Denafrips Owners & Discussion Thread

[JPete9]

Anyone using i2s or USB or something else? Any obvious differences or observations?

 

 

 

Edited August 27, 2021 by JPete9

[Batty]

I use the USB input when streaming from my tablet, Optical input when using my SBT and RCA coax when using my CD player.

Configured this way I can use a pre with only 2 inputs.

I am very pleased with all inputs but as all sources are different I cannot comment on the differences in SQ.

 

This is on an Ares II

[eman]

4 hours ago, Batty said:

Wow! I couldn't leave mine in the box for longer than 10 mins after it arrived.

You obviously had somewhere to put it and some way to use it.

 

Life doesn't work that way here.

[AlurkA]

3 hours ago, JPete9 said:

Anyone using i2s or USB or something else? Any obvious differences or observations?

 

 

 

I am currently running a Pi wirelessly with Ropiee and feeding this via USB into the Pontus II. No complaints and only the odd hiccup which was corrected through a restart.  I am considering trying a hat with i2s but haven't been able to determine which if any Pi hats are compatible with a Denafrips DAC.

[jgunner]

6 hours ago, JPete9 said:

I dont think i have seen a Pontus for sale used? If you want one get your order in early, they are in high demand and there is a wait time at the moment.

Yes there has been but are the Pontus 1

[Niktech]

21 hours ago, JPete9 said:

Anyone using i2s or USB or something else? Any obvious differences or observations?

 

 

 

I’m using I2S from my Hemes to the Pontus. I’ve not spent much time with the USB input so not in a position give an opinion. However, I’m really happy with the reclocking  done by the USBRegen and the Hermes. The background is black as a black thing…..
 

I have a dislike*  for brightness, and  crispness - favouring warmth - so I mostly use copper cables.  I’m currently in the process of replacing my remaining  interconnects with Aurealis copper cables. Geoff’s cables are some of the best IMHO.

Edited August 27, 2021 by Niktech
* “Aversion to” was perhaps a bit harsh

[AlurkA]

20 minutes ago, Niktech said:

I’m using I2S from my Hemes to the Pontus. I’ve not spent much time with the USB input so not in a position give an opinion. However, I’m really happy with the reclocking  done by the USBRegen and the Hermes. The background is black as a black thing…..
 

I have an aversion to brightness, and  crispness - favouring warmth - so I mostly use copper cables.  I’m currently in the process of replacing my remaining  interconnects with Aurealis copper cables. Geoff’s cables are some of the best IMHO.

What do you feed the Hermes with?......Have just seen your signature...never mind.

Edited August 27, 2021 by AlurkA

[lordvader82]

Loving my Ares2 over here
So compact too! Very discrete amongst my other components.

 

Feel like I haven't had it long enough to starting thinking about moving up the chain though!

[Niktech]

2 hours ago, AlurkA said:

What do you feed the Hermes with?......Have just seen your signature...never mind.

I also feed it with an Auralic Aries Mini for streaming.  My full signal pathway  is in the “About me”  section n my profile.

 

 

[JPete9]

14 hours ago, Niktech said:

I’m using I2S from my Hemes to the Pontus. I’ve not spent much time with the USB input so not in a position give an opinion. However, I’m really happy with the reclocking  done by the USBRegen and the Hermes. The background is black as a black thing…..
 

I have a dislike*  for brightness, and  crispness - favouring warmth - so I mostly use copper cables.  I’m currently in the process of replacing my remaining  interconnects with Aurealis copper cables. Geoff’s cables are some of the best IMHO.

 

I have the same view as you, please post some details on your cables. It would be really interesting to hear whats working. Especially the i2c cable.

 

 

[JPete9]

19 hours ago, AlurkA said:

I am currently running a Pi wirelessly with Ropiee and feeding this via USB into the Pontus II. No complaints and only the odd hiccup which was corrected through a restart.  I am considering trying a hat with i2s but haven't been able to determine which if any Pi hats are compatible with a Denafrips DAC.

