[feifan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxxy /img/forum/go_quote.gif I have just purchased a Beresford Mk4, will post results when I get it (can only compare to EMU 0404).

Congrats, Maxxy. Join the Stanley team. That's a comparison that many would be interested in.

 

[strangemusic]

I have finally set up my Beresford! The setup is: my laptop to an Edirol UA-25 (an USB recording unit with optical out) to the DAC to my Headfive to my SR80s.... unfortunately my K701 is still AWOL. Impressions of the first couple hours are quite positive, I now feel that I understand what people mean by "speed" being present in a recording, I was listening to Dire Straits for example and the attack and decay of the guitars is very precise. I used "Mist" by the John Butler Trio to check this out as well, the song has very complicated 11-string guitar in it and everything just pops and is very defined. Programmed electronic beats (Axwell- "Feel The Vibe") blip in and out with crispness and drums are VERY punchy. The dusty-sounding Booker T recordings I have retain the grain and gritty sound of the organ and trumpets.


All in all, it takes the familiarly clean, rounded sound of my Headfive and turns up the detail and precision of the sound tenfold. Good stuff and cant wait to pair it with my K701. Thanks again to Stanley!

 

[feifan]

strangemusic, have u tried the lineup without the Corda?

Beresford TC-7510 Mk. IV -> Grado SR80/AKG K701

Some of us have found that the amp in the 7510 carries quite a punch. I noticed a drop-off in speed when I used the LD2++ in the lineup. I removed the tube amp and, wallah, I had the sound I was looking for. I find myself switching between amp and ampless, depending on my mood.

 

[strangemusic]

I will have to spend some time with just the DAC-level output then, I haven't really compared amped/ampless.

 

[penguindude]

I've performed the hiss mod and caps mod on the MKIII and I will now post my final impression after 60+ hours of burn-in. First the resistor mod, absolutely perfect. There is no longer any hiss even with low-impedance headphones. As for the caps mod, i found that changing them to larger capacity largely increased the mid-bass. However, comparing to the original, the bass became a bit overwhelming for me. It tended to color the overall sound a bit and has lost the punchiness i used to enjoy. This apply to both the line-out sound and the sound through the headphone jack. If you have speakers, you might enjoy this boost, but if you're using it mainly for headphones and prefer a more clean bass with really good decay, then i'd not suggest the caps mod.

 

[Herandu]

I just noticed that the MKIV is now cheaper on their website than on eBay. I wonder if it is a mistake.

 

[penguindude]

It's around the same price, $180 US. Probably a bit more expensive on Ebay since there are Ebay fees.

 

[Herandu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by penguindude /img/forum/go_quote.gif It's around the same price, $180 US. Probably a bit more expensive on Ebay since there are Ebay fees.

At U$2.00 to the UK £1.00 with the current exchange rate it looks a bit cheaper to me.

Gave the new digital coax lead a good try yesterday. Still can't find it on the site, but they have apparently been selling well! I don't think I'll need the money back guarantee on those. Seems to match the DAC like a set of gloves.
Anyone else pre-ordered one of these cables?

 

[feifan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by penguindude /img/forum/go_quote.gif I've performed the hiss mod and caps mod on the MKIII and I will now post my final impression after 60+ hours of burn-in. First the resistor mod, absolutely perfect. There is no longer any hiss even with low-impedance headphones.

Wow, P-dude. Thanx for taking the plunge and reporting back! If u have the time and inclination, could u explain, step by step, how to do the resistor mod in simple layman's language? If it's not a step you'd recommend for total amateurs like me, I understand.

Quote:

Originally Posted by penguindude /img/forum/go_quote.gif As for the caps mod, i found that changing them to larger capacity largely increased the mid-bass. However, comparing to the original, the bass became a bit overwhelming for me. It tended to color the overall sound a bit and has lost the punchiness i used to enjoy. This apply to both the line-out sound and the sound through the headphone jack. If you have speakers, you might enjoy this boost, but if you're using it mainly for headphones and prefer a more clean bass with really good decay, then i'd not suggest the caps mod.

Also, thanks for being honest about the results of the caps mod. Are u planning to undo the mod and revert to the original cap?

 

[feifan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Herandu /img/forum/go_quote.gif Gave the new digital coax lead a good try yesterday. Still can't find it on the site, but they have apparently been selling well! I don't think I'll need the money back guarantee on those. Seems to match the DAC like a set of gloves. Anyone else pre-ordered one of these cables?

Hey, thanks for the tip, Herandu. Good coaxes are hard to find in my neck of the woods. If u don't mind my asking, how much was it? Length of the cable? Does Stanley also offer toslink? These (good ones) are even tougher to find hereabouts!

 

[Herandu]

Quote:

Originally Posted by feifan /img/forum/go_quote.gif If u don't mind my asking, how much was it? Length of the cable? Does Stanley also offer toslink? These (good ones) are even tougher to find hereabouts!

Was £20 to me with the postage included. Looking at the construction etc. we might well have another budget solution for expensive alternatives. The connector has a very thick copper body with what looks like a gunmetal jacket on the outside. He could clean up on eBay with that price given what's there at the moment. I am still burning them in but with the TC-7510 already so detailed I haven't find anything yet to fault the cable. Perhaps I should call them neutral?
Email him about the toslink leads. He used to include one with the DAC. I bought a few spares a month or two ago for a less than a tenner each. That thing has the fattest optical connector body I have ever seen. Supposed to be patented for some reason. Something to do with jitter but can remember what I was told. Not sure why it was dropped from the box. Performs better than a 50 quid lead someone gave me as a present.

 

[maxxy]

The Beresford is $180 due to the fact that in Europe the price includes taxes (so it adds up to $200~). I also paid $180 and I live in Israel.

He also sells his patented Toslink 1m cable for $10. You can ask for longer lengths.

And no, I haven't received my Beresford yet

 

[feifan]

Herandu and Maxxy -- THANKS for the tips and info! I'll be jumping on these tomorrow morning! Approx $40 US for the coax is a deal! And $10 for the opticals is a STEAL!

 

[Herandu]

I happened to be on another hifi board as well and found out that someone else also got the new coax lead last week. We both agreed that just as in the case of the TC-7510 the lead is being given away almost. I reckon the amount of copper in that lead is more than twice of some other leads I have seen going at far higher prices. I hear it's silver solder and true 75 ohms connectors as well.

One thing I did notice when testing it was with a CD I have. When I play that CD in my Yamaha CD player with an expensive Monster coax cable I get these occasional glitching noises as if there are errors on the disc such as scratches. When I use the new lead those glitching noises don't appear. I am puzzled why that is, so I might take the plunge and cut open the Monster cable and the SuperAce just to have a look

.

 

[feifan]

Herandu, I asked Stanley for a couple of opticals and a coax. He had them in 1-meter lengths. I need 2-meter to accommodate the distances between source and DAC/amps. He'll be contacting his supplier and getting back to me. BTW, anything to the idea that "shorter's better" when it comes interconnects? I'm wondering if I shouldn't go with the 1-meter and close the gap between my gear.

Were u kidding about cutting the cables open? If not, then how about taking pictures and sharing what u find? Like an autopsy. Ha!