Adding a DAC , Thoughts please

[lewis hurlin]

I am looking at adding a DAC to my system I have an Arcamm CD73T cd player which I find a little clinical. My amps are Audiolab 8000a nd p mk2 bi amped with a paire of Monitor Audio BR5 speakers I am using QED Aniversary Bi wire cable with Airloc conectors and Chord Company interconects. I am after a warmer sound which I am currently not getting. I listen to a wide variety of music . My budget is around £250 . I am looking at the moment at the Dacmagic the new Beresford Bushmater and have seen an Arcam on offer at my local Sevenoaks for £249. What are your thoughts ?

 

[eggontoast]

I am looking at adding a DAC to my system I have an Arcamm CD73T cd player which I find a little clinical. My amps are Audiolab 8000a nd p mk2 bi amped with a paire of Monitor Audio BR5 speakers I am using QED Aniversary Bi wire cable with Airloc conectors and Chord Company interconects. I am after a warmer sound which I am currently not getting. I listen to a wide variety of music . My budget is around £250 . I am looking at the moment at the Dacmagic the new Beresford Bushmater and have seen an Arcam on offer at my local Sevenoaks for £249. What are your thoughts ?

I would have thought the clinical sound of you system is more to do with your amplifiers. I can't see that £250 of DAC are going to bring the changes you are after, especially not the Dacmagic which IMO is harsh sounding anyway.

 

[Anonymous]

I have only just launched the Bushmaster so I would suggest that you have a read on the various forums what the first buyers report on its performance. I did design it to solve such thing as harsh digital sounding playback which you refer to as a clinical sound.

As far as price goes, £250 is more than enough. Don't get bulldozed into spending more than youi can afford until you have personally convinced yourself for the need to do so.

 

[chebby]

I have only just launched the Bushmaster so I would suggest that you have a read on the various forums what the first buyers report on its performance. I did design it to solve such thing as harsh digital sounding playback which you refer to as a clinical sound.

As far as price goes, £250 is more than enough. Don't get bulldozed into spending more than youi can afford until you have personally convinced yourself for the need to do so.

Stanley, I still have an old Beresford TC7520* in it's box in the cupboard under the stairs. I stored it away when I 'de-cluttered'/downsized my old system. Not worth selling (too much faff, too little return) and can't really give it away. (No friends or colleagues or relatives would know what a DAC is, let alone know what to use it for.)

It was a most excellent little DAC whilst I needed it though. Thanks.

It's part of my little 'unsaleable hi-fi bits' museum under the stairs. (Mint condition Mordaunt Short MS20i Pearl Edition speakers, Partington Trophy stands, your DAC, a couple of old Roberts radios, a couple of Ortofon and Rega cartridges and a sack of cables!)

*Fitted with LM4562NA chips.

 

[Anonymous]

The TC-7520 is still fetching £80 or more on fleebay. With loads of mods floating about a lot of people are buying it 2nd hand and then contacting me for advise on mods. So don't let it go to waste.

 

[chebby]

The TC-7520 is still fetching £80 or more on fleebay. With loads of mods floating about a lot of people are buying it 2nd hand and then contacting me for advise on mods. So don't let it go to waste.

Subtract ebay fees, Paypal fees, outer packaging/bubble wrap, time spent photographing it from every angle, taking a hit on insured postage (I don't pass on the cost of insurance because it's for my benefit), the time spent answering/deleting 106 queries from Portugal and requests to listen to it before payment etc etc.

No thanks. I'd probably just about break even.