The pisaes i2s works with denafrips. But the DAC is configurable anyway, so i think almost any will work.

 

[amdan]

On 26/08/2021 at 6:52 PM, GregWormald said:

Listening to Batty's Ares II persuaded me to buy a Pontus II that gives me excellent results; much better than the previous DAC.

 

I know "quality starts at the source" AND "the chain is only as strong as the weakest link". 

 

What I don't know is where the upgrading stops. I usually buy a new piece of equipment that outshines the rest of my gear so every purchase is not only an improvement but an impetus to keep going!

 

Sometimes I think I might be addicted, sometimes I know I am!

There is no end to this merry go round. As a fellow audiophile said to me when I told him regretfully that I had bought yet another amp - ‘we can’t help it’.

 

 What we really need is an ‘Audiophile anonymous’ group.

[RankStranger]

Although you seem to be focused on the DACs here, I’ll offer my very waffley (hey, I was in a boring lockdown) review of the Hyperion power amp. 

 

 

I don’t think I really have anything else to add. I’m still very much enjoying it. I’ve recently added an Auralic Taurus Pre which has lifted the sound further. The best way I can describe it is the the sound is smoother but not in a way that decreases detail, more smooth like a machine that has been oiled. It’s quite a seductive change.

 

I’d be interested in trying one of the DACs but, as my Altair G1 has no digital outputs, that would also necessitate a streamer update and I suspect I would need to go above the Ares and possibly the Pontus to get “better” than what I have, hence a much greater outlay.

[lordvader82]

Any reason why y'all are using i2s over direct USB, especially with a Pi?

 

Current using direct usb with my Ares 2, gets me all the way to DSD1024 (not necessary, but really wanted to see if it worked). Of course, i2s isn't an option with the Ares, but if I ever upgrade ...

[AlurkA]

6 minutes ago, lordvader82 said:

Any reason why y'all are using i2s over direct USB, especially with a Pi?

 

Current using direct usb with my Ares 2, gets me all the way to DSD1024 (not necessary, but really wanted to see if it worked). Of course, i2s isn't an option with the Ares, but if I ever upgrade ...

Have read conflicting information in regards to it being better than USB as an interface and taking jitter out of the picture. I have to admit I do not fully understand the concepts behind it all though. The proof for me would be in the implementing it in my own system and having a good long listen. 

[JPete9]

For me its that my pi2aes has some reported advantages from the HAT and separate higher spec power supply. But if i can get the right linear PSUs i will test the PISAES and a high qualilty cable to the i2s on the Venus against a single Pi/linear power with USB out. I have 2 PI4s here 1 with the AES hat and some of the cables needed to test.

 

Tonight, i ran the Pi2aes with a 20w apple psu for the pi and the meanwell for the hat and the kordz for the coax and it easily sounds nicer than any other combo i have...not as detailed as USB and the pi2aes with the meanwell, bit nicer by a lot...as he said above, more like a well oiled machine.

 

More cables and more tests to follow.

 

 

[Niktech]

22 hours ago, JPete9 said:

 

I have the same view as you, please post some details on your cables. It would be really interesting to hear whats working. Especially the i2c cable.

 

 

My cables can be seen in my signature and “About me”.

what I’ve found to my ears with cables is that the further you go up the fiscal food chain the percentage of silver increases , and hence the brightness., crispness and sterility. Therefore, I try to strike a balance, which can be difficult.

 

Obviously people’s listening preferences and systems differ, but the HDMI cables I’ve used thus far with the above in mind are

 

Sommercsble excelsior hdmi as used by Alvin Chee. In his system This cable lacked resolution to my ears.

 

Audioquest Vodka - tonality and simblance was starting to be a an issue, so I had to equalise treble slightly.

 

Wirelworld Silver starlight 7 - way to crisp and bright for my ears.

