Hear, hear Harley, despite its made in China moniker, I believe the Pontus 15th represents a respectable endeavor. One must open their minds to honest, quality engineering. We all may have our preconceived notions when it comes to brilliant audio, but I believe this Dac is sincere in its intention and execution. Simply stated, this is good honest audio, much like your beloved Sibelius speaker.
Great video. Nice looking implementation. Small point of clarification re the two clocks. One supplies timing for sample rates that are a multiple of 44.1 and the other is for 48k sample rate family. The circuit will have jitter. If they have a low phase noise clock it is relatively less jitter. The lower the jitter, the more natural it will sound. Early CDPs that we found irritating digital sound had more jitter. An R2R DAC with great power and low jitter will sound analogue and relaxing with great realism.
Nice video Harley. I have the Pontus II and really love it. The build quality is excellent and the sound is absolutely amazing. I look forward to your recordings.
Thank you for the excellent review. just reciieved my Pontus 15th , linked to a denafrips Haden and Thallo and a matrix eleement S it is simply sublime.
I have a Gustard R26 (hooked up to a Sugden). I trialled it compared to my Mojo 2 (which is a delta sigma dac). Took me a long time to understand why I preferred the R2R DAC. Reason it's so difficult to put your finger on it, is because of individual instrument timbre. You can't A/B them quickly, timbre is something that takes a while to sit with, but when it's not there you notice it. Reason I didn't get a Denafrips was due to their returns policy, ie they will not accept returns under any circumstance. I got my R26 from Amazon where we know it's easy to return stuff, at £2k for a DAC, I require the ability to return it. Oh also from what I remember Denafrips doesn't offer true NOS either.
@@YamilLlanos The Mojo 2 is a custom implementation of a delta sigma dac. The FPGA affords Chord the abilty to implement a series of custom noise filters. An FPGA DAC doesn't exist.
@@richcarless7740well that’s incorrect. Just for some knowledge, FPGA DACs most definitely exist. PS Audio in their dac’s use pulse density modulation (pdm) combined with a low pass filter in the output stage. PS audio Directstream is FPGA DAC.
Been there, did that (Denafrips, Gustard, Musician Audio R-2R Dac). Save yourself the expense and go directly to Audio-GD DACs and whatever (PCM1704 Dac) you can get hold of. (And I'm a proud Sibelius Owner, I should say.)
Have a Venus II-12th. Glad to see the 'frips gettin' some love. It had seemed for a while that after they dumped Alvin over at Vinshine, some of the luster/prestige they had been enjoying lessened significantly.
While I don’t have a Denafrips DAC (I have the Holo May KTE), I do have the Athena preamp and a pair of Thallo amps. They are all built like tanks and are absolutely beautiful to look at and listen to. I’m a huge fan of their design and manufacturing of high end audio products.
Denafrips is all about the music , I have the Pontus 2 with the Iris DDC connected via I2S ( Jays Audio cable ) , the analog nature is just so enjoyable, connected to my Willsenton R8i 50W class A amp with rolled tubes ( PSVane legend etc - tubes cost more than the amp ) - it is magical and non fatiguing. Luckily I live in China so it costs around 25-30% less. I don’t think I will change this set up for years to come. The only thing I would change is upgrade my Eversolo A6 Master E streamer , I heard Eversolo is working on dedicated streamers so I’ll wait until that is launched. Eversolo is another great brand. Chi fi has truly evolved and highly specialized products are now being made to truly audiophile standards. A great time to be a music lover. But once you tried a Denafrips DAC, it’s very hard to go back to Delta Sigma DACs IMO.
Не сложно вернуться к дельта сигме. В Понтус и лампах нет скорости и удара это физически не возможно для такой цены, поэтому выкинуть этот Понтус и вилсентон и купить moon 861 и gustard x 30!!!
J'ai un pontus II 12th avec un streamer node 2i, un amplificateur hegel H190 et des enceintes dynaudio special forty. Lorsque j'ai ajouté le pontus II 12th tout a changé, le son est devenu plus limpide et naturel. C'est magnifique.
I'm glad you're not going to review any Schiit DACs. My original Schiit Gungnir is excellent and I really don't want to go down the rabbit hole again. 😉 But, I will watch your upcoming DAC evaluation.
Thank you Harley for this review. I also have the Pontus, alas not the 15th edition, and have the same feelings for the sound it creates. I combined it with the Hermes DDC which lifts the Pontus to an ever higher level. I am very happy you have the Pontus beause I am planning to have a listen to the Sibelius loudspeakers in Tienen so I don't need to bring it with me or shall I bring the Hermes so you can hear the difference?
Hi Rudie, thanks for your kind appreciation. With regards the Hermes DDC, we can discuss this when you arrange your appointment. But, in general, we encourage people to bring what they are familiar with.
I've had the original Pontus since it was first released, and I'm still very pleased with its performance and sound characteristics after all these years. It never disappoints, it just gets better when I upgrade the cables, and especially the streamers (3 times!). In my opinion, using a better streamer and the HQP app in the NOS mode is the best way to get the most out of these R2R DACs. YMMV but I would highly recommend anyone to give it a try🥰👍
Charming:-) Very happy with my Ares2 and 12th in two systems. Got a Hestia 12th from Alvin at Vinshine just in time before they dropped Denafrips:-/ Beautifully made good sounding products nonetheless 😊
I've been running the terminator (not plus) for 3 years now. It's a great dac. One time, a couple years in, I was getting weird hiss-crackle from my Pearl Acoustic speakers. I turned the terminator off and on again and haven't had any issues since. It worried me a little as I thought it may be the start of degraded performance curve, but haven't heard any further problems.
Thanks for your kind appreciation. I have not heard it yet. But I have heard good things about it from those that have. My old QUAD CD player has a 1541 chip in it and still sounds great. Enjoy.
Looking forward to the comparison, Harley. I see a Sugden FBA 800 has appeared on the lower shelf and it would be good to hear that working with the DACs in all its glorious revelation.
Hi Mike, we're working on the follow up video, as I write. The FBA 800 is so different from all my other amplifiers. In fact its on loan from the Belgian Sugden distributor. I am sad to say, it's not my favourite. It seems a bit too open, compared with their SPA4 and ANV50. Maybe its just me and I need to give it more time? It's not had much use yet.
Great video, as always. Love your channel. I'm having a hard time pulling the trigger on a DAC. Are these DAC's better than the ones built into integrated amps. I have a Hegel H190. It sounds great with my transport but I wonder, can a stand alone sound better.
I have run with the Pontus II for about 3 years and I am fairly happy with the results for the price. What I would be very interested in trying out would be the Audio GD R-7HE Mrk3, go take a look, it looks like a beast.
@@PearlAcoustics I bought their Master19 Pre Amp and what your getting for the money is pretty pretty good and I am really happy with the sonic results. Hans Beekhuyzen has done a over view on the predecessor to the R-7HE Mrk3 the R7HE 2020 Magna R2R DAC, when you get a moment checkout what he says about it. Audio GD are built like tanks the builds are very often referred to as over kill. The website could do with an upgrade but they do give lots of photos of the insides which is also very good. A highly recommended brand Harley.
