[Cid]

Being short on cash (Who isn't?) I've narrowed it down to these two DAC's. Having no experience with DAC's it sure is a gamble! I'm currently using my sound card as my source M-Audio Revo 5.1 out to a pair of HD595's. I don't really know what to go with here or maybe something else? I like how the Zhalou has built in headphone amp as well, which might be useful. That said the Beresford is (I think?) UK based which is an advantage for me considering I live in the UK.

It would suck to spend this amount of money and it ends up not providing the improvement I was looking for. So what do you think I should do?

 

[Herandu]

Wait for the Beresford MKIII, reportedly due middle of next month. I and a few other beta testers have heard the MKIII and it will cause a storm and make those Chinese offerings look like DIY DACs knocked up in a shed at the back (which most of them are!!!!) Forget what you read about the MKII being the same as the TCC version. That was pure marketing hype I think in order to protect the US seller. So I understand that the MKIII will have some changes done to it in the UK in order to stop anyone claiming to have the MKIII under a different brand name.

Improvements compared to my MKII, with both units plugged in at the same time and playing two identical discs:
Headphone noise has been solved on my beta version.
Lack of bass reported by Jason Kennedy in his online review has been cured. I suspect that is due to the new and BIGGER power capacitors they use.
Dry treble, which I felt was due to the tantalum caps used in some parts of the audio chain, has gone now that all those nasty cheap caps have been ditched.
LINE output level is now at the same level as my DVD player. It was less than half of that before. My beta unit looks like it has a new analogue line output stage. I suspect a new IC (the number is scratched out so I can't say which one), and the obvious corresponding change in circuitry to get the new IC to work properly and at the higher output.
The dynamic flat spot I get on my MKI and MKII with Diane Krall and Nora Jones when they exercise their lungs to the full is now a thing of the past. And piano and guitar have more authentic timbre.

I only mentioned the changes I noticed without having to strain my ears or get caught out by hearing perceptions. i.e. the things I or anyone would pick out within 5 minutes of listening to the MKIII and any previous versions.
So twiddle your thumbs for a few more weeks and give the MKIII a try at least. And you can send it back and have a refund all within a week of ordering the item if you don't like it. I have already flogged one of my MKII to someone on this forum in order to make space for the MKIII

I'l hate to have to part with my beta MKIII, but Stanley says someone else on head-fi who lives in Italy has asked for a chance to listen to it as well

.

 

[Cid]

Very informative post! Thanks a lot, I appreciate it. I'll wait for the new version.

 

[buzz]

Ae you at all handy? Can you wield a soldering iron without branding the cat and setting fire to the curtains?
I am keen to get a zhaolu and mod it. Small investment and big sound. Also, I can tune the sound to my taste by easily swapping opamps. Lots have done the same here, lots of info and helpful people. Something to consider...

 

[Herandu]

The Beresford is just as versatile for modding. One of mine is well past its voided guarantee

.

 

[cotdt]

i'm sure that the zhaolu will be beaten stock for stock, but the zhaolu is practically designed for modding. changing the analogue output, PSU, headphone amp, or adding a precision clock is pretty much a snap-on that can be done within 5 minutes. there is also plenty of room and a beefy power supply that can handle additional components. the Liteaudio E-100A is a discrete all-FET amp that can snap right into the Zhaolu, replacing the stock amp. It is a $100 bargain! there's also the Zapfilter Mk2 and several other discrete and tube analog outputs. the mods really transform the DAC and allows it to easily beat $2000+ DACs, especially when it comes to soundstage, and I've done some comparisons. Of course it would no longer resemble the original DAC.

i've had the M-Audio Revolution with the opamps changed to the best AD op-amps, and the output capacitors shorted out, while the PSU capacitors were upgraded as well. It was a big upgrade for the sound card, but the stock Zhaolu is better. The stock built-in headphone amp sucks though, and I can't bear it.
Basically:
Modded Zhaolu >>> Stock Zhaolu > Modded M-Audio >> Stock M-Audio > Soundblaster Audigy and portable sources

 

[Herandu]

I personally have nothing against modding a cheap unit to make it sound like a more expensive unit. But some of the mods are less than cheap. What we all could use, and I hear rumours that someone might do just that, is some sort of add-on boards a la PC style. So you choose what you want to add, and you don't need a soldering iron or electronic skills. I have friends calling me to help them wire a mains plug, but they quite happily whip off the cover on the PC to change the sound card

. That doesn't make sense, and extensive modding can be just as puzzling at times. I have a friend who has his DAC sitting on a solid piece of marble slab. He says it dampens the vibrations, and therefore gives a better sound

. I can't hear it myself, but everyone has their own mods they swear by.