Daniel Hertz :: Advanced Audio Designs

Laurence Curtis Ward

It is my pleasure to be part of the Beta testing group for the new software program Burwen Bobcat. For the past month, I used the program for my listening (approximately one hour per day). As I will detail below, my experience has been overwhelmingly positive.

Mark Levinson introduced me to Burwen Bobcat in December 2004 and installed it on a Hewlett-Packard laptop PC in early January. At the time, I was intrigued by the concept of using a small PC as a music library of MP3 files instead of the laborious process of setting up a CD jukebox or changing CDs individually. I remained, however, somewhat pessimistic about the quality of the reproduction. While CD sound is not ideal, it is the best readily available and affordable media today.

When I first played music using ripped CD files (MP3) from my laptop, I was unimpressed with the quality. I used the Windows Media Player (WMP) and iTunes (by Apple for my IPod). Both lacked the vivaciousness I expect from my amplifier and speakers. The music had little depth in the vocals or the bass tracks. The sounds lacked the crisp, clean sound I love.

I then employed the Burwen Bobcat program on the laptop PC as a plug-in file for WMP. At once (on the most basic setting) the speakers sprung to life. Snare drums emerged from what was before a murky abyss of sounds bleeding across each other. Distinct voices could be heard in duet. The difference was remarkable to both my ear and the untrained ear (my fianc).

But was what I heard merely outstanding in comparison to the WMP or iTunes, or was it truly outstanding in its own right? To test I pulled the same CD that I had ripped to MP3 earlier (Enya Paint the Sky with Stars) and used my best CD player. I expected to find that the MP3 copy (even with Burwen Bobcat) was lacking in comparison to the original. Once again, I was struck by the unexpected. At first, I thought I had the inputs on the amplifier wrong! I was awestruck that an MP3 file actually sounded better, than the original source. Burwen Bobcat added a dynamic that my CD player (Denon SACD player) could not.

In my experimentation, I moved to classic rock (Led Zepplin), classical (Segovia and Holst), and Pop music (U2, The Police, and Metallica). For more classic rock and Jazz I found myself straying to the Jazz 1 and 3 settings, preferring 1 at louder volumes). For the modern Pop the Pop setting number 3 emerged as my favorite. For classical I mainly employed Classical setting number 3. For the Enya and Opera, I preferred the Vocal settings.

My primary listening took place on a high-end stereo that many potential customers will not have in their homes. But I also experimented briefly using the laptop built in 'speakers' with Burwen Bobcat. Even using the cheap speakers installed by the factory on a laptop PC, it is easy to discern the difference.

I tried to create a controlled environment where the variables were few in order to lend credibility to the findings. The result was undeniable. Burwen Bobcat made my music sound better.

L.C. Ward works as a successful trader in the NY financial markets, is a music lover and enjoys audio, video, and computers.

Marvin Roberson

Please accept my apologies for the delay in reviewing the Burwen Bobcat. I'll be honest, in addition to my busy schedule, I was skeptical that a software program could overcome the deficiencies of the CD format.

I had an extended listening session today. My system consisted of Red Rose Affirmation amplification and Red Rose Nocturne speakers for all sessions. I compared SACDs played though a Sony SCD-1 SACD player to the Burwen Bobcat on a Dell laptop playing redbook CDs.

I was astonished by the Bobcat.

On Bob Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks", the vocals were incredibly realistic. Many "Audiophile" magazines describe vocals as being "forward" as positive. On this CD, Mr Dylan was actually presented by the Bobcat as a ways away, just as he would be live. The guitar voice was resonant in a manner rarely heard.

The Quartetto Italiano doing Hayden String Quartets was more as they are live than I've ever heard over CD.

On the Rolling Stones' "Get Yer Ya' Ya's Out", the band was more raw and *there* than I have ever heard.

The Skatellites' best captured the old-style recordings in a way that current CD's never do.

Overall, CDs played with the Burwen Bobcat were phenomenal. They also exceeded my expectations in a manner hardly describable. As a lifelong vinyl (and lately SACD) fan, I never expected to approve of a PC-based CD format. I stand corrected. CDs through the Bobcat are the closest thing to LPs I have heard. Ever.

In short, having owned systems with components from Linn, Krell, Wilson, and a host of other high-end manufacturers, I can confidently say that the Burwen Bobcat is the most cost-effective and best performance upgrade an audiophile could try.

Please feel free to use any or all of this letter as you feel fit.

Simon Mulligan

To my ears, MP-3-formatted music sounds condensed, digital, limited, compressed, cramped, and clamouring to break out of the box!

Burwen Bobcat have created a software program that somehow manages to convert this same format (with no addition to the file size on your computer) into a new sound that is instantly preferable. The music now breathes, the music is warmer, rounded, fresher. There is now 'space' around the sound, whether you are listening to a digitally-recorded 21st Century symphony orchestra or a primitively recorded blues pianist from the 1920s.

I listened to recordings of Beethoven string quartets, Miles Davis, Tower of Power, Meade Lux Lewis and my own recent disc for Sony, that I had converted from compact disc to mp3 on my computer. Regardless of the quality of the original compact disc recording, the Burwen Bobcat software gave each piece an incredible new lease on life; although the format is still digital, the sound is very natural and, most important of all, very comfortable to the ears.

I truly believe that this software is nothing short of revolutionary in the way we should now be listening to recorded music.

Simon Mulligan, 32, is a highly regarded concert pianist, accompanist for violin virtuoso Joshua Bell (who played the sound track for the film, The Red Violin), recording artist, composer and arranger.

Geoff Fushi

After hearing what a good improvement Burwen Bobcat makes to old recordings, I am really impressed! It makes the quality so much more beautiful. This will be a wonderful enhancement to historic recordings that people will enjoy so much more as a result of your work. We are so delighted with what you have accomplished with this marvelous new program. We hope that it will be broadly available to the public very soon.

Geoffrey Fushi is a partner in the firm Bein & Fushi, the worlds largest dealer in rare violins by makes such as Stradivari and Guarneri del Jesu. He has extensive experience recording in analog, PCM digital, and DSD digital, and is associated with Dr. Yamasaki, inventor of DSD (the format of SACD). He founded the Stradivari Society to enable young artists to receive valuable instruments on loan, and has helped Midori, Sarah Chang, and many others build their careers.

Eugene Lemay

I am writing this letter in recognition of the outstanding job that has been done in creating the Bobcat software and that I could not be more pleased with the quality and resonance that this software has relayed!

I am extremely impressed with the enormous effort in creating this high fidelity audio product. The resonance that this software produces makes not only today's but even historic recording sound fresh, humane and open. The sound that this application emits is of an extremely high quality and it takes the art of music appreciation to a completely new level.

Everyone who cares about sound needs and good tones should try this software. It takes audio recording to new height. For the perfectionist who wants to accurately match the original sound this is the perfect application.

It would be an understatement to simply say that I am pleased with the Bobcat software. I highly recommend Bobcat for an outstanding sound experience.