@@PearlAcoustics Sorry, I only have the Pontus II in my main system. The Holo Cyan+ is the one I am considering for my second system in the garage. I am really looking forward for your comparison video before the purchase. TIA.
The Pontus is a serious gateway drug. I purchased my Pontus II a couple years ago, along with their Iris DDC (for the TCXO clocks that were added for the 15th version) and in spite of updates like the 12th and 15th, I am still crazy in love with the one I have. It's so much more musical and natural sounding than the ESS 9038 Pro DAC I have (that cost double what the Pontus II cost). Do I feel the insatiable desire to upgrade? I don't. Not even a little which is a first for me.
Fully concur. Just buy old and used Denafrips. A new review on a very new old edit is actually misleading the viewers. Fall into Denafrips value trap. CAUTIION!!!!
Thanks for your comment. Indeed, with any company that uses short intervals between upgrades, buying secondhand makes perfect sense. And with products of this quality, there’s often no need to upgrade anyway….
I own the Pontus II also. I've had it for several years now and is one of the best pieces I own. In Canadian dollars it cost me $2500.00. A big chunck for me, but well worth the money. It hasn't given me any issues whatsoever. I'm blessed with beautiful musical music everyday.
On the other end of the cost spectrum, I have been rather shocked by the high quality of sound the $80 4493SEQ-equipped SMSL SU-1 is capable of. The caveat is that it sounds best (by a good margin) when powered by an approximately 1A or greater linear, regulated power supply through its USB port. I also prefer the coaxial input. I wanted to share this here with anyone else looking for a budget DAC that, with a small alteration, can rival the sound of DACs many times it's price. Looking forward to the sound clips. Cheers!!
@@PearlAcoustics I enjoyed your comment in the last DAC video about listening to subtle details like triplets and quadruplets on the hi-hat to determine the playback quality of a DAC. I have some Shelly Manne CDs that have exactly those patterns played softly in the background. When a linear supply is added to the SU-1, the noise floor drops and you can hear each top cymbal strike as an individual event rather than an undefined slurry of notes. These "tells" can be very useful and I appreciate you sharing your observations.
It’s incredible to think that the P6 was first released in the early to mid 1960’s, it still looks so clean and modern to me’ The P5 ‘a gentleman’s club on wheels’ 😉
Cool, I think the question is. Which one accurately reproduces real instrument tone, timbre and presence. Want these DACs to compete with my vinyl. Unfortunately normally the PCM source is the issue. Looking forward to listening to the samples
Harley, wonderful video. I see the FBA-800 is back for another listen, I’m very interested to hear your second impressions of the FBA compared to the SPA-4.
Hi, well spotted! Sadly, I have to say that (for me) it's no contest. I much, much prefer the SPA-4. Even the ANV50. Me and the FBA-800 don't get on. Sadly, we're getting divorced ;-).
13:34 « I don’t think there is any chance of jitter occurring in this DAC ». I think this is an area where it would be interesting to see you experiment in the future. Because if things are done « wrong » then there could still be up to quite a lot a jitter happening at that final stage. In fact any DAC is sensitive to the source it receives the digital signal from. And that can cause some degree of jitter at the DA conversion. So it would be interesting to see you experimenting with high quality digital transports to hear what you would experience. Thanks for the great video Cyril
@@PearlAcousticsPersonally I would never use the Pontus with RCA output because you miss out some important sound qualities. I think anyone can confirm you are bypassing half of the circuit board and not take benefit of the balanced design. But maybe you used XLR, I don´t know 😊
@@justasimplefox absolutely not. I used the XLR output. Both the Denefrips and Topping Pre are fully balanced by design, so I would never link them single ended. I hope I didn’t give that impression? 🙃
@@PearlAcoustics Haha, great 😊 Strange some people experience/consider this combination as an impedance mismatch. Maybe I should come and listen in Tienen 😅 (I´m also from Belgium)
I might be over thinking this but how well can we compare different dacs when the output is going to be fed through whatever DAC we have at home (not to mention whatever ADC you feed the mic output or the analogue output of the DACs through to get it back to a digital file) I'm just not sure how much character will make it through the process.
Hi, you raise a very good point here, which I will cover in the next video. Of course it will never be the same as plugging a Dac into your system but we should be able to detect differences.
Given its price point, maybe the Ares from Denafrips would make more sense to compare with the topping and smsl, right? (Have no idea how much the Sugden costs) It would nice if you could try the new Ares (and compare it with all of those)
Hi, you make a good point here. However, I am not so into comparing on a price point. Too often more expensive does not necessarily mean better sounding. The Sugden DAC-4 is about 3k USD. I would be interested to try the Aries… but I think other reviewers have made the comparison with other Denefrips dacs?
@@PearlAcoustics i understand you don't compare on price point but given your opinion on the pontus and the brief comparison you make, it's easy to guess your conclusion. yes (for other reviewers testing the ares) but not many have tested the most recent version and they haven't necessarily compared the ares with those dacs you have.
Hi, in the pro audio world AES is becoming more and more common. I have never used it on any of my equipment. For domestic applications, I am certain it offers very little additional value
You should for sure give it a try, its like with USB implementations, some vendors do have larger difference between their digital output, not just output level. I highly recommend to test AES, in my DAC/Streamers its the better choice (e.g. Grimm MU2, Holo May KTE, Lumin U1..)
The LEDs now look too bright, something i am always wary of because i like to listen in evenings with lights low. Would you say they are a little too bright now?
I admit in the photo they look bright but in reality, they are fine. Especially if they are above, or below eye level. For the photo I took it square on and with an iPhone and the colour flared up a bit. I hope this helps? Best wishes
Very interesting thread as usual on this channel. But….😂there is a new star on the sky of the ladder DACs, Harmony DAC( $2,700.0) and Srajan from 6 Moons declared it replaced a $10.000 DAC. 😊It would be great if you could get one for review. It’s definitely lighter and imo more utilitarian.
These Denafrips DACs need some days of break in if brand new. Also, would be very interesting what your take on the three different oversampling modes is.
Denafrips has incredible build quality. If you have a dac you enjoy, save your money and buy a Terminator serices dac. I have owned the Pontus and it was a fine box, however the Terminator is in another league. Buy a Terminator and you will not want a chip based dac until tech moves the needle.
No surprise you got attached to the Pontus 15th - in back to back tests run by New Record Day, it clearly outperforms the far more expensive and legendary Holo Audio May!
@@PearlAcoustics New Record Day has the Holo May as his reference Dac for some time and still defends it as being a "little" better. However objectively, his own listening tests clearly reveal the Pontus 15th is technically superior. The Holo may is warmer and has a weightier bass, but the Pontus 15th wins on virtually every other parameter: subbass reproduction, midbass articulation, PRAT, midrange separation, transparency, etc.
