[LugBug1]

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Lugbug, et al,
 
Thanks for taking the time for a thorough and thoughtful review - and thanks to everyone for the great discussion about the new Beresford.
 

Welcome to head-fi Stubies, look forward to your impressions 

 

[xaval]

Received yesterday my package containing the linear PSU with the sbooster for the Bush from Squeeze-upgrade - DHL'd for a really quick delivery 

 
Whatever it is inside it's good to know that you receive with the package a few adapters that will certainly also fit onto other electronics, the Dacmagic for sure.
I could've opted for other PSUs but didn't really thought it would be reasonable to spend more on the PSU than on the DAC itself.
 
You plug it in and wait 5 minutes or so for the warmup. The effects are immediately apparent - not a night and day difference lol
 
First thing I noticed was the lowered noise floor. There's just more to see on the recordings.
Then I realised a sweeter and more shimmering treble. Cymbals already had amazing attack, but now there's a slower decay into obscurity. A great example is with Door to the River by Porcupine Tree (Metanoia album, one of my favorite recordings from these guys) - into the opening you get all that atmospheric environment with the cymbals and snare intersecting the synth and guitar... ghostly and immersive.
 
After a few weeks with this DAC If I had to summarise it, I'd say it's mostly about detail, detail, detail and deep snappy bass. It does everything quite well (excellent every time I think about the budget price!) but these are it's fundamental traits.
 
When you mix detail with lowered noise floor there's even more detail. Obviously. Listening to Joyland from Andy McKee (do listen to this guy's technique with an acoustic guitar!) the closed micd recording reveals more plucking and finger work with the smell of wood as a bonus. The Bush just gets a bit more holographic.
 
I don't want to write a review about the PSU, it's just that this DAC is really sinking in as a true marvel. After a few recordings you get this final after taste where the overall sound signature becomes a bit more analog like and better put together.
 
I usually measure the "value" of an upgrade from the reverse perspective that many usually do. It's when you go back from the upgrade that you really assess what you're getting... or not getting anymore. Pluggin back the stock PSU it's impossible not to tell that something just changed. For the worse.
 
I'd say it's a worth while investment for a Bush fan to get with this 12V baby. Does it make the Bush twice better? No. 50%? No. But close, real close in a sense that that makes it even more enjoyable and complete.

 

[rexirius]

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I wonder why there are not more reviews of Beresford on widely read publications - like WhatHiFi.  Its too bad - clearly these DAC deserve the attention.

 
Online, though, there's a lot. Have you been to http://theartofsound.net? A wealth of info there about the Bushman, its development, its highly regarded predecessor, the Caiman (which earned a 5-star review from What Hifi), user reviews. That's where I learned that Stanley Beresford is working on a version with USB - quite a nifty implementation of USB, I gathered - which almost put off my purchase.

 

[Argo Duck]

xaval great stuff. Detail and bass; yes, a good summation.

Hmm, interesting about the PSU + booster...

 

[LugBug1]

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xaval great stuff. Detail and bass; yes, a good summation.

Hmm, interesting about the PSU + booster...

+1 good stuff Xaval
 
I use a maplins upgrade, its another switching psu and I'm not sure if there is any difference at all. Might have to check out the Squeeze gear

 

[xaval]

Lugs,
A better PSU will always have some sort of positive impact on any device, despite the fact the Bush design seems to be quite smart from the start. There seem to be a few good options around as for quality linear power solutions. The Squeeze model offers the sbooster as an integrated solution, but it can be bought seperatly in case you don't want the "best of both worlds".
 
If your Maplins version does not improve the performance of the Bush in but a little way, maybe you could get better results with a Squeeze; or a Mains Cables R US if you want to spend more and open an upgrade path to improve cabling and connectors even further without modding... you also get better casing, grounding cable and a LED  

 
I should also add that the quality of your home power line should also play a part in just how much of an affect the linear PSU + sbooster will have on the DACs performance. When you are running a computer rig with printers, modems, home phone, etc closely connected it should be obvious that there IS quite a bit of noise&ripple going on in there... factor in a TV and all of a sudden you realize how much of a cable mess there is around you.

 

[Chris J]

Quote:

Lugs,
A better PSU will always have some sort of positive impact on any device, despite the fact the Bush design seems to be quite smart from the start. There seem to be a few good options around as for quality linear power solutions. The Squeeze model offers the sbooster as an integrated solution, but it can be bought seperatly in case you don't want the "best of both worlds".
 
