Which DAC?

[terrybooth]

+1

[BillyBones]

I concur with the OPs view of the Caiman Mk II. I've just taken delivery of one from Beresford and I'm really pleased with it. My Squeezebox Touch has never sounded better.

[Fretless]

And the Beresford digital cables are surprisingly good for their price. Optical and coax. Very musical.

[George Hincapie]

And the Beresford digital cables are surprisingly good for their price. Optical and coax. Very musical.

Is that what you are using to connect your CXC to your HD12?

[Fretless]

At the moment I do have a Beresford coax in between the CXC and HD12. And it sounds very pleasant. I will be swapping with an NVA SSP digital cable to see which I prefer. My MF M1DAC has a more muted, softer sound than the Hegel and benefits from the vividness and energy that the NVA interconnects give.

Digital cables do seem to affect the presentation of the music, sometimes quite dramatically. They can be used as a very subtle 'tone control' to alter the character of a system.

The Beresford Toslink is an excellent optical link, very musical and extremely affordable. I use one to connect an RPi to the HD12.

[George Hincapie]

I am using a Cambridge Audio TOSLink ATM. I think I'll order a 1m SSC digital coax to try. The LS5 and SSC interconnects have both been spectacular so far.

[Fretless]

The SSC Digital is transparent and dynamic. SSP is smoother and fuller in sound. Increasing depth and detail.

[George Hincapie]

SSP will be a future upgrade for sure. But for now, SSC everything to start with is the priority.

[BillyBones]

I'm currently using an old Atlas Coax cable between the SBT and Caiman. I've had it a number of years now and it does it's job well.

I must say the more I listen through my new Caiman the more I am liking it, plus it's great value at the moment. I've had earlier versions of Beresford DACs before and not been blown away, but this new Caiman Mk II is definitely a step up. It might be "Expectation Bias" possibly, but the soundstage in particular is just superb.

[wallace]

I think Stan has stumbled onto something, as the difference between my MkI bushmaster and the new MkII is quite astounding...