Love my Ares 2... Unfortunately, there was a falling out between Denafrips and their once exclusive GLOBAL distributor / retailer based in Singapore that has superb customer service....
There was Pontus in 2018, Pontus-II in late 2019 and early 2020, then Pontus 12th anniversary a year later and then the Pontus 12th-1 last year and now the Pontus 15th… so no wonder people are pissed off! My Pontus II is now “obsolete”… lol
I appreciate this mature, thoughtful presentation. Ideally, one can have both a high quality R2R and a chip-based DAC to select from, given the target recording, partnering equipment, listening preferences and goals, etc. Both technologies will likely have their adherents and I doubt the technologies will converge to where they both sound identical.
instead of listening for a difference, just measure the difference. record both dac, invert one recording in its phase and overlap with the first recording & level match them, whats left is the difference. if there isnt any, there will be silence. and no ear in the world can hear what isnt there.
I like your comment, very true indeed. I hope you're not referring to a null test, that would eradicate personal opinions and conjecture… where would youtube be without them… In my experience, most reviewers (present company accepted) have very limited or no technical knowledge background to provide any real meaning to correlate differences they can hear and rely solely on subjective opinions & taste, suppositions and pragmatism based on conjecture. How are we supposed to trust and go with that? On top of this, some openly admit technical specs are not for them and believe they are meaningless and insignificant. Well… ‘Insecurity.. Ignorance’ are words that springs to mind - this is a poor and lazy copout to mitigate their ability to (A) be able to understand the data (B) interpret technical data correctly to put into good use (C) can only explain (but struggle to articulate) the why and not the how. Best of luck trying to access and make formal decisions for new pieces of expensive HiFi gear based on most youtube reviewers.
@@PearlAcoustics oh, please, I'm not directing this at you. I find your reviews very good. You include some very interesting observations, history and some technical details to back it up, I take my hat off to you. I'll look forward to the files.
Please try this. My favourite. Bought from Apple Music, I don't like streaming. I got 10 years on you, was raised on this. Bing & Rosie: The Crosby-Clooney Radio Sessions
Listening to a R2R recoding via the random user's delta-sigma DAC (on their computers) will tell nothing about the character of R2R sonic reproduction. And this is with headphones, if they listen this trough a class D amplifier (especially without PFFB), the sonic character of the DAC is even more covered. One needs to listen those in person. I didn't believe there is a difference until I got hold of my first R2R CD player.
Pontus 15th is just the Venus. It's not the same signature that every reviewer has gave great reviews about. The venus is a great dac but it's a completely different sound signature that what the pontus was.
The Pontus 2 15th is much more like the Venus 2 12th! Same power supply, same ladder of the same quality, almost the same caps on the mainboard like the venus 2 12th. Lower quality XOs.
It is their most interesting dac with some superior qualities but their signature still seems flat so I prefer the more expensive Harmony or the cheaper Cyan 2 and if using a cheap streamer it seems you can not use the clock from the more expensive dac for better quality if using the tos or coax connections. Now lets see if the Amber and Canor and AAdac and 2v2se and the poor mans Amber dac the Fezz Equinox are even more analog and real clinking dacs 🤔
Happy to note your respect for Tarun (A British Audiophile). He’s my go-to reviewer and I have bought equipment based only on his reviews. His description of the Sibelius as “the truth” made me weep that I can’t afford them.
Denafrips makes good gear, owned Terminator Plus. I'm pretty sure you would love the swiss brand Merason DAC R2R (would also fit your philosophy). TotalDAC is a complete different game, way up the Highend chain and cant be compared with those brands (biased, owned it some years ago) 😊 thanks a lot for your time & efforts!!
Call me a philistine , I changed from a moon 100 to a Heed , the less expensive one about 2 grand Canadian, couldn’t tell you if either one is a ladder dac or a delta sigma, I know the Heed sounds nice, that’s it, no other opinion on offer from me Oh I feed it with a moon 260 transport into a moon 340i and fyne f502sp speakers
Hi Thanks for your comment. I can understand some disappointment in this topic. I do not have any of the details, so don’t feel qualified to comment. but I hope both parties will. do well, moving forward. I think that many HiFi manufacturers will start to circumnavigate their distributors in the future. Of course, it’s how this change is handled that matters most. We live in a rapidly changing world.
@@PearlAcoustics I will edit that out and I do note that at least one other comment mentioned Alvin. It is irrelevant to the question of R2R You auditioned multiple preamps You would be best served by looking at Holo and Gustard R2R as well The Multi-bit implementation is also worth investigating Schiit and Chord would be good examples I have a Holo Cyan 2 that has the least features but incredible sound for the money and the reviews are in agreement that it is more than worthy The R2Rs have a warmer presentation which may be why you are drawn to them
Have heard wonderful things about both of those Dacs, audio is such a subjective endeavor, the possibilities and matchings are seemingly endless. Thanks for sharing.
can you please give us a small comparison between your Gustard and chord? I am torn between Qutest and Aries 15th and the Qutest is cheaper by $250 in my place.
Venus ii 12th-1 beats Pontus by a huge margin in soundstage and placements and scale ! At least beat pontus by 20%. Venus is the obvious choice for a bit more $$$.
@@PearlAcoustics they always change new edits unlike chord. Denafrips plate the IEC plug and call it a new edit. Very disadvantages to consumers of new sets of Denafrips gears. I have used 3 models. Will NEVER BUY NEW again. Value drop too fast with every new edit.
Making an objective comparison of two brands of dac chips is pretty much impossible. At least inside an audio system. And I think it is also pointless for a couple reasons. The first being that it is impossible for you to compare only the chips. Those chips are not interchangeable, so you can’t use two identical DACs with only the chips replaced. You can only compare two different DACs, which have different inputs and output stages, different parts, layout, power supplies, etc. And the same principle applies when comparing delta sigma against a R2R DAC. You end up comparing different products, not R2R vs delta sigma. Still an interesting experiment though, just not for the same reasons
Indeed, can only agree. As I mention in my previous video, the architecture and analogue circuitry, will always impact the sound more than anything else. So it was more for curiosity, comparing the two rival dacs, and for fun. It's like being in a restaurant, if the food tastes great - who cares if it has been cooked in a stainless steel or copper pan? ;-) Best wishes, H.
Thanks for sharing. Indeed, buying secondhand kind of makes sense as long as some keep buying new! I have been thinking about this and I am wondering if the frequent upgrades are marketing or R&D driven? In some companies the balance is more on R&D than on marketing, because if you think about it, it’s not a good marketing strategy, if Denefrips upset their customers? Hence I feel it is most likely the fact that the developers are constantly re-working/improving their designs as new components become available, or new ideas enter the team. What should they do: wait a few years or improve as they go? I get it that it can be very frustrating if one buys to re-sell. These things are tricky. The opposite to Denefrips is Sugden who almost never change their products (and us at Pearl Acoustics too, no changes in our loudspeakers in the last 11 years and none planned for the future either). But maybe, without one DAC company regularly upgrading its product offering, it holds the industry back? Just wondering. I know in the Flat TV upgrades like this are very common but I guess people don’t trad TV’s like they do HiFi?