Wire World Ultra Violet 7 hdmi - This is the cable I’m currently using and has struck a good balance between copper and silver. It has warmth, but enough silver to tighten up the bass and provide good resolution.

 

The next cable upgrade is to replace my  AQ Mackenzie XLR  interconnect with Aurealis Dueland or Reference.

Edited August 28, 2021 by Niktech

[Niktech]

12 hours ago, lordvader82 said:

Any reason why y'all are using i2s over direct USB, especially with a Pi?

 

Current using direct usb with my Ares 2, gets me all the way to DSD1024 (not necessary, but really wanted to see if it worked). Of course, i2s isn't an option with the Ares, but if I ever upgrade ...

I2S is the best connection on Denafrips products  - followed by USB - as advised by Alvin Chee and Denafrips. A lot of R&D has gone into it

[JPete9]

2 hours ago, Niktech said:

My cables can be seen in my signature and “About me”.

Wire World Ultra Violet 7 hdmi - This is the cable I’m currently using and has struck a good balance between copper and silver. It has warmth, but enough silver to tighten up the bass and provide good resolution.

 

Thanks, these are often recommended, i have scoured the planet for a shorter one, but only available anywhere in 1m. Is 1m ok for i2s or it must be shorter? It doesnt seem to be clear whether the idea of a shorter cable is mandatory or just a guide?

[Niktech]

29 minutes ago, JPete9 said:

 

Thanks, these are often recommended, i have scoured the planet for a shorter one, but only available anywhere in 1m. Is 1m ok for i2s or it must be shorter? It doesnt seem to be clear whether the idea of a shorter cable is mandatory or just a guide?

Less than or equal to 1 metre seems to be the current advice as the protocol was never really designed for data transmissions of this nature.

 

Yes, the shorter lengths are hard to come by. I’m not sure if that’s due to limited or excess demand. Though I can’t imagine too many people outside  of the Audiophile community  wanting high-end HDMI cables at 30 or 50 cm in length.

 

 

 

[half baked]

Venus 2 + Gaia owner here.
my previous Dacs have been the Kinki Studio vision1 + mutec , Geiseler Dacs,  AMR 777, Audio GD ref and  various others, The Venus is to my ears in a different league

Stav from Dacman audio kindly brought the Terminator+ to my place for a demo as he didn’t have Venus 2 in stock ,   as soon as we plugged it in  I knew it was the sound I wanted,  big open soundstage, transparent, detailed and most of all incredibly palpable, vocalists and instruments were  in the room,  after also  hearing the Aries 2 and Pontus 2 which had the same family sound I bought the Venus 2.

To my ears and in my system with the Gaia  it gets damm  close to the T+, maybe not quite as warm or as resolving but we are talking slight differences.

I mainly use as my source a new PC I built with the Matrix Element h USB card, total cost was about $1100. This replaced an Auralic Aries.  USB cable is the Mad Scientist black magic which I preferred over my curious USB , this is output to the Gaia,  

I also have the JAYS 2 CD transport which I output to the Gaia with a Belden 4694R 12GHZ 4K coax cable, don’t be put off by the cheap price it’s a killer cable.

‘From the Gaia to the Venus I again use the Belden, I also use a wireworld silver starlight 5  24 AWG silver copper hdmi which was pretty close to the audioquest diamond ,  but I prefer the Belden coax, I also use the Triode wire labs AES digital which I like also.

 

 

 

[Niktech]

Here’s mine. Won’t win any beauty contests with all the Saeco door stops, but it sounds great

 

Edited August 29, 2021 by Niktech

[half baked]

Looks nice, do the door stoppers make a difference?, I have iso acoustics feet under mine

[Niktech]

They shouldn’t, but they do . The biggest impact is on the  depth and tightness of the bass.

[morty88]

So has anyone here gone with a Terminator? I’ve recently been demo’ing a Chord Dave and M Scaler. Superb but too much coin; keen to know folks’ experiences with the Terminator.