because of both above mentioned facts, it’s very difficult to describe the actual sound character of Beresford Capella, as is that much transparent, that is immediately showing the potential of your DAC, cables and headphones.
By my personal experience until now I can just say, if you know the sound character of your DAC, cables and headphones, you will “just” hear their potential, while Beresford Capella will remain hidden behind them, doing his own job, faithfully amplifying everything what comes into him. In this sense he is serious embodiment of Hi-Fi gear, High Fidelity to the source.
Because of his neutrality is Beresford Capella excellent for testing everything else just not him self.
This property makes him in the same time excellent piece of equipment for making all sorts of experiments, connecting him with different cables to different DAC’s or using him as pre-amplifier.
Conclusions
From my point of view I would recommend Beresford Capella for this kind of dedicated headphones listeners, who want the serious headphone amplifier, but do not want to spend too much money for it (because they prefer other hi-fi gear or want to spend the money directly for music). At least in my case was exactly like this. But I think I’m not the only one.
In relation to “sound conclusions”, I feel that I must make special review dedicated just for this, because the experience is that much excellent and I don't want to be too long here.
Regards,
Alex.
that is just first general complete review dedicated only to Beresford Capella. As I think, I must report my audio impressions with my headphones separately from this general complete review – otherwise it would be to long.
For to be in touch with much more experienced people as my self, please follow this thread:
http://www.head-fi.org/t/754346/beresford-capella-impressions-discussion-thread
Members like DreamKing and CADCAM will be much more able to answer some of your questions.
Disclosure
it’s my first review on HEAD-FI. I am taking distance from producer of this headphone amplifier, as I’m not paid to make this review. I just have the passion for music and hi-fi gear is slowly becoming my some sort of hobby.
Therefore I would like to stay “romantic” in my relation towards hi-fi equipment.
In this sense my review is just my personal point of view – that’s why we are sharing our thoughts here, to see, if we can with our subjectivity come together to something what can be call as objective.
Why I become interested in Beresford Capella
1. Sturdy build, ‘radiating’ serious quality.
2. Expectation of high quality sound (because it looks “that much serious”).
3. Unusual, but reasonable control buttons, which make sense (I didn’t noticed something like this until now, amongst at least 200 headphone amps, which I checked online).
4. Acceptable price for what is offering (although it’s not exactly cheap compared to a lot of other existing gear, which is also not at all bad, as for example NwAvGuy's Objective2 O2 Headphone Amp). I paid exactly £173.20.
How much I was satisfied in my expectations
1. In relation to how is build, 100% - it looks outstandingly well build. If I exclude, that input-1 on front is not on that much high standard as RCA’s on back and that the 12V power supply unit looks cheap compared to the headphone amplifier.
2. In relation to sound quality, 100% - actually I was totally positively surprised by extend of neutrality. Therefore I will need to write separate review of audio impressions with my headphones.
3. In relation to front buttons, 75% - I wasn’t satisfied, as my expectations were a little bit higher for damping, hf and depth buttons. But I agree, as stated from one head-fi forum member, that changes are very much recordings depended. Meaning that will take time to come to 100% satisfaction. As well I must say that the gain button is very superb. It enables total fine tuning of gain needed for different headphones, although I can hear a slight presence of hum. And the feel of main volume button is excellent.
4. In relation to price I really can’t say, if it was “too much” or is “very little”, as I don’t have enough my own listening experiences with headphone amplifiers. But still I think, you really must want him (as I did) as well “knowing why”, because on the market today is a lot of really enough good gear for price around £173 or less. Please, don’t put in equation headphone amplifiers like Ray Samuels Audio Dark Star, as then everything else “down below” becomes extremely cheap.
How it looks
I’m attaching a lot of photos, where I tried to make as much close to “real look” as I was able to, as online are simply not existing enough photos of Beresford Capella.
What I connect to Beresford Capella
Cables and DAC:
- Epiphany Acoustics E-DAC
- AudioQuest Pearl USB Cable Type A to Type Mini B for connecting to computer
- QED Performance J2P - 3.5mm to 3.5mm mini-jack (at the moment, before I get QED Performance J2P - 3.5mm mini-jack to 2x RCA (the red one) as is for my ears audible better than QED Performance J2P Graphite 3.5mm mini-jack to 2x RCA).
But I’m warming up for Dynamique Audio NEO 2 - 3.5mm to 2x RCA.
Headphones
- AKG K 240 MKII (55 ohms), my favourite old ones
- Philips Fidelio X1 (30 ohms), my new favourite.
Software
I always use JRiver Media Center in WASAPI mode. Everything set on 24bit and 96kHz.
What music do I listen
I have pretty much “eclectic” music taste, as I listen to almost everything (what is “good”), as music is really my passion.
The Sound of the Beresford Capella
What is most noticeable:
- Excellent transparency and neutrality
- Obviously subtle power. Although it’s very strong headphone amp (4W or 4000mW of max. power), his power is extraordinary subtle, like by very gentle tiger.
- Because of both above mentioned facts, it’s very difficult to describe the actual sound character of Beresford Capella, as is that much transparent, that is immediately showing the potential of your DAC, cables and headphones.
By my personal experience until now I can just say, if you know the sound character of your DAC, cables and headphones, you will “just” hear their potential, while Beresford Capella will remain hidden behind them, doing his own job, faithfully amplifying everything what comes into him. In this sense he is serious embodiment of Hi-Fi gear, High Fidelity to the source.
Because of his neutrality is Beresford Capella excellent for testing everything else just not him self.
This property makes him in the same time excellent piece of equipment for making all sorts of experiments, connecting him with different cables to different DAC’s or using him as pre-amplifier.
Conclusions
From my point of view I would recommend Beresford Capella for this kind of dedicated headphones listeners, who want the serious headphone amplifier, but do not want to spend too much money for it (because they prefer other hi-fi gear or want to spend the money directly for music). At least in my case was exactly like this. But I think I’m not the only one.
In relation to “sound conclusions”, I feel that I must make special review dedicated just for this, because the experience is that much excellent and I don't want to be too long here.
Regards,
Alex.