@@PearlAcousticsDenafrips have proven to launch minor changes as a new model time and time again. Bottom line is Clear now = NEVER BUY DENAFRIPS NEW， LESSON Learnt ¡
Of course the why you keep going abck to it is because it is: D-ynamic, E-xquisite, N-atural, and A-ttractive. as well as: F-idelity R-efined I-ntoxicating P-ure S-ophisticated 😁
Thing is with all Hi-Fi its "The Kings New Clothes". I repair both Hi-Fi and music performance equipment and the Hi-Fi side is something of a joke. Much is purely ideology not actually better but it makes the buyer feel so much better having spent thousands on something that may actually be no better than something at a tenth of the price. I used to write for Hi-Fi World and have seen it all! Including the madness of changing to fancy switches because it makes the thing sound better when the switch feeds directly into a selector IC so has no effect on the audio path at all. There is madness in this world.
Agree, I don’t think any hobby has as much snake oil as the hifi hobby. I thought the magazines were a lot to blame for that, but I see now that UA-cam influencers and guys that are more on hifi forums instead of listening to music are probably more to blame.
There is a fine line between madness and genius....I have found some absolute gems for my home hifi for a fair price. My wife, on the other hand, thinks that I am mad......oh well. Shine on !
Thanks for sharing. Indeed, there's function and then there's the gear collecting side of it. As I always say. It's a very personal thing. Many people buy very expensive wrist watches, they don't necessarily tell the time any better, but can be nicer to look at and even just to own. Humans are not rational. And for me, that is in part of it, the fun of this hobby.
He's back!! Glad you are here Harley!
😂 thanks! 👍🙏
Agree !!
Hear, hear Harley, despite its made in China moniker, I believe the Pontus 15th represents a respectable endeavor. One must open their minds to honest, quality engineering. We all may have our preconceived notions when it comes to brilliant audio, but I believe this Dac is sincere in its intention and execution. Simply stated, this is good honest audio, much like your beloved Sibelius speaker.
Thank you! Much appreciated
Very well done sir. You present the details in a way I fully understand, which is a credit to you. Thank you.
You are very welcome
I'm waiting anxiously for the next video, thanks.
Coming soon!
Classy as always, Mr. Lovegrove. Great review. I used to have a Pontus and I agree with your take on it. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! Much appreciated
I second Holo Audio's DACs. Looking forward to the comparisons. Thanks for doing this Harley.
you're very welcome!
Good to see you again 🍩☕️👍
I picked up the Denafrips Ares 12-1 DAC for my headphone stack ..and it’s damn nice!
Thanks! Enjoy...
Great video. Nice looking implementation.
Small point of clarification re the two clocks. One supplies timing for sample rates that are a multiple of 44.1 and the other is for 48k sample rate family. The circuit will have jitter. If they have a low phase noise clock it is relatively less jitter. The lower the jitter, the more natural it will sound. Early CDPs that we found irritating digital sound had more jitter. An R2R DAC with great power and low jitter will sound analogue and relaxing with great realism.
Thank you very much for your kind words. And also for your interesting comment.
Nice video Harley. I have the Pontus II and really love it. The build quality is excellent and the sound is absolutely amazing. I look forward to your recordings.
Thank you! Very kind. The recordings come on the 7th. 😉
Thank you for the excellent review. just reciieved my Pontus 15th , linked to a denafrips Haden and Thallo and a matrix eleement S it is simply sublime.
You’re very welcome. Enjoy your new equipment
I have a Gustard R26 (hooked up to a Sugden). I trialled it compared to my Mojo 2 (which is a delta sigma dac). Took me a long time to understand why I preferred the R2R DAC. Reason it's so difficult to put your finger on it, is because of individual instrument timbre. You can't A/B them quickly, timbre is something that takes a while to sit with, but when it's not there you notice it. Reason I didn't get a Denafrips was due to their returns policy, ie they will not accept returns under any circumstance. I got my R26 from Amazon where we know it's easy to return stuff, at £2k for a DAC, I require the ability to return it. Oh also from what I remember Denafrips doesn't offer true NOS either.
Hi, thanks for sharing this. On a technical point, Denefrips assured me their Pontus 15 is a true NOS Dac. interesting point
Mojo 2 is not a DS DAC. It is a FPGA DAC
@@YamilLlanos The Mojo 2 is a custom implementation of a delta sigma dac. The FPGA affords Chord the abilty to implement a series of custom noise filters. An FPGA DAC doesn't exist.
@@richcarless7740well that’s incorrect. Just for some knowledge, FPGA DACs most definitely exist.
PS Audio in their dac’s use pulse density modulation (pdm) combined with a low pass filter in the output stage. PS audio Directstream is FPGA DAC.
А что лучше по звуку? Gustard or Denafrips?
I have the Pontus 2 converting my innuos zenith3 towards a primaluna 400EVO integrated. It makes my streaming analogue in a pleasant way. Super happy!
👌
From Canada really enjoy your videos thank you.
Hi, that’s great to hear. Thank you! Greetings from Belgium!
The Kingdom of Pontus arises.....Very nice.
😀
Nice 😊, but the Cyan 2 is better and cheaper, according to some reviewers.
🤗 I HOPE ALL IS WELL HARLEY💚💚💚
Thank you! All is good with me. Best wishes from Belgium
Been there, did that (Denafrips, Gustard, Musician Audio R-2R Dac). Save yourself the expense and go directly to Audio-GD DACs and whatever (PCM1704 Dac) you can get hold of. (And I'm a proud Sibelius Owner, I should say.)
Thanks! I will certainly look one out. Very curious… best wishes, Harley
Have a Venus II-12th. Glad to see the 'frips gettin' some love. It had seemed for a while that after they dumped Alvin over at Vinshine, some of the luster/prestige they had been enjoying lessened significantly.
These things can be damaging indeed. I just hope both parties can move forward to new eras of success.
While I don’t have a Denafrips DAC (I have the Holo May KTE), I do have the Athena preamp and a pair of Thallo amps. They are all built like tanks and are absolutely beautiful to look at and listen to. I’m a huge fan of their design and manufacturing of high end audio products.
interesting. Thanks!
@@CobraChamp That Holo is a great Dac
I own the Pontus 12th. I am quite happy with it.
I can imagine!
Hi Harley, I have little interest in DAC’s but I enjoy learning about them in your videos. Looking forward to the comparison video🎵🎶🎥
Thank you, glad you like them.
Flavour of the month is Holo Cyan 2.... give it a try
I've got that one, absolutely fantastic and likely my endgame DAC.
It's on the list! ;-)
@jos5067 i was thinking the same. Do u know the differents between them?
@@marek1757 No, because there are almost no comparisons online, but one reviewer said that the Cyan is better than the TT2 and Qutest.