If your Maplins version does not improve the performance of the Bush in but a little way, maybe you could get better results with a Squeeze; or a Mains Cables R US if you want to spend more and open an upgrade path to improve cabling and connectors even further without modding... you also get better casing, grounding cable and a LED  

 
I should also add that the quality of your home power line should also play a part in just how much of an affect the linear PSU + sbooster will have on the DACs performance. When you are running a computer rig with printers, modems, home phone, etc closely connected it should be obvious that there IS quite a bit of noise&ripple going on in there... factor in a TV and all of a sudden you realize how much of a cable mess there is around you.

 
Hey!
Why the evil face? 

  LOL!
 
The ugly truth is a lot of the noise you want to get rid of is created by the SMPS the stock Bushmaster uses and the power supplies in the rest of the gear in your hi-fi rig.
For example, you may have:
 -  a CD transport,
 - some other device where you store your digital music files (like a Squeezebox fer example) and if it's a computer (as you have very wisely pointed out) with lots of "junk" connected to it...........

 - a headphone amplifier.
The power supplies (whether linear or SMPS) in all these devices conduct and radiate noise.
And because they are so close to each other, probably on the same power bar?  They can "trade noise back and forth".     Ohhhhh, not so good.
 
After working for over 25 years in the power conditioning field I see noise sources everywhere.......................

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

Lugs,
A better PSU will always have some sort of positive impact on any device, despite the fact the Bush design seems to be quite smart from the start. There seem to be a few good options around as for quality linear power solutions. The Squeeze model offers the sbooster as an integrated solution, but it can be bought seperatly in case you don't want the "best of both worlds".
 
If your Maplins version does not improve the performance of the Bush in but a little way, maybe you could get better results with a Squeeze; or a Mains Cables R US if you want to spend more and open an upgrade path to improve cabling and connectors even further without modding... you also get better casing, grounding cable and a LED  

 
I should also add that the quality of your home power line should also play a part in just how much of an affect the linear PSU + sbooster will have on the DACs performance. When you are running a computer rig with printers, modems, home phone, etc closely connected it should be obvious that there IS quite a bit of noise&ripple going on in there... factor in a TV and all of a sudden you realize how much of a cable mess there is around you.

 
Quote:

 
Hey!
Why the evil face? 

  LOL!
 
The ugly truth is a lot of the noise you want to get rid of is created by the SMPS the stock Bushmaster uses and the power supplies in the rest of the gear in your hi-fi rig.
For example, you may have:
 -  a CD transport,
 - some other device where you store your digital music files (like a Squeezebox fer example) and if it's a computer (as you have very wisely pointed out) with lots of "junk" connected to it...........

 - a headphone amplifier.
The power supplies (whether linear or SMPS) in all these devices conduct and radiate noise.
And because they are so close to each other, probably on the same power bar?  They can "trade noise back and forth".     Ohhhhh, not so good.
 
After working for over 25 years in the power conditioning field I see noise sources everywhere.......................

Yeah I agree. 
 
But, its one of things that you can end up spending thousands on trying to eliminate it completely.. Even if you do have quiet linear supplies for your rig, the computer source is still gonna create noise? Can't remove the source. 
I have a russ andrews power bar where everything is pugged into. This gives me a little piece of mind that the mains noise is lessened. I think when I'm finally happy with my rig (if I ever am..) then I'll look more into conditioning

 

[Chris J]

Yeah I agree. 

But, its one of things that you can end up spending thousands on trying to eliminate it completely.. Even if you do have quiet linear supplies for your rig, the computer source is still gonna create noise? Can't remove the source. 
I have a russ andrews power bar where everything is pugged into. This gives me a little piece of mind that the mains noise is lessened. I think when I'm finally happy with my rig (if I ever am..) then I'll look more into conditioning

Noise from your source..........it depends.........how much noise filtering/rejecting is your DAC performing at the USB input.

You could argue that one way to "get happy" with your rig is power conditioning.

"The paths to enlightenment are many, little grasshopper." Man, that sounds soooo lame.

 

[LugBug1]

Quote:

Noise from your source..........it depends.........how much noise filtering/rejecting is your DAC performing at the USB input.

You could argue that one way to "get happy" with your rig is power conditioning.

"The paths to enlightenment are many, little grasshopper." Man, that sounds soooo lame.

True. 
 

 

[Chris J]

True. 

Not as profound as Nietszche though...........nice quote, and so very true.

 

[LugBug1]

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Not as profound as Nietszche though...........nice quote, and so very true.

 Yeah I he was a true genius. Mad, but a genius... same thing ha!  One of the most fun philosophers to read, but also one of the most profound and also misunderstood imo. He comes across as being very angry but I suppose its all relevant if you saw the world as he did... Shame about the business with the horse though... 

 

 
    

 

[Argo Duck]

^ horse? NM, I don't want to know!

 

[LugBug1]

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^ horse? NM, I don't want to know!

Its ok! it was a stable relationship... 

 

[Chris J]

Its ok! it was a stable relationship... 

OoooooooH!