I got the Holo Audio Cyan 2 DAC a few weeks back. It was impressive how it changed music. Pretty good DAC. Easy to listen to but extremely fun also.
Denafrips is all about the music , I have the Pontus 2 with the Iris DDC connected via I2S ( Jays Audio cable ) , the analog nature is just so enjoyable, connected to my Willsenton R8i 50W class A amp with rolled tubes ( PSVane legend etc - tubes cost more than the amp ) - it is magical and non fatiguing. Luckily I live in China so it costs around 25-30% less. I don’t think I will change this set up for years to come. The only thing I would change is upgrade my Eversolo A6 Master E streamer , I heard Eversolo is working on dedicated streamers so I’ll wait until that is launched. Eversolo is another great brand. Chi fi has truly evolved and highly specialized products are now being made to truly audiophile standards. A great time to be a music lover. But once you tried a Denafrips DAC, it’s very hard to go back to Delta Sigma DACs IMO.
Не сложно вернуться к дельта сигме. В Понтус и лампах нет скорости и удара это физически не возможно для такой цены, поэтому выкинуть этот Понтус и вилсентон и купить moon 861 и gustard x 30!!!
Thanks for your contribution to the topic. Enjoy the music.
The Holo May Cyan 2 seems to be a winner 🥇 too! Would be great if you can review one in comparison.
Hopefully I can get my hands on one. and when I do, I will make a recording and upload it for comparison.
J'ai un pontus II 12th avec un streamer node 2i, un amplificateur hegel H190 et des enceintes dynaudio special forty. Lorsque j'ai ajouté le pontus II 12th tout a changé, le son est devenu plus limpide et naturel. C'est magnifique.
@@francisdurand183 good to hear!
Denafrips outside + Holo inside and I´m sold 😊
😂
I'm glad you're not going to review any Schiit DACs. My original Schiit Gungnir is excellent and I really don't want to go down the rabbit hole again. 😉
But, I will watch your upcoming DAC evaluation.
😂 absolutely!
Thank you Harley for this review. I also have the Pontus, alas not the 15th edition, and have the same feelings for the sound it creates. I combined it with the Hermes DDC which lifts the Pontus to an ever higher level. I am very happy you have the Pontus beause I am planning to have a listen to the Sibelius loudspeakers in Tienen so I don't need to bring it with me or shall I bring the Hermes so you can hear the difference?
Hi Rudie, thanks for your kind appreciation. With regards the Hermes DDC, we can discuss this when you arrange your appointment. But, in general, we encourage people to bring what they are familiar with.
I've had the original Pontus since it was first released, and I'm still very pleased with its performance and sound characteristics after all these years. It never disappoints, it just gets better when I upgrade the cables, and especially the streamers (3 times!). In my opinion, using a better streamer and the HQP app in the NOS mode is the best way to get the most out of these R2R DACs. YMMV but I would highly recommend anyone to give it a try🥰👍
@@sc51153826 thank you for sharing your experience with us.
Charming:-)
Very happy with my Ares2 and 12th in two systems.
Got a Hestia 12th from Alvin at Vinshine just in time before they dropped Denafrips:-/
Beautifully made good sounding products nonetheless 😊
Thanks for the comment
I've been running the terminator (not plus) for 3 years now. It's a great dac. One time, a couple years in, I was getting weird hiss-crackle from my Pearl Acoustic speakers. I turned the terminator off and on again and haven't had any issues since. It worried me a little as I thought it may be the start of degraded performance curve, but haven't heard any further problems.
Good news.
That's good to know! Enjoy
Interesting talk, I am getting closer to buying the Audial S5b dac ( TDA1541A chip)
Is said to sound very analog and real, especially with voices.
Thanks for your kind appreciation. I have not heard it yet. But I have heard good things about it from those that have. My old QUAD CD player has a 1541 chip in it and still sounds great. Enjoy.
Audial S5 is my end game. At least currently ;)
@@is3commander 😀👍
Looking forward to the comparison, Harley. I see a Sugden FBA 800 has appeared on the lower shelf and it would be good to hear that working with the DACs in all its glorious revelation.
Hi Mike, we're working on the follow up video, as I write. The FBA 800 is so different from all my other amplifiers. In fact its on loan from the Belgian Sugden distributor. I am sad to say, it's not my favourite. It seems a bit too open, compared with their SPA4 and ANV50. Maybe its just me and I need to give it more time? It's not had much use yet.
@@PearlAcoustics I think that’s very fair of you, Harley. It will be interesting to see how it shapes up, given time. All the best.
@@mikeuk4130 👍
Great video, as always. Love your channel. I'm having a hard time pulling the trigger on a DAC. Are these DAC's better than the ones built into integrated amps. I have a Hegel H190. It sounds great with my transport but I wonder, can a stand alone sound better.
My Hiby RS8 portable music player is R2R. Sounds amazing. 😊
Very nice!
I have run with the Pontus II for about 3 years
and I am fairly happy with the results for the
price. What I would be very interested in trying
out would be the Audio GD R-7HE Mrk3, go
take a look, it looks like a beast.
Thanks for your comment. I have just checked your suggestion (I didn’t know it). But Ah, now that’s the gear bug tugging at your sleeve 😉
@@PearlAcoustics I bought their Master19 Pre Amp and what your getting for the money is pretty pretty good and I am really happy with the sonic results. Hans Beekhuyzen has done a over view on the predecessor to the R-7HE Mrk3 the R7HE 2020 Magna R2R DAC, when you get a moment checkout what he says about it. Audio GD are built like tanks the builds are very often referred to as over kill. The website could do with an upgrade but they do give lots of photos of the insides which is also very good. A highly recommended brand Harley.
@@metatron007 thanks for the tip!
It will be great if you include the Holo Cyan+ on your next comparison video.
@@slowestrider4918 if I get my hands on some, I will happily upload the results
@@PearlAcoustics Sorry, I only have the Pontus II in my main system. The Holo Cyan+ is the one I am considering for my second system in the garage. I am really looking forward for your comparison video before the purchase. TIA.
The Pontus is a serious gateway drug. I purchased my Pontus II a couple years ago, along with their Iris DDC (for the TCXO clocks that were added for the 15th version) and in spite of updates like the 12th and 15th, I am still crazy in love with the one I have. It's so much more musical and natural sounding than the ESS 9038 Pro DAC I have (that cost double what the Pontus II cost). Do I feel the insatiable desire to upgrade? I don't. Not even a little which is a first for me.
Fully concur. Just buy old and used Denafrips. A new review on a very new old edit is actually misleading the viewers. Fall into Denafrips value trap. CAUTIION!!!!
Thanks for your comment. Indeed, with any company that uses short intervals between upgrades, buying secondhand makes perfect sense. And with products of this quality, there’s often no need to upgrade anyway….
I own the Pontus II also. I've had it for several years now and is one of the best pieces I own. In Canadian dollars it cost me $2500.00. A big chunck for me, but well worth the money. It hasn't given me any issues whatsoever. I'm blessed with beautiful musical music everyday.
@@mortimersnerd1348 also owned Pontus with this starting gear.
On the other end of the cost spectrum, I have been rather shocked by the high quality of sound the $80 4493SEQ-equipped SMSL SU-1 is capable of. The caveat is that it sounds best (by a good margin) when powered by an approximately 1A or greater linear, regulated power supply through its USB port. I also prefer the coaxial input. I wanted to share this here with anyone else looking for a budget DAC that, with a small alteration, can rival the sound of DACs many times it's price. Looking forward to the sound clips. Cheers!!
Thanks for this very useful information!
@@PearlAcoustics I enjoyed your comment in the last DAC video about listening to subtle details like triplets and quadruplets on the hi-hat to determine the playback quality of a DAC. I have some Shelly Manne CDs that have exactly those patterns played softly in the background. When a linear supply is added to the SU-1, the noise floor drops and you can hear each top cymbal strike as an individual event rather than an undefined slurry of notes. These "tells" can be very useful and I appreciate you sharing your observations.
@@terrywho22 thanks for your kind appreciation and interesting observation
Good stuff, as always.
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it
I have two Bryston dacs a bda1 and a bda2. That denafrips does look solid.
It certainly is!
I’ve got the Venus 2 12th …it’s brilliant
👍
Is the chord Qutest gonna be in the video shout out ? I think a lot of people want to see how is chord sound against the more traditional dac :)
What is a traditional DAC? There are just different technologies. A ladder DAC is one of them. And they can all sound great!
Chord is FPGA, that’s what I meant :)
That's a good idea. I know it fairly well. If I can get my hands on one again, I will make a recording and upload it.
@@PearlAcousticsgreat that’s amazing new!
I have a pontus 2 and an Iris ddc, they sound great together connected vi's i2s.
Thanks for sharing.
The P5 and P6 are nice cars we had in the eighties though I was so little that i can not remember.
It’s incredible to think that the P6 was first released in the early to mid 1960’s, it still looks so clean and modern to me’ The P5 ‘a gentleman’s club on wheels’ 😉
Cool, I think the question is. Which one accurately reproduces real instrument tone, timbre and presence. Want these DACs to compete with my vinyl. Unfortunately normally the PCM source is the issue. Looking forward to listening to the samples
Thanks for your comment. The two mediums will always be wide apart but not necessarily exclusive?
Harley, wonderful video.
I see the FBA-800 is back for another listen, I’m very interested to hear your second impressions of the FBA compared to the SPA-4.
Hi, well spotted! Sadly, I have to say that (for me) it's no contest. I much, much prefer the SPA-4. Even the ANV50. Me and the FBA-800 don't get on. Sadly, we're getting divorced ;-).
@@PearlAcoustics thank you for your honest feedback.
13:34 « I don’t think there is any chance of jitter occurring in this DAC ». I think this is an area where it would be interesting to see you experiment in the future. Because if things are done « wrong » then there could still be up to quite a lot a jitter happening at that final stage. In fact any DAC is sensitive to the source it receives the digital signal from. And that can cause some degree of jitter at the DA conversion. So it would be interesting to see you experimenting with high quality digital transports to hear what you would experience. Thanks for the great video
Cyril
Thanks for sharing your kind appreciation Cyril. And thanks too for your contribution to the topic. The upload files are coming soon.
Great review 👌🏻 Apparently Denafrips would not pair well with the Topping PRE90 caused by impedance mismatch..can someone confirm/explain this? 🙏
Hi, I have paired the Pontus with the topping Pre 90 and it was fabulous.
Thanks for your feedback, I suppose you used the RCA connection? I believe it´s the XLR impedance that creates the problem.
@@PearlAcousticsPersonally I would never use the Pontus with RCA output because you miss out some important sound qualities. I think anyone can confirm you are bypassing half of the circuit board and not take benefit of the balanced design.
But maybe you used XLR, I don´t know 😊
@@justasimplefox absolutely not. I used the XLR output. Both the Denefrips and Topping Pre are fully balanced by design, so I would never link them single ended. I hope I didn’t give that impression? 🙃
@@PearlAcoustics Haha, great 😊 Strange some people experience/consider this combination as an impedance mismatch. Maybe I should come and listen in Tienen 😅 (I´m also from Belgium)
I might be over thinking this but how well can we compare different dacs when the output is going to be fed through whatever DAC we have at home (not to mention whatever ADC you feed the mic output or the analogue output of the DACs through to get it back to a digital file)
I'm just not sure how much character will make it through the process.
Hi, you raise a very good point here, which I will cover in the next video. Of course it will never be the same as plugging a Dac into your system but we should be able to detect differences.
Given its price point, maybe the Ares from Denafrips would make more sense to compare with the topping and smsl, right? (Have no idea how much the Sugden costs) It would nice if you could try the new Ares (and compare it with all of those)
Hi, you make a good point here. However, I am not so into comparing on a price point. Too often more expensive does not necessarily mean better sounding. The Sugden DAC-4 is about 3k USD. I would be interested to try the Aries… but I think other reviewers have made the comparison with other Denefrips dacs?
@@PearlAcoustics i understand you don't compare on price point but given your opinion on the pontus and the brief comparison you make, it's easy to guess your conclusion. yes (for other reviewers testing the ares) but not many have tested the most recent version and they haven't necessarily compared the ares with those dacs you have.
@@JoseFerreira-zb7wh indeed.
I´m still thinking whether AES/EBU is usefull or not. I´ve never seen any source with such output. Greetings from Brazil!
Hi, in the pro audio world AES is becoming more and more common. I have never used it on any of my equipment. For domestic applications, I am certain it offers very little additional value
You should for sure give it a try, its like with USB implementations, some vendors do have larger difference between their digital output, not just output level. I highly recommend to test AES, in my DAC/Streamers its the better choice (e.g. Grimm MU2, Holo May KTE, Lumin U1..)
I feed an Eversolo DMP-A6 to a miniDSP SHD Studio, and from there to a Musician Pegasus II DAC via AES/EBU. Works wonderfully. Greetings from Colombia
A Venus 15th and Holo May KTE comparison would be interesting.
Indeed.
what streamer transport and amp are you using for this review? thank you
Hi, the source for the recording was CD, played on a Lyngdorf CD2 in transport mode, for the in room playback (in the next video) is a Sugden ANV 50
The LEDs now look too bright, something i am always wary of because i like to listen in evenings with lights low. Would you say they are a little too bright now?
I admit in the photo they look bright but in reality, they are fine. Especially if they are above, or below eye level. For the photo I took it square on and with an iPhone and the colour flared up a bit. I hope this helps?
Best wishes
@@PearlAcoustics great, thanks :)
My R2R DAC journey started with a Denafrips Ares 2, now I ended up with MSB.
Wow, that’s a serious DAC. Can only imagine how it might sound! Enjoy.
Very interesting thread as usual on this channel. But….😂there is a new star on the sky of the ladder DACs, Harmony DAC( $2,700.0) and Srajan from 6 Moons declared it replaced a $10.000 DAC. 😊It would be great if you could get one for review. It’s definitely lighter and imo more utilitarian.
Thanks for your kind words of appreciation. I will definitely check out the Harmony DAC. Thanks for the tip.
These Denafrips DACs need some days of break in if brand new.
Also, would be very interesting what your take on the three different oversampling modes is.
Thanks for this comment. Up until now, I have preferred the Non OS
Denafrips has incredible build quality. If you have a dac you enjoy, save your money and buy a Terminator serices dac. I have owned the Pontus and it was a fine box, however the Terminator is in another league. Buy a Terminator and you will not want a chip based dac until tech moves the needle.
No surprise you got attached to the Pontus 15th - in back to back tests run by New Record Day, it clearly outperforms the far more expensive and legendary Holo Audio May!
Ah, ok, I have not seen that review. I must check it out.
@@PearlAcoustics New Record Day has the Holo May as his reference Dac for some time and still defends it as being a "little" better. However objectively, his own listening tests clearly reveal the Pontus 15th is technically superior. The Holo may is warmer and has a weightier bass, but the Pontus 15th wins on virtually every other parameter: subbass reproduction, midbass articulation, PRAT, midrange separation, transparency, etc.
@ thanks for this!
Love my Ares 2... Unfortunately, there was a falling out between Denafrips and their once exclusive GLOBAL distributor / retailer based in Singapore that has superb customer service....
It’s always sad when these kinds of changes take place. Hopefully, both parties will continue to do well and move on.
Have you ever looked at what your Canadian Cousins are doing, with Their, Audio Note kit DAC's, approach to topology/implementation?
no not yet.... thanks for the tip!
Enyo is the rebranded/renamed Ares 2.....
There was Pontus in 2018, Pontus-II in late 2019 and early 2020, then Pontus 12th anniversary a year later and then the Pontus 12th-1 last year and now the Pontus 15th… so no wonder people are pissed off! My Pontus II is now “obsolete”… lol
I totally get it. Hopefully it still sounds great though?
I don't understand....why is it obsolete? Doesn't it work anymore?
Will you consider to Review the Merason Frérot ? It is apparently widely praise for his very natural sound :)
Thanks for the tip. I'll look out for it. No promises ;-)
@@PearlAcoustics Thanks ! The guy who made Merason DACs is a actually a vinyl fan who wanted his digital to have the same magic as his vinyl ;)
Hshaha! Harley''s got the analogy-DAC bug! He's ruined forever .... Now he needs to compare to the Holo DACs LoL
:-)!! Please no! (I am looking forward to trying the Holo dacs. I've heard so much about them ;-)
I appreciate this mature, thoughtful presentation.
Ideally, one can have both a high quality R2R and a chip-based DAC to select from, given the target recording, partnering equipment, listening preferences and goals, etc. Both technologies will likely have their adherents and I doubt the technologies will converge to where they both sound identical.
Thank you!
instead of listening for a difference, just measure the difference. record both dac, invert one recording in its phase and overlap with the first recording & level match them,
whats left is the difference. if there isnt any, there will be silence. and no ear in the world can hear what isnt there.
Like saying somthin between lines
I like your comment, very true indeed. I hope you're not referring to a null test, that would eradicate personal opinions and conjecture… where would youtube be without them…
In my experience, most reviewers (present company accepted) have very limited or no technical knowledge background to provide any real meaning to correlate differences they can hear and rely solely on subjective opinions & taste, suppositions and pragmatism based on conjecture. How are we supposed to trust and go with that? On top of this, some openly admit technical specs are not for them and believe they are meaningless and insignificant. Well… ‘Insecurity.. Ignorance’ are words that springs to mind - this is a poor and lazy copout to mitigate their ability to
(A) be able to understand the data
(B) interpret technical data correctly to put into good use
(C) can only explain (but struggle to articulate) the why and not the how.
Best of luck trying to access and make formal decisions for new pieces of expensive HiFi gear based on most youtube reviewers.
An interesting suggestion. Feel free to give it a try when we upload the files on the 7th. of October... Enjoy
@@PearlAcoustics oh, please, I'm not directing this at you. I find your reviews very good. You include some very interesting observations, history and some technical details to back it up, I take my hat off to you. I'll look forward to the files.
@@rm-mastering absolutely no worries. Thanks for your very kind appreciation! (I was actually replying to the first comment from ‘gamerpady’)
Please try this. My favourite. Bought from Apple Music, I don't like streaming. I got 10 years on you, was raised on this. Bing & Rosie: The Crosby-Clooney Radio Sessions
Oh, I will definitely give that a try! I have the Harry Belafonte live recording 'Jamaica Farewell' - its wonderful too.
Cool
I like my Holo Audio Spring 3 Kitsune edition...also and R2R ...sounds better my opinion than pontus. I have had both
thanks for this
Pontus, Pontus II, Pontus 12th, Pontus 12-1, Pontus 15th I would guess all sound a bit different.
Listening to a R2R recoding via the random user's delta-sigma DAC (on their computers) will tell nothing about the character of R2R sonic reproduction. And this is with headphones, if they listen this trough a class D amplifier (especially without PFFB), the sonic character of the DAC is even more covered.
One needs to listen those in person. I didn't believe there is a difference until I got hold of my first R2R CD player.
Thanks for sharing
music only music !!!!
transit dynamic color tessiture stage and go on !!!
Pontus 15th is just the Venus. It's not the same signature that every reviewer has gave great reviews about. The venus is a great dac but it's a completely different sound signature that what the pontus was.
Thanks for sharing
The Pontus 2 15th is much more like the Venus 2 12th!
Same power supply, same ladder of the same quality, almost the same caps on the mainboard like the venus 2 12th. Lower quality XOs.
Indeed, it’s as I say in the video, basically Denafrips have moved a lot of the features down a model for the 25th anniversary celebrations.
It is their most interesting dac with some superior qualities but their signature still seems flat so I prefer the more expensive Harmony or the cheaper Cyan 2 and if using a cheap streamer it seems you can not use the clock from the more expensive dac for better quality if using the tos or coax connections. Now lets see if the Amber and Canor and AAdac and 2v2se and the poor mans Amber dac the Fezz Equinox are even more analog and real clinking dacs 🤔
👍👌
Looking forward to the next video
Thanks! Not long now (we're editing it at the moment).... ;-)
15.1 coming soon 😅
:-)
Happy to note your respect for Tarun (A British Audiophile). He’s my go-to reviewer and I have bought equipment based only on his reviews. His description of the Sibelius as “the truth” made me weep that I can’t afford them.
Absolutely, a voice one can absolutely trust. Enjoy the music. One day.... you never know ;-)
@@PearlAcoustics Hopefully!!🤞🏼 😃
I have the HoloAudio May KTE dac and love it!!
I think you're not alone here. I am intrigued
Denafrips makes good gear, owned Terminator Plus. I'm pretty sure you would love the swiss brand Merason DAC R2R (would also fit your philosophy). TotalDAC is a complete different game, way up the Highend chain and cant be compared with those brands (biased, owned it some years ago) 😊 thanks a lot for your time & efforts!!
You're very welcome. Thanks for your kind appreciation. I want indeed, to check out the Merason. Best wishes, H.
Call me a philistine , I changed from a moon 100 to a Heed , the less expensive one about 2 grand Canadian, couldn’t tell you if either one is a ladder dac or a delta sigma, I know the Heed sounds nice, that’s it, no other opinion on offer from me
Oh I feed it with a moon 260 transport into a moon 340i and fyne f502sp speakers
Thanks for sharing this... Enjoy the music.
Holo Audio R2R should be considered as well
Schiit is multibit not R2R
Alvin did an excellent job building up the Denefrips brand
Hi Thanks for your comment. I can understand some disappointment in this topic. I do not have any of the details, so don’t feel qualified to comment. but I hope both parties will. do well, moving forward. I think that many HiFi manufacturers will start to circumnavigate their distributors in the future. Of course, it’s how this change is handled that matters most. We live in a rapidly changing world.
@@PearlAcoustics I will edit that out and I do note that at least one other comment mentioned Alvin.
It is irrelevant to the question of R2R
You auditioned multiple preamps
You would be best served by looking at Holo and Gustard R2R as well
The Multi-bit implementation is also worth investigating
Schiit and Chord would be good examples
I have a Holo Cyan 2 that has the least features but incredible sound for the money and the reviews are in agreement that it is more than worthy
The R2Rs have a warmer presentation which may be why you are drawn to them
R2R is not new technology. It is the oldest form of D to A conversion. Better resistor accuracy and matching is a more recent development.
Indeed, you’re absolutely correct
Floy Lane
I’ve a gustard dac and a chord dac I use them for different music
That’s interesting because I can completely identify with that
Have heard wonderful things about both of those Dacs, audio is such a subjective endeavor, the possibilities and matchings are seemingly endless. Thanks for sharing.
can you please give us a small comparison between your Gustard and chord? I am torn between Qutest and Aries 15th and the Qutest is cheaper by $250 in my place.
I’d go for the chord they seem to have a great wide image and are more musical not as analytical
@@Ricky-cl5buThank you. Do you think R2Rs are analytical?
Venus ii 12th-1 beats Pontus by a huge margin in soundstage and placements and scale ! At least beat pontus by 20%. Venus is the obvious choice for a bit more $$$.
Soon there will be a Venus 15th. I suppose you are comparing Venus versus Pontus 2 or 11th? Much changed since then….
@@PearlAcoustics they always change new edits unlike chord. Denafrips plate the IEC plug and call it a new edit.
Very disadvantages to consumers of new sets of Denafrips gears. I have used 3 models.
Will NEVER BUY NEW again. Value drop too fast with every new edit.
@@ZEN_X999 thanks for sharing
Making an objective comparison of two brands of dac chips is pretty much impossible. At least inside an audio system. And I think it is also pointless for a couple reasons. The first being that it is impossible for you to compare only the chips. Those chips are not interchangeable, so you can’t use two identical DACs with only the chips replaced. You can only compare two different DACs, which have different inputs and output stages, different parts, layout, power supplies, etc. And the same principle applies when comparing delta sigma against a R2R DAC. You end up comparing different products, not R2R vs delta sigma. Still an interesting experiment though, just not for the same reasons
Indeed, can only agree. As I mention in my previous video, the architecture and analogue circuitry, will always impact the sound more than anything else. So it was more for curiosity, comparing the two rival dacs, and for fun. It's like being in a restaurant, if the food tastes great - who cares if it has been cooked in a stainless steel or copper pan? ;-) Best wishes, H.
Send one to ASR, lets see just how good it is.
;-)
Why not take a look at your neighbor Audio Note who make excellent R2R DACs and I think would handily mop the floor against the competition here
Indeed, it needs to be checked out. Thanks!
Denafrips marketing and new product launch high frequency is a joke !!! Value drop too quickly if u buy new gear from Denafrips!!!! Just buy used.
Thanks for sharing. Indeed, buying secondhand kind of makes sense as long as some keep buying new!
I have been thinking about this and I am wondering if the frequent upgrades are marketing or R&D driven? In some companies the balance is more on R&D than on marketing, because if you think about it, it’s not a good marketing strategy, if Denefrips upset their customers? Hence I feel it is most likely the fact that the developers are constantly re-working/improving their designs as new components become available, or new ideas enter the team. What should they do: wait a few years or improve as they go? I get it that it can be very frustrating if one buys to re-sell. These things are tricky. The opposite to Denefrips is Sugden who almost never change their products (and us at Pearl Acoustics too, no changes in our loudspeakers in the last 11 years and none planned for the future either). But maybe, without one DAC company regularly upgrading its product offering, it holds the industry back? Just wondering. I know in the Flat TV upgrades like this are very common but I guess people don’t trad TV’s like they do HiFi?
@@PearlAcousticsDenafrips have proven to launch minor changes as a new model time and time again. Bottom line is Clear now = NEVER BUY DENAFRIPS NEW， LESSON Learnt ¡
@@PearlAcoustics I agree. To me it seems as if Speakers and Amplifiers are a relative anchor in a persons system and DAC’s are like a revolving door.
@@ZEN_X999, Yes. Phenomenal gear, but buy the Denafrips used if all possible
@@NawMan357 nicely put!
Of course the why you keep going abck to it is because it is: D-ynamic, E-xquisite, N-atural, and A-ttractive. as well as: F-idelity
R-efined
I-ntoxicating
P-ure
S-ophisticated 😁
:-)!
Thing is with all Hi-Fi its "The Kings New Clothes". I repair both Hi-Fi and music performance equipment and the Hi-Fi side is something of a joke. Much is purely ideology not actually better but it makes the buyer feel so much better having spent thousands on something that may actually be no better than something at a tenth of the price. I used to write for Hi-Fi World and have seen it all! Including the madness of changing to fancy switches because it makes the thing sound better when the switch feeds directly into a selector IC so has no effect on the audio path at all. There is madness in this world.
Agree, I don’t think any hobby has as much snake oil as the hifi hobby. I thought the magazines were a lot to blame for that, but I see now that UA-cam influencers and guys that are more on hifi forums instead of listening to music are probably more to blame.
There is a fine line between madness and genius....I have found some absolute gems for my home hifi for a fair price. My wife, on the other hand, thinks that I am mad......oh well. Shine on !
Thanks for sharing. Indeed, there's function and then there's the gear collecting side of it. As I always say. It's a very personal thing. Many people buy very expensive wrist watches, they don't necessarily tell the time any better, but can be nicer to look at and even just to own. Humans are not rational. And for me, that is in part of it, the fun of this hobby.
DON’T BUY DENAFRIPS. VERY POOR CUSTOMER CARE.
I had great customer support, but it was earlier with Vinshine.
Thanks for your comment. I was always led to believe that their customer service was